Last Time .....
Speaking of Wood Release, though... wasn't the perfect candidate standing right before her? Sakura couldn't help but steal a furtive glance at Hashirama, only to immediately avert her eyes. *No!* she scolded herself. *Sakura, you just told yourself not to trouble others—how can you be so pampered and delicate?*
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But Hashirama was sharp; he didn't miss the subtle glance Sakura cast his way. He immediately smiled cheerfully and asked, "What's the matter, Sakura-chan? Is there something I can help you with?"
Sakura hurriedly waved her hands and shook her head. "No, Lord Hashirama—there's nothing I need help with."
Hashirama didn't quite believe her. He glanced at the toiletries sitting beside her, then looked over at Tobirama and Madara—who had just returned, their hair dripping wet and their bodies still radiating the damp chill of the water. Instantly, he thought he had figured out the source of Sakura's unspoken hesitation.
"Do you want to take a bath, Sakura-chan? Are you just too shy to ask Tobirama and Madara? Don't worry—I'll call them over right now..."
Seeing that Hashirama was about to wave them over, Sakura panicked and quickly cut him off. "No, that's not it! I don't want to take a bath! Please don't call Lord Tobirama or Madara over, Lord Hashirama!"
"There's no need to be shy, Sakura-chan," Hashirama laughed heartily—and by then, he had already called out to them: "Tobirama! Madara! Come over here for a second..."
Seeing that Madara and Tobirama had already turned around and were heading their way, Sakura felt a surge of shame and embarrassment. In her desperation, she could only shout out: "Lord Hashirama, you really misunderstood! I honestly wasn't planning to take a bath; I was actually just thinking of Captain Yamato's Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique, which is why I glanced at you. I didn't have any other intentions—really!"
Compared to the hassle of making Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara go out of their way just so she could take a solo bath—whereas asking Hashirama to build a house would at least benefit everyone—Sakura decided to choose the lesser of two evils and use this as her excuse. *Sigh...* It turns out having Lord Hashirama be *too* enthusiastic and considerate isn't always a good thing.
"The Four-Pillar House Technique?" Hashirama blinked in surprise. The very next moment, his eyes lit up instantly, and his smile broadened. "Oh, that's a brilliant idea! Why didn't *I* think of that? That way, none of us will have to sleep out in the open. You really are clever, Sakura-chan!"
Clapping his hands together in high spirits, he suddenly conjured a two-story wooden house out of thin air on the open ground before them; compared to the one Yamato typically created, this one appeared somewhat more luxurious.
Hearing Hashirama call out to them, Tobirama and Madara had already approached and now stood side-by-side, gazing up at the structure.
Tobirama was speechless. "Brother, did you call us over just to watch you build a house? What exactly are you trying to pull here?"
Madara, however, wore a rather satisfied expression. "Not bad, Hashirama—I have to hand it to you. We won't have to sleep out in the open now; Wood Release really is convenient."
Hashirama rubbed the back of his head and let out a hearty, booming laugh. "You think it's pretty good too, right, Madara? Now everyone can sleep indoors—and it's all thanks to Sakura-chan for coming up with such a brilliant idea!"
Tobirama cast a glance at Sakura. Although his gaze seemed to hold no particular hidden meaning, and he uttered not a single word, Sakura nonetheless felt as though the Second Hokage's eyes were piercing right through her. Feeling a faint twinge of guilt, she lowered her head, not daring to meet the Second Hokage's eyes at all.
What could Tobirama possibly say? He actually *did* want to have a word with Sakura about how a ninja ought to be able to adapt to harsh conditions—arguing that doing so helps maintain one's vigilance and acuity—but it was painfully obvious that his own older brother was absolutely delighted with the arrangement. Besides, Sakura Haruno wasn't the only one benefiting from it—one need only look at Madara Uchiha's attitude to see that. If Tobirama were to scold her now, it would come across as rather unreasonable.
Sure enough, the house received unanimous praise from Izuna, Sasori, and Kakashi, who were all present; everyone promptly gathered their belongings and prepared to move in.
Sakura picked up her own bundle of luggage as well. At that moment, Hashirama sidled over, bringing up an old topic once again.
"Oh, by the way, Sakura-chan—are you *really* sure you don't want to take a bath? You shouldn't hold back just because you're worried about inconveniencing us."
Tobirama and Madara simultaneously turned their gaze toward Sakura; if she *did* wish to bathe, neither of them would mind going through the trouble of making the necessary arrangements once more.
Sakura's mouth twitched; her short fuse was just about to blow. So, this issue simply wasn't going to be let go, was it? Read the room, Lord Hashirama! If this were Naruto, she would have punched him ages ago. Wearing a fake smile, Sakura prepared to decline once again.
Just then, Obito returned. Upon hearing Hashirama's words, he interjected, "I just discovered a small hot spring stream up on the mountain behind us. If Sakura wants to wash up, she could go there."
Sakura looked at Obito with an expression of near-tearful gratitude. The timing was absolutely perfect—he truly was the undisputed master of saving the day!
Sakura pulled out her toiletries and said eagerly, "Really? That's wonderful! Obito-san, could you take me there? Lord Hashirama, thank you, but please don't trouble yourself."
"Very well. If there's a natural hot spring available, then that is certainly for the best," Hashirama conceded, finally letting the matter drop.
Kakashi turned to Obito. "How far away is that hot spring? Is there any danger involved?"
Obito paused for a moment. Kakashi really did protect Sakura with airtight vigilance; was this the difference between truly caring about someone and merely being indifferent? The way Rin and Sakura were treated was truly like night and day—Obito mused inwardly as he gave his verbal reply.
"It's not very far—about a ten-minute walk or so. There aren't any living creatures around here, so it shouldn't be dangerous, right?"
Still feeling uneasy, Kakashi turned to Sakura and asked, "Sakura, do you want me to keep watch nearby?"
The object of his concern, however, showed absolutely no appreciation for the gesture. Sakura immediately crossed her arms to form a large "X," a faint look of distaste on her face. "No way! Having *Sensei* watching nearby feels totally perverted."
"Ah-haha... really?" Kakashi's shoulders slumped in disappointment; he felt a mix of love and exasperation toward Sakura's merciless tongue.
Obito, on the other hand, felt a sense of vindication. Kakashi was always so blunt and ungracious when turning people down; now, let him get a taste of what it feels like to be mercilessly rejected himself.
Tobirama reached into his pouch of kunai, hesitating as he debated whether to give Sakura a Flying Thunder God kunai so he could rush to her aid immediately should anything go wrong.
Just then, Minato returned, looking refreshed and clean. Seeing Sakura and Obito heading out, he asked where they were off to. Upon learning that Sakura intended to bathe in the hot springs alone, he promptly took out a Flying Thunder God kunai, placed it in her hand, and offered her a gentle smile.
"It might not be of much use, but take it anyway—just in case."
Sakura profusely thanked Minato, gratefully accepting the kunai. Tobirama's hand, which had been reaching into his pouch, suddenly froze; after a brief pause, he withdrew it. One Flying Thunder God kunai was quite enough; there was no need for him to make a redundant gesture.
Sakura followed Obito for about ten minutes until they came upon a small stream that shimmered under the moonlight. Wisps of ethereal, thin white mist hovered faintly above the water, while the trees lining both banks were entwined with masses of vines blooming with vibrant red flowers. The entire setting exuded an almost otherworldly, ethereal aura.
"Wow! This place is absolutely gorgeous! Obito-san, I can't believe you actually managed to find a spot like this," Sakura exclaimed, her voice brimming with sudden excitement.
Obito responded with a faint, gentle smile. Ever since Rin's death, his mind had been consumed entirely by thoughts of vengeance and the destruction of the world; he had possessed absolutely no inclination to appreciate such things as "scenery." No matter how beautiful a landscape might be, to his eyes, it had always appeared no different from hell.
Yet, in this very moment, Obito truly felt the beauty of the scenery. It was a sensation he hadn't experienced when he had first discovered this place—perhaps it was simply because there was now someone standing beside him to share the view?
Obito and Sakura paused to admire the scene together for a few moments before he spoke. "Well, I'll head back now. Take your time washing up, Sakura—there's no need to rush."
"Okay." Sakura nodded, watching as Obito disappeared into the woods. She waited another five or six minutes to ensure he had gone far enough away, then spent a moment observing her surroundings to confirm there were no signs of intrusion. Only then did she begin to undress completely, humming a cheerful tune as she did so.