Chapter 15: The Hokage
Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked his beard thoughtfully as he gazed into the crystal ball. The image reflected within it was that of a small girl with vibrant pink hair — Haruno Sakura. His mind lingered on how she had handled the situation with Uchiha Sasuke. Though his methods might have been somewhat biased, overall, they had been effective enough to earn Hiruzen's approval.
When faced with a classmate whose emotions had spiraled out of control, words alone would not suffice. In such cases, it was often necessary to first subdue them physically, and only then use reason and gentle words to calm their rage.
Clearly, this approach had worked well.
This is the future of Konoha… he thought, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Recalling the scene that had just unfolded, Sarutobi fell into a deep contemplation. It seemed like he had come to a resolution, one that would affect the village's future.
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A soft sigh escaped Sakura's lips as she leaned against the rough bark of a sturdy tree, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Beads of sweat glistened on her flushed cheeks and trailed down her face in delicate streams. Though her young body was just seven years old, she was no stranger to pushing limits. Having just finished a grueling thirty-kilometer endurance run, she could feel that her body was nearing its breaking point. Any further exertion now would risk injury.
But the ordeal of Uchiha Sasuke did not weigh heavily on her mind. She bore no ill will toward him — just the perception of a pitiful child, lost in his pain and anger.
Suddenly, a voice, gravelly yet full of vitality, cut through the quiet afternoon air.
"Sakura?"
Sakura turned her head to see an older man standing nearby, dressed in simple civilian clothes. His hair was thinning and grey, but his presence carried a weight that demanded respect.
"Hokage-sama?" Sakura's voice rose in surprise. She tried to stand, but her legs felt weak, and after a brief struggle, Sarutobi gently pressed a hand to her shoulder to steady her.
"If you're tired, rest properly," the Hokage said kindly, his eyes softening as he looked at the small pink-haired girl.
"Y-yes, Hokage-sama," Sakura replied, biting her lip as she regarded the benevolent old man with a hint of curiosity. "Why… why are you here?"
Hiruzen chuckled warmly, settling beside her with a gentle pat on her head.
"Of course, to check on our little prodigy ninja."
Sakura did not bother hiding her talent — her genius was well-known throughout the village, and Hiruzen, naturally, was fully aware of her reputation.
The words stirred something in Sakura, but she remained quiet.
"Is something wrong?" Hiruzen asked, noticing the lack of response and the shadow that flickered across her face. The girl seemed less cheerful than usual.
Sakura raised a trembling hand to wipe sweat from her brow, then gestured to her exhausted body, as if trying to say everything behind her success was often overlooked.
"The word 'genius' hides all the effort behind me," she said quietly. "People don't see how hard I work; they just assume my excellence is natural, expected."
Despite the promotion of her talent, Sakura spent countless nights burning the midnight oil, rising early each day to train with a rigorous intensity. Though she had indeed achieved remarkable results, it came at a cost — sweat, tears, and countless moments of doubt.
"I see… I must have overlooked that," Hiruzen said softly, his expression growing more tender. He had always admired this child, and now, hearing her confession, a pang of sympathy stirred in his heart.
"May I ask why you work so hard?" he inquired gently.
Sakura's eyes brightened, and she pointed towards the direction of the Hokage's office — or more accurately, towards the faces carved into the Hokage Rock, even though they were not visible from here.
"I want to become the first female Hokage."
"To protect my mother, my father, and the village."
Hiruzen was momentarily stunned. His keen senses, combined with his deep impression of Sakura's diligent spirit, now absorbed these words — words that echoed those once spoken by a certain red-haired "scarlet pepper" from the past.
He saw in her the echoes of others: the strength of Tsunade, the resolve of Kushina, and the spirit of Minato. The old man's eyes glistened with moisture, touched by the vision of this girl who embodied so much hope and potential.
Unseen by Hiruzen, Sakura's face twisted into a shy and somewhat embarrassed expression. To say such lofty things in front of a man in his sixties was awkward. Some things were better kept secret, or at least treated as mere strategies rather than heartfelt truths.
"Well," Hiruzen smiled warmly, brushing away the moisture from his eyes, "that's a noble goal."
"This old man believes in you, Sakura."
He ruffled her hair once more and added, "If you ever have any questions or troubles, you can always come to me."
With those words, he rose, and before she could say anything else, disappeared from view.
Wait… my Hokage-sama, you're just leaving like that? Sakura sighed softly.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something left behind where Hiruzen had sat: a scroll.
What the—! The old man just dropped a treasure!
Sakura eagerly grabbed the scroll and unfurled it.
Two bold characters greeted her on the first page:
Super Strength!
To be honest, she felt a pang of disappointment at first. But, on the other hand, she thought, this meant she could now openly use the power without hiding it.
As she flipped further, Sakura's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Unlike the brute strength her body already possessed, this scroll contained the secrets of the legendary Super Strength technique, a ninja physical art created by Tsunade herself. It taught how to gather chakra into specific parts of the body and then explosively release it — a high-level skill requiring precise chakra control.
Though Sakura had gained the ability to use super strength through her "cheat" abilities, she was still unfamiliar with the finer points of chakra manipulation.
For a ninja, mastery over chakra was everything. It was the foundation for all jutsu, the difference between life and death on the battlefield.
And unlike Naruto Uzumaki — the village's chaotic "chakra monster" — most ninjas had to learn to refine their chakra control to use their skills efficiently.
Mastering chakra would allow her to learn new jutsu more quickly and use them with greater finesse.
Besides, Hiruzen's final words echoed in her mind: if she had questions, she could always ask him.
Heh, my Hokage-sama, I have no clue about anything!
Carefully rolling up the scroll, Sakura hummed a cheerful tune and stepped lightly toward home as the sun began to set.
"The vast horizon is my love~~~
Under the endless green hills, flowers bloom~~~"
The sparkling lake mirrored her lively figure, and by the familiar riverbank, a lone boy stood silently staring at the water's surface.
"Hey, Naruto, what are you doing zoning out here?" Sakura's bright voice interrupted.
"The sun's setting, shouldn't you be going home to cook?" she teased.
"If I catch you eating instant noodles again, I'll tell Iruka-sensei you've been having two cups a day!" she added with a playful grin.
Naruto turned, his face lighting up at the sight of Sakura's radiant smile, a smile that made his heart almost stop.
"You're spacing out like an idiot. Come on, it's getting dark. Time to head home!"
"Y-yeah!" Naruto blinked and quickly put on a cheerful grin.
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Back at the village, the sun dipped low, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson.
Within the walls of Konoha, the future Hokage was quietly preparing to take on the weight of the world, one determined step at a time.
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(End of Chapter 15)
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