Double-transformation: I, Sakura Haruno! Will crush the pirates!

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly felt an itch in his fingers, and he had a strong urge to tap something.

—You wicked brat, Haruno! Today, I'll personally...

He stared expressionlessly at his unfilial grand-disciple before him, his pipe billowing thick smoke as he puffed on it.

Indeed, discovering that the village had been exploited, demanding compensation from Takigakure Village was to protect Konoha's interests, which seemed reasonable on the surface.

Don't forget that he is Hiruzen Sarutobi, the mastermind buried in the ground beneath his feet, whose greatest skill is to package his own interests as the interests of the village.

He had used this tactic on Hiruzen Sarutobi countless times. The current Hiruzen Sarutobi was no longer a newcomer who could be fooled by a few slogans.

"I'm not young anymore, and you're still using this to test an old man?"

Enraged, Hiruzen Sarutobi put the ninjutsu scroll away in his office drawer for the time being.

"Hehe, it's just that I believe in your composure~"

Sakura sprawled back on the sofa, swinging her legs off the armrests, making the antique left behind by the second generation creak.

"Moreover, as its name suggests, it is a good medical ninjutsu, with an unparalleled advantage at least in terms of suturing."

"Besides, collecting ninja hearts is an absolutely evil practice. If someone actually uses them and then exposes it, he will surely die a horrible death!"

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi perked up, his expression gradually turning serious.

After analyzing Sakura Haruno's words, he realized that Sakura Haruno's initial target was Danzo Shimura.

Judging from her previous confrontations with Danzo Shimura, the two must have fundamentally clashed.

Now, Sakura Haruno's statement as a member of Konoha's new generation has made Hiruzen Sarutobi reflect on the relationship between Danzo and the next generation of the village.

Having cultivated his influence in Konoha for decades, he had countless disciples and former subordinates, so he could easily keep Shimura Danzo in check.

What if it's the next generation's successor?

Can this weapon, which can be controlled by oneself and used to pierce the outside world, still be easily used by future generations to serve Konoha well?

Does Sakura have any plans to become Hokage?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice softened. If this child was strong enough, perhaps his old friend could have a dignified exit...

"No, old man, look at yourself. After becoming Hokage, do you get as much rest time each day as the ninja dogs on the street?"

Her fair little hands supported her delicate face, and the girl's eyes were full of disdain.

Being a Hokage is nothing compared to the joy of being a pirate. Traveling the world to meet friends and throw parties—it's definitely more fun than working day and night!

"Ahem, are you implying that I'm not even as good as a dog?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi inhaled a puff of smoke and choked on the spiciness of the tobacco.

He coughed forcefully several times, opened his eyes, and glared at the girl in front of him with annoyance.

"I didn't say that, you said it yourself! Don't slander me!"

The girl covered her mouth, making a soft "pfft" sound, and politely looked away.

"Forget it, get out of here, you lazy brat."

Sakura, seemingly unconcerned, made a face at Hiruzen Sarutobi, then stood up to leave.

Just as she was about to step out of the office, a voice suddenly rang out behind her.

"Sakura, if something happens to the old man, and the next Hokage is powerless to control Danzo, go to my residence and find a dark purple scroll!"

Sakura's hand, which was resting on the wooden door handle, froze. Her shoulders twitched a few times, and she walked straight out without saying a word.

Nighttime, the rooftop of the Haruno residence.

A slightly chilly wind blew from afar, making the autumn night exceptionally tranquil.

Sakura lay on the rooftop, enjoying the cool night air that could take away the heat in her heart.

Spending all day in Konoha with these ninjas is turning me into one of those politically driven creatures who are constantly calculating their own interests!

"No, it seems it's time..."

【~】

"Haha, are you a screen-peeping monster, online 24/7?"

Upon seeing the line of gold text, Sakura was taken aback for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.

[Note: The purpose of this machine is to provide the best possible service to the host.]

"Hey, are you being tsundere?"

The cat-like girl sat up, hugged her knees, and her sharp, vertical pupils showed interest.

Please do not make assumptions...

"Okay, so can you guess what I want right now, buddy?"

After the girl finished talking to herself, it was as if nothing had happened.

In the silence, as she gazed at the midnight stars, a line of pale words ignited within her.

[Current Achievement Points Balance: 410 points, required points deducted, time to travel!]

Amidst the glittering stars, a meteor streaks with amber-like flames, adorning this beautiful night before falling to the boundless earth.

Even though she was about to head to that turbulent ocean, Sakura felt a great sense of relief.

A gentle breeze blew from afar, ruffling the girl's pink hair.

"Haha, I'm really being ridiculous!"

A faint light flashed, dissolving the girl's voice into the silent night.

Chapter 75 The Fishman Bearing Hoofprints

In 1507 of the Haiyuan calendar, in the waters near the Sabaody Archipelago.

Thunder roared in the sky, torrential rain poured down, and storms stirred up huge waves—such weather was a rare sight in the calm waters of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Seabirds sing, and on the empty blue sky, giant waves sweep everything away.

A brilliant light shone from the darkness, and a girl dressed in black ninja attire suddenly appeared beneath the water's surface.

"Holy crap, the sea..."

The icy seawater instantly engulfed her, swallowing the words she hadn't yet uttered, making a gurgling sound in her throat.

Because of the special energy constantly emanating from the seawater, the Devil Fruit's power was suppressed within the body, and at the same time, the body's strength was gradually being stripped away.

'System, you bastard...'

After exhaling a large breath of air, Sakura felt as if her limbs were filled with molten lead, and continued to sink deeper into silence.

The clamor of raindrops hitting the sea gradually faded away, and darkness engulfed our vision like a tide, leaving only the churning of bubbles in the water as a reminder that life had not yet completely faded away.

At this moment, a crimson merman witnessed this scene from a distance in the water.

"That is, a human child..."

He discerned his inner thoughts from the girl's innocent face, and the fishman instinctively wanted to step forward and rescue her.

Just as his hand moved, the brand on his chest throbbed with intense pain.

He was frozen in place, but the fire in his heart kept burning.

Why, why would you save a human?

To have fallen to this state, with dreams burned away and dignity trampled, isn't all of this a gift from humanity?

A cold ocean current swept past him, and bloodshot veins appeared in the fishman's open eyes as he roared in anguish.

Being swallowed by the sea was her fate; she deserved it, as did every human being. All I had to do was stand by and watch; I did nothing wrong!

But... why are those hands, capable of crushing hard rocks, trembling?

"If I become that cold, wouldn't I...wouldn't I be just like a human?"

His remaining kindness tormented his heart, causing this strong man to weep bitterly, only to be mercilessly washed away by the sea.

My heart is roaring, my emotions are surging.

The hatred and anger fueled by emotions can never shake the unwavering will forged by reason!

Even though they were brutally tortured and left battered, the fish-men ultimately chose a future that would link the fates of both races together.

—At least, the child is innocent!

His thoughts became clear, and with a wrist strength dozens of times greater than that of a human, he transformed into a torrent.

They sailed freely through the turbulent sea and arrived at the girl's side in the blink of an eye.

He grabbed the girl's hand and quickly swam towards the surface of the sea.

Wow!

At Mangrove 16 in the Sabaody Archipelago, a red-clad fish-man dragged a girl ashore. Seeing that she didn't react for a long time, a bad idea came to mind.

"Oh no, she's been drowning for too long! Doctor, we need to find her a doctor!"

Feeling guilty, he picked her up and prepared to run towards the center of the island.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

"No need, I'm a doctor myself, thank you!"

Unexpectedly, the girl suddenly woke up and punched herself in the chest, spitting out all the water she had swallowed.

Sakura, who had survived the ordeal, took two heavy breaths and then stood up with the help of the fishman beside her.

'System, explain this to me! What's going on?'

[Explanation: The direction of cross-boundary positioning is the location of the fluctuations in fate, which is not something that can be determined by the device itself.]

'destiny?'

The blurry vision gradually focused, and the tall, red fishman in front of me gradually became clear.

In his memory, there seemed to be a face exactly like his, who eventually died with a heart full of hatred.

"Fischer Tiger?"

The fishman whose name was called was shocked and took several steps back in a defensive stance.

Upon reconnecting with humans, he finally remembered his identity: a slave who had escaped from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, he too was wanted.

Is it possible that I'm going to be... killed by humans again...?

"Well, please allow me to thank you again in a more formal manner."

"My name is Sakura Haruno, thank you for saving me!"

Sakura, unusually, didn't maintain her usual casual smile and looked seriously at her benefactor.

Accompanied by the girl's sincere voice, a hand was extended in front of Fisher Tiger.

Instead of being driven away as monsters, or subjected to discriminatory glances at their goods, they received invaluable kindness from humankind.

Looking at the hand in front of him, Fisher Tiger trembled slightly, unsure of what to do with his wet palm.

Fisher Tiger, unusually, did not boast about his strength; instead, he feared that his overwhelming power would drive away the friendliness of humanity.

Snapped!

Suddenly, he felt a warm touch grab his hand and shake it vigorously.

“You…I…Your name is, no, my name is Fisher Tiger.”

After a long journey and enduring countless torments from the Celestial Dragons, he finally saw on land what Queen Otohime had proclaimed—it was so wonderful.

For a long time, the ideal, which had been almost burned to ashes by the flames of hatred for humanity, seemed to stir for a moment.

Fisher Tiger covered his chest with his other hand, his fingers gripping the hem of his burlap garment tightly.

It's too late. This girl appeared far too late.

Now, there is only a demon driven by hatred here, whose veins flow with nothing but hatred.

Filled with rage, he could no longer tread the path that Queen Otohime had proclaimed.

His desire for revenge against the corrupt authorities was the ashes of resentment and unwillingness that remained after his ideals were burned away by the flames of hatred.