Chapter 11: Physical Training
"Last set for today — fifty laps around the grounds. Everyone get ready."
The young instructor with light-blue hair barked the order, and the final phase of physical training began.
A wave of groans rippled through the students.
"Again?!"
"We only got a ten-minute break!"
"Mizuki-sensei, have mercy!"
Despite the pleading, the instructor called Mizuki showed zero signs of letting up.
"Thirty seconds to get in line. Anyone who isn't ready gets ten extra laps."
Mouths snapped shut. The students scrambled into two neat rows.
Sakura steadied her breathing and fell in with the rest.
"On your marks — go!"
At Mizuki's signal, a pack of six-year-olds launched into the day's final trial.
Iruka stood beside Mizuki, reviewing a score sheet.
"What are you looking at, Iruka?"
Mizuki wandered over, curious.
"Sakura's results today are exceptional."
Iruka's eyes traced Sakura's name on the sheet. Shuriken throwing, sprint, obstacle course — first place in every single event.
The Uchiha clan's second son had been knocked from the top spot for the first time.
Sakura kept her pace steady, fighting to regulate the ragged rhythm of her breathing as she pushed forward.
She wasn't holding anything back. Every ounce of ability she possessed was on full display.
Even with her stamina depleted from the earlier drills, she overtook one classmate after another until they were all behind her.
The only one still ahead was her supposed future husband — Sasuke Uchiha.
But that was the original future.
Sasuke was frustrated. He hadn't expected some nobody classmate to surpass him.
Shuriken, sprints — she'd beaten him in everything. And to make it worse, she was a girl.
He refused to lose to a girl. He was going to be as talented as his brother.
On this last event — endurance — he was not going to lose!
Sasuke poured everything he had into his legs. But the girl behind him wouldn't fall back.
Lap thirty…
Lap thirty-five…
Lap forty — Sakura pulled ahead.
Lap forty-five — she left him behind.
Lap fifty.
He — the second son of the Uchiha clan — had lost.
Sasuke sat on the ground gasping for air. All around him, classmates had collapsed in heaps, dignity abandoned.
He stared at the girl ahead of him — hands on her knees, sweat dripping from the tips of her pink hair. The only one still standing.
His fists clenched.
Lost again…
"Sakura-chan is so cool…"
A breathless voice drifted up from nearby. Sasuke turned to find a blond kid sprawled on the ground, eyes locked on that lone standing figure.
"First place — Sakura Haruno!"
When Mizuki announced the result, Sakura felt like her lungs were about to rupture.
Son of a — that kid can RUN. He nearly stole first from me!
She shot Sasuke a withering glare, swept her hair behind her ears, and dropped down next to Ino, who was lying flat on the ground in a state of total defeat.
???
Sasuke's brain stalled. Did that girl just… scowl at him?
She definitely did.
What did I even do to her?
"Sasuke! Over here!"
At dismissal, Sasuke trudged out of the school in a foul mood. The moment he passed the gate, a familiar figure waved to him.
"Nii-san!"
His expression flipped like a switch — dark clouds to sunshine. He ran toward his older brother, Itachi Uchiha.
"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy today."
The dark-haired teenager ruffled his little brother's hair gently.
"…I lost to a girl in physical training."
Sasuke's face stiffened, but in front of Itachi, he reluctantly admitted what happened.
"Is that so? Well then — next time, work hard to surpass her."
"You can do it, Sasuke."
Itachi's expression didn't change, but his voice was warm with encouragement.
Privately, he thought this was a good thing. Sasuke had found a rival at school. One more reason for his little brother to push himself.
"Mm…"
Sasuke reached for Itachi's hand, then hesitated — it was right after school, other kids were everywhere, and he had a reputation to maintain.
Just then, a flash of pink crossed his field of vision.
"Nii-san," Sasuke whispered. "That's her."
Itachi followed his brother's gaze. A small girl with pink hair.
He blinked. He'd expected someone who could outperform Sasuke to be… sturdier.
Instead, she looked almost delicate.
Hearing the resentment creeping into Sasuke's voice, Itachi poked his forehead with two fingers and said firmly:
"She's your classmate. Speaking about her like that is rude."
As if sensing their stares, Sakura glanced back.
Itachi smiled at the green-eyed, pink-haired girl and gave a polite nod.
Sakura saw Itachi Uchiha — and promptly vanished around the nearest corner.
Oh HELL no — Itachi the Weasel.
Staying FAR away from THAT mess!
Nope nope nope — I'm out!
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen rubbed his aching eyes after a full day of paperwork. He leaned back, old joints popping and cracking.
Then he picked up the physical training report Iruka had just delivered.
SAKURA HARUNO — bolded in first place.
He paused.
That spot had always belonged to Sasuke Uchiha.
Not just academics — she's at the top in physical performance too?
Another civilian-born ninja. Another prodigy.
Hiruzen couldn't help but think of the young Hokage he'd once placed all his hopes on.
Fine. If she can actually pass the gauntlet Iruka's set up… I'll let her have her way.
Sakura was utterly spent.
Between the ten-kilometer run she'd done at dawn and the Academy's full-course punishment in the afternoon, her six-year-old body had hit the wall.
She ate dinner, took a quick bath, and face-planted into bed. Out cold.
Time flew. A month passed in the blink of an eye.
And with it came the first hurdle on Sakura's path to the Yin Seal.
The first-year to second-year skip exam.
The testing room was empty — just three people. Sakura, Iruka, and Mizuki.
"Sakura — you have two hours. Check your work before you hand it in."
Iruka placed the exam paper in front of her, his voice calm and steady.