Chapter 64: Katsuki's Discovery

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Nothingness enveloped Sakura as she found herself running through a void, her heart pounding with fear. It felt as though there was no end in sight, yet she pressed forward. She dared not look back, the sense of impending dread urging her to run faster.

In the distance, a familiar sight began to form, drawing her attention. The gates of her village were wide open, looming on the horizon. Relief washed over her as she spotted the familiar sight, her friends standing just beyond the threshold. With a desperate cry, Sakura called out to them, her voice echoing through the emptiness. But her pleas fell upon deaf ears as her companions turned their backs, their figures receding into the distance.

Panic gripped Sakura as she raced toward them, her footsteps silent despite their desperation. Yet no matter how fast she ran, the gap between them only widened, the distance seeming to stretch impossibly far. Her body then stopped, freezing in place, void of obeying her command.

She felt nothing but terror as she turned her head, her gaze was met by a figure cloaked in white, their presence radiating an otherworldly aura, one that had left her frozen, losing all her senses to fight. Just as before.

With skin as pale as porcelain and eyes bearing the eerie gaze of the Byakugan and a third eye recognizable from nearly any distance to Sakura, the woman extended a hand toward Sakura, her intentions unclear yet undeniably menacing.

She recoiled from the woman's outstretched hand, turning back to the sight of her village, the gates, and her friends. She called out, screaming.

"NARUTO. SASUKE!"

As the figures finally turned to her, calling out her name, Sakura's heart raced with a mixture of relief and confusion. Their voices reached her ears, pulling her from the depths of her nightmare.

"SAKURA!"

With a start, Sakura bolted upright in bed, her body drenched in a cold sweat. The dream was still fresh in her mind, she could feel the first light of dawn filtering through the window, a silent promise of a new day.

But to Sakura, it already felt so heavy.

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As Katsuki ventured along the unfamiliar path to the Ground Omega area, he kicked himself, saying it wasn't too late to go back, but he just couldn't shake the nagging feeling of curiosity that had drawn him here in the first place. It wasn't his usual route for morning training, far from it. It was a bit out of the way and left him with less time to focus on his rigorous regimen. But there was something about catching sight of Sakura in her state that made him follow.

He wasn't the only student who woke up in the early hours to hone their skills, but typically they all kept to themselves, respecting each other's space and routines. Katsuki had no intention of being nosy or interfering with anyone else's training. He had his own goals to pursue and didn't have time to be distracted by the affairs of others.

Yet here he was, trudging along the path he rarely traversed, his steps guided by an impulse he couldn't quite explain. He told himself he was merely satisfying his curiosity so he could move on with his own life, but deep down, he knew there was more to it than that.

He caught no more than a glimpse of Sakura and even from that distance and time, he could tell that something was off about her. A disturbing amount of emotions on her face, all negative, enough to warrant curiosity even from him.

Perhaps she was planning to run away again? He didn't know but if she was, he wasn't going to be blamed for allowing it after being the only one to see her.

So he followed. And somehow Sakura, stooped in her thoughts, didn't even realize it.

The morning mist hung low over the training grounds, casting an eerie glow as Katsuki made his way through the dense forest. Until he finally caught up to her.

As Katsuki observed Sakura from a distance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of irritation at the sight before him, all that effort, and loss of training time felt like an absolute waste. She was simply meditating.

 For over an hour, she sat there in silent meditation, her form unmoving against the elements of the forest. It was boring as hell, and Katsuki couldn't fathom how such a mundane activity could contribute to her impressive skill set. He felt aggravated, wondering if he was being punked or if this was really how Sakura, the strongest from class 1A held her title.

"If this is seriously all it took for her to be as good as she was, she must've been born under one hell of a lucky star," he muttered to himself.

But then, something caught his eye. A flicker of light, or perhaps a flame, danced around Sakura's form, casting a dim glow around her body. At first, Katsuki dismissed it as a trick of the light, a mere illusion brought on by the shifting shadows of the forest.

But as he watched, the flickering flame grew more pronounced, engulfing Sakura. It seemed to pulse and swirl around her, taking on a shape of its own as it danced in the air. Katsuki's eyes widened in disbelief.

The sight captivated even him. He found himself unable to tear his gaze away as the mysterious flame continued to envelop Sakura, its intensity growing with each passing moment. Just like in Kamino.

Sakura's body tensed with each surge of energy, her face contorted in pain as she struggled to maintain control. Beads of sweat dotted her brow, evidence of the immense effort she was exerting.

Despite the obvious discomfort she was experiencing, Sakura remained steadfast, as she pushed herself to the limit.

It was a sight that both impressed and unnerved Katsuki, leaving him with more questions than answers as he watched in silence from the shadows of the forest.

Exhausted and panting heavily, Sakura finally ceased her meditation, collapsing forward to land on her hands with a heavy thud. Pain radiated through her body, pulsing with each labored breath as she struggled to regain her composure.

In a fit of frustration, she slammed her fists into the ground, the force of her blow cracking the earth beneath her. The sound echoed through the forest.

"Why... why?" Sakura's voice trembled, hoarse, and strained as if she were on the verge of tears. She threw herself onto her back, gazing up at the sky, her arm shielding her face from view.

"What's the point anymore?" she muttered, her words barely audible but enough for Katsuki to catch them. "Will I ever see you all again?"

The weight of her despair gave an overwhelming sense of melancholy, so heavy Katsuki could feel its weight from where he stood, and right then, he wished he hadn't come after her. He decided that now was the time to depart, he slipped away unnoticed by the kunoichi, who was too wrapped up in thoughts of her world to notice what was happening in the one around her.

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The dormitory buzzed with activity as the students hurriedly prepared for the day ahead. Amidst the bustling, Momo's voice rose, informing the group that she had already submitted a request to use the gymnasium for their practice sessions.

Meanwhile, Sakura sat at the table with Eri, arranging breakfast for the two of them. Eri's ears perked up at the sound of the students' excited chatter, and Sakura took the opportunity to share the news of the upcoming school festival.

"We're going to have a festival at the school, Eri," Sakura explained

"What's a school festival?"

Ochaco chided in, with a bright smile, "It's a day where the school is going to have a lot of fun things set up to do! There's going to be game booths, and music, and performances, and lots of yummy food."

 "And we're going to do a concert," Sakura added, gently playing with Eri's hair.

Her red eyes lit up, "A concert?"

"Yes, you're finally going to get to see one," With everything that happened that day, Eri wasn't given time to be disappointed about missing the concert at Sanrio Puroland, but this was still a way to make up for it.

Izuku and Eijiro joined in, expressing their enthusiasm for the upcoming event.

"There's gonna be dancing, and music and a great light show!" Eijiro exclaimed.

"Don't spoil it!" Mina called.

Sakura was a bit concerned for the young girl's well-being. With the festival preparations likely to keep her occupied, Sakura knew she might be late returning to the dormitory.

"Since we're getting ready with all of this, we might only see each other later at night,"

"I'll be fine," Eri reassured her, smiling that heart-stopping grin that made everything dealing with Shie Hassaikai worth the results.

Just then, a voice chimed in from across the room. "Don't worry, we'll watch over Eri," said Mirio, stepping forward with Nejire and Tamaki.

Eijiro, Tsuyu, Ochaco, and Izuku were especially excited to see their work studies senpai present. Since the event with Shie Hassaikai, they haven't spoken much, since there wasn't much time to breathe.

"I'm currently on leave so I've got some free time," Mirio said. Since losing his quirk, he was temporarily put on leave from hero training but still had regular classes.

"And we'll help too!" Chided Nejire. She leaned down to Eri, "Hello Eri,"

"H-Hello,"

Ejiro was bombarding Tamaki with questions, and the poor upperclassmen just couldn't seem to handle the boisterous redhead.

"We wanted to introduce ourselves to Eri," Mirio explained.

Sakura placed a hand on Eri's shoulder, "Eri, this is Mirio Togata, Nejire Hado, and Tamaki Amajiki. They're our senpai's."

"Ni-Nice to meet you," Eri stuttered, with a nervous smile.

"You're so cute," Nejire gushed, and Eri blushed at the compliment from a girl she thought was very pretty.

"So what's this about watching Eri?" Sakura asked.

Mirio pointed his thumb to his chest, keeping his smile. "I'm on temporary leave, so I've got some time after regular classes. If it's alright with Eri,"

Mirio then kneeled, his smile holding but his eyes turning stern. "I want to apologize to you Eri,"

That day still haunted Mirio, to the point where losing his quirk, and his dream of being a hero felt like a just fee for abandoning that girl. She would have continued to suffer at Chisaki's hand if Sakura hadn't seen what happened and saved her.

Eri looked between the big three and Sakura, Izuku, and the others. "It's okay." Mirio lifted his head in shock looking at the little girl. She smiled at him. "Sakura said you meant good,"

Mirio teared up, the corner of his eyes glistening, "I really….wanted to save you,"

Eri's smile grew bigger, as she looked at Sakura, "I am!"

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Mirio wanted to speak to Izuku and Sakura alone, so he took them outside. It was about Nighteye.

"Sir is still in a coma, but the doctors said he was showing signs of recovering," Mirio told them. This part of course had to be kept from Eri. She didn't need to realize the details of what went into defeating Shie Hassaikai.

Mirio bowed his head to Sakura, "Thank you for saving him!"

Sakura waved her hands, "No you don't have to thank me. I owe you way more for putting yourself between me and that bullet,"

A futile but noble action on his part. A bitter thought lingered in Sakura's mind but there was nothing that could be done now.

"I'm sure that you'll be able to get your power back someday," Sakura said firmly.

Izuku looked at her surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Eri's blood was used to make those bullets, her quirk can probably undo the damage of them," It was explained that Eri's quirk was Rewind. The ability to restore anything to its original form. That's something Kai had muttered about as well. And it far surpassed his ability.

As the conversation continues, Izuku's thoughts turn to Eri and her well-being. He can't shake the feeling of responsibility that weighs on him, knowing that she's been through so much already.

"Sakura, do you think Eri wants to learn to control her power?" Izuku asks, voicing his concerns. "I mean, it's such a difficult thing to come to terms with, especially considering her past."

Sakura nods understandingly, "It's a valid concern, Izuku. But from what I've gathered from our talks, Eri seems more open to the idea lately. I've talked to her about her potential to heal and that seemed to help. Aizawa said she should learn to control her quirk as well so there won't be any more incidents."

Mirio's gaze softens as he listens, guilt still lingering in his eyes. "I just want to make things right," he says earnestly. "I regret leaving her that day."

Sakura lays a reassuring hand on Mirio's shoulder. "You did what you thought was best with the information you had."

Mirio nods, determination sparking in his eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to help her,"

Sakura smiles gratefully at him. "Then we'll be using you more often,"

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Sakura stood with her hands on her hips, her expression focused as she watched Izuku execute a series of intricate maneuvers. Her emerald eyes followed his every move, analyzing his technique.

"Good, Izuku, but remember to keep your center of gravity low," Sakura instructed, "You need to maintain balance and control at all times."

Izuku nodded, sweat trickling down his brow. He adjusted his stance accordingly, launching another kick at the tree. 

After what felt like hours of intense training, they finally took a break, finding respite on a nearby bench. Sakura took out a water bottle and offered it to Izuku, who accepted it gratefully, taking long gulps.

"Thanks, Sakura," Izuku wiped his sweat away from his eyes. "I feel like I'm making progress, but there's still so much I need to work on."

"You're a quick learner," It was admirable really how adaptable Izuku was, a talent in itself.

"Thanks, I've actually been trying to improve my shoot style by looking at some videos, check this out!" 

Izuku took out his phone and showed her the video of the hero. He meant to press play on it but became very conscious when Sakura leaned towards him, Touching his arm gave a jolt of involuntary reflex and Izuku's finger slipped to the wrong video link.

The screen filled with an image of a man with slicked-back hair and an odd outfit, featuring a dark purple jacket with enlarged collars and coattails, and a pair of loose, pinstriped pants.

Sakura's gaze followed Izuku's, her brow furrowing in confusion as she watched the video play out before them. It was footage with the title Crime Announcement.

"Sakura, I..." Izuku stammered, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to find the right words. "I wanted to show you something else, but I clicked on the wrong link."

"It's okay, Izuku. I can't believe some villains advertise their activities like this though," Sakura watched the man walk into a convenience store to rob it. While she was watching, Izuku couldn't help but observe Sakura a bit too carefully.

Her focused eyes were probably her most striking feature aside from her pink hair, and her face. Izuku felt his face heat up. Sakura noticed his distress then.

"You okay Izuku?" She placed her hand on his face to check and that just made him melt into a spluttering mess.

"F-Fine!"

As Sakura and Izuku sat together on a bench, engrossed in their conversation, they were unaware of the whispers and glances exchanged among their fellow students passing by. From behind, it appeared as if their heads were practically nuzzled together, sparking some speculative thoughts among those who noticed.

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The school gymnasium was bustling with more noise than necessary for 8 pm. It was filled with class 1a, rushing across the space, practicing for their concert. Footsteps echoed against the walls as students moved about, adjusting their positions.

Divided groups, of the band members, the dancers, and the special effects team.

Sakura stood near the center of the gym, her gaze sweeping over the bustling activity around her. The air crackled with excitement, but beneath the surface, there lingered an undercurrent of tension. Something was off, and Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that all was not as it seemed.

Jiro was singing, and helping the band learn the song they had finally chosen. Katsuki was on drums. Fumikage and Denki had the guitars, and Momo was handling the keyboard. Shouto, Hanta, Eijiro, and Aoyama were on the effects team. Since they were going to be using the gymnasium, they were trying to work on coordinating their positions. But something seemed off about everyone. Sakura noticed the discrete glances for a while.

It was as if they were all dancing around a shared truth, each waiting for someone else to make the first move.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice cutting through the murmurs and whispers like a knife. "You all have been giving me strange looks since practice started."

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Sakura as they awaited her response. But before anyone could answer, Mina burst out with a question that caught Sakura completely off guard.

"Are you and Midoriya dating!?" Mina blurted out, her voice ringing out clear and loud in the spacious gymnasium.

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief at the unexpected inquiry. "Where the hell did that come from?"

Izuku made a noise that couldn't be identified or properly described, but he effectively tripped his entire dance group when he stumbled from the shock of the question. Well, now he understood why Minoru had been giving him almost dirty looks today.

Sero scratched the back of his head, "Well, there's a rumor-

Minoru pointed between them, throwing his arm around. "You two have secret rendezvous in the morning and were caught! What is this huh? You dating behind our backs!"

Sakura glared back at him, placing a hand on her hip, "First off that rumor, all it is, a rumor,"

"So you and Deku aren't dating?" Ochaco looked hesitant but still asked.

Izuku spluttered out a response this time, "N-No, no, no Sakura's just helping me with my training!"

Mina shrugged, her expression sheepish. "Sorry, but you guys have been hanging out more and people have been talking,"

Sakura exchanged a glance with Izuku, who looked equally bewildered by the sudden attention, if not a bit flustered.

"Well ignore them, because they're wrong. Now let's get back to practice,"

That seemed to satisfy her classmate's curiosity and dispel their questions as they resumed rehearsal. Jiro was already standing on a makeshift stage her voice ringing out clear and strong as she led the band through their chosen song. Katsuki pounded away on the drums with fierce determination, his every beat reverberating through the gymnasium like thunder in a storm.

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In the quiet hours of the morning, a village, nestled amidst the lush greenery of the surrounding forests, hidden in the leaves Naruto Uzumaki lay in his bed, restless and troubled. Tossing and turning, trapped in the clutches of an unsettling dream. His face contorted as if it was being squeezed by a large hand.

"SAKURA!" Naruto sat up, his heart pounding in his chest as he scanned the room, desperately searching for any remnants of his dream.

But there was nothing there except for him and the silent shadows dancing across the walls. He heard Kurama's voice.

"You had that dream again, didn't you?" Kurama's deep voice rumbled within Naruto's consciousness.

Naruto sighed heavily, sinking back into the pillows like there was an anchor on his chest. He glanced over at the nightstand beside his bed, where a faded photograph lay. It was a picture of Team 7, taken when they were all still together before the shift in the world separated them.

As his gaze lingered on the photograph, memories flooded his mind – memories of laughter and camaraderie, of the missions taken together and the battles won. But alongside those memories, there was a nagging sense of loss, of something precious slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

Naruto's attention was drawn to his right hand, which lay bandaged, a constant reminder of recent events. It felt foreign to him as if it belonged to someone else entirely. And in a way, it did.

But as he flexed his fingers experimentally, Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Was it really just a dream, he wondered.

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