Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

"I was disliked by others, but I simply got the 'ordinary' life I wanted."

“But Naruto never gained anyone’s affection or any friends—he was trapped in his ‘abnormality’ day after day.”

"For the past month, I've been thinking, if someone had expressed their love for Naruto loudly before he did something so irreversible—would Naruto have started to feel that there was something in Konoha worth staying for, and slowly, slowly, been changed by us—instead of resolutely leaving Konoha with such ruthless methods as he is now?"

"Such unrealistic fantasies are ridiculous, aren't they? But these fantasies that even I find laughable... keep lingering in my mind, and I just can't suppress them."

"So I want to become stronger... really, really strong, at least as strong as my master... and then tell Naruto about this fantasy."

“I want to tell Naruto that Konoha isn’t just full of people who hate him—there are also people like me who like him—although Naruto might find it disgusting that someone like me, who once hated him for no reason like everyone else, likes him—I still want to tell him—tell him—that I like him.”

"If I can bring Naruto back, I will spend the rest of my life atoning for our sins with him—if I can't bring Naruto back, I will do everything in my power to kill him."

"Konoha's treatment of Naruto was undoubtedly wrong... but I really can't see Naruto's destruction of Konoha as right..."

"Although I am immature, I am still a ninja. There is not much for a ninja to do. Just walk firmly on the ninja way you believe in. To atone for my sins with Naruto, or to die with Naruto. That is my ninja way."

Sakura finally finished expressing her thoughts, and the ward fell silent.

Finally, Sasuke spoke up and acknowledged Sakura's ninja way.

“Sakura, your idea is not ridiculous. Those who have never experienced your feelings have no right to laugh at your ninja way—I will bring Naruto back, no matter what means I have to do.”

"The reason why Team 7 is Team 7 is because it has Kakashi-sensei and the three of us." Naruto, who said these words in the Forest of Death, has proven for us that the bond of Team 7 is real. Even if this bond is so small that it can be ignored by Naruto now, the new bud of bond must be growing in Naruto's heart.

"I'll help too, Class 7 has always been one!"

Sakura also made a promise.

Sasuke nodded, the gloom that had been weighing on his heart finally dissipating.

He suddenly felt a little hungry.

Sasuke picked up a piece of fruit from the porcelain plate in his hand and swallowed it with gusto.

At least for this moment, Sasuke and Sakura both look forward to Team 7's future together.

But ninjas are not such a wonderful beings.

A ninja is someone who needs to endure pain that ordinary people cannot bear—physical pain and mental pain.

--September.

—One month after the Chunin Selection Exams ended.

—One month after Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, killed his master, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.

—One month after the joint operation of the Sound Village and the Sand Village to destroy Konoha.

—The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, a former Konoha ninja, and now an S-rank rogue ninja, one month after Naruto Uzumaki defected from Konoha.

Intelligence indicates that two members of the Akatsuki, a ninja mercenary organization composed of S-rank rogue ninjas from various countries—Kisame Hoshigaki, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure, and... Itachi Uchiha, a rogue ninja from Konoha—have appeared in Konoha Village.

Akatsuki appeared in Konoha a week later.

At night, traces of a small-scale battle were found somewhere in Konoha.

Black, fiery curse marks appeared all over Sasuke's body. Sasuke stood with difficulty, while four people collapsed beside him.

juvenile;

Girl;

Fat man;

Double-headed.

Those were the most powerful members of the Hidden Sound Village, founded by Orochimaru—Kidomaru, Tayuya, Jirobo, as well as Sakon and Ukon.

The Sound Four, who also possessed cursed seals, were defeated by Sasuke alone.

Sasuke's gaze was fixed on the white-haired boy watching him fight the Sound Four not far away, as he didn't care much about the defeated opponent.

"You just said your name is Kimimaro? I've defeated all your companions, now it's your turn to fight me!"

Kimimaro, who had not yet made a move, simply looked at Sasuke calmly, showing no intention of fighting him: "No need, you have already proven your strength."

"I won't live past tonight, so I'll only use my power against the Konoha ninjas I encounter while trying to take you away from Konoha."

Kimimaro bowed slightly, demonstrating his superiority to Sasuke.

He who is powerful is humble, while Sasuke is revered.

Kimimaro looked at Sasuke's three-tomoe Sharingan, which had evolved again due to the impact of the cursed seal power during the battle with the Sound Four.

Kimimaro, who was always humble, rarely showed an expression of envy.

But he quickly composed himself and spoke to Sasuke:

"Next, Lord Sasuke, let us, the Sound Five, take you to Lord Orochimaru's location."

—In September, Otohiko once again infiltrated Konoha under the cover of night.

Everything that happened that night was transformed into a scroll on the Hokage's desk during the day.

The Hokage personally opened top-secret information:

[Konoha Jonin, Team 7 led by Kakashi Hatake, following Naruto Uzumaki's defection from Konoha.]

Sasuke Uchiha, the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan in Konoha.

Orochimaru's defection has been confirmed.

Chapter 65 Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom [Interlude: Sakura's Arc]

The rain falling from the sky was not the kind of torrential downpour that could soak clothes in an instant.

However, describing rain as fine silver threads, like silk or mist, gently caressing the cheeks is inappropriate.

The only certainty is that this rain, which wasn't heavy but couldn't be called light either, was incredibly heart-wrenching.

The crowd standing in the rain felt... annoyed.

Sakura was naturally feeling down as well.

Besides feeling frustrated, she also felt a sense of bewilderment deep down.

The past two days have felt like a dream, and Sakura's mental state has lost its sense of reality.

But the cold rain fell on Sakura's body, and a chill continuously spread from her body to her brain.

It's as if it's proclaiming that no matter how illusory Sakura's real-life experiences may seem, they are still an inescapable reality.

—Today is the funeral of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Did even the heavens grieve for the passing of this great ninja who dedicated his life to Konoha?

Sakura looked up at the Third Hokage's head sculpture on the Hokage Rock as the rain fell from the sky.

During Orochimaru's earlier plan to destroy Konoha, a prominent crack appeared on the face of the Third Hokage's rock sculpture.

Or is this rain a punishment for Hiruzen Sarutobi's past mistakes?

He, who lived his life following the "Will of Fire," was given his final farewell amidst the drizzling rain that would extinguish the flames.

Two Konoha ninja who survived the previous battles were absent from this open-air memorial service.

Sasuke Uchiha is still unconscious and on the verge of death after fighting Gaara, the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure.

And... Naruto Uzumaki, who may never return to Konoha.

Both of them are teammates in Team 7, just like Sakura.

Overwhelmed by longing, Sakura was enveloped in unspoken sorrow.

...In the past, Sakura would probably have started crying at this point.

But then the sound of other people wailing broke through the rain and reached Sakura's ears.

At the Third Hokage's funeral, everyone hid their grief and pain in their hearts, letting the rain subtly wash away their emotions.

Only that young boy, still studying at the ninja academy, could shed tears without restraint.

"That's Konohamaru, the grandson of the Third Hokage."

Ino, standing next to Sakura, said this.

Unlike Sakura, who comes from an ordinary family and first met Konohamaru at a funeral.

Ino did have some impression of Konohamaru.

Ino's Yamanaka clan joined Konoha at the very beginning of its founding, responding to the call of the First Hokage.

The Yamanaka clan is one of the most powerful ninja clans in Konoha today.

After all, she had to transform from an innocent young girl into a mature heir to a mountain clan.

They had more or less begun to understand the political power structure of Konoha by following the elders in their clan.

The same applies to Shikamaru and Choji, who were in the same ninja class as Ino.

Sakura wasn't interested in any of that.

She had only briefly paid attention to Konohamaru because of his blatant sobbing.

As the grandson of the Third Hokage, he can freely display all sorts of emotions to everyone.

Everyone would naturally care about him and love him.

but……

Ino, are you crying?

Sakura noticed Ino's expression.

Ino did not shed tears at this moment.

Ino's reddened eyes and swollen rims indicated that she had been crying sadly for a long time.

She hid in the shadows, grieving, afraid that the others, already distressed, would notice her distress and waste their time to care for her.

"No."

Ino vehemently denied it, forcing a smile at Sakura.

Sakura opened her mouth, but the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat.