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『Don't forget your mission.』
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Sakura woke up with incomplete memories not her own.
Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that she had somehow stumbled into a nightmare, one that was far too real to be a genjutsu.
She stood there, her once-confident posture now diminished, as she tried to take in her surroundings. She had been here for a couple of hours.
Everything felt different, and not in a good way.
Her usually vibrant spirit was replaced with a sense of unease that seemed to gnaw at her from within.
Surveying her surroundings, Sakura's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts, yet one idea stood out prominently: this was most definitely not Konoha.
The world around her was oddly bright and cheery, the colors almost too vibrant for her trained ninja eyes. It was as if someone had turned up the saturation on reality itself.
People were walking by, smiling and chatting in a way that felt alien to Sakura.
She watched as they exchanged warm hugs and friendly pats on the back, the kind of gestures she associated with civilians-not shinobi.
Her own form felt strange to her, almost... small. Annoyingly small.
Petite.
She glanced down at herself, shivering involuntarily.
This is not her body.
Whatever time travel jutsu Lady Tsunade had used clearly failed.
She had faced down formidable opponents, stared danger in the face, and came out on top. But now, standing here amidst this unfamiliar place, she felt anything but formidable.
A shiver ran down her spine, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease crawl over her skin.
This wasn't the battlefield she just came from. There were no kunai or shurikens in sight, no battle cries or jutsu being exchanged. No Madara, no Zetsus and...
Just... people, going about their daily lives in a way that Sakura could hardly comprehend.
The vibrant and unfamiliar scenery, the absence of the familiar landmarks, and the strange interactions among the people confirmed her suspicions.
This place was a world away from the village she knew so well.
As she let her gaze wander, Sakura's eyes widened at the sights that greeted her.
Colorful buildings lined the streets, their architecture so unlike the traditional structures of Konoha. The bustle of daily life continued around her, but the faces that passed her by were those of strangers.
None of them held the characteristic shinobi aura that she had grown accustomed to sensing.
A shiver of unease ran down her spine once more. This was not the world she was supposed to go; this was a reality that was so far removed from her own that it left her feeling disoriented.
The very air felt different, lacking the familiar scent of earth and nature that she associated with the Hidden Leaf.
Sakura's heart raced as her thoughts spun in a whirlwind.
Sakira slid down slowly, her head buried in her knees, her entire body trembling with uncertainty and fear.
Her eyes remained tightly shut, as if trying to block out the harsh reality that surrounded her.
She didn't care if curious passersby cast questioning glances in her direction. In that moment, the world could have stopped and stared, but it wouldn't have made a difference.
This was not her beloved Konoha.
This was not the familiar village she had known, with its bustling streets, friendly faces, and the comforting presence of her comrades.
The air was different, heavy with an unfamiliar smells that sent shivers down her spine.
A myriad of thoughts swirled in her mind, each one a conflicting storm of confusion and doubt.
Where was she? How had Tsunade-shishou's attempt to alter the past gone so terribly wrong?
She chuckled silently, the sound carrying a hint of madness as she mouthed these thoughts to herself. Her eyes trembled, lips wobbling with the weight of her inner turmoil.
"What's the point of time travel when you end up somewhere instead of the past?" The question hung in the air, a bitter irony that twisted in her mind.
Haruno Sakura had once believed that accepting the opportunity to manipulate time and fate was a wise choice.
While she may not have been the most qualified candidate, fate had conveniently placed her near Tsunade-shishou who had a forbidden scroll on her hands as her team and the shinobi forces faced devastation.
There was no time.
Her mission had been clear: rewrite the past. Eradicate Danzo. Free Sai from Danzo's clutches. Obliterate Danzo to be sure.
Did she mention the burning desire to rid the world of Danzo?
And that wasn't all; she intended to take down Madara, Zetsu, and even the Akatsuki.
She had been resolute in her determination to kill them all, convinced it was the only way to save her beloved village.
Yet now, in this unfamiliar future where everything was so wrong, she questioned the sanity of her past ambitions.
Sakura's attention was abruptly pulled from her thoughts as a familiar voice cut through the air, accompanied by a name that had haunted her throughout her childhood.
"Hey, forehead!" The words hit her like a jolt, and she slowly turned her head, her eyes locking onto the source of the voice with the intensity of a hawk fixating on its prey.
Something was definitely not right.
The person before her had aged, but the recognition was undeniable.
Ami, the girl who had been her tormentor during her academy days. The memories flooded back-taunts, jeers, and a relentless pursuit of making younger Sakura's life miserable.
"-arents, you're such a fucking wimp. Crying because you got expelled?"
The venomous words hung in the air, a harsh contrast to the colorful and seemingly peaceful world around them.
Sakura's brow furrowed as she absorbed the crude insult, Ami's sneering face etched into her memory like a stain.
The surrealism of this situation weighed on her, her mind struggling to reconcile the past with the present.
Everyone around was watching them out of the corner of their eyes but none...
No one was interfering.
As Sakura stood before Ami, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of displacement, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit into this strange, distorted reality.
Ami's towering height only emphasized Sakura's own stature, a stark contrast to her former self.
Gone were the hard-earned muscles, the callouses on her palms, and the scars that had once been badges of honor.
Every mark of her dedication and resilience had vanished, leaving her feeling naked and vulnerable.
"What?" Sakura's whisper was barely audible, her words more of a plea for answers than a statement.
Her emerald-green eyes remained fixated on the face of the girl before her, each detail appearing oddly clear through the lenses of the unfamiliar glasses perched upon her nose, framed by strands of hair that obscured her view.
Strangely, her cheeks ached with an unfamiliar discomfort, but she didn't care.
It was an odd sensation, waking up in someone else's body, disconnected from her own past experiences.
She blinked behind the glasses perched on her nose, a foreign addition to her features, but one that now afforded her a newfound clarity of vision.
The world seemed sharper, more defined, as if she were seeing it through a different lens - both literally and metaphorically.
She watched Ami, her gaze searching for any hint of familiarity in the older girl's features.
But the Ami she remembered had been her childhood bully, someone who took every opportunity to mock her and make her life miserable.
She hasn't seen her since she became a genin.
Ami's sneer deepened, her lips curling into a condescending smile. "Oh, what's the matter, forehead? Cat got your tongue?" She tilted her head mockingly, her eyes glinting with a mix of superiority and malice.
Sakura's jaw clenched, her fingers twitching involuntarily. This was definitely Ami, the same Ami who had made her life miserable back in the academy yet... different.
It was surreal to see her again, but the unfamiliarity of the situation was unsettling.
Ami leaned in closer, her voice dripping with disdain. "So, you finally told your parents, huh? About our little escapades and grand plans?" She chuckled darkly. "And let me guess, they were thrilled, right?"
Sakura's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and confusion. "I-what are you talking about?" Her voice trembled with frustration, and she couldn't help but feel an unsettling sense of disconnection.
This is not right.
This is not the past.
The memories in her head weren't her own. Doubt gnawed at her, leaving her trapped in a web of uncertainty in this unfamiliar reality.
She had been a dedicated kunoichi, focused on her training and her goals. But in this place, it seemed she was a different person entirely.
Ami's laughter cut through the air, grating on Sakura's nerves. "Oh come on, don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Her fingers toyed with the hem of Sakura's shirt, her nails scraping against the thin fabric. "Transferring out of the academy because you couldn't afford it anymore? Pathetic."
This is not her past.
Sakura's fists clenched at her sides, her frustration boiling over.
"I don't know what you want from me," Sakura shot back, her green eyes narrowing. "Ami." Her heart raced, her mind spinning with a mix of anger and confusion.
How had her life taken such a drastic turn in this reality?
Ami's gaze bore into hers, a mix of disdain in her eyes. "Save it for someone who cares, Sakura. You've always been a mess, and it looks like not much has changed."
Her sneer deepened, her words dripping with a mix of mockery and condescension. "Oh, did you think telling your parents was going to change anything, Forehead? Like they could actually do something about it? What a joke."
Sakura's jaw tightened, her fingers balling into fists at her sides. The feeling of powerlessness gnawed at her, but she refused to let her see her weakness.
She could feel her chakra deep inside her.
Yet it feels so far away, hard to control.
"It's none of your business."
Whatever is happening...
Ami's laughter was like nails on a chalkboard, grating and cruel. "Oh, it's everyone's business when the so-called 'genius' can't even afford to stay in school. You're lucky I didn't blast it all over social media."
Blast it all over what?
Sakura's cheeks burned with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
Ami's words were a slap in the face.
"Expelled, huh?" Ami's tone turned almost mockingly sympathetic. "Running away from your problems because you can't hack it here?"
Should Sakura just run away from here?
You're running away?
Sakura's nails dug into her palms, her resolve strengthening despite the storm of emotions swirling within her. "I'm not running away."
Ami's gaze bore into her, an unsettling mix of superiority and amusement of the words that appeared in Sakura's mouth. "Why don't you just kill yourself, whore?"
Kill?
Yet Sakura is horrified.
Her mission...
"Well, good luck with that, Forehead. Maybe you can sell those oversized textbooks of yours to pay for your tuition in Konoha High. Or sell your body." she chuckled, "Why even transfer there when you don't have the money for it?"
Ami's sneer persisted, but Sakura's voice remained low and steady, her gaze unflinching from behind the long bangs obscuring her face.
"I don't know whatever idea you have of me, but I have no time for childish squabbles." she declared, a quiet resolve lacing her words.
Whatever this world had become, she couldn't afford to get lost in petty conflicts. She had to find her bearings and make sense of this unexpected reality.
Ami's laughter echoed once more, a grating sound that seemed to punctuate their exchange. "Oh, how noble. Going all 'mature' and 'grown-up' on us now, are we? Still, transferring to that fancy school won't change who you are. Money talks, and it's not on your side, Forehead. You know that."
Sakura's fingers twitched, the urge to lash out almost overwhelming.
But she held herself back.
She had faced down enemies far more formidable than Ami, and she wouldn't let this bully undermine her.
Yet the fear still grips tighter inside her.
Amidst the tension of their exchange, a buzzing in Sakura's pocket broke through the air.
Instinctively, she cupped the source of the sound and retrieved it-a black box that vibrated in her hand.
Confusion flickered across her features as she glanced at the object.
What was this contraption? And why was it vibrating?
Before she could even begin to make sense of it, Ami's mocking laughter echoed around them. "A fucking flip phone in this year?" Ami's tone was dripping with derision.
Her brows furrowed as she processed Ami's words. Flip phone?
As Sakura's gaze lifted to meet Ami's, her expression turned dark. She might be out of place in this unfamiliar place, but she wouldn't let anyone notice that-
"Well, it seems I've got some catching up to do," Sakura replied, her voice carrying a hint of dry humor. She tucked the flip phone back into her pocket, her eyes never leaving Ami's sneering face.
"I don't know what to say..." Sakura declared, her tone firm. "But as for your taunts, Ami, they're just noise. They won't stop me from anything."
It finally hit her-
She remembers.
The scroll Lady Tsunade had given her hadn't specified "time travel to the past." It had only promised time travel.
Sakura's realization unfolded like a revelation before her, her lips parting to form a quiet "Oh."
The scroll had granted her the power to traverse time, but it had omitted the crucial detail of when.
She had assumed she would be traveling to a time before the war, but she had made an assumption that now seemed hasty and misguided.
Ami's sneer deepened as she spoke, her words laced with a mix of superiority and malice. "You're finally talking back, huh? Oh, you're thinking just by transferring, I'm not gonna beat the shit out of you?"
Sakura's gaze remained steady, her expression unyielding despite the threat in Ami's words.
She might be in an unfamiliar world, facing challenges that seemed nonsensical, but she refused to let anyone intimidate her-especially not someone like Ami.
"I won't let anyone lay a hand on me," Sakura replied, her voice firm and calm. "Not in this place or any other."
Ami's threats hung in the air, a tense silence settling between them.
Sakura's eyes didn't leave her face, discerning the subtle signs of impending danger-the twitching of Ami's hands, the darkening of her eyes as she readied herself to strike.
But Sakura's reflexes were faster than Ami's aggression.
With a swift movement, Sakura caught Ami's wrist in a grip that was surprisingly strong, her fingers tightening around it.Ami's eyes widened in surprise as Sakura held her wrist in an iron grip, her attempt to strike Sakura thwarted by the unexpected show of strength.
Before Ami could react, Sakura tugged her closer, their faces mere inches apart. Her voice, low and steady, cut through the tension like a blade.
"I'll tell you this once, Ami," Sakura's words were measured, her tone carrying a weight that couldn't be ignored. "I won't let anyone..." Her voice lowered even further, a dangerous edge creeping in. "...lay a hand on me."
Ami's bravado faltered. The sneer on her face wavered, replaced by a flicker of surprise.
It was as if she was finally realizing that Sakura was no longer the same person she had known-a timid target for her taunts.
The air grew heavy as the tension between them escalated. Sakura's eyes darkened, a hint of bloodlust emerging-a remnant of her life as a shinobi.
As their gazes locked, Sakura's grip on Ami's wrist didn't change, a silent challenge that spoke volumes.
In this strange world, Sakura might be out of her element, but she would never allow herself to be a victim.
Ami's uncertainty seemed to grow, her bravado crumbling in the face of Sakura's gaze.
"Let go!" Ami's scream was cut short as Sakura's grip remained unyielding, her fingers locked around Ami's wrist.
The people around them paused in their tracks, their attention captured by the scene.
Sakura's gaze secretly flickered briefly to the onlookers, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.
As Ami's struggles intensified, Sakura's grip remained firm, her eyes locking onto Ami's.
And then, with a move that sent shockwaves through both Ami and the bystanders, Sakura embraced her, pulling her closer until their bodies were almost touching.
Ami's struggles faltered as the unexpected action left her momentarily stunned.
Sakura's voice was a low, quiet whisper, meant only for Ami's ears.
"I'm not that Sakura." Her words were laced with a chilling seriousness.
With deliberate intent, she began to trail her finger to the different points on Ami's body as she listed them off.
"Larynx..." Sakura trailed her finger in Ami's throat gently. "Spine." Her fingers grazed the length of Ami's spine.
The tension in the air was palpable as Sakura continued, her voice steady and calm despite the deadly promise in her words.
"Lungs," she tapped Ami's side, "Liver," her fingers brushed Ami's abdomen, "Jugular," her touch lingered on the side of Ami's neck.
"Subclavian artery," her fingers moved to Ami's shoulder, "Kidneys," she tapped Ami's lower back.
She stopped, eyes on Ami's face.
"Heart." her hand flicks Ami's chest.
Sakura's words hung in the air.
The bystanders watched before moving on, not seeing anything interesting between two hugging teens yet between the two of them, the tension in the air was almost tangible.
Ami's eyes had widened, her struggles ceasing as the weight of Sakura's words settled upon her like a leaden cloak.
Sakura's grip on Ami remained unrelenting, her voice unwavering even as her words carried an underlying promise.
"Every touch, every movement-lethal. And this isn't a threat, Ami. It's a fact." Her fingers lingered on each point, a testament to her knowledge of the human anatomy and the deadly skills she had acquired.
Finally, Sakura released Ami, stepping back and allowing her to regain her distance.
Her gaze remained steady, her expression a mix of intensity and resolution.
As the people walked past their forms, Sakura turned away from Ami and walked forward, her footsteps echoing with purpose.
Kill.
Her eyes darkened as she walked.
Kill.
Her mission is the number one priority.