Sorry for the delay! The Faculty has been eating up my time apart from some personal issues.
Again, I thank you so much for the congratulations and comments, they fill me with joy and constantly remind me that I need to update, so thank you!
I also want to address a question that I've seen about Sakura's age. I thought with the data I've provided in the chapters, you would figure it out, but then I realized that in the translation, it skipped the part where it actually said how much time had passed. It's annoying not being bilingual.
So, to put you in context and giving you a tiny spoiler (nothing major because it's mentioned right at the beginning of this chapter), the war actually lasted 4 years in this story, and once the alliance fell, Team 7 along with Obito escaped from Madara for another 2 years. So, in total, it's been 6 years since the start of the war when Sakura was 16 until the moment she was transported to the jujutsu world where she was already 22.
Then there were 3 years of adaptation to the new world. So, Sakura is currently 25 years old.
And, if you remember from I don't remember which chapter, it's mentioned that Yuuji is 13 years old, which means that what's happening now is almost 2 years before the events of the canon from the first season.
That's all I wanted to clarify, I didn't want there to be too much confusion.
Now, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and sorry for all the mistakes.
Fatigue weighed on every fiber of their being as they rested in the momentary tranquility of the dimension Obito's Kamui had taken them to. They had been fleeing from Madara, feeling his ominous presence lurking in every corner of their escape journey since they lost the war after 4 long years. This was the only refuge they had where he couldn't find them. Unfortunately, this dimension was even more barren than their own, after the battles it had been subjected to, so at some point, they would have to return in search of more resources to survive.
As they tried to catch their breath and relax their tense muscles, Sakura noticed Naruto had settled comfortably on the herbs they had managed to find with such effort. A hint of annoyance rose in her as she saw him. Determined to shake him from his lethargy, she approached him.
"Naruto," she called out firmly, making her discontent with his careless attitude clear. "Could you stop crushing the herbs? It was hard to find them, and we need every resource we can get here." They were medicinal herbs, and some were even edible. It was lucky they found them.
The blond ninja looked up with a nervous smile. "Sorry, Sakura-chan, I didn't realize." He got up and lay down beside her again.
Sakura rolled her eyes, already accustomed to his carelessness. She couldn't blame him; None of them could fully recover their chakra due to stress and lack of proper nutrition, which affected him more because he usually spent more chakra with his clones to keep Madara busy.
Planning to stash the herbs and lie down again next to Naruto to get some sleep, a habit she had acquired due to the lack of pillows, she heard someone calling her.
"Sakura-chan, could you come over here for a moment, please?" It was their sensei, Kakashi.
Sakura turned and saw him with Obito, sitting around several papers with seals and ink imbued with chakra. They seemed focused on discussing some inscribed patterns. She approached, curious about what they wanted. She liked seals.
"What's up, sensei? Are you hurt?" She knew it wasn't because she always made sure to check on them all when they first got here, but it was a question she couldn't help but ask. Pure routine.
"No, Sakura-chan, you know that," he said with amused eyes, already used to her overprotectiveness. 'As if they weren't the same' she thought to herself.
"I wanted to show you something, come here," he indicated while patting the spot next to him.
Sakura did as he asked. "What's all this? What are you doing?" Referring to all the patterns and kanji between them. It looked interesting.
Kakashi chuckled, as did Obito. Amused by her impatience and excitement. "Relax, I'll explain. Being patient is a virtue," he said with a finger pointed upwards and a tone of fake wisdom.
"Exactly!" Obito chimed in cheerfully.
She rolled her eyes, exasperated. 'Pair of idiots'
"Alright, alright, now then." Their sensei adopted a more serious expression but with a hint of joy still lingering in his eyes. Sakura wanted to be mad at his jokes, but she truly cherished every moment she saw her friends having fun. It was so rare these days.
"Well, Sakura, we all know, you're very intelligent, and your chakra control has reached unimaginable limits," Kakashi commented casually, praising her.
She blushed at his compliments; couldn't help it. She always sought approval from people she admired. They obviously noticed her nervousness but decided not to comment on it. For her sake.
"So, we were thinking it would be catastrophic if someone like you, who meets all the requirements spectacularly, didn't learn the incredible art of sealing," he continued, startling her with that comment.
She opened her eyes surprised and very excited. Were they going to teach her sealing?
"Really? Are you going to teach me here? Wouldn't it be a waste to use the little ink and paper we have to teach?" she asked, partly excited and partly apprehensive.
"Yes, very serious. And you're right, our resources are limited, but look at it as an investment, if you prefer," he replied with a gleam in his eyes that Sakura didn't quite understand.
"Investment? What do you mean?"
Obito reached for a piece of paper and placed it in front of her on the ground. "Look at this," he pointed.
She looked at the piece of paper, it had a column of kajins written. She didn't understand much about seals, only the basics, but she seemed to recognize some that meant "Time" "Space".
"Is it some kind of transportation seal?" She raised her head as she asked. She saw the gleam in the eyes of the two men increase.
Kakashi turned to Obito. "That's why she's my favorite student," he boasted arrogantly.
"I can see why," the scarred man followed with approval.
They were irritating her with their mystery. "Enough with the jokes. What does it mean?" she asked irritably.
They turned to look at her nervously, anticipating a possible hit from her. 'They would deserve it,' she thought.
"Alright, calm down. Yes, it's a teleportation seal," her sensei explained. "But not just any, it's the Fourth Hokage's seal, Namikaze Minato's, the hiraishin no jutsu," he added as if it were nothing what he just implied.
Sakura stared at them with her mouth agape. Did they want her to learn the jutsu of the Fourth Hokage? Naruto's father? The one that made him famous worldwide and labeled him as running away in plain sight? Did they know how to do it? With this, they could have escaped much more easily from Madara!
Before she could express her disbelief, they interrupted her.
"I know what you're thinking, Sakura, and we're sorry to disappoint you. I mean, the idea is for you to learn this jutsu, but the truth is neither of us really knows how it works," his downcast expression was even visible behind the mask.
"He's right, Sakura. Neither of us are sealing masters, but we were both students of Minato-sensei, and we have above-average knowledge of seals. Besides, I'm more familiar with space-time jutsu. The idea is to teach you the basics needed, and then it would be a joint learning process, through trial and error," Obito continued explaining his reasoning.
"If that's the case, then why don't you just learn it yourselves? Instead of teaching someone almost from scratch?"
Kakashi, in response to her question, looked at her with slight exasperation. "Sakura, I just said it. You're one of the smartest people I know, and your control goes beyond extraordinary. Yes, we can learn it ourselves, but we believe that you would benefit from this the most."
A warm feeling washed over her at the display of trust they placed in her. Sakura observed them dubiously for a while before returning her gaze to the kajins, carefully analyzing what they had said. It was risky; playing with space-time was dangerous. Maybe they wouldn't even succeed, and it would be just a waste of materials they couldn't afford. But if they did, it would be an invaluable tool in the fight against Madara. They couldn't always rely on Obito's Kamui; it consumed too much chakra, and he couldn't replenish it fast enough.
She trusted in her abilities; she learned quickly and would push herself to do it even faster with Inner's help. As they had said, it would be foolish not to learn something she was highly capable of doing.
The only woman in the group raised her gaze determinedly towards them. "I'm in."
She saw the smiles on their faces (at least Obito's) and Kakashi raising his arm to ruffle her greasy hair.
"We knew you would," he said confidently, looking at her with pride.
She smiled back at them. She would strive to the utmost not to disappoint them.
'could do it.'
Sakura stepped into the small shop, letting herself be enveloped by the warm and cozy atmosphere surrounding her. The shelves were filled with a wide variety of products, from medicinal herbs to exotic ingredients that piqued her curiosity. As she wandered the aisles, her expert gaze carefully evaluated each item, selecting what she needed with precision.
She grabbed a jar of aromatic herbs, drawing inspiration from its fresh and revitalizing scent. Then, she picked up a packet of green tea, reminiscing about her love for the comforting drink. Her journey led her to a section of fresh fruits, where she searched among the colorful rows for her favorite: grapes.
However, when her gaze landed on the space where apples usually rested, she furrowed her brow in confusion. There was no sign of the familiar fruit, which was strange considering it used to be a staple in the shop.
"Excuse me, Matsuko-san, don't you have any apples today?" Sakura asked, looking for the kind old lady who ran the shop.
Mrs. Matsuko, who had been busy organizing some products on a nearby shelf, turned to Sakura with a smile.
"Oh, Sakura-chan, how nice to see you again. The apples are in the storage at the back. Let me go get them for you," she replied softly before heading towards the rear of the shop.
Sakura nodded gratefully, returning the smile. Mrs. Matsuko was the owner of this small herbal products store. Sakura loved coming here; the scents reminded her of the time when she was learning about medicinal plants and making various pastes, creams, or liquids with different functions. Mrs. Matsuko appreciated her greatly after Sakura had relieved her muscle pains of old age with a tea that Sakura had claimed was a recipe from her own grandmother (Tsunade-sama would kill her if she knew she called her that). The fact that she had used a bit of medical chakra for the occasional muscle pain didn't need to be known.
In any case, now that tea was for sale in packs of 10 sachets. Thanks to giving the recipe to Matsuko-san, she got a discount on all her purchases. More than enough reason to come here regularly.
She began inspecting other products while waiting for the older woman to return. Many herbs and plants were familiar to her from her own world, much to her surprise when she first came here. She had thought even the fauna and flora would be different, but in reality, they didn't vary much, just in the aspect that everything was much more industrialized, almost neglecting the natural. Even in a shop like this.
She paused in front of a selection of fresh vegetables, examining each one with interest. However, her tranquility was interrupted by an unpleasant sensation and a dull thud followed by a muffled scream echoing from the back of the shop. A feeling of unease gripped Sakura. In less than two seconds, she found herself opening the door leading to a backyard, at the end of which was the storage shed where Matsuko-san had gone.
As soon as she opened the door, the smell of blood filled her nostrils, increasing her concern for the frail old woman. She saw her at the side of the small cabin serving as storage, lying beside a basket of apples scattered around, blood gushing from her.
She approached quickly and let out a small sigh of relief to see that she was still alive. Good. One heartbeat, she would always need just one heartbeat.
But Sakura didn't have time to start healing her; in a blink, she grabbed Matsuko-san's body and leaped away from the scene. Turning around, she observed a large creature. Its shape was vaguely humanoid, but distorted and twisted. His mouth, a dark, misshapen slit, curved into a twisted smile that revealed rows of sharp, pointed teeth.
A cursed spirit. Judging by the amount of cursed energy it possessed, it must have been of second grade or maybe even higher. She wasn't so familiar with the power levels that classified these things. Sakura simply killed them and that was it.
And that's what she would do.
But first, she needed to heal Matsuko-san, so from Sakura's hand began to emanate a very pale green energy, almost translucent. This time she didn't need to use only her medical chakra; she could use the combination she had achieved of it along with the reverse curse technique.
Positive cursed energy was much better for wounds of this type, almost at the same level as she had with medical chakra, even more, which made her annoyed and grumble for a while. She had dedicated so much time to perfecting the Mystic Palm technique to an unparalleled level in her world. Only to land here and realize that while achieving the use of positive cursed energy wasn't easy, anyone who used it could achieve a healing level equal to hers, even if only to themselves.
She already knew she should be glad that others could heal themselves and not rely on her, but come on! She was human and had the right to be annoyed when others achieved more easily what had cost her so much time and effort, especially when they didn't even have any knowledge of medicine. It was unfair.
Her only consolation was that she had managed to use the reverse curse technique not only on herself but also on others. The combination she had achieved was amazing; positive cursed energy, unlike medical chakra, did not follow a methodical process when healing, it simply overwhelmed the wound with enough energy and restored it. But being a more chaotic energy, it was almost impossible to use it for other more delicate procedures, and that's where her medical chakra came in. The latter Sakura could handle as if it were just another tool, using it in whatever way and purpose she wanted. That's why, together, these two could achieve healing anything they set their minds to and do it more quickly.
And so, the wound on Matsuko-san's abdomen healed almost immediately. Sakura planned to lay her down by a nearby tree while she quickly dealt with the curse. Or that was her intention.
"Interesting ability you have there." A calm voice came from behind the trees on the other side. Sakura's body went completely rigid, and her guard was fully raised.
She searched the area where she heard the person speak, only to see a figure emerging from the darkness and thickness of the trees, a figure she recognized quickly.
The man from the train.
'Damn it, I knew it. I just knew it,' she thought with annoyance and frustration. At this point, it shouldn't even surprise her anymore.
Sakura looked at him with hard eyes. "Was it you who did this?" She had noticed that the curse no longer seemed to want to attack her, but her attention was still focused on it. However, completely ignored the man in the yukata. Did he control it? A feeling of unease welled up in her at the idea of the possible identity of the individual.
"No need for such aggression, I come in peace," said the man, with both palms open towards her in a pacifying gesture. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Getou Suguru" he finally finished, opening his eyes with a smile on his face, effectively confirming her suspicion.
Damn it. He was the last special-grade sorcerer she needed to meet.
From the moment Sakura had seen him that time, she knew nothing good would come from being on his radar. Now she was just confirming it. Getou Suguru was a sorcerer who had deserted a long time ago, and his technique consisted of manipulating curses. A terrifying technique if you ask her. But that was all she knew about him.
It also explained the fact that she hadn't felt the curse at any time. He must have manifested it recently, but what did he gain from killing an obviously civilian old woman?
"I know who you are, and I don't care, answer my other question," Sakura demanded firmly.
Suguru tilted his head, still with his relaxed attitude, looking at the woman in front of him and then at the body she held. "That? Oh, sorry, it was just a whim," he said simply.
His indifferent attitude made her boil with anger. "A whim?" the medic growled.
"Yeah, you know, impulses are hard to resist. When I see a monkey, I just feel like killing it."
Monkey? What the hell was wrong with this guy?
"With what right do you think you can treat her with such baseness? She's a kind person who didn't do anything to deserve this," Sakura said through gritted teeth.
Suguru stared at her. "Right, you say? Isn't it obvious enough? They're inferior beings; she couldn't even see what would have been, if not for you, the cause of her death," he replied mockingly.
"Just because she couldn't see curses, is that reason enough to kill her? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you value people's lives so little?" Sakura questioned him, holding back with all she had, due to the body she was carrying, from going over and hitting him.
"The lives of monkeys like her have no value," he stated, this time looking serious, but quickly returning to his carefree attitude. "But let's not waste time talking about mere collateral damage. I actually came here for you," he continued with a relaxed smile and closed eyes.
"I have nothing to deal with you, in fact, give me a good reason not to kill you right now," Sakura replied in a low tone, glaring at him.
"As I said, there's no need for so much aggression, I just want to talk. Besides, you shouldn't make threats you can't fulfill. Just a piece of advice"
"And you shouldn't underestimate your opponents," she said. It was the worst mistake anyone could make.
Getou's smile widened. "It's not underestimation," he denied, but with a tone that Sakura knew he didn't even believe what he was saying. "It's just that your hands are full, aren't they? You wouldn't want anything to happen to the old crone you saved. With a rather interesting technique, by the way, it wasn't just the reverse curse technique," he said, observing her closely with curiosity.
This guy was crazy if he thought she would tell him anything, but the pink-haired girl couldn't deny that he had a point. With him in the equation, she couldn't guarantee Matsuko-san's safety anymore. Did he plan it this way? Did he do it on purpose to force her into a disadvantaged situation? It was odd, considering he seems to underestimate her; he wouldn't need cheap tricks like these if he just wanted to talk to her.
Anyway, she needed to get the poor lady out of here. And she could only think of one way to do it. She didn't want to use it like this, but she had no choice. She was halfway to her apartment and had entered a few blocks off the main route to come to the store. With Inner's help, she made calculations as precisely as possible, avoiding side effects as much as possible.
Sakura made a kunai from the seal on her wrist appear, noticing how Getou's gaze narrowed at her action and subtly became more guarded, just like the curse. Idiot. As if she would risk the seal wrapped in the kunai on someone like him. With a quick motion, she sent the weapon embedding into the farthest tree in the yard. And then, in the blink of an eye, she disappeared.
The special-grade shaman stared at the spot where the pink-haired woman had been seconds before.
"Teleportation, huh? That girl is full of tricks" Suguru muttered. First her great ability to hide her signature, then her highly advanced healing ability, then summoning weapons out of thin air, and now what is surely her cursed ritual: teleportation.
His attention was drawn to the weapon he had thrown before disappearing. 'A kunai with a seal... It must be the condition she must fulfill to perform her ritual' the man with long hair analyzed. He didn't know whether to go inspect the kunai or just leave.
It was a pity; he wanted to continue the conversation despite the foolish girl's idealized view of life. Although he couldn't blame her; he himself had thought the same way many years before. But it was strange that someone like her would think like that, considering where she was born and the possible treatment she received, along with her two daughters. It is enough to remember the vision of the two girls, mistreated and locked up like wild animals, only because they possessed something that made them more valuable than those damned bastards who tortured them.
Yes, he had enjoyed each of their deaths.
It was at the request of the twins that he also came here. That day, when he had to endure being surrounded by disgusting monkeys on the train for losing a bet in their typical family games. It was cruel of Negi to even suggest such a thing, and Suguru would get his revenge in the next game. It was almost impossible to bear the disgust, and he was about to unleash a curse that would kill them all, but he decided it wasn't worth it; he would get his clothes dirty with so much animal blood, and one of the conditions was not to kill anyone anyway. Damn Negi.
Then he thought that to entertain himself, he would release small cursed spirits to see how they bothered the riffraff, starting first with two young ones, where the male monkey tried to flirt with a female monkey with pink hair who was clearly not interested. Poor idiot.
Great was his surprise when he noticed that the one he thought was a monkey was carefully watching the curse. He hadn't sensed a hint of cursed energy in her, and for a moment he thought she was like him, sensing the creature there through her ultra-enhanced instincts. If that had been the case, he would have damned the stupid lost bet and would have killed her right there.
But when Suguru looked closer, he noticed that the woman was actually watching the curse, her gaze simply too fixed on the creature. He even noticed her intent to kill it until she felt his own gaze. In that exchange, the sorcerer confirmed that she was a shaman just as she would have confirmed that he himself was one. He saw her practically flee afterward. He had thought she recognized him and accepted that it was a lost battle, which was quite clever of her. But his instinct told him that was not the case.
Perhaps Suguru had deserted, but he still kept himself informed of any developments in jujutsu society, especially of any sorcerer worth knowing, and he had never heard of a pink-haired shaman with enigmatic green eyes. Maybe the girl was weak and little known, but her ability to conceal herself spoke of a high enough skill level.
His interest simply sparked, and as a whim to satisfy his curiosity, he sent small curses to follow her. He discovered that she worked as a nurse in a hospital, effectively confirming that she did not operate as a shaman. She seemed to want to lead a normal and dull life as a civilian, although she wouldn't achieve it with those "miraculous healings" of her patients.
It was when he learned of her ability that Suguru considered recruiting her, adding one more member to his family. Not even he had managed to use positive cursed energy, and knowing that he could count on someone like her to take care of his family was comforting to him. But from the very beginning, that time on the train when he saw how she observed the curse he had unleashed, he knew that it might not be possible. The woman's gaze was like how he himself looked at non-sorcerers, with hatred and disgust. Of course, that reason alone was not enough to say that she wouldn't get along with his family; she probably wouldn't get along so well with him due to her innate ritual, which he didn't care about. But knowing that she had chosen to pursue a profession where she had to care for and heal non-sorcerers, even risking being discovered when she used her reverse curse technique on them, told Suguru that simply their ideals were not the same.
Still, his curiosity was not yet satisfied; he was just that curious. A trait he shared with his old friend. He sent monkeys to investigate her, and what he discovered was quite interesting.
She was born in the small village he massacred, the hometown of Mimiko and Nanako. He asked the twins if they had known her, and they denied it. Considering that much of their lives in that small village were spent isolated or locked up, it would make sense. But the man with long black hair thought that even so, it would be strange to forget someone with the characteristics of the woman, especially if she was like his daughters, capable of manipulating cursed energy.
Either way, the girls were excited to know that there was another shaman from their village. They even asked to accompany him to meet her, but he refused; he still had his reservations about this girl. How did she manage to stay hidden and even leave? Did she know the twins? Did she not care to leave two girls who were being tortured to their fate?
He didn't like considering that last part at all, but Suguru wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, considering she was a teenager when she left that shitty village and probably didn't have the resources to take care of two little girls.
His daughters were certain she would accept joining them, that she had surely suffered the same and would understand their beloved Getou-sama's dream, but oh, how wrong they were. Their innocence and inexperience prevented them from understanding that it didn't always work that way. That people could be raised one way but grow up to become someone completely different. He was living proof of that. And Suguru knew that even if the nurse had suffered the same as his beloved daughters, it didn't guarantee she would think like them, think like him.
And this encounter was more than enough proof. The woman had her ideals on a different page. Nearly killing the old monkey was the second and last test he gave her, the first being the civilian a few weeks ago. The woman failed both tests miserably by saving those foolish monkeys. What a pity.
He still had curiosity, but it wasn't worth pursuing someone who clearly would never agree to join them on good terms. It was time to go. He almost sucked back the curse he had unleashed when, next to the tree where the kunai was embedded, the woman reappeared, now without a decrepit body in her arms.
His lips curved. "Well... look who decided to come back. And here I thought you'd stood me up" said Getou.
Sakura looked at him with disgust. "And let you go so you can go back to killing innocent people? Not a chance."
The man rolled his eyes, annoyed by her defense of beings who weren't worth it. "How brave of you" he scoffed.
Suguru pondered for a while, looking between the girl and the cursed spirit. 'Perhaps a third test is necessary,' he decided with a smirk. "Let's see if you can handle it" With a single command, the curse quickly moved toward the redhead.
Sakura skillfully dodged the attacks of the sharp claws. It had been a long time since she was in a battle, practically since she started working at the hospital. But no matter how much time passed, she didn't even need to think for her body to react to the slow attacks of this nefarious being.
"You know, there was a time when I thought like you. I believed it was the responsibility of the strong to protect the weak. I really thought a shaman's job was admirable," Sakura cut off one of the curse's claws, dodging another attack as she listened to the man in the yukata speak.
"But then I saw a comrade fall, then another, and another. And who cared? Only us. The people we were protecting didn't even know the sacrifices we made for them. Doesn't that seem unfair to you?" Getou asked, still in the same spot as always, watching the battle unfold before him.
The curse stopped, a black liquid beginning to emanate from its remaining arm. Sakura sensed it was his ritual, but she wouldn't give him the chance to perform it. This battle, or rather warm-up as she saw it, had lasted long enough. She didn't want to waste any of her energy on a creature of this level; she needed to save it all for her real opponent. So, she took the whip from her waist and in a quick, strong motion, wrapped it around the curse's head and ripped it off.
Sakura turned to the sorcerer, watching him observe with a more attentive expression as what remained of the curse disintegrated.
"People aren't to blame for not knowing about our existence or for not being born with the ability to manipulate cursed energy. It's just as unfair for them to die for something beyond their control" Sakura replied.
Getou turned his gaze to her, all mockery gone, and his body language indicated he was now seeing her as a possible threat. Good.
"It's even more unfair to be born with that ability and have to hide because of it" the special grade sorcerer raised his arms. Two black shadows appeared behind him, and from them emerged more curses, but of a lower level than the last.
'Quantity over quality. Cheap trick' Sakura couldn't agree more with Inner.
She braced herself for the onslaught of curses directed at her, still using only her whip to kill them. With swift and elegant movements, she dispatched them one by one, without a scratch on her person. This did not go unnoticed by the man with black hair.
"Do you really think it's worth risking your life to protect beings who don't even appreciate it? Furthermore, they are the very cause of their own demise. Who knows, maybe the monkey you saved contributed to creating the curse that almost killed her" his words were spoken with malice and contempt.
With a leap and a swing of her arm, five more curses vanished. "I've told you, they're not to blame for not being able to control what they filter. And yes, I totally believe it's worth protecting those who can't do it themselves. I'm sure that if they knew what was done for them, they would be grateful" and Sakura knew this. She lived in a shinobi village; ninjas were the defenders of the village, and while she often noticed the fear and distrust of civilians towards them, it was often due to the power imbalance between them. Civilians were aware that if ninjas decided to do something against them, there was nothing they could do to stop it, which is why their fear was entirely justified. But Sakura also appreciated the gratitude directed towards the shinobi, with every patient cured, with every person safely escorted to their destination, with every person saved from certain death. Their looks and smiles of thanks were one of the things she most appreciated about being a medical ninja.
She was aware that her former profession was not entirely noble; Sakura herself had often had to perform questionable acts out of duty, but she grew up with the teaching that ninjas were there to protect and defend, the war reinforced it, and that's how she would continue to think and how she wanted to be defined.
She was beginning to understand the pessimistic thoughts of the curse manipulator and the indifferent attitude in the sorcerers she had met. Sakura herself didn't know how it would have been if ninjas had to live hidden, sacrificing their lives daily and not receiving even a token of gratitude for it. But still, she maintained that it was not the fault of civilians to live ignorant of their situation.
Getou snorted with mockery. "Such innocent thinking. Do you know what would happen if they knew about us? They would try to kill us, lock us up, and mistreat us just because they fear what they don't understand. You should know that."
Those last words puzzled Sakura. What did he mean by that? "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.
Getou's gaze narrowed. "You know, my hatred is only towards non-sorcerers, I have nothing against the rest. In fact, I have my family, created by me, by people who share my ideals," he explained as he slowly walked around the battlefield.
Sakura continued to kill, still not breaking a sweat and always keeping the sorcerer in her line of sight, who sent another onslaught of curses her way.
"Two of those people are my beloved daughters, Mimiko and Nanako. Don't they sound familiar to you?" Getou asked calmly.
The kunoichi didn't like where the conversation was going; she had a bad feeling. "They don't," she admitted, as she crouched down and brandished her whip.
"And here I thought they would be quite well-known. You must have lived quite isolated even in your own village, huh?" he asked sarcastically.
'Oh no, don't tell me they were...' she didn't finish the thought when he confirmed it himself. "My lovely girls come from that isolated little village, Yamanaka was its name. A place full of monkeys with backward and ignorant thoughts. The only thing worth saving there were my daughters; the rest were scum that didn't deserve to live," Getou paused and turned his head to Sakura, showing a proud smile. "That's why I massacred them."
The shock from that declaration almost caused a curse to bite her arm, but she dodged it and in a somersault, killed 10 curses at once. She landed and looked at the man in disbelief. "It was you?!"
Getou tilted his head, analyzing her for a few seconds before responding. "It was. I'm surprised you didn't know. I've noticed that you want to live a rather... normal life, so to speak," he said with a hint of disdain. "But it's common knowledge, even someone like you would know it, considering that you knew me or at least knew my name," he finished, making it clear that Sakura's situation didn't make sense.
'Shit, why didn't he tell me?' she thought with frustration.
Why hadn't Yuki told her something so important? That's why she hadn't made the connection. She thought her friend would say something like that, considering they built their fake life information based on that village. Now she was in this predicament because of her. Besides, how easy was it to get personal information about another person in this world? What a nuisance.
"What do you gain from so much unnecessary death?" Sakura asked, changing the subject and looking at him for something to make her understand him at least a little more. Wasn't that what Naruto would have wanted? Her idiot friend who could make even the vilest criminal redeem themselves. If only I could have done it with the worst of them all...
The sorcerer took a moment to respond, having noticed her change of subject but not pressing on it. "Unnecessary, you say? The death of that rabble was more than necessary. And it was only the beginning," Getou replied with a confident smile.
Sakura frowned, not liking what he was referring to. "What do you mean?"
The sorcerer just smiled wider. "My goal is to eradicate ordinary humans from the world. A world dominated by sorcerers will be born. That way, we can live freely, there will no longer be curses risking our lives. I will create a world of peace!" he exclaimed, his open arms.
Sakura looked at him with her eyes wide open, all her thoughts vanished. In her mind, only those last words repeated over and over. They were words that condemned her and everything she had ever known.
'...a world of peace' was the absent thought of the pink-haired girl.
For a moment, over Getou's image, another one overlaid, of a man also with long, black hair but much more unkempt and messy. The gleam in his eyes and that triumphant smile, pronouncing those same words, were something she would never forget, still haunting her most terrible nightmares.
"Humanity is incapable of understanding each other; as long as they interact, there will always be hatred and violence. That's why the only solution is to project an eternal genjutsu where each person lives their own ideal world. That's how I will create a true world of peace!"
Those words spoken by a disturbed man, justifying genocide and destruction for the sake of peace, provoked feelings of rage, anger, and pain swirling inside her, requiring all her self-control to contain them.
When Sakura refocused, not a single curse remained; instead, there were her cursed chakra blades. She didn't even realize she had created them. She knew she couldn't face an opponent like Getou with just her whip, but she still didn't want to reveal this card just yet. But she couldn't do anything about it now.
The sorcerer was in a battle stance, his eyes directed towards the small clusters of energy flying around the courtyard in a slow, threatening dance.
'What is this strange sensation? It feels different from cursed energy... and what kind of ritual does this girl have? Was teleportation just a technique derived from this, like Satoru?' Suguru's thoughts went back and forth in his mind. But one thing was certain: his comment from earlier was not unfounded; he had underestimated her skill level.
"A world of peace, you say... the last time I heard those words, they were from the person who took everything from me," Sakura said with a gaze so empty it made the man with black hair shudder.
Thanks to his years of training, where he had become an expert in martial arts, Suguru was able to block the fist aimed at his face. Even reinforcing his arm with cursed energy didn't prevent the immense pain he felt. What the hell were her punches made of?
They began a hand-to-hand fight, the woman, like Suguru, was an expert. You could see the experience behind it in his movements. She was fast, she barely had any openings but she was very good at finding his. There came a time when he began to get defensive due to the force of his blows, the witcher did not understand what they possessed but they were very painful. I couldn't continue like this, I needed distance.
As soon as he found an opening, he jumped several meters. He formed his hands into a gun shape and curses condensed from his index fingers like projectiles, he also summoned 2 first grade curses. The time had come to change quantity for quality.
The woman dodged all the bullets with movements worthy of a professional acrobat. One of the spirits pounced on her but was brutally decapitated with his hand charged with positive cursed energy or at least that's what he thought, he still didn't understand what kind of technique he used. The other curse did not take long to die either, being cornered and cut by those leaves.
'fuck, I didn't come here today with the idea of using my highest level weaponry'
He was already preparing to summon the special-grade cursed spirit. The Smallpox Deity. When he heard her speak.
"Why?... Why do they think their dreams should reign over those of others? Why can't they think about how the people they'll affect will feel? Do they want to live their whole lives carrying that hatred? Is that their idea of peace?" the woman asked.
Suguru didn't know why she was speaking in plural, but he guessed she was referring to that person she mentioned. Even he could sense the undertone of pain in her words.
"I am aware that my goal is not pleasing to many, but it doesn't matter. I have my family who believes in me and supports me because they have seen how rotten the world is. That's enough for me. Bearing the rest of the hatred is the sacrifice I am willing to endure to fulfill my dream," he replied sincerely.
"Family... Do you mean the girls you tore from their home and manipulated?" The disdain he heard in her words ignited rage within him.
For the first time since this encounter, Suguru had an expression of anger on his face. "I saved them! I did what you should have done, supposedly being from there. Those disgusting monkeys had them locked up like animals, tortured just for being born special. They didn't care that they were just little girls. They were disgusting monkeys who deserved to die." Just seeing the surprise on the woman's face made his body relax slightly.
It had been a long time since he lost his temper like this.
But everything still seemed strange to him. He could understand the girl's morals, but had she grown up so differently from his daughters in the same place that she was willing to defend them like this? Or perhaps... Was her information false?
Sakura looked at the man in front of her, still able to sense the anger within him. From the beginning, she had suspected what those people from such a remote and isolated village could have done to two innocent girls who possessed something they didn't understand. Human instinct fears the unknown. She asked the question to gauge his reaction. The similarities between Madara and Getou were indeed several, and she wanted to ensure that the latter hadn't done the same as the former, taking advantage of the victim's misfortune and pain to manipulate them into following his own objectives. Just like in Obito's case.
But seeing the man's honest reaction of anger and indignation made her realize that he truly felt genuine affection for his family and cared about them. This didn't change anything considering his objective, but it at least made Sakura see him in a different light.
What would Naruto do now?
"But it doesn't matter anymore. Coming from there was one of the reasons I thought about asking you to join us, but now it's clear that won't be possible," the sorcerer continued. Sakura watched him create another shadow, from which emerged a large curse. It was white and had the shape of a bird with a huge beak.
'Is he planning to escape? I won't let him' she thought determinedly.
"Don't try to follow me. I don't know how good of a sensor you are, but I suppose you can feel them," Getou spoke before Sakura could move.
She looked at him with confusion for a moment before focusing on her surroundings. She felt them, three second-grade curses in different directions. Each one close to civilian residences.
'Damn it. When did he release them? Was it during the battle or when she disappeared? Damn it, she needed to improve her detection.'
"You felt them, didn't you?" With a smug smile, he climbed inside the large beak of the cursed spirit that had opened it. "Take one step towards me, and I'll order them to kill every monkey they see. You're fast, but not fast enough to save them all."
Sakura looked at him with anger. "Coward."
Getou shrugged, unconcerned. "Call it what you want. I'm not willing to waste any more time here. Besides, it's safe to say our paths will cross again later." He gave her one last smug look before the curse closed its beak and took off into the sky.
The kunoichi watched the large bird for a few moments, seeing it disappear into the sky. Then, she sent a large number of cursed leaves in the two directions of the curses while she herself headed towards the third.
Getou might keep his word not to give the order to kill, but she was completely sure he wouldn't hesitate to leave those spirits with free will, which would only mean death anyway. Damn bastard.
She quickly took care of killing them, thankfully avoiding any victims.
Sakura returned to the backyard of the shop, this time making sure to sense if there were any cursed spirits left. She found nothing.
Now alone, she looked around, the battle hadn't lasted long but still left scars that would be difficult to explain.
Let out a tired sigh. "No other choice."
She took care to clean up the entire scene with some low-level elemental jutsus. When she finished, It was time to go to Grandma Matsuko-san.
Sakura reappeared in her apartment, this time not feeling the burning sensation as earlier, she had the distance memorized. That was one of the problems with using the hiraishin.
And to think she was so proud when she learned it and finally mastered it. The trust Kakashi-sensei and Obito placed in her was not in vain; she showed them she could do it. It was a tool that helped them escape for much longer.
But in the end, it didn't save them either.
And now she could barely use it. The chakra consumption of the hiraishin was proportional to the distance it teleported you. That is, Sakura needed to know very well where she wanted to appear and calculate the chakra to use precisely, avoiding imbalance in her body as much as possible. Even now, she felt a certain heaviness from the burning sensation that occurred from using the technique at the beginning of her battle, but at this point, it was a sensation easier to ignore. If only because the distance wasn't very far and the burning wasn't as intense.
How frustrating to be so limited with such an amazing technique.
Sakura approached Matsuko-san, who was peacefully resting on her couch. She had induced a deep sleep in her. She cleaned the wound and all traces of blood on her body and clothes. Then she lifted her and they returned to the shop, which was also Grandma's home. Sakura knew where her room was and laid her down on her bed.
She forced her to wake up and observed the disoriented elderly woman asking what happened. Sakura made up that she felt unwell and fainted while carrying apples, where the wooden basket had scratched her clothes. The only explanation she could think of for the state of her clothes where the curse had injured her. Matsuko-san seemed confused but eventually ended up saying that she vaguely remembered everything. That's because the kunoichi had subjected her to a genjutsu showing her the version she had told her. She might still remember a horrible creature attacking her, but in the end, she would simply think it was her imagination.
Sakura reassured the grandmother by saying that she gathered all the apples and would take care of closing the shop before leaving, and that she should just rest. The sweet older woman thanked her profusely, offering her some cookies she had baked herself.
She could reject many tokens of gratitude, but cookies from Matsuko-san? Never.
Once the shop was closed, before leaving, Sakura headed back to the backyard, precisely to the tree where the kunai with the hiraishin seal was still there. She pulled it out and in its place, she pressed her palm against the bark, imprinting her own seal there. She had the distance memorized already, so she could leave a seal here as well.
She returned to her apartment, trying to find some sort of relaxation after all that had happened. Perhaps she would also say a prayer for Naruto and Sasuke, hoping they would hear her from the Pure Lands.
I owed them forgiveness. He had always criticized the duo for attracting trouble, even getting unjustifiably angry at them several times for it.
But considering the events of the past few weeks… Maybe she was also somewhat to blame?
That last thought made her give a small, embarrassed giggle.
Suguru sat upon the tongue of the curse he had summoned. His thoughts were a whirlwind of the recent events. A mixture of uncertainty and annoyance brewed within him. And, though he didn't want to admit it, also a hint of shame.
He considered himself a calm and sensible person, not one to lose his cool in any situation, which is why it irked him that he had done so in what he now realized was a mere provocation. Perhaps it was the strange tricks of the girl, the peculiar sensation she emanated, the mystery surrounding her, or her determined gaze in defending what she believed was right, something Suguru himself once thought was right. Maybe all of that touched a sensitive nerve he still possessed. He didn't know, but it didn't matter. The shame he felt wasn't because he had fallen so pathetically for the girl's trick.
It was because he had fled.
It wasn't the first time he had left a battle, but most of the time it was because he truly didn't want to waste time on something unnecessary or against someone who wasn't worth his time. Or simply because he had finished what he had planned to do. This last one wasn't the case. Suguru had enough experience and common sense to abandon a battle he knew he would lose, no matter how embarrassing it was.
Who was this Sakura person? When he decided to initiate this encounter, he didn't expect to find a warrior. Her reverse curse technique spoke of a high-level skill, but considering he didn't know her and she lived a normal life as a nurse, he thought she had only focused on developing that healing skill. The amount of cursed energy she possessed was, at most, of first-grade level. But the way she used it... it reminded him of his old friend. And if you added her ritual and tricks to that...
How could a special-grade sorcerer remain hidden for so long?
Suguru would never underestimate the color pink again.
A thought made a nostalgic laugh escape him.
"I bet that idiot Satoru will try to recruit her as soon as he finds out about her" he said, amused. He hoped the woman would refuse and choose her mundane civilian life. Of course, he still had to face her and the jujutsu society if he wanted to fulfill his dream. But he preferred to do it separately than together.
Upon reflection, it was lucky he had lost the bet and had been on the train that day. Knowing about a person like her now was good, rather than later when she had already carried out her plan.
Perhaps he wouldn't seek revenge on Negi after all.
