ch-93

Tsunade moved like a flash of lightning. With just one punch, she shattered half of Tobirama Senju's body!

The intricate technique Tobirama had been executing was instantly disrupted.

"Well done, little Tsuna!"

Tobirama, now halved and disarmed, looked at the grown woman before him and couldn't help but smile with relief and pride.

"Shut up," Tsunade snapped. "I've grown up!"

She clenched her fists tightly, watching Tobirama's body begin to regenerate. Without hesitation, she formed a series of hand seals.

"Summoning Technique!"

Boom!

Two large slugs, each about two or three meters tall, appeared in front of her in a puff of smoke.

"Tsunade-sama~ Oh, and Sakura's here too~" the slugs chimed in.

Wasting no time, Tsunade grabbed the still-regenerating Tobirama and stuffed him into one of the slugs. Only his head stuck out as she said calmly:

"Stay put in there for now. I'm going to deal with Grandpa."

Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, watched his granddaughter swiftly incapacitate his younger brother. A faint, mysterious smile crept across his face—part wistful, part satisfied.

The moment Tobirama was taken down, the Dark Conduct Technique binding Sakura was dispelled.

Sakura exhaled softly as she looked toward Tsunade. All her efforts to stall had paid off.

Thanks to Hashirama's emotional appeal—his words carrying so much weight as someone dearly important to Tsunade—her hemophobia had finally been overcome.

"Now we can really fight," Sakura whispered, her eyes hardening.

Hashirama's eyes reflected deep emotions as he launched a punch toward Sakura without hesitation.

But the pink-haired kunoichi was ready. Her eyes sharpened like twin blades, and she moved with blinding speed, catching the arm of the so-called God of Shinobi mid-strike.

With her other hand, she grabbed the collar beneath his armor and, gathering all her strength, flung him hard against the iron demon-faced wall of the Rashōmon barrier!

But she wasn't done yet.

The ground beneath her feet trembled as Sakura leapt into the air. Her right hand balled into a fist, encased in blue chakra flames that roared to life as though they were tangible.

She pushed her chakra to the limit, tapping into reserves few ever dreamed of reaching.

Hashirama was pinned against the wall, smiling all the while, refusing to resist. He watched this incredible girl—this embodiment of Konoha's future—leap toward him.

In this reappearance on the shinobi battlefield, what gave him the greatest sense of accomplishment wasn't the battle itself, but witnessing the potential of the next generation.

He'd just heard her say it. This girl—Sakura—was going to be trained by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself to become the next Hokage.

If this was the future of Konoha...

Then it truly was a beautiful one.

BOOM!!!

With all her chakra focused into one mighty punch, Sakura smashed it through Hashirama's chest and into the wall behind him, blowing apart the massive iron demon face in a thunderous explosion!

The Rashōmon gate cracked and exploded outward, reduced to flying rubble.

For a moment, Hashirama thought he saw cherry blossoms dancing in the wake of that punch…

"Should I call this move… 'Falling Cherry Blossom'?" he murmured, his voice fading in the roar of the impact.

His shattered body plummeted powerlessly from midair.

Sakura landed in a controlled backflip, calmly watching Hashirama's broken form lying on the ground, slowly starting to regenerate again.

"'Falling Cherry Blossom'?" she muttered. "Isn't that the name of my combo move?"

Tsunade arrived, flanked by her slug clones, and without ceremony, picked up the still-regenerating Hashirama and threw him into another slug.

"Thank you for your help this time, little Tsuna..." Hashirama said, his head the only part of him visible from the slug's body, tone filled with gratitude.

But the image of two heads—his and Tobirama's—poking out from slugs looked anything but dignified. For the once-revered First and Second Hokage, the scene was downright comedic.

A pair of fallen legends reduced to bobbing heads.

"Tch. I told you not to call me that," Tsunade huffed, frowning at Hashirama's exposed head.

"Alright, Sakura, keep an eye on these two. I'm going to check on the old man," she said, her voice softening as she looked at the pink-haired girl. She reached out and ruffled Sakura's silky hair gently.

"Got it! Leave them to me!" Sakura chirped, patting her chest in a confident pose.

"Then I'm off," Tsunade said, sprinting away.

Once Tsunade was out of sight, Sakura reached into her ninja pouch, pulling out a small notebook and a pencil. She walked over to Tobirama.

He looked at her with confusion, not quite sure what she was about to do.

"Lord Tobirama," Sakura began sweetly, "I've heard that you're one of the greatest masters of forbidden techniques in the shinobi world. A genius of jutsu, with insight into almost every known technique."

Flattery never hurt, especially when buttering up a proud man like Tobirama.

"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right," he replied shamelessly, nodding as if it were only natural.

Hashirama rolled his eyes from nearby.

"So, I was wondering—what are your thoughts on Yang Release?"

Sakura didn't feel the need to hide her intentions. These two Hokage had clearly come to see her as Konoha's future. Whether she became Hokage or not, her position in the village would be vital.

"Yang Release?" Tobirama frowned thoughtfully.

"Yes," Sakura said, her eyes steady. "Can it be used like Lightning Release to create a taijutsu-enhancing state? One that's both offensive and defensive?"

Before Tobirama could respond, the slug holding Hashirama cut in with surprise.

"Sakura, are you still trying to complete my Sage Mode?"

Her goal was indeed obvious. Among all chakra natures, Yang Release was the most compatible with medical ninjutsu. Its regenerative powers far exceeded the rest.

In the original timeline, even Might Guy—after opening the Eight Gates and sacrificing his life—was brought back from certain death thanks to Naruto's mastery of the Yang power.

Sakura didn't hope to reach Naruto's level, but combining Yang Release with her Strength of a Hundred Seal and medical ninjutsu might just allow her to survive the harsh trials of Shikkotsu Forest's sage training.

"Shikkotsu Forest, huh? So Sakura signed a contract with the slugs too, just like little Tsuna?" Hashirama mused, trying to scratch his head—though only his head was sticking out, and his hands were sealed.

"Big brother, shut up!" Tobirama barked, annoyed at being interrupted.

"…Okay," Hashirama muttered, looking disappointed.

"Yang chakra is derived from the body's energy," Tobirama began, refocusing. "It can reinforce physical structures or grant them life."

"Our Senju clan specializes in it more than any other group. But understand this: Yin-Yang Release is entirely different from the five elemental releases. It's more complex—too complex to fully explain in just a few words."

"When this battle ends, Sakura, you're welcome to access the Senju clan's archives. You'll find plenty of information there, including my own personal insights on Yang Release."

Tobirama had no hesitation in offering her this privilege.

He'd already accepted that this girl—Hiruzen Sarutobi's student—was part of the family. The student of their student… in a way, she was their great-granddaughter.

One of their own.

(End of Chapter)