After saying that, Naruto turned and walked away.
Sakura stood there for a moment, watching his back.
Then she took a few steps in the opposite direction, as if she was really going back inside.
But after moving a short distance, she stopped.
Her curiosity was stronger than her common sense.
She slowly turned her head and looked at Naruto, who was walking farther into the night.
'He said he was going outside for a moment... but he is clearly going towards where the sword is located.'
Sakura hesitated.
Then she quietly followed him.
Naruto did not notice her.
His mind was focused on only one thing.
Zabuza's sword.
He moved toward the cliff Sakura had pointed out earlier. When he reached the place, he saw the grave marker standing near the edge.
The sea could be heard below, and the night wind moved gently around him.
Naruto pulled out a scroll he had brought with him from home.
The scroll already had supplies stored inside, but he quickly removed the useless items and made enough space.
Then he looked at the grave marker.
His hands formed the necessary signs.
A moment later, Zabuza's sword vanished from its burial spot and was sealed safely inside Naruto's scroll.
Naruto's eyes shone with satisfaction.
"Finally," he muttered under his breath. "I got it."
Not too far away, a sneaky cat sat in the bushes, watching him silently.
Naruto did not notice it.
After storing the sword, he was about to leave.
But then something caught his eye.
A small flower was blooming near the cliff, only a few inches away from where he stood. It looked familiar, like something he had seen before.
Naruto moved closer and knelt beside it.
He took out another paper from his scroll. On it, he had written the descriptions of the pill ingredients he needed.
Naruto had always kept the habit of writing down important things, even in his past life.
His eyes lit up slightly.
"Sakura flower," he murmured.
He carefully dug out the plant by its roots, making sure not to damage it.
Then he took out a small wooden box from his scroll and placed the flower inside. After that, he infused a small amount of true qi into it to keep it fresh.
Not far from the flower, Naruto noticed two mushrooms growing near the rocks.
He picked them up and examined their shape and texture.
After a moment, he nodded to himself.
"These are the mushrooms I need."
He placed them inside the same wooden box and again used a little true qi to preserve them.
Unknown to him, someone was watching everything.
Sakura crouched behind a nearby bush, her eyes wide with curiosity.
She had followed him quietly, wanting to know what he was really doing. First, she saw him retrieve Zabuza's sword and seal it inside a scroll.
Now, she watched him carefully pick up a flower and mushrooms while his hands glowed faintly.
Her curiosity grew stronger.
'What is Naruto doing?'
Unable to resist, Sakura moved a little closer.
She tried to make her footsteps as light as possible.
Crick.
A small branch snapped under her foot.
The sound cut through the silence of the night.
Naruto's head turned instantly.
His body tensed, and he quickly sealed the flower and mushrooms back into his scroll. Then he used his kunai and throwed it on a nearby tree
His eyes sharpened.
"Come out now."
Sakura froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
After a short pause, she slowly stepped out from behind the bush and walked toward him with hesitant steps.
"I am sorry," Sakura said, rubbing the back of her head nervously. "I followed you out of curiosity."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"Did you see everything?"
Sakura hesitated for a second.
Then she nodded.
"Yes... I saw you taking the sword and placing it in a scroll."
Naruto's thoughts moved quickly.
'Bad. I was too focused on the sword and didn't notice someone following me. What should I do if she tells everyone I took it?'
His gaze stayed on Sakura.
'What about the flower and mushrooms? Did she notice them too? Does she know how valuable they are?'
Sakura's face slowly turned a little red.
But her voice carried irritation.
"Then you picked a flower to propose to me! What do you think you are?"
Naruto blinked.
For a moment, he was genuinely caught off guard.
'It seems she misunderstood.'
Then his mind settled.
'Good. These items are not valuable to them, so she didn't recognize them. I have already attracted too much attention recently. I don't need unnecessary trouble right now.'
Still, the tension on Naruto's face was clear.
Sakura noticed it and raised her voice.
"I have feelings only for Sasuke! I don't have them for anyone else!"
Naruto looked at her calmly.
"Don't worry. I don't want to propose to you. That idea has not even crossed my mind. You can keep your feelings for Sasuke."
Sakura's face stiffened.
Then her frustration rose.
"What did you say?!"
Naruto reacted nothing like he not heard it.
Sakura stared at him for a moment, then forced herself to calm down.
"Fine," she said, her voice softer now. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone that you took the sword."
Naruto watched her carefully.
Sakura paused for a moment.
"But..."
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
Sakura smirked, a clear spark of determination appearing in her eyes.
"But there is a condition."
Naruto asked calmly, "What is it?"
Sakura crossed her arms.
"I have a request for you, and you have to do it."
Naruto's voice became colder.
"What if I don't?"
Sakura looked at him directly.
"Naruto, you owe me. Remember?"
Naruto's gaze sharpened.
"What if I don't consider it?"
The authority in his voice made Sakura flinch slightly.
For a moment, she felt pressure from him.
But she quickly gathered herself and raised her voice again.
"Naruto, you owe me one... and what I want you to do is..."
She paused for a moment and said, "Take me as your disciple!"
Naruto stared at her.
His troubled expression slowly changed into interest.
A faint smirk formed on his lips.
'Ohhh... interesting.'
(To Be Continued...)