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After three months of absence, Sasuke once again returned to his loyal Konoha Village.
Sasuke hadn't used his ability since the fusion of Goldfinger. In the past, he would frequently activate it, not wanting to waste an opportunity. After all, it would be a shame to let the three-month cooldown go to waste.
But now, with the cooldown shortened to one month and able to be accumulated, Sasuke refrained from traveling to other worlds. He realized that with patience, accumulating energy would allow him to go "further," become "stronger," and sustain himself "longer." Reflecting on it, those three months were nothing in comparison to what could be achieved with restraint.
Just a few days ago, Sasuke had wondered if he should travel soon. But then he reasoned that the new worlds he might visit wouldn't necessarily help him improve much. He preferred to wait, accumulating more energy before embarking on a grander adventure.
"Sasuke-kun? Sasuke-kun… are you listening to me?"
A white hand waved in front of Sasuke's face. He blinked and turned to see an old acquaintance.
"It's Sakura. What are you doing here? Where's Ino?"
Sasuke had given himself the day off and decided to relax in a small park near his home. He was sitting there, gazing absentmindedly at the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
"Ino isn't here. It's just me..."
Sakura's face flushed slightly as she looked intently at Sasuke. "I was out for a walk and happened to run into you… Sasuke-kun, I don't understand some ninjutsu. Could I ask you for advice?"
Sasuke smiled at that.
The top student from their school days was claiming not to understand ninjutsu?
Putting aside the fact that Sakura was exceptionally skilled, the ninjutsu they learned at the academy was quite basic—mostly the three fundamental techniques.
It was clear that the girl was just looking for an excuse.
"But I'm not a student at the Academy anymore. I haven't learned what you're learning. Are you sure I'd be able to help?"
Sasuke teased, still smiling.
"Sasuke-kun, you're so smart… and so powerful… I think you can definitely help," Sakura stammered, clearly flustered.
If someone could peek into Sakura's mind at that moment, they'd probably see a giant version of her jumping up and down, fists pumping in excitement.
["Argh! Sasuke, are you dense? Can't you see I'm just trying to get closer to you?!"]
Sasuke could tell that Sakura's request wasn't genuine. He was just teasing her on purpose.
In his memories of their school days, both Sakura and Ino had been infatuated with him. However, after several events, Ino had gradually backed off for reasons that were a bit complicated.
Sakura, on the other hand, had persisted, even though there were moments when she seemed to be playing off Naruto's feelings. Despite everything, Sasuke had to admit that having someone care about him so deeply was kind of nice.
In the past, whenever their group of friends would gather, Sakura would always be there, but she rarely spoke directly to him. Back then, she had likely been too shy to approach him.
Her personality hadn't been as outgoing as Ino's during their early days. When she first entered the Academy, Sakura had been a quiet, sweet girl—very different from the bold, confident persona she developed later, especially after training under Tsunade.
Sasuke had left the Academy so early that Sakura hadn't had much of a chance to interact with him. But today, she had gathered up the courage to approach him, and he wasn't about to disappoint the brave girl.
"Alright, tell me what's troubling you. But just so you know, I might not have all the answers."
"No, that's fine..." Sakura said, her face lighting up with excitement.
It didn't matter what problem she brought up, as she wasn't really seeking answers. What mattered to her was spending time with Sasuke. In her mind, just having an excuse to talk to him was enough.
Sasuke didn't want to call her out on it. Despite being an influential figure now, here he was, playfully humoring a girl who just wanted to spend time with him. Their "lesson" went on until evening, the sun already setting, before Sakura reluctantly said goodbye.
As she walked away, a figure suddenly appeared behind Sasuke. It was the chief instructor of the Uchiha Security Company, the strongest among those who had learned breathing techniques. He had been the first private soldier Sasuke had trained in the technique.
(End of the Chapter).
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