Chapter 10: Sakura, You Smell So Nice~
White steam filled the bathroom as Sakura sank into the tub, the fatigue from her morning run melting away.
She lifted one small hand from the water, watching the ripples spread. After soaking in the heat, her skin had turned an almost absurdly rosy pink — unmistakably the hand of a six-year-old.
She turned her focus inward. Her chakra had nearly finished recovering — and sure enough, every bit of excess was flowing right back to the center of her forehead, completely on its own.
The calm she'd managed to build up instantly tightened back into tension.
The sixteen-year-old Sakura was strong, yes. But against the full weight of Konoha's power structure? Not even close.
Better not get too comfortable…
"Sakura — you're going to be late!"
A knock on the bathroom door, followed by Mebuki's voice.
"Coming, Mom!"
By the time Sakura arrived at class with still-damp hair, the bell was about to ring.
"Sakura — did you take a bath?"
Ino reached over and touched Sakura's pink hair. Still wet.
"Yeah, I trained this morning. Had to wash up after."
"Guess I didn't manage my time well enough. I'll get up earlier tomorrow."
Sakura tucked a stray strand behind her ear and smiled.
"Ah…"
She's working so hard already…
Ino looked at Sakura and felt a small pang of defeat.
"Why are you pushing yourself so much? Isn't it better to just stay here with us?"
She didn't understand why Sakura was going this far. She'd only gotten the study materials yesterday, and she was already training at dawn.
Sakura scanned the classroom.
Not that many students — just over twenty.
But nearly all of them were children of shinobi clans. Nine of the future Konoha Twelve were right here. Setting herself aside, six of the other eight were future clan heads. The remaining two were the Seventh Hokage and the last Uchiha.
In terms of background — Sakura was at the bottom.
In terms of resources — Sakura was at the bottom.
She was just a civilian.
If she wanted to stand at the top and face whatever came her way, in a world that ran on bloodlines, a Wartime Sakura's abilities alone wouldn't cut it.
She had to work even harder.
"Ino, actually… we're—"
Before she could finish, a dry towel landed on her head.
"Dry your hair properly. You'll catch a cold."
Iruka looked down at the damp-haired girl with a warm expression.
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei."
Sakura toweled her hair, smiling gratefully.
"We're what?"
Ino leaned in, curious.
"We're friends for life, obviously."
Sakura answered with a grin.
"Hey — that's cheating! That's definitely not what you were about to say!"
Ino pounced, snatching the towel off Sakura's head.
"Something like that — you don't even need to say it. I already know."
She moved behind Sakura and began drying her hair for her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Feeling Ino's gentle hands on her head, Sakura smiled quietly.
Maybe I'm overthinking things.
Ino and I… we're really not so different after all.
Unlike previous days, Sakura didn't listen to a word of Iruka's lecture. Instead, she cracked open a different textbook and started reading ahead.
Everything Iruka was covering today — she'd already learned it last night.
The morning drifted by. Iruka didn't so much as glance at Sakura's "off-task" behavior.
"This afternoon is physical training. Be prepared — and don't eat too much at lunch."
The moment Iruka's words landed, a chorus of groans erupted across the classroom.
Physical training at the Academy was nothing like gym class in a past life. This was designed to push future shinobi to their absolute limits.
The philosophy was simple: as long as it doesn't cause permanent damage, train until you drop.
"And I'm talking especially to certain people in the back rows. Don't even think about skipping."
Iruka rapped on the desk.
"That means you — Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, Chōji."
The four boys' faces went stiff, their escape plans evaporating on the spot.
"Sakura~ there's hellish training this afternoon…"
The instant Iruka left, Ino plastered herself to Sakura's side, looking miserable.
"It is what it is. Not like we can avoid it."
Sakura closed her textbook and looked at the girl clinging to her arm.
Ino suddenly leaned in and sniffed at Sakura's neck. The warm breath tickled.
"Sakura, you smell so nice~"
"What shampoo do you use?"
At lunchtime, Sakura skipped her usual spot on the training grounds. Instead, she sat reading the Will of Fire — First Hokage while munching on the rice balls her mother had packed.
Ino had run off somewhere, but the clingy companion slot hadn't stayed empty for long.
"Heh heh~ Sakura, look! I learned a new recipe from that cookbook you gave me — tempura!"
"Try some, try some~"
The blond kid plopped down beside her, grinning ear to ear, presenting a brand-new food container that he'd clearly just bought.
Sakura glanced at the tempura inside. The presentation was… generous, to put it kindly.
But she was genuinely surprised. This kid was actually putting in the effort.
She didn't turn him down. She accepted his chopsticks, picked up a battered shrimp, and popped it in her mouth.
Honestly — it wasn't great.
"Not bad. Could use a little less salt in the batter, though."
Sakura preferred mild flavors, and Naruto had gone heavy on the seasoning.
"Then I'll just make it better next time!"
Not a hint of discouragement. If anything, the kid seemed more fired up.
"So… when did those two get so close?"
At the window, three heads lined up in a row, peering in.
Kiba — red fang marks painted on his cheeks — watched the pair inside.
"Definitely suspicious."
"But when did Naruto learn to cook? I kinda want to try some…"
Chōji crunched his chips, eyes locked on the food container in front of Sakura.
"It's obvious if you actually look. Naruto likes Sakura, and Sakura doesn't feel the same way."
Shikamaru's dead-fish stare tracked Sakura, whose attention hadn't left her book for a single second.
Still, though… she's really something.
She's actually going through with the grade-skipping thing.
The pineapple-haired boy had noticed right away that the book on Sakura's desk wasn't part of their current curriculum.
Which meant she'd really gotten the advanced materials from Iruka. And the fact that Iruka had ignored her all morning meant he was clearly on board.
Their class was about to produce a prodigy…