Forged Beyond

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(ISTG THIS CHAPTER IS SO EMOTIONAL, I DIDNT KNOW I COULD ACTUALLY WRITE IT D: BUT I DID SO YEAH! ENJOYYYY ALSO, this is very important, there are a few questions for yall to answer at the end of the chapter, SO PLEASE DO!!! ID LOVE TO HEAR FROM YALL!! Enjoy the chapter!! thanks for the votes, comments and follows!! <333 )

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

2 days later–




It was cold—really cold. Winter had kicked in. Sakura lay in her futon, her body cocooned in the warm covers. The faint light of flickering candles illuminated the room, casting a soft glow on the wooden walls. Her pink hair, messy from sleep, partially covered her face. It was early morning, around 6 a.m., and Sakura stirred as the hushed voices of Tsunade and Shizune drifted through the stillness.

"I'm going to make her the strongest kunoichi... stronger than I was," Tsunade said, her tone resolute yet calm as she sipped her tea. "She has the potential to surpass me. I believe in her."

Shizune nodded in agreement, seated across from her mentor. Both women looked relaxed, wrapped in loose kimonos, their hair damp as though they'd recently bathed. A small tray sat between them, holding a teapot and two cups.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open. She pushed herself up slowly, lying on her stomach and propping herself on her elbows. Her voice was soft and groggy as she greeted them. "Good morning, Tsunade-sama, Shizune-san."

"Good morning, Sakura," Tsunade replied warmly, her gaze shifting to her student.

Shizune echoed the greeting with a kind smile.

Sakura rubbed her eyes, her messy hair falling back as she asked, "When are we leaving for training?"

"This afternoon," Tsunade answered, taking another sip of her tea. "Kabuto has gone to the nearby city to get us warm clothes for the winter."

"I see," Sakura murmured, sitting up properly. She reached for a red rubber band and tied her shoulder-length hair into a loose ponytail. "That means today is my last day with Naruto and Sasuke..." Her voice trailed off, a bittersweet tone coloring her words.

She stretched, her muscles protesting with every movement. A sharp pain shot through her right shoulder, making her wince. "Ah... my body still aches from yesterday's training."

Tsunade's sharp eyes caught the wince. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah..."

"Normally, I'd prefer letting injuries from training heal naturally, but we've got long distances to travel. You need to be fully recovered. Come here." Tsunade set her tea aside, gesturing for Sakura to sit by her futon.

Sakura crawled over, her back facing Tsunade as she obeyed the command to remove her shirt. Tsunade's face fell slightly as her eyes scanned the scars marring Sakura's back.

"I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now," Tsunade said quietly, her hand brushing over the marks. "How did you get these scars?"

Shizune interjected, her brows furrowing. "You don't need to tell her if you don't want to."

Sakura shook her head. "No, it's fine. She's my mentor. She should know." Taking a deep breath, she began, "My parents wanted me to get married. I refused. I told them I wanted to be independent, to become a strong kunoichi. They got angry. They said awful things about my looks—about my forehead—and told me no man would ever marry me. They said I'd fail as a kunoichi too. When they were angry, they... took it out on me. These scars are the result."

Tsunade's expression darkened with a mix of anger and sorrow. "That's nonsense," she said firmly. "Look at you. You're growing into a kunoichi who may surpass even me."