After returning to Konoha Village, Sakura Haruno immediately hid the red stone tablet in the secret compartment beneath her bed.
She didn't need to take it out and look at it often; the vast, smoke-like inheritance of 'Divine Arts' had already been branded into her soul, every word crystal-clear.
At night, moonlight streamed through the window into the room.
Instead of indulging in girlish thoughts or burying herself in theory as usual, Sakura changed into comfortable pajamas, sat cross-legged on the bed, formed a strange and unfamiliar hand seal, and slowly closed her eyes.
The images on the heavenly screen began to accelerate, flipping like pages of a book, quickly showing Sakura's coming path of growth.
Everyone saw that, between training and missions, the pink-haired girl was shedding her innocence at a shocking speed, growing up.
But the direction of her growth completely overturned everyone's understanding.
There were no brilliant Ninjutsu clashes, no cunning Genjutsu battles, not even any sophisticated tactics.
There was only the purest, most violent, most direct power!
Facing solid rock ground, the young Sakura took a deep breath and punched down.
Boom!
The earth caved in like a fragile biscuit, spider-web cracks spreading for tens of meters, smoke billowing sky-high.
On a mission she ran into an enemy stronghold built on a hill dozens of meters tall.
Sakura's eyes sharpened; she pushed off with her feet and shot out like a cannonball, a plain punch slamming into the mountainside.
The next moment the entire hill collapsed in an ear-splitting roar, crumbling into rubble.
The enemy didn't even have time to react before being buried beneath the stones.
An elite enemy Ninja, Chakra-infused blade in hand, slashed viciously at her back.
No blood and flesh flew; instead, a crisp metallic shatter rang out!
The Chakra weapon cracked like glass, inch by inch.
Sakura didn't even look back; a casual backhand slap sent the blade-wielding Ninja flying like a broken kite, dead without an intact corpse.
Even when the enemies rallied, launching roaring fire dragons, surging water dragons, solid mud walls… Sakura didn't dodge or weave; she simply raised her hand and slapped.
Those mighty Ninjutsu—flames, water, rock—were erased the instant they touched her palm, dispersing into nothing, not even a ripple left.
Silence.
Deathly silence blanketed the Ninja World.
The Kage of the Five Great Nations, Rogue Ninja on the run, and ordinary civilians alike all gaped, eyes bulging, as if witnessing an incomprehensible fairy tale.
What… what was this?
Monstrous strength?
No, this had long surpassed Princess Tsunade's famed monstrous strength!
It was something more fundamental, more domineering!
Finally someone recovered from the shock, voice hoarse and trembling, voicing the question on everyone's mind: "What… what the hell kind of Ninja is this?!"
Ninja should hide in the shadows, engaging in tactical games of Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu.
Yet the Sakura on the heavenly screen abandoned all of that!
She was like an ancient beast in human skin, crushing everything with overwhelming, almost rule-like physical force!
Chakra affinity counters, tactics, strategy—all became jokes before her absolute power.
"Divine Arts… is this the power of 'Divine Arts'?" someone murmured, filled with awe and dread.
If this was what Divine Arts could bring, then it truly deserved the name of gods!
In Konoha Village, Naruto stared slack-jawed, instinctively touching his belly, then looking at his fist, doubting for the first time whether his Shadow Clones and newly learned Rasengan were a bit too flashy.
Sasuke clenched his fists, eyes blazing with unprecedented fire.
This power!
This force that crushes everything, ignoring all!
If he could master it… break all tricks with one punch.
Jiraiya rubbed his chin, watching Sakura's mountain-shattering might, and muttered to Tsunade beside him: "Tsunade, that looks a bit like your monstrous strength—pure physical power."
Arms crossed, Tsunade shook her head gravely: "You flatter me, Jiraiya. My strength still needs precise Chakra control and bursts; hers… seems to come from the body itself."
"I can't turn a hill dozens of meters tall to dust with one punch, nor stand unharmed while a Chakra weapon slashes me."
"This goes beyond Ninjutsu; as expected of Divine Arts!"
On screen, the rapidly growing Sakura still kept this astonishing power carefully hidden.
Until one day she found Naruto, even more despondent after the second failed attempt to bring back Sasuke.
Naruto sat on a swing, head down, his golden hair looking dim.
"Naruto." Sakura walked over, voice gentle yet firm. "Next time, let's go together. The three of us—Team Seven—are a squad."
Naruto looked up at the unwavering light in her eyes, and the gloom in his heart seemed to lift; he nodded hard: "Yeah! Okay! Next time we go together!"
But then his eyes dimmed again, voice filled with self-doubt: "Sakura… am I useless? I keep saying 'I'll keep my word,' shouting I'll become Hokage…"
"But I couldn't even bring Sasuke back. I can't do anything… Someone like me—do I really have the right to become Hokage?"
Sakura looked at the dejected Naruto and fell silent.
She didn't refute him right away; after serious thought she spoke slowly: "Naruto, bringing Sasuke back isn't—nor should it be—your responsibility alone. We're comrades; you shouldn't carry all the weight by yourself."
She paused, as if making an important decision, then looked at him, tone grave: "Naruto, come to my house tonight. I have something to give you."
Though puzzled, Naruto nodded.
Night, moonlight like water.
In Sakura's room she carefully took out the long-cherished red stone tablet and handed it to Naruto.
Naruto took it; it felt warm. Curious, he studied the unfamiliar patterns and asked: "Sakura, what is this? What does the 'Divine Arts' on it mean?"