Chapter 225: Naruto — What If I Turned Into a Girl?
Having left the Hokage Building, Sakura walked the streets of Konoha, chakra badly depleted. She had no interest in anywhere except home and sleep.
"Lady Hokage?"
"Off work already today?"
"We just made a fresh batch of snow mochi at home — care to try some?"
As Sakura made her way back, plenty of well-meaning villagers offered her fresh homemade treats along the way. She politely declined every one.
She was used to it by now.
With the administrative system running smoother than ever, everyday life for villagers had far fewer of the usual headaches. Naturally, this bred genuine goodwill toward the Hokage — reinforced by Hiruzen's Will of Fire philosophy taking hold — and this was the predictable result.
But on the way home, a familiar figure caught Sakura's eye, mildly surprising her.
Hikaru?
The striking girl stood before a dessert shop, brow furrowed, clearly deliberating over what to buy.
"Miss, you've been standing here quite a while now. Still haven't decided?"
The shopkeeper looked at the Uchiha girl with resigned patience.
Sure, the girl was strikingly beautiful, but even she couldn't tolerate someone loitering outside her storefront for nearly half an hour.
"Er, not yet..."
Hikaru stared conflictedly at the small cake and strawberry tart displayed in the case.
What should I do?
They both look so...
But my money's not enough...
Sasuke gave Hikaru a generous monthly allowance, but well...
Ever since discovering desserts, Hikaru had fallen inexplicably, hopelessly in love with them.
Raised in the chaos of the Warring States era, living a life of blood and blades day after day — when had she ever encountered anything like this? Something sweet on the tongue with a cool, refreshing chill and the fragrance of fruit?
Absolutely, incredibly delicious!
Ever since accidentally tasting one, this Uchiha girl who'd survived the Warring States period had become instantly, hopelessly enslaved to the stuff.
But as everyone knew, while these things tasted wonderful, the price tag was another matter entirely.
A single four-inch cake could run over a hundred ryō.
This left Hikaru perpetually cash-strapped. Sasuke, after all, barely spent money on anything — no bad habits, and even his ninja equipment came specially provided by the Ninja Cat clan. His entire monthly cost of living topped out at maybe three thousand ryō.
Applying the same standard, Sasuke gave Hikaru three thousand ryō a month for living expenses too.
But for someone who'd developed a "bad habit" quite like this one, that amount simply wasn't enough.
"What should I even choose here..."
Hikaru stared at the tempting little pastries in the display case, swallowing hard.
"Wrap up both, please."
Just as Hikaru wrestled with the decision, a slender hand appeared, setting a bill on the counter.
"Huh?"
Hikaru looked up to find Pinky — whom she hadn't seen in a while — regarding her with an amused smile.
"You?"
Hikaru's instinct was mild annoyance.
She'd been agonizing over this decision for the longest time.
Just one more minute!
ONE more minute and she would have finally worked up the resolve to buy them both herself!
Even if it meant tightening her belt for the rest of the month!
"Want them?"
Sakura's mouth curved into a "friendly, approachable" smile.
"Yes."
The Uchiha grandmother answered without a moment's hesitation.
Turns out Pinky isn't so bad after all. If she's buying me sweets, I won't bother her anymore.
After all, my stomach's big enough to fit a boat.
The black-haired Uchiha girl gazed at Pinky with unmistakable anticipation.
"That might be a little tricky, though~~~"
"See, I was actually planning to bring these home for my sister~~~"
Facing this particular Uchiha grandmother, Sakura's mischievous streak kicked in without warning, and the exhaustion from her massive chakra loss temporarily vanished from her mind.
Sleep could always wait. Opportunities to mess with this woman didn't come around nearly as often.
"You—"
Hikaru wasn't stupid. She glared at Sakura's obviously self-satisfied grin, clearly pleased with herself for setting Hikaru up.
Pinky's messing with me AGAIN!
This woman is INSUFFERABLE!
But still...
Hikaru pouted, thinking of Sakura's little sister.
If it's for Mirai...
"Well then, just bring it home for her."
Hikaru watched, reluctantly, as the shopkeeper handed the wrapped pastries over to Sakura.
Hikaru's response left Sakura genuinely thrown.
Huh? She looked so obviously into it — and now she's just giving it up?
"Just teasing."
"Mirai's too young for sweets like this."
As Hikaru turned to leave, Sakura extended the bag toward her instead.
Hikaru eyed the bag suspiciously, then stared at Sakura with open disbelief.
Pinky's being THIS nice? What, has the sun risen in the west today?
Pinky's a medic. Did she poison this while I wasn't looking?
"You don't want it?"
"Guess I'll just feed it to Naruto later, then."
Watching Hikaru remain frozen and unmoving, Sakura felt a headache coming on.
Did I mess with her too much earlier? Is that why she's this suspicious of me now?
"Who said I didn't want it? I just didn't expect you to be this generous, that's all."
"Just to be clear — I'm not asking you for it. You're the one offering it to me. I'm just being gracious enough to accept."
Hikaru muttered, still not entirely convinced Pinky's generosity was sincere.
"Yeah, yeah~~~"
Watching this adorable Uchiha grandmother, Sakura's eyes crinkled into crescents.
Her gaze had been glued to that bag the entire time, unable to look away — and yet she'd still put on this whole show of "I don't need it."
Now that she'd been given permission to have it, she was still playing coy, when internally her heart was clearly racing, one step short of jumping for joy on the spot.
That distinctive Uchiha stubbornness, paired with that beautiful face — genuinely captivating.
If Sakura teased her just a little more, that face would probably flush bright red with fury.
But considering this woman's combat strength rivaled her own, and given her own less-than-optimal condition right now, Sakura decided against poking the tiger any further.
"Here~"
Sakura offered the bag to Hikaru with a bright smile.
Hikaru eyed her suspiciously.
Was the sun really rising in the west today?
Watching this Uchiha grandmother — who'd given her plenty of entertainment value already — remain stubbornly skeptical, Sakura simply pressed the bag directly into her arms.
Only then did Hikaru finally believe Sakura genuinely intended to give it to her.
"W-well, since you're giving it to me, I can't very well eat it all alone. So... so let's share it..."
Under Pinky's gaze, the black-haired girl looked pointedly away, a faint blush spreading across her pale cheeks, her tone stiff with awkwardness.
"Well, thanks for the treat~~~"
Sakura pressed her palms together, her emerald eyes brimming with a smile that made Hikaru unable to meet her gaze directly.
This woman...
Did she take the wrong medicine today or something?
The black-haired girl found herself genuinely speechless.
At a quiet park with few passersby, Sakura and Hikaru sat together on a bench.
Hikaru had already impatiently torn open the pastry packaging and, using the disposable spoon the shop provided, carved out a small corner of the cake and popped it into her mouth, eyes narrowing in blissful contentment.
The refreshing, sweet cream mingled with rich, buttery cookie crumbs rolled across her tongue, followed by the distinctive soft texture of the chiffon cake and the fragrant sweetness of mango and strawberry tucked between the layers.
All of it made Hikaru profoundly grateful she hadn't spent her entire existence buried underground until death.
Otherwise, she'd never have discovered a flavor like this.
Sticking out her small pink tongue to lick the residual cream from the corner of her mouth, Hikaru finally noticed Sakura beside her.
"Here, want some?"
Hikaru extended the small cake toward Sakura, clearly reluctant to actually part with any of it.
"But it looks like the shop only gave us one spoon?"
Sakura eyed the now-empty bag with mild resignation.
Hikaru tilted her head, confused.
"So what?"
If there was only one spoon, then the two of them would simply share it.
Having survived the Warring States era, Hikaru had absolutely no qualms about sharing utensils.
"If you don't mind, fine by me."
Since Hikaru clearly didn't care, Sakura saw no reason to object either.
Hikaru scooped a small corner from the cake and extended it toward Pinky. Her dark, bright eyes watched as Sakura tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and opened her mouth, closing her lips around the spoon.
Something inexplicable made Hikaru suddenly think Pinky looked rather pretty in this moment.
Certainly more pleasant to look at than when she was actively provoking her.
Tasting the cream on the cake, Sakura's brow furrowed slightly.
The cream had clearly been sitting too long — its texture had turned dense and heavy, plainly not freshly whipped, and worse, it was plant-based rather than dairy cream.
The cake base was a bit too firm, too — clear evidence the egg whites hadn't been properly whipped before the sugar was added.
Ugh. And they still dare charge THIS much for it?
Konoha had very few dessert shops at the moment, and with so little competition, this place was clearly cutting corners to pad its margins.
"What is it?"
Hikaru noticed Sakura's furrowed brow, puzzled.
"Nothing. Tastes fine."
Sakura finished speaking and let out an involuntary yawn.
The emotional entertainment Hikaru had provided earlier had run its course, and drowsiness was setting in fast.
"Weirdo."
Hikaru took another spoonful of cake, mumbling with her mouth still half full.
"Want more?"
She gestured at the cake in her hand.
"No, I'm good. Not much of a sweets person."
In her previous life, Sakura had spent four or five years baking professionally. She'd long since had her fill of desserts.
"Suit yourself, then..."
Hikaru had considered offering more, but decided against it.
Time passed. Hikaru finished the last corner of the small cake, planning to save the strawberry tart in the fridge for after dinner.
"Hey, I'm heading out—"
Hikaru turned toward Sakura, ready to leave — but the words died in her throat.
She looked at the girl beside her, head bowed slightly, a few strands of cherry-pink hair drifting gently in the breeze, the steady, even sound of breathing drifting from her nose and mouth...
Is this woman... asleep?
She looked genuinely exhausted.
Hikaru found herself conflicted now. She wanted to leave, but abandoning the girl who'd just bought her dessert seemed inappropriate.
But still...
Hikaru leaned in and carefully poked Sakura's cheek.
Definitely asleep.
And—
Only now did Hikaru notice the chakra flowing through her — utterly unlike the torrent Sakura's chakra usually resembled.
If Sakura's chakra normally felt like a rushing, mighty river to Hikaru's senses, right now it felt more like a gently trickling stream.
An entirely different order of magnitude.
This weakened chakra felt genuinely strange, coming from someone like Sakura.
Did this woman go fight the Sage of Six Paths or something?
To burn through this much chakra?
As far as Hikaru was concerned, Sakura was already the strongest person she'd ever encountered. Even the combined efforts of the three who'd once sealed her away — Tobirama Senju, Sarutobi Sasuke (no relation, the true Warring States shinobi), and Uzumaki the nameless — might not have been enough to defeat Sakura outright.
Not that this meant Hikaru couldn't beat Sakura herself — it was more a matter of how each of their strengths were suited to combat.
Hikaru's strongest technique was her full Complete-Body Susano'o. Powerful, undeniably — but its weaknesses were equally obvious. Enormous size, insufficient speed. Even with flight capability, it could still be caught by the Adamantine Sealing Chains of the nameless Uzumaki.
Sakura, by contrast, was small, fast, and devastatingly strong — in Hikaru's estimation, the ultimate one-on-one combatant. She could easily crush the old Senju dog's skull with a single punch before he ever managed to catch her in a chain seal.
But Hikaru had no time to dwell on any of that right now. As if carried by a passing breeze, Pinky's head had drifted, settling gently against her shoulder.
For a moment, Hikaru's body went rigid — then, looking at the girl leaning against her, she felt something closer to weary resignation.
Well. I did eat her food.
Fine. Let her lean.
I guess I owe her one.
But as time passed, Hikaru's shoulder began to go numb, and she carefully repositioned Sakura, laying her down with her head resting gently in her own lap instead.
Watching Sakura sleep peacefully on her lap, Hikaru studied the girl's face.
This woman...
Really is quite good-looking...
Though I'm still slightly prettier~~~
"Huh?"
"Aren't Sakura and Hikaru not exactly on good terms?"
On a road not far from the park, Naruto and Sasuke happened to walk past, noticing the two girls.
Naruto, spotting the familiar figures, opened his mouth to call out — only to be stopped cold by what he was seeing.
He rubbed his eyes, made sure he wasn't hallucinating, and finally spoke, uncertain and bewildered.
"Calling them 'not on good terms' isn't quite accurate. It's more that Sakura goes out of her way to provoke Hikaru."
"That's how Sakura interacts with her. Hikaru might not particularly enjoy it, but..."
"Overall, Sakura genuinely likes her. In her own way."
Sasuke, hands in his pockets, watched the scene from a distance with an unreadable expression.
"Ohhh~~~"
Naruto nodded, only half-understanding, then turned with an unmistakably envious tone.
"Man, that's kind of jealous-making..."
The comment made Sasuke glance sideways.
"Jealous of what?"
"Of Hikaru, obviously. Getting Sakura to actually FALL ASLEEP on her like that."
Naruto said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Sasuke shot him a flat, unimpressed look.
"If you were a girl, maybe Sakura would fall asleep on you too."
Naruto scratched his head, giving this genuine thought.
A girl, huh?
Come to think of it, that actually tracked.
Ever since childhood, Ino had always been able to hug Sakura however she liked. Same with Kushina.
Seemed like it always came down to being a girl.
If I turned into a girl...
Oho!
A single finger rose triumphantly in Naruto's mind.
"Hold on — what exactly are you thinking about right now?"
Sasuke eyed the boy beside him, a distinct sense of foreboding rising.
"No, nothing, heheh~~~"
Naruto's sudden grin somehow made Sasuke feel a fresh wave of irritation.
This idiot. Why do I suddenly want to punch him?
Meanwhile, Hikaru had also noticed Naruto and Sasuke in the distance and, hoping for rescue, tried waving them over — but fearful of waking Sakura, she could only wave frantically in silent desperation.
"Hikaru's waving at us."
Naruto waved back cheerfully and turned to Sasuke.
"Yeah. It's rare for Sakura and Hikaru to get along this well. Let's not disturb them."
"Let's go."
"Weren't you planning to head back to Turtle Island soon anyway?"
"Better get everything ready in advance. This time, Sakura, Kushina, Hikaru, and I will all be there with you."
"We're making sure this attempt succeeds, no matter what."
Hearing Sasuke's words, whatever light-hearted mood Naruto had been enjoying vanished instantly. He nodded, expression turning solemn.
This time, it wasn't just him. So many people were ready to help.
He had to succeed.
He absolutely had to overcome the darkness within himself.
Then defeat the Nine-Tails and claim mastery over its power.
"Yeah. Let's go, Sasuke."
"I should get everything ready ahead of time. Guess I won't get another chance to spar with you for a while after this."
Watching Naruto's mood turn noticeably heavier, Sasuke paused for a moment before speaking.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself, though. There's a lot of us behind you on this."
With that, the two headed off toward the training grounds.
Watching them disappear, Hikaru's rescue-seeking hand froze mid-air.
Wait—
Are these two BROKEN?!
Wasn't my signal obvious ENOUGH?!
DAMN it!
Both of them, IDIOTS!
Watching the two figures vanish from view, Hikaru slumped, thoroughly deflated.
Damn you, Sasuke!
I'm giving him extra training when he gets back!
☆☆☆
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