At the end of Konoha's 58th year, inside the Hokage Building.
Soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow across the Hokage's office. The light refracted through wisps of smoke, scattering tiny specks onto the floor.
Finishing his paperwork, Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe, tapping it lightly against the desk to clear out the ash clogging the bowl.
His gaze drifted, landing on a vibrant green bamboo plant in a pot.
For some reason, the sight reminded him of Sakura Haruno's striking emerald eyes.
Come to think of it, that girl must've gotten her hands on the Flying Thunder God scroll by now, right?
Was she jumping for joy at this moment, or was she wrestling with the technique's steep learning curve?
"Forget it, let's take a peek."
The thought of seeing that confident girl's face twist in frustration brought a faint smile to Sarutobi's weathered features.
He pulled out a crystal ball from his desk and activated the Telescope Technique.
Chakra surged and wove together, connecting with the surveillance barrier that blanketed the village, granting vision that could pierce any physical boundary.
But instead of a clear image, the crystal ball displayed a rare, mottled patchwork of colors.
"Huh?"
Puzzled, Sarutobi tapped the crystal ball with his pipe.
The image wavered, faint white ripples spreading across the surface.
"What's going on?"
Curious, Sarutobi leaned closer, his cloudy eyes wide with focus.
In that instant, the blurry patches vanished, and Sakura's room came into sharp view.
But along with it came thousands of blinding, radiant beams!
—Aminos, Light!!!
A scream tore through the Hokage's office. Sarutobi's pipe slipped from his hand, striking his old friend—the desk—with precision. Sparks from the pipe scattered, igniting the flammable ceremonial robe.
By the time the Anbu burst into the room, they found the Hokage on his knees, engulfed in flames!!!
"Third Hokage!"
A piercing wail echoed through the building, but it had nothing to do with the pink-haired figure tumbling into her bedroom.
Thud…
In the second-floor bedroom of the Haruno household, Sakura collapsed face-first into her soft mattress.
'Ugh, I'm filthy. Gotta clean up…'
But overwhelming exhaustion and the comforting pull of home pinned her down. The sealing power of her cozy blankets was so strong, not even a young Titan royal could resist!
As minutes ticked by, her chest rose and fell steadily against the mattress. Sakura had clearly drifted off to dreamland.
---
The next day.
Wrapped in the familiar warmth of home, Sakura blinked sleepily, her toes tugging at the bedsheet.
She dragged herself out of bed and shuffled to the mirror, unwrapping the bandages coiled around her body.
The injuries from her fierce battle in Ohara had healed completely, her skin as smooth and radiant as ever.
Looking at the increasingly poised girl in the mirror, Sakura propped one hand on her hip and flashed a peace sign with the other.
'Heh, I'm pretty darn cute!'
[Tch!]
A notification made a flush creep up Sakura's neck, spreading across her face until steam practically rose from her head.
'Sneaky system, not trying to scam me for once, huh?'
[Warning: Please don't deflect your embarrassment by slandering this unit.]
[Also, an update has been detected. Open: Yes/No?]
!!!
A mechanical prompt chimed in Sakura's ear, an update waiting for her response.
'Yes!'
In an instant, countless streams of data erupted, enveloping Sakura entirely.
[Notification: Titan Royal Constitution, Juvenile Stage complete. Genome stabilized, entering Growth Phase!]
[Additionally, with genome stabilization, Chakra Bloodline Module can now be installed. Estimated cost: 180 Achievement Points. Proceed with system update?]
Well, well, this shady system never changes its ways.
For a second, she thought it was offering free info, but nope—it's just another trick to drain her Achievement Points!
"Update, update!"
"You shady thing, always ripping off big companies' lines. Better watch out, or X-Soft's legal team will slap you with a cease-and-desist tomorrow!"
Sakura rolled her eyes, urging the system to proceed.
[Notification: Parsing command… Executing… Module deployment 100% complete.]
[Bloodline Module installation successful. Synthesis List fully unlocked. Happy usage!]
"Huh? Did your speech just get smoother, you sneaky system?"
Though it pained her to part with her hard-earned points, the system's changes caught her attention even more.
[Negative. That's just your imagination.]
Sakura squinted suspiciously at the golden orb glowing in her mind.
—Whatever, this works.
Unable to contain her excitement, Sakura turned her focus to the Bloodline Module, flipping through its contents.
[Current Chakra Nature Transformations: Water, Earth, Fire (Fruit)]
[Available Bloodline Limits for Fusion: Wood Release (2000), Boil Release (200), Lava Release (200), Mud Release (200)]
"Wood Release!"
Her eyes locked onto the legendary technique that once pacified a war-torn era, unable to look away.
But the string of zeros attached to its cost made things tricky for a point-poor Sakura.
Judging by its steep price, this Wood Release from the system was likely more than just a tool for landscaping.
"Too bad my balance is basically zilch…"
The system always found a way to clean out her wallet, and she was powerless against it!
With no other choice, Sakura turned her attention to the other three options.
First, Mud Release? Nope, out of the question. It's completely overshadowed by Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld, so it'd be a waste of points.
Next, Lava Release? Also a pass. Her Heat-Heat Fruit powers already gave her unmatched control over temperature, so Lava Release wouldn't add much.
"So, it's you!"
After weighing her options, Sakura settled on Boil Release, which could amplify her chakra's effects.
A long time ago, she'd realized chakra could enhance her physical strength, boosting her punches and slashes.
Boil Release, though, could unleash explosive bursts of power instantly, combining penetrating physical force with corrosive properties.
As her Achievement Points were deducted, time seemed to slow infinitely. Chakra of Water and Fire natures transcended her body, merging into a white light that etched itself into her genes.
From her body's sensory perspective, Sakura felt a new instinct awaken—as if, with a single thought, she could make her chakra boil on command.
[Notification: Boil Release Bloodline Limit successfully acquired. Current Achievement Point balance: 0]
"Alright, let's give it a try…"
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of someone at the door interrupted Sakura's plans to test her new power, followed by her mother Mebuki's voice.
"Sakura, Sakura! Ino's here to see you!"
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Sakura turned stiffly, taking in the sight of her dirty bed, the messy floor, and the battle-worn ninja outfit clinging to her body.
Oh no. I'm in trouble!
Without a moment's hesitation, Sakura's super brain kicked into gear, formulating a super plan.
Step One: Grab the needle and thread!
Click!
Too late—the door swung open as her mother stepped in.
"Sakura, you…"
Time for Step Two: Appeal to maternal love!
Sakura hid her hands behind her back, looking up at Mebuki with big, watery eyes.
"Mom!"
"SAKURA HARUNO—!"