Haruno Sakura stared at the book in her hands—The Will of Fire by the Third Hokage—with a mixture of disbelief and mild frustration. If she were asked to write a book like this, she was certain the actual content would be far more interesting and meaningful than what was written here. It felt empty, hollow, as if the entire essence boiled down to just four simple words: "Loyalty, Shadow, Love, Village."
Setting the book aside, Sakura stretched her arms and back. She had been sitting in the classroom for most of the day, and now it was about time to move around a bit. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to empty her mind and prepare herself for some training later.
Outside, most of her classmates had already gone to the training grounds to practice their shuriken throwing. From the faint sounds drifting through the window, Sakura could hear the unmistakable yelling of Iruka-sensei at Naruto somewhere outside.
"Stop throwing shuriken everywhere!"
"Focus on the advanced techniques I taught you!"
"Don't mess around with random jutsu you made up yourself!"
The mix of rain-soaked earth and fresh mud carried in by the wind stirred the pink strands of Sakura's hair. Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, and a shadow seemed to darken her vision for a brief moment.
Startled, Sakura opened her vivid green eyes to see a face that was almost the personification of despair and death itself right before her. The boy standing there looked drained, hollow, utterly broken inside.
"Uchiha Sasuke?"
Sakura blinked in surprise. Why was Sasuke here? He shouldn't be here—he was supposed to be…
"Haruno Sakura."
The words left Uchiha Sasuke's mouth with no emotion, no fluctuation of feeling. It was as if they were a mere formality.
"Eh? What do you want?"
"I want to fight you."
Sasuke's eyes were empty, vacant, as if all life and hope had been extinguished overnight. He had lost everything—his family, his home, his future.
His stern father, his gentle mother… and…
…Uchiha Itachi—the traitor!
He was so weak, so insignificant that he wasn't even worthy of being killed.
All for some ridiculous reason…
Just to "test his own limits," he slaughtered countless innocent people.
The warmth that once filled Sasuke's home, the love and care of family, shattered like a fragile illusion in his heart. What seemed so beautiful, so precious, so within reach… was cut down by Itachi's blade in a single, merciless stroke.
"I'm too weak. I'm so weak. Not only can I never surpass Itachi…"
"But even Sakura from school keeps beating me."
"No…"
"I want to be stronger. Stronger. Stronger!"
Sasuke's voice was desperate, trembling with pain and rage.
"I want to kill Itachi someday, so I have to keep growing stronger!"
That made Sakura's heart tighten. Sasuke was like a wounded beast, savage and wild, lashing out at anything in his path.
She instinctively stepped back as Sasuke launched himself forward with a fierce punch, the air whooshing past her face.
Sakura's pink hair flew wildly as she barely dodged the blow.
"Stop it, Sasuke. I don't have time to fight you right now," Sakura said firmly as she gathered her things.
"You should be at home, dealing with your family's bodies and the aftermath of what happened."
But Sasuke's anger exploded. His palm slammed down on Sakura's desk with a thunderous crash, cutting off her words.
"You—You look down on me too, don't you?!" Sasuke's face twisted in a hideous mask of rage and despair.
The mention of "home" sent Sasuke over the edge.
"Home? What home?"
"What home do I even have left?!"
Sakura frowned slightly, suppressing her irritation as she looked at the broken boy before her.
"Sasuke, I think you should—"
Before she could finish, Sasuke's fist came flying again, furious and wild. If she hadn't dodged quickly, that punch might have landed squarely on her face.
The raw fury burning inside Sasuke was like a wild animal trapped and cornered.
To defeat Itachi, he had to become stronger, and the first obstacle in his way was none other than Sakura—someone who seemed to outclass him in everything.
Sakura dodged frantically, weaving through Sasuke's chaotic, untrained attacks. Her brow furrowed as she watched the boy's desperation take shape in his furious strikes.
"Sasuke, if you don't stop, I won't hold back anymore."
But her words only fueled his rage.
"What do you mean, 'won't hold back'?!"
"Have I not been holding back for you this whole time? Am I not being lenient?!"
The emotion inside him was extreme, explosive. His only thought now was to crush her, to win, to prove his strength.
Sakura's annoyance and frustration melted away, replaced by a deep sympathy. This boy was like a mad dog, abandoned and lost—unable to accept the bitter truth, lashing out at the world.
Step by step, she retreated, until the cold wall was pressing against her back.
Thunk.
The sound echoed hollowly through the classroom.
Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
Sakura had caught his fist with one hand.
No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
"Look closely," Sakura said calmly.
"This is the gap between us."
Her voice was steady, even as Sasuke struggled, twisting and tugging, trying to free himself.
She was like a stone statue—unmoving, unyielding.
As Sasuke attempted to strike with his other hand, Sakura pressed down harder, forcing his body downward.
"Ahhh!!!" Sasuke roared in frustration and fury.
He caught a glimpse of something in her eyes—a hint of pity?
When did he ever need anyone's pity?
"Taking your bitterness out on others is a deeply disappointing thing to do," Sakura said softly.
"Sasuke… and besides, I'm your classmate."
Her bright green eyes held steady, watching the boy who was struggling against the invisible chains she'd wrapped him in.
"And…"
Sakura suddenly stopped herself.
She shouldn't know these things.
"But you can see for yourself—you can't beat me."
"I accept your challenge."
"But I do not accept this madness—this feral rage like a mad dog."
"Go home, Sasuke."
Releasing his hand, Sakura stepped aside.
Tears silently streamed down Sasuke's face. He stood there silently, unmoving, speechless.
Sakura glanced back at him, saying nothing more, and quietly walked past.
"Sakura…"
The broken voice called after her, choked with emotion.
"I will win…"
---
Meanwhile, at the Hokage's office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat calmly, smoking a pipe as he gazed into the crystal ball before him.
He thought of the promise Uchiha Itachi had made before leaving, and a deep headache settled over him.
All those who opened the Mangekyō Sharingan were madmen…
Madara Uchiha was like that. Itachi was like that too.
Now, Hiruzen understood why his own teacher, Tobirama Senju, never wanted to send the Uchiha to the battlefield.
He assigned them to the Konoha Police Force instead.
The stronger the Sharingan, the more unstable the mind became—especially with the Mangekyō.
Extreme power brought extreme paranoia and extremes in emotion.
If the Uchiha were deployed en masse on the front lines, the village would face a disaster unlike any before.
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(End of Chapter 14)
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