Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

After hiding the two unconscious people in a safe place, Sakura checked the various ninja tools in her ninja tool bag one last time, her gaze fixed on the central area of ​​the Yamazuki grave.

The trouble caused by Class 7 will be resolved by myself, who is also from Class 7.

Chapter 99 The Final Mission (Part 2) [Interlude: Sakura's Arc]

Sakura Haruno kept thinking that if she had been more mature and had noticed Naruto's feelings earlier, she might have been able to save the situation before it got out of control.

If only everything could start over...

If I could choose again...

She had fantasized about this possibility in her mind more than once.

"One day, I will become the best Hokage in the village!"

Amidst the laughter of his classmates, the blond-haired boy wearing goggles once again declared his dream and ran out of the classroom.

"Naruto..."

How could Sakura Haruno mistake a boy for him?

What were your thoughts when you first saw this scene?

So I guess I'm no different from them after all?

Sakura Haruno's gaze swept over her classmates one by one until she saw Sasuke, who stood silently with a cold face amidst the unrestrained laughter.

Both Naruto and Sasuke harbor unfathomable pain within their hearts...

Why didn't I realize it at the time?

This must change. Such behavior is wrong. Naruto's pain and Sasuke's pain should not be something that can be mocked or ignored.

Sakura Haruno suddenly stood up from her seat.

"Haruno! Where are you going?"

Ignoring her homeroom teacher Mizuki's calls, Haruno Sakura ran out of the classroom.

She was going to find Naruto.

Now that she can really start over and make a different choice, how can she continue to turn a blind eye?

……

"Sakura! I'll be the first girl to congratulate Sasuke on becoming a ninja!"

As usual, Ino challenges Sakura Haruno, her rival in love.

Today is the day for ninja academy graduates to attend their graduation information session. Students who have obtained ninja qualifications will form ninja teams during the information session.

Sakura Haruno, however, was not interested. Instead of joining the group of girls to approach Sasuke, she focused her attention on the entire classroom, searching for Naruto.

Just as I remembered, Naruto successfully became a ninja, wearing a headband that signified his identity as a Konoha ninja.

"Naruto!"

Sakura Haruno walked towards Naruto's seat and said the blessing she had been preparing for a long time: "Congratulations on becoming a ninja."

"Also... after the briefing, would you like to have lunch together? — I want to get to know you!"

Sakura Haruno extended an invitation to Naruto, just like before...

Will Naruto's answer still be the same as before, a refusal without hesitation?

She hesitated, waiting for Naruto's answer.

"Okay!"

The answer that reached Sakura Haruno's ears was a possibility that had never appeared before.

Sakura Haruno couldn't help but smile with excitement. She had broken the cycle of fate and successfully led Class 7's future toward a brighter destiny.

In this new destiny, Class 7 will still experience intense conflicts and disagreements as they grow up and face different paths in life.

But the members of Class 7 endured this pain and never had to separate again.

Although Sasuke briefly left Konoha, he returned as a hero of Konoha after successfully avenging his brother, surrounded by the villagers.

After that, the mercenary organization "Akatsuki," which plotted to seize control of the entire ninja world, invaded Konoha. Naruto, who had been training in Sage Mode under Jiraiya, saved Konoha and gained the recognition of the villagers...

...This became the starting point for Naruto to become Hokage in the future!

……

"Sakura, what are you thinking about?"

Ino's voice came from Sakura Haruno's ear.

"Today is the day Naruto becomes Hokage, why are you looking so gloomy as his teammate?"

Time always flies so fast. As the years go by, the boys and girls go from being protected to becoming the new protectors, guarding the new future of Konoha.

Sakura Haruno looked up at the rock face of the Hokage of Konoha, where an extra rock face had appeared—the face of the Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki.

"...Perhaps it's because my dream was beaten to the punch by someone important to me that I unconsciously felt melancholy."

Sakura Haruno answered Ino's question with a smile.

But her answer only earned her a more serious look from Ino: "Sakura, when did your dream become Hokage?"

"Really, Ino! Becoming Hokage has been my dream for a long time. I want to become Hokage, change the Hokage, and show Naruto a brand new future!"

At this point, Sakura Haruno suddenly froze.

Her dream... wasn't this.

She had long since lost the reason to have this dream.

That was when Team 7 fell apart, Naruto and Sasuke defected from Konoha one after another, leaving only her and Kakashi-sensei struggling to maintain the remaining existence of Team 7 and their dream.

She had long since distanced herself from that painful reality, so why should she cling to that dream?

"It's almost time. Naruto will soon be taking over the Hokage duties from Kakashi in front of everyone."

Sasuke had somehow arrived beside Sakura Haruno. Amidst the crowded scene, everyone in Konoha was filled with an overwhelming sense of anticipation for the arrival of the Seventh Hokage.

As the captain of the Konoha Police Force, Sasuke had no choice but to step in and maintain order.

No need to overthink it, the beauty we have now is hard to break.

Naruto, who became Hokage, and Sasuke, who became the captain of the Konoha Police Force, both fulfilled their dreams.

There was no more gloom in their eyes.

With the two important people around her achieving their dreams, Sakura's own dream became less important.

Her dream was originally for the happiness of the two of them.

Sakura Haruno, just like always, stood far behind Naruto and Sasuke, happily watching their retreating figures as their companions, and that was enough for her.

But this sense of satisfaction will only push her further and further away from the two of them.

Just like... she was before she ever changed her fate.

But Sakura Haruno had already made up her mind that no matter the cost, she would get close to the two of them...

If they can't catch up with Naruto and Sasuke, the fragile bond of Team 7 could break at any moment.

Sakura Haruno could never abandon Team 7, no matter what.

Sakura Haruno herself severed all the beautiful things before her eyes.

Sakura Haruno, hoping for a bright future, wakes up from her dream. She remembers everything and becomes Sakura again, the girl who lost Naruto and Sasuke and endures pain and loneliness.

"Ah...you did have such a setting, I didn't expect it to work here."

The moment Sakura woke up from her dream, she heard Naruto exclaim in surprise, "I'm really surprised, Sakura, you actually managed to wake up from Kotoamatsukami."

"But why did you fight so hard to wake up? In the world of Kotoamatsukami, you can get everything you want; it's a wonderful world of illusions!"

Sakura looked at the Sharingan in Naruto's eyes and shook her head, denying Naruto's statement.

“A dream is just a dream. Getting lost in the illusion of a dream will make me lose everything I truly possess… Naruto, I don’t want to lose everything I have, I don’t want to lose my ties to Konoha, and I don’t want to lose my ties with you and Sasuke…”

"Those who pursue illusions will lose their foothold in reality. Only fools would think that indulging in the world of illusion is a bright future—the world of illusion is not a bright one."

Sakura's tone unconsciously carried a hint of pleading towards Naruto:

"But that most anticipated fantasy in my dream really captivated me, so the feeling of trying my best to pull myself out of it is truly unbearable... So, please don't use this genjutsu on me again, Naruto, I can't wake up a second time..."

However, although Sakura didn't want to experience Kotoamatsukami again, she didn't avoid Naruto's gaze.

When Sakura became a member of Team 7, she made up her mind that she would never be afraid of Naruto... and would never treat Naruto as an outsider...

To her, Naruto Uzumaki was simply an incredibly important person.

Chapter 100 The Future of the Ninja World [Interlude: Ninja War Arc]

"Was this the same genjutsu Danzo planned to use on you during the Chunin Exams?"

Sakura, who was a witness to Naruto's "abnormal" behavior during the joint Chunin Exams, now understands the extreme actions Naruto exhibited back then, thanks to her increasingly comprehensive access to information.

Facing an illusion like "Kotoamatsukami," harboring any illusions will only plunge you into an abyss of no return.

"of course not."

Naruto's answer was unexpected, and for a moment Sakura thought she had guessed wrong.

But soon, Naruto revealed a crueler reality to Sakura: "Shimura Danzo wouldn't weave a beautiful dream for you that you can't wake up from, like I do."

Sakura had witnessed this cruel reality before...

...Naruto, who transformed into the Nine-Tails and went berserk because of "Kotoamatsukami".

That was the reality that arose from everyone's initial fear of Jinchuriki; Naruto became a pure weapon without personality.

Danzo Shimura, whose political views conflicted with those of the Third Hokage, wanted to control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki as a weapon.

So Naruto went along with Danzo Shimura's idea and unleashed the weapon's full power—to show it to Konoha.

"You seem to be defending me in your heart again... Sakura, everything I did was entirely of my own will."

Naruto cruelly shattered Sakura's illusion and looked at her.