Chapter 19: Best Friends
Body Flicker Technique.
A B-rank jutsu — simple on paper, but remarkably practical.
It used a burst of chakra to achieve instant acceleration — a brief, explosive burst of speed.
The problem was the startup lag and the recovery time on arrival. Because of that, most ninja only used it for travel.
Very few could overcome those windows and apply it in actual combat.
But it wasn't unheard of.
Minato Namikaze — the Yellow Flash — had eliminated both the startup and recovery, making it combat-viable. Though once he'd obtained the Flying Thunder God technique, the Body Flicker became somewhat redundant.
And then there was Shisui of the Body Flicker, who'd built his entire reputation on this one "ordinary" jutsu. His was so fast it left dozens of afterimages in its wake.
Sakura sat by the river, studying the scroll Hiruzen had given her.
Judging from the techniques he was feeding her, the old man's vision was clear — he wanted to forge her into an unstoppable force that combined raw power with blinding speed.
With Enhanced Strength as her foundation, learning the Body Flicker itself would be straightforward. The real challenge was making it work in combat.
If she couldn't eliminate the startup and recovery lag, the technique would be just another travel tool — same as every other ninja.
But if she could overcome it…
Imagine Tsunade with Shisui's speed.
One punch and Orochimaru goes from snake to roadkill.
She sat there reading until the sky dimmed without her noticing.
Physical training had reached diminishing returns at this stage. Hiruzen himself had said her body was simply too young — her chakra pathways couldn't handle high-speed flow yet.
She had to be patient. Grow a little more.
"Sakura!"
A familiar voice called from the bank.
Sakura looked up to find a pale-blonde girl waving with both hands.
Only then did she realize how late it had gotten.
She tucked the scroll away and walked over, smiling.
"And what brings the great Yamanaka heiress out to find little old me?"
Ino ignored the teasing and looped her arm through Sakura's, sighing.
"Sakura, Sasuke-kun hasn't been talking to anyone lately…"
Sakura glanced at the lovelorn look on Ino's face and tilted her head.
"Hasn't Sasuke always been like that?"
"No, you don't get it! Before, sure, he wasn't exactly chatty — but it's completely different now."
"He's like a block of ice!"
"…Though that does make him even cooler, honestly."
Sakura stared at the girl swooning beside her and chose her words carefully.
"Has it occurred to you that maybe he genuinely doesn't want people hanging around him?"
If she could, Sakura would rather Ino not get tangled up with Sasuke at all.
They were from completely different worlds.
In the end, Ino had eventually moved on from Sasuke. It was only the "original" Sakura who'd kept chasing after him like she was giving herself away for free.
"No way!"
"Sasuke-kun is so handsome — it's obviously because the other girls won't leave him alone, so he just ignores everyone!"
Ino's rebuttal was immediate and absolute.
Right. Pretty privilege is justice.
Sakura could only sigh. Ino's crush on Sasuke was destined to go nowhere.
"Wait—"
"Didn't you used to like Sasuke too, Sakura?"
"What happened?"
Ino suddenly pulled away, fixing her best friend with a deeply serious look.
She studied Sakura up and down. That gorgeous cherry-blossom hair — the kind Ino secretly envied — pulled back in a simple ponytail. Plain black t-shirt, white shinobi pants, standard sandals. Nothing frilly, nothing cute.
The only remotely girly touch was the red ribbon Ino had given her ages ago — originally meant to show off her forehead — now repurposed as a hair tie.
And there was something else. From all the training, Sakura gave off this inexplicable aura of… cool.
Yes — a girl, and the word Ino's brain reached for was cool.
The dashing, effortlessly confident kind.
Sakura looked at Ino with patient green eyes.
"Because you like him, Ino."
"I'd never compete with you over something you want."
"So relax, okay?"
She smiled and patted Ino's head.
"Sakura, you're too good to me!"
"If you were a boy, I'd definitely marry you!"
Ino threw herself into Sakura's arms. The younger Ino had once been a bit of a tomboy herself, but around Sakura she'd become completely soft.
"If I were a boy and I knew you were this crazy about Sasuke, I'd definitely get jealous, you know."
Sakura laughed, gently patting Ino's back.
"Heh heh~ If you were a boy, I might actually have to think about whether I'd pick you or Sasuke."
"But too bad — you're a girl~"
Ino winked up at her playfully, then reached up and pinched Sakura's nose.
"Then if I were a boy, you probably wouldn't be throwing yourself at me like this, would you?"
Sakura arched an eyebrow — and her hands shot straight for Ino's sides.
"Eek!"
Ino shrieked as the tickle attack connected, completely defenseless.
She tried to push Sakura away, but the strength gap between them was absurd.
"Ahahaha — Sakura! That's so mean!!"
"I'm sorry! Hahahaha!"
"Stop, please!! Ahahahaha!"
Ino laughed until she was crying, lost her balance, and toppled over — dragging Sakura down with her onto the grassy riverbank.
Finding herself on top, Ino looked down at the girl pinned beneath her. Her cheeks were flushed — from laughing, or maybe something else.
"You're a bully, Sakura!"
She put on her fiercest glare, though she made absolutely no move to get up.
"You pinched my nose first, didn't you?"
Sakura looked up at the girl attempting to be intimidating and nearly laughed. Even at her most ferocious, Ino looked like an angry kitten.
"Huh?"
Ino blinked, then doubled down.
"I don't care! You're still a bully!"
"Yes, yes — I'm the bully. Guilty as charged."
Sakura's easy surrender left Ino with nothing to push against — like punching a cloud.
"Hmph! I'm not talking to you anymore!"
"I'm going home!"
Ino climbed off and turned away with maximum dramatic flair.
"Want me to pick you up after school tomorrow? The afternoon's just written work — I'm skipping."
"No!"
"Really?"
"…Yes."