--Bloom Again--

"For you, I could pretend I was strong when I was hurt."

----------

Sakura tighten her fist. If she can punch a goddess before in the face, she can conquer this beast easily.

But that wasn't the problem. The problem was it was starting to become too troublesome. Okay, maybe she hung out with Shikamaru a little too much, but it really was too troublesome for an academy student to fight this monstrous beast without any help from the chunin senseis. It was suspicious.

Sakura focused her chakra onto her hands, imagining them as chakra scalpels. It is much harder for it to appear as her current chakra control is not as good as her future self. Nonetheless the chakra scalpels appear albeit a few seconds later than usual.

The Mother beast couldn't wait and strike. She slammed her hands down towards Sakura but Sakura manages to sidestep it. However hitting Sakura wasn't the mother beast's main target. The ground beneath Sakura crumble apart and Sakura hurl herself into the air and towards a nearby tree branch.

But before she could land herself on the tree branch, the mother beast strike once more, reaching out for the branch Sakura was about to land. Sakura's eyes widen as she barely able to jump away from the branch moments before the beast's paws had touched the branch.

Sakura move her chakra scalpels quickly as a counterattack, delivering one long gash along one of the beast's eye. The beast scream in pain and swipe her hands towards Sakura. Sakura starts to find this even more troublesome as she manages to dodge the first few swipes. She raises her chakra enchanced fist when the beast tried to swipe her out again.

The sound of bones breaking were like music to her ears. Sakura smirked to herself, it's been quite some time since she last heard bones breaking since returning to the past.

Suddenly the sound of a nearby twig being stepped on had Sakura on alert. Someone or something else is out there. She will need to end this fight fast. Her hands reach out for her Kunai.

She delivered the final blow with no mercy.

::

"Some calls her the devil for she delivers blows like no other-with no spared emotions for anything while others call her the savior send by Kami to deliver retribution."

::

"Teme, is that what I think it is?" Naruto called out, his blue eyes widen. Sasuke look towards the direction Naruto pointed and smirked.

"It would seem so. We need to get closer. Naruto, hold this rope."

"Okay-Wait, Teme, why are you tying the other end to the tree branch? Don't tell me-"Naruto paled

"Yes, we're going to jump dobe, so you better hold on tight."

"Wait, I didn't agree to this!" Naruto sputtered but his hold against the rope still tightens unwillingly

"We all didn't agree to this dobe so shut up, we need to get the crystal." Sasuke snarked back, he was not going to waste more time debating. Sakura clearly left him in charge in his opinion so Naruto better sucked up and hold on tight.

"Whatever, but if I'm gonna die here, I swear Teme, I'll hunt your sorry ass down! And don't think I'm doing this for you, it's for Sakura, Dattebayo!"

Sasuke scoffed before holding on his part of the rope. "Tch, as if I'd let you die. Sakura would kill me if I did."

With that said, they both jump.

::

Shikamaru's brain was working overtime. His brain had been coming up with possible reasons why their academy sensei had set this up for them for the last hour. He ended up with one possible reason.

Their sensei was teaching them a valuable lesson. A possible life lesson. Maybe something to give them a scare so they would take being a ninja more seriously or teamwork.

It would make sense why they would urge them to stay together as a team. However, they didn't say anything else about helping other teams to get the crystal. Odd.

"-Oi,Shikamaru! Are you even listening to me?"

Shikamaru sighed. He did not sign up for hours with a loud blond who couldn't stop talking about 'her Sasuke-kun'.

"Yes, I can hear you perfectly fine,"

"Oh really?" Ino send him a challenging gaze and he did not faze.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes,"You said we should just hurry up and get our crystal so we can return to the academy and that you will be able to spend more time with your precious Sasuke-kun. However I think that is impossible since you've been complaining about how this activity is making you sweaty and your hair smelly."

Ino's proud and challenging gaze disappear. She scowled, huffed, turn away, and decided that she should talk with Chouji instead. He would understand her needs and complains, right?

"Um, Ino-san, I think if you're going to complain the whole way, we wouldn't be able to make it back to academy before sunset."Chouji had said when she babbled about how she was suppose to be in Sasuke's team because she deserve it more.

"Fine! I was right all along, all boys except Sasuke-kun are troublesome idiots,"

Chouji and Shikamaru sweat dropped

'The only one here who's troublesome is you, Ino,' They both had thought

::

"Yes,we got it! Now all we need is to find Sakura and sav-Teme, why is the rope slowly stretching?!"

"It's not stretching, dobe, the rope is going to break soon! Grab those branches,"

"I'm trying to. Why must I be the one reaching for this?"

"You're the one on top dobe. Try to use the new clone jutsu sensei taught us the other day to reach those branches,"

"What clone jutsu?"

A sigh

"Why am I the one stuck with this idiot?"

"Hey! What do you mean stuck with this idiot?! You're the idiot one here!"

"Dobe,"

"Teme,"

"Dobe,"

"Teme!"

"Well, well, what do I have here? Didn't I warn you both to not argue like 5 year olds?"

"S-Sakura-chan!"

::

Sakura brush away the dirt on her skirt, a scowl was on her face.

"Hehe, Sakura-chan, I knew you were coming to save us,"

Sasuke scoffed and muttered something about Naruto saying the total opposite earlier when they were still tied to the rope-something about Sakura that have to be saved under his breath

"Yeah and if it wasn't for the intruction to get back to the academy immediately, I would have left both of you there for ignoring my request," Sakura rolls her eyes half-heartedly. There was no way she would actually abandom them. Not this time.

Sasuke send her a glare while Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in embarassement.

"B-but, Sakura-chan, we got the crystal! Show her, Teme!"

"Hn," Sasuke replied half heartedly before fishing out for the crystal in his Kunai pouch.

The blue crystal shine brightly under the cloudy day. Sakura held out her hand and examine the crystal. It didn't look familliar but rather it felt familliar to her. The crystal hold some type of foreign chakra that was barely there causing it unable to be detected normally by Chakra sensors but for some reason she could.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto's weirdly soft tone brought her out from her daze

She held the crystal for a few seconds more before putting it in a glass container she had. She make a mental note to do more research about this blue crystal.

"You guys did a good job," Sakura praised them both and the reactions were immediate. Naruto blush while smiling goofily and the tips of Sasuke's ear were slightly red-or was that just the lighting?

"Hn, no thanks to this dobe over here," Sasuke scoffed and folds his arm together

"Hey! What did you say Teme?! You tied me to a rope and throw me out from a cliff! A cliff! Who does that?"

"Tch, who was the one who doesn't know how to do a clone jutsu? Only you, Usaratonkachi,"

Sakura smiled as she watched the boys' antics. They might not know yet, but they were going to become Team 7, whether they want it or not and she can't wait for it. She can't wait to get everything over with.

"Let's go home, boys," She calls out to them and they followed. The boys might have not realised it because it was a small difference but Sakura certainly did. They were walking closer to her now. She smiled once more. Maybe changing the future won't be too hard afterall.

::

"Good job everyone! Each team has succesfully retrieve the crystal. A few of you had a rougher time than others,"Iruka paused, eyeing teams that were slightly rough looking than others before continuing, "but overall everyone did good. Now, did anyone figure out the true objective to this activity?"

Quite a number of hands were raise in the air.

"Yes, Ami?"

"To get the crystal as fast as possible sensei!"

"Not exactly, but thanks for trying. Anyone else?"

This time a boy raise to the challenge,"To get the crystal without having to flare our chakra!"

"Ah, not that either. Thanks for trying, Shiba."

As Iruka listens to the answers from the rest of the academy students, Sakura approached Shikamaru who was resting his head on his desk

"You look like you already knew the true objective,"She whispered to him and Shikamaru raises his head

"I do, but it's too troublesome to answer,"

"I see. I'll guess I'll give it a go then since most of the answers the others gave are wrong."Sakura was about to go and gave Iruka-sensei her answer yet Shikamaru's next words stop her in her tracks

"The others dont think like we do,"

"The others are not a Nara, Shika-kun,"

"You are not a Nara either,"Shikamaru pointed out and Sakura was baffled for a moment

"Well, I'm different,"

Sakura turn and continue to approach Iruka-sensei instead. Iruka look quite disappointed that not one of his students so far had figured out the true meaning behind this activity.

"Ah, Sakura-chan,yes what's your answer?"He asked half heartedly with a fake smile

"A valuable life lesson. You were teaching us a few of them,"Sakura answered and all eyes were on her

"Care to explain?"Iruka asked,hope was now in his eyes

"First,teamwork. Genins are put in a team of three once we graduated.We are expected to balance each other's flaw and strength. If you don't have teamwork,then in short terms, you'll die out there. In longer terms, you are risking your own self and teammates life's while also risking the failure of the mission."Sakura took a paused making sure Iruka could process everything she had said

"Next,you are most likely trying to make us be more serious about being a ninja. Being a ninja isn't easy. There are always unexpected things that happen so it's best that we learn how to conquer all of them if faced. But of course we wouldn't be able to learn just by sitting in class therefore you had to throw us in a jungle, throw a few monsters here and there or put the crystal somewhere dangerous to gave us an overview what being a ninja is like."

"Lastly, you are teaching us about loyalty. Loyalty to our village. Even though you and the other senseis were watching us to make sure we didn't die from silly mistakes, you wanted to show us that when the village gave us a mission, it doesn't matter if its dangerous or not, it's our duty as the ninja of our village to finish it. That's why for some of us, you place the crystal in spots that require life risking to see how far would we go to complete this activity. You wanted to test our will of fire,"Sakura ended her short speech and for a moment it was silent.

Iruka-sensei gaped at her, totally speechless. Even Shikamaru who was sleeping earlier had raise his eyebrows because while he certainly expected her to come out with an answer, that essay like answer was not it. The silence remains until Naruto broke it.

"Pst, Sakura-chan, what's the will of fire?"

Everyone including Sakura and Iruka-sensei sweat dropped at Naruto's question.

"It's a long story, Naruto. I'll explain to you later,"Sakura offered while a scoffed was heard from Sasuke

"Well done, Sakura. It's a very good explaination," Iruka praises her and Sakura nodded

"Like Sakura had said, the purpose of this activity is to see if you all are capable to complete this activity even though it was life-threatening. Some of you did well, but most of you still lack understanding and had immediately flare your chakra once you see the situation you were put in. There is nothing wrong with taking a step back, assessing your mission, and request for a back up if the mission is out of your league. However, back up are really considered carefully. Konoha could not randomly spare extra shinobis for every single mission." Iruka addresses firmly, but softens when he sees some children curling to themselves in shame.

He quickly adds on, "No, I am not scolding those who did that. However, starting from now all of you will be train to implement the will of fire in your hearts. Learn it, understand it and cherish it. This is the sacrifice your ancestors has made for this village."

With that, the class ended. The students scrambled out of the class like nothing had happen, some went to the infirmary while others rush out to greet their family who was waiting for them.

Sakura packed her things, her eyes were narrowed-almost glaring like.

"Sakura-chan, what did your bag did to anger you so much?"

Sakura blink and showed a fake smile as she turn to Naruto,"Oh, I'm just thinking about something,"

"Oh, okay,"

As idiotic as people may think he is, Naruto is actually the opposite. If he was treated the same as the other kids,he would have been successful or at least be a more than average student in academics that might rival againts Sasuke.

But he wasn't treated the same way, yet he wasn't that stupid to know that Sakura, the girl he liked is hiding something. He hated it. He swore to himself that he would try to find out what it is.

::

"Shin, is the boy ready?"

"Not exactly, Danzo-sama. It seems like he befriended someone,"

"Befriended someone, hm?"

"Yes,"

"I want you to watch his moves closely. Make his schedule tight too, so he can meet less and less of this new friend he made.We need him to be perfect before The Project,"

"Yes, Danzo-sama"

-To be continued-

So this is where the plot slowly changes from the canon Naruto we all watch. There will be changes that might not be too obvious if you guys didn't pay attention. There are also lots of little skips that I did, that was on purpose, so if you guys didn't pay attention, you would have miss it.

Why do you think Sakura is glaring at her bag like it was her enemy?

Looks like Danzo is plotting something, what could it possibly be?

Should Shin die in this timeline?