The forest around Team 7's training ground buzzed with the sound of insects and rustling leaves.
However, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha were focused on only one thing: the towering tree trunk before them.
Both were racing, their small, chakra-infused feet trying to climb as high as possible, leaving kunai scratches as markers.
"This time I'll definitely be higher than you, Teme!"
Naruto shouted, his breath coming in ragged gasps, sweat drenching his temples.
He leaped, embedding his kunai slightly higher than his previous attempt.
Sasuke, with his typical cool expression, merely snorted.
'Damn you, Naruto. I have to work harder than you,' he thought inwardly, completely ignoring Sakura Haruno, who stood below with her arms crossed.
He managed to scratch his kunai just a bit higher than Naruto's mark.
"You two!" Sakura's voice was annoyed.
It was getting late, and they were supposed to be back at Tazuna's house.
But her two teammates seemed deaf.
"We have to go back now!"
Neither of them noticed the impending danger from the angry girl below.
The aura around Sakura felt different, denser and more intimidating.
She walked step by step towards the tree the two boys were climbing.
She suppressed her anger, clenched her fists, and said, gritting her teeth, in a low but emphatic voice:
"You two... WE HAVE TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW!"
Still ignored, Sakura's patience finally snapped.
She raised her fist high, focusing a bit of her chakra – more out of emotion than intention –
BANG!
she slammed her fist hard into the trunk of the tree where Naruto and Sasuke were training.
A long crack instantly spread across the tree trunk like a spiderweb.
And with a horrifying creaking sound, the entire massive tree began to tilt and finally toppled with a loud crash, sending dust and leaves flying into the air.
Naruto and Sasuke, who were engrossed in climbing at the top of the tree, naturally fell along with it.
"OUCH! My butt hurts so bad! What happened, dattebayo?!"
Naruto screamed in pain as he landed on a pile of leaves and dirt.
The loud noise made Sasuke, who had also fallen but managed a better landing, turn his head sideways in shock.
'Why did this tree fall? Could it be that Dobe Naruto's doing?'
He then saw Sakura standing not far from the base of the fallen tree with an utterly furious expression.
Sasuke gulped, suddenly feeling a little scared.
"I told you, you two!"
Sakura enunciated each word with emphasis, her voice chillingly cold.
"Can we go back now?"
It was only then that the two boys realized it was Sakura who had felled the massive tree with a single punch.
What kind of strength was that?!
Naruto and Sasuke both nodded obediently and quickly, not daring to argue in the slightest.
They scrambled down from the remains of the fallen tree, dusting themselves off as best they could.
The journey back to Tazuna's house was made in an awkward silence.
Sakura walked ahead with firm steps, while Naruto and Sasuke trailed behind her like frightened chicks, not daring to make a sound.
The aura of Sakura's anger was still palpable, though it had subsided a little.
The training ground was very close to Tazuna's house, and they reached it in a few minutes. Warm light shone from a small house not far away.
Sakura knocked gently on the wooden door of Tazuna's house.
"Tadaima! We're back!"
Soon, the door opened, and a friendly young woman appeared. It was Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter.
"Okaeri! Welcome back," she greeted with a soft smile.
"Dinner will be ready soon. Hurry and get ready to eat."
Sakura scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed about the earlier incident.
"Um... Tsunami-san, may I take a bath first? I got quite sweaty after training."
Tsunami smiled gently and said,
"Of course, Sakura-chan. I've already prepared warm water for you. Come with me."
The wooden bathtub in the bathroom was filled to the brim with warm water, thin wisps of steam curling up from it.
Perhaps Tsunami had thought someone would want to bathe immediately after returning from hard training.
Sakura placed her change of clothes and quickly shed her sweaty and slightly dirt-stained attire.
She closed her eyes slightly as the soothing warm water cascaded over her body, washing away all her fatigue and the lingering tension she felt.
The tree-felling incident had indeed been quite emotionally draining.
After bathing and feeling refreshed, Sakura emerged from the bathroom wearing a simple yukata.
She was ready for dinner.
Gazing at the hot food laid out on the table – grilled fish, miso soup, warm white rice, and several vegetable side dishes – Sakura's nose twitched.
"Wow, it smells so delicious!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.
Tsunami smiled, pleased to hear the praise.
"Come on, let's eat. You all must have worked hard today."
Sakura sat at the dining table, picked up her rice bowl, and began to eat in large mouthfuls.
"Hehe, this is so good, Tsunami-san! Your cooking is the best!" Sakura smiled sweetly.
While eating, Naruto occasionally glanced at Sakura.
The more he observed her, the more he felt Sakura looked different.
It wasn't just because of the tree incident.
There was a new aura of confidence, and somehow... she looked even prettier in his eyes, especially with her pink hair slightly damp after her bath and the simple yukata she wore.
As he continued to watch, Naruto's face slowly turned red without him realizing it.
Kakashi, who had also joined them at the dining table, though still a bit pale after his fight with Zabuza, asked in confusion,
"What's wrong with you, Naruto? Your face is so red. Are you not feeling well, or do you have a fever?"
Naruto jumped in surprise and immediately shook his head frantically.
"No! No, Sensei! I... I'm just really excited to eat! Yeah, that's it, dattebayo!"
He hurriedly shoveled rice into his mouth, trying to hide his nervousness.
Sasuke only glanced briefly, then returned his focus to his food.
Soon, Sakura finished her meal. She patted her stomach contentedly.
"Ahh, I'm so full. Thank you for the meal!"
After returning to her simple room, Sakura lay down on her futon, closing her eyes and thinking about the various things that had happened that day.
Her training, the progress of her Magnet Release – she could now draw iron powder from the ground and form it into a small shield or projectiles, though not yet perfectly – and, of course, the tree-felling incident earlier.
She chuckled softly, remembering Naruto and Sasuke's frightened faces.
Maybe next time they would listen to her more.
A pleasant wave of drowsiness finally overcame Sakura, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, the air was fresh and cool.
The chirping of birds could be heard from outside the window as Team 7 gathered for breakfast.
After they had all finished, Naruto and Sasuke were already preparing to go practice tree climbing again, hoping to surpass yesterday's achievements and perhaps, avoid Sakura's wrath again.
However, Kakashi, whose condition had improved considerably, ignored their enthusiasm.
"You two continue with the tree-climbing practice," he said flatly. Then, he turned to Sakura,
"Sakura, you'll come with me. Tazuna-san, I will escort you to the bridge today."
Sakura was slightly surprised but nodded obediently.
This was a good opportunity.
Over the past few days, besides basic physical training, Sakura had managed to master the basics of wind release (successfully cutting a leaf with wind chakra) and earth release (able to form small mounds of earth) quite quickly thanks to her good chakra control.
Her understanding of Magnet Release had also naturally increased.
She could now easily draw more iron sand from the ground and control it with greater precision, though it wasn't yet strong enough for massive attacks, it was threatening enough and very flexible for defense or small-scale surprise attacks.
While walking towards the bridge with Kakashi and Tazuna, Kakashi gave some instructions.
"Your Magnet Release is unique, Sakura. Utilize your precise chakra control. Try to feel the magnetic fields around you, the metal particles in the ground. Don't just pull, but also shape and control its flow."
Kakashi occasionally had Sakura practice pulling out old nails or metal fragments along the road, shaping them into various simple forms.
Upon arriving at the still half-finished bridge, the atmosphere felt grim.
Only a handful of workers were visible, and even they worked without spirit.
Suddenly, one of them, a middle-aged man named Giichi, roughly put down his tools.
"Tazuna-san, I... I give up! I can't take it anymore!"
His face showed deep fear.
"Gato and his men will kill me if I continue to work here! They've already threatened my family!"
"Why do you say that, Giichi?!"
Tazuna said anxiously, trying to persuade him.
"But once this bridge is completed, none of us will have to live in fear and poverty like this anymore! Life in the Land of Waves will be better! We're almost finished!"
But no matter how hard Tazuna tried to persuade them, the fear of Gato was too deeply ingrained.
Several other workers nodded in agreement with Giichi.
They wouldn't listen. Over the next few days, more and more workers chose to quit and abandon the bridge construction project.
The hope for the Land of Waves to break free from Gato's grip seemed to diminish further, leaving Tazuna increasingly desperate.
Sakura and Kakashi could only observe with concern.
On the other hand, after several days of hard training without significant interruption – other than occasional taunts at each other – Naruto and Sasuke finally managed to complete their tree-climbing training.
Their feet could now firmly grip the tree trunk without slipping, and they could even run vertically, though not yet as nimbly as Sakura or Kakashi.
They celebrated this small success by challenging each other to see who could reach the top of the tallest tree first.
Now, Kakashi gave them their next training: learning how to rely on momentary chakra bursts to instantly increase their strength, speed, and other physical abilities during combat.
"This is a very important fundamental technique for a ninja," Kakashi explained. "You must be able to unleash your body's maximum potential in an instant."
With this training, Naruto and Sasuke slowly began to make up for their biggest shortcomings in chakra control and movement efficiency.
Their strength and speed increased rapidly, evident in their newfound ability to jump farther and move faster among the trees.
After breakfast that morning, a few days after the incident with the striking workers, Kakashi gathered Team 7.
His face looked more serious than usual. "Alright, kids," he said in a heavy tone, "we'll stop intensive training for now."
"Huh? Why, Sensei?"
Naruto asked, slightly disappointed as he felt he was just starting to master the chakra burst technique.
"It's highly likely that in the next few days, Zabuza and his partner will attack again." He stared intently towards the horizon.
"All of you must keep your bodies in peak condition and your chakra full to face that possible sudden attack."
After considering various factors, including the enemy's strength and Kakashi's not yet fully recovered condition, he made a decision.
"Naruto, Sasuke, you two will come with me to protect Tazuna-san at the bridge. We will confront them there."
Then, Kakashi turned to the only girl on his team.
"Sakura," he called,
"you will stay here to guard the house. Protect Tsunami-san and Inari in case any enemies try to infiltrate here. This house is their last line of defense."
"I understand, Sensei," Sakura replied steadily, though there was a hint of disappointment at not being able to fight at the bridge with her friends.
But she realized that protecting Tsunami and Inari was also an important responsibility.
Over the next few days, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi escorted Tazuna to the bridge, Sakura stayed at the house.
She helped Tsunami with household chores, played with Inari, and most importantly, remained constantly vigilant.
Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, was a beautiful young woman with a gentle smile and a calm gaze.
After several days of interaction, often helping her in the kitchen or with shopping, Sakura realized that Tsunami was easy to get along with, very gentle, yet also possessed a strong and resilient heart.
Sakura often noticed Tsunami silently gazing out at the open sea with a sad yet hopeful expression.
Sakura wasn't sure if this fortitude was inherited from her father, Tazuna-san's, stubborn nature, or because she had endured a profound loss – the death of her husband, the village hero who had dared to oppose Gato and was eventually killed by his men. She had heard the story from Inari.
While honing her Magnet Release skills again in the backyard, pulling and shaping iron sand from the earth into various defensive forms, Sakura pondered.
In this harsh Shinobi World, it was very difficult for civilians, especially those from small countries without significant military power, to live happy and fulfilling lives.
In an era where great wars between major nations often occurred, without the power to protect oneself, it was impossible to protect happiness and loved ones.
Even in a relative haven far from major wars like the Land of Waves, without adequate defensive power, one could not escape the fate of being oppressed by those stronger and greedier, like Gato.
This experience, her observation of Tsunami and Tazuna, and her own growing strength, further solidified Sakura's resolve.
She had to become stronger.
Not just for herself, but also to protect the people precious to her.
Strength wasn't everything, but without it, good intentions were often not enough.
The sea breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of salt.
Sakura clenched her fists.
She was ready to face whatever came.