Konohagakure
Today was the day the Fifth Hokage would take office. When the villagers received this notice yesterday afternoon, reactions were mixed.
The younger generation, accustomed to the Third Hokage, weren't very familiar with Tsunade, and therefore felt a natural reluctance.
Older villagers, on the other hand, wholeheartedly supported Tsunade's appointment. Her superb medical skills alone filled them with confidence in her leadership.
The Jonin all supported Tsunade's succession. They understood her better – a medical ninja at the pinnacle of the shinobi world was essentially a guarantee of survival after serious injury.
"Sakura, get up." Karin had received a notice from the Sealing Team that today was the inauguration ceremony for the new Hokage.
Karin had been living a comfortable life in Konoha lately. She spent her days studying fuinjutsu, came home to delicious meals, and no longer had to worry about where her next meal would come from, or whether she'd even have one. She no longer had to go to the front lines to use her abilities. Her previously thin frame was gradually filling out with proper nutrition, and her chest was even starting to develop.
"Sakura, get up!" Karin reached out and shook the messy-haired girl still lying in bed.
"Let me sleep a little longer... We were up so late last night~~~~" the girl's rosy lips murmured words that could incite sinful thoughts.
Yesterday, Sasuke couldn't resist dragging Sakura into another training session. After all, even though his attack power wasn't as strong as Sakura's, attack power didn't represent the entirety of one's strength, especially since Sasuke could now fly.
However, under Sakura's Storm Release, Sasuke hadn't even flown two steps before Sakura seized the opportunity and ripped off both of his wings. So, Sasuke had been thoroughly thrashed by Sakura again. Sasuke realized that Sakura's strength had advanced another step.
He had asked Sakura how she did it, but Sakura stubbornly refused to tell him. After all, the Lightning Release Body Enhancement Technique could easily leave someone crippled if done incorrectly. Sakura didn't want to have to heal Sasuke every time he finished using it.
"No way, you can't be late today. Ninjas can't be late, and you're a Chunin now!" Karin had no choice but to grab Sakura's arm and try to pull her up.
But Sakura, after two rounds of Lightning Release Body Enhancement, had a vastly different physique than before. With a slight exertion, Sakura pulled Karin onto the bed instead.
"Ah~~" Karin cried out in surprise as Sakura pulled her onto the bed and held her in her arms.
"Hehe, sleep with me for a little while, okay? Be good~~~~~" Sakura reached out and hugged Karin, her leg pinning Karin down to prevent her from moving.
Unfortunately, Karin's strength was no match for Sakura's now, and she couldn't break free after a couple of attempts.
Looking at the girl's dazed, sleepy face, Karin stopped struggling. She simply gazed quietly at Sakura's delicate features, not saying a word. She reached out and gently smoothed the sleeping girl's messy hair, her heart overflowing with an unprecedented feeling of love.
Click
The bedroom door opened, followed by Mebuki Haruno's roar: "What are you two doing? Don't you know today is the Fifth Hokage's inauguration ceremony? Still sleeping? Get up and eat breakfast~~~~"
Well, Mebuki's yelling completely dispelled Sakura's sleepiness. Sakura covered her ears and shouted back, "Yes~~~~~~~!"
"If you know, then get up! Always like this, I don't know who you take after... And Karin, you too, get up. Don't you learn bad habits from Sakura..." Mebuki continued to nag at them, not letting them off the hook.
Although Karin was also being scolded, she felt a sense of happiness in her heart. It felt good to be cared for. If Mebuki had treated Karin as an outsider, she wouldn't have said such things.
Because Sakura had been away on missions frequently, Karin had actually spent more time at home than Sakura. Gradually, Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno had spent more time with Karin, and their attitude towards her began to shift from that of a guest to that of their own child.
Although this sometimes meant Karin was scolded, it also gave her a sense of belonging, a feeling of home. Overall, Karin really enjoyed her current state, and it made her want to stay in Konoha.
This was probably the effect the Third Hokage had intended. It wasn't that the Third Hokage was insidious, but rather, that was how the world worked. To gain something, you had to give something. The Third Hokage tried his best to make the exchange fair.
Kusagakure had constantly demanded more from Karin while giving her very little, or even nothing, in return. This is why Karin felt no sense of belonging to Kusagakure.
Sakura, under Mebuki's nagging, finally got out of bed and picked up her comb, struggling to manage her hair. It was getting longer and longer. Sakura had considered cutting it short.
But every time she saw her reflection with long hair, she felt a twinge of reluctance. This made Sakura a little frustrated, and in the end, she couldn't bring herself to cut it.
"I'll help you," Karin offered, seeing Sakura half-asleep and struggling with her hair.
"Thanks, I appreciate it," Sakura didn't refuse. She handed the comb to Karin and contentedly enjoyed Karin's assistance.
"Remember to wear your Chunin uniform," Mebuki reminded her.
"I know, yawn," Sakura replied, stifling a yawn.
Mebuki and Kizashi were incredibly proud that Sakura had become a Chunin at such a young age. A twelve-year-old Chunin was quite remarkable, even within the village.
After brushing her hair, Sakura used her forehead protector as a headband. She looked at the green Chunin vest, shook her head, but put it on anyway. Today was a relatively formal occasion, and she was the newly appointed Hokage's student. She didn't want to embarrass her teacher.
After breakfast, she and Karin headed out together to the Hokage's office for the assembly.
The streets were bustling with people, incredibly lively. Since the Third Hokage hadn't died, the Fifth Hokage's inauguration was a very exciting event.
Then, a familiar voice approached from afar: "Karin~~~~~~ Karin~~~~~~"
Karin turned her head and saw Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.
Sakura also greeted Naruto, "Hey, Naruto, good morning."
"Yeah~~~ Good morn~~~~ing!!! You, you, you!!!" Naruto stared blankly at the person wearing the green vest next to Karin. When he realized it was Sakura, he exclaimed in surprise.
"What 'you, you, you'? Haven't you seen me before?" Sakura rubbed her ears, annoyed by Naruto's exaggerated yell.
"No, no, Sakura-chan, why are you wearing that?" Naruto asked, pointing at Sakura's green vest.
"Huh? Didn't I tell you? My last mission was my Chunin exam," Sakura asked, looking at Naruto with a puzzled expression.
"You never told me..." Naruto said, sounding aggrieved. He'd even been on that last mission with Sakura, but he hadn't known about it.
"Hmph, idiot."
"You bastard, Sasuke, what did you say? Sakura's a Chunin now, aren't you surprised?" Naruto immediately turned his attention to Sasuke.
"Why would I be surprised? I knew all along. I'd be surprised if you became a Chunin," Sasuke retorted, leaving Naruto speechless.
"Damn you, just you wait, Sasuke! I'll definitely become a Chunin before you do!" Naruto declared, clenching his fist.
"Oh~~? We'll see about that," Sasuke responded, provoking him.
"Sakura, Sasuke seems different," Karin whispered to Sakura.
"Yeah, no one stays the same. If someone doesn't change, it means they died before they had a chance to," Sakura replied, her eyes smiling as she watched Sasuke and Naruto bicker.
"Yo, what are you guys doing here?" Kakashi's voice came from behind them.
The perpetually late Jonin was surprisingly not late today.
"Ah, Kakashi-sensei, look, look! Sakura-chan became a Chunin!" Naruto immediately said excitedly.
"Oh~~~ I already knew. So, Naruto, you need to work hard too," Kakashi said with a smile.
"What? Kakashi-sensei knew too? So I'm the only one who didn't know?"
"Stop standing around here. The Fifth Hokage's inauguration is about to begin," Kakashi said.
"Okay."
The group arrived at the base of the Hokage's office and found their respective positions. Except for the ninjas needed for duties on the roof of the Hokage's office, the Chunin formed one line, and the Jonin formed another, all arranged in order.
Tsunade, wearing the Hokage robe, stood on the roof of the Hokage's office, her gaze sweeping over the ninjas and civilians below.
Sakura looked at Tsunade in the Hokage robe and thought it was a bit funny. It seemed the Third's survival had changed a lot of things.
Tsunade saw that the time had come and raised her hand in a suppressing gesture. The noisy scene immediately quieted down.
"Hmph."
Tsunade grunted, ripped off the Hokage robe and hat, then lifted one leg and placed it on the parapet wall surrounding the edge of the roof. She leaned forward, her presence utterly dominating, and pointed at the people below.
"Listen up, everyone! From today on, I'm in charge of this village!!!"
_______
+100 chapters on: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls