"A god?" Sakura Haruno looked utterly astonished, then burst out laughing. "You're thinking too much! What I meant to say was, if you can do without an easel, then you might be able to become a ninja. Although your ability is very strong, your body is ultimately too weak... hehe..."
"Er..." Yakumo Kurama's face flushed crimson. So, she had been overthinking it.
"Continue with your training. This is just the first step for now." Sakura turned around, shook her head, and said, "Next, these clones of mine will continuously interfere with your thoughts and gradually increase in number. When you can no longer be distracted by my clones, then the first stage will be successful."
"Wait, aren't you training with me?" Yakumo asked immediately, seeing Sakura about to leave.
"Mm, my clones will supervise you here. There's no need for me to be here. Your training can only rely on yourself," Sakura Haruno said, waving her hand dismissively with her back to Yakumo. Then, with a flash, she vanished from the spot.
"Don't dawdle. We will supervise you until you are no longer disturbed by us," Sakura's clones said in unison, all staring at Yakumo.
"Yes." Being watched by so many Sakura Harunos, Yakumo unconsciously swallowed.
...
After leaving Training Ground Three, Sakura Haruno prepared to go check on Karin's situation. As for Yakumo, she would let her train like this for now.
If her guess was correct, the easel was only used to focus mental strength. Sakura Haruno didn't believe that the Kurama clan's kekkei genkai required an easel to be released. The only possibility was that Yakumo Kurama's constitution was naturally weak, so she couldn't effectively concentrate her mental power to cast genjutsu.
As for whether this was true or not, she would train her first and see. There was still plenty of time. Once the correct training direction was found, with Yakumo's abilities, it would be very easy for her to develop formidable combat strength.
Sakura Haruno leisurely walked towards the forest on Konoha's back mountain. From the information relayed by her shadow clone earlier, she knew that Karin had been assigned to Kurenai Yuhi as a temporary jonin instructor for genjutsu.
Although Kurenai's genjutsu was much weaker than that of Yakumo Kurama or Itachi Uchiha, in reality, within the village, compared to other genjutsu ninja, Kurenai's genjutsu could be considered very powerful. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been promoted to jonin relying solely on genjutsu.
Konoha's back mountain was located above the Hokage Rock. Since it was covered by a large forest, rookie ninja or genin often used it as a training ground. If they happened to meet, they could also spar with each other.
In short, apart from a few supervising ninja who would choose other locations, most ninja would use the back mountain as a training ground.
Not long after entering the back mountain, Sakura Haruno found Karin's location. At this moment, Karin was listening to Kurenai explain the principles of genjutsu to her.
Sakura Haruno didn't disturb them but listened quietly from the side. It seemed she had suddenly become particularly idle. She had originally thought that guiding Karin and Yakumo would keep her busy for some time. But the reality was that Karin was learning genjutsu counters from Kurenai, and Yakumo was being watched by her shadow clones. Suddenly, she had become the most idle person.
The matter of the Tailed Beasts couldn't be rushed either. Preparations had to be made in the early stages so that she could face the Tailed Beasts calmly when the time came. Thinking of Tailed Beasts, Junko's figure flashed through Sakura Haruno's mind.
Sakura Haruno's mood instantly became somewhat somber. Junko... what exactly is your origin? What... what exactly are you afraid of, to the point of dying to prevent me from undergoing the Tsu Transformation?
Tsu God... are they really that terrifying? In the memories Sakura had received from Junko, there was very little information about the Tsu Gods; most of it was about Junko's daily life.
And in Junko's memories, a continuous, massive wall repeatedly appeared. That colossal wall, towering into the clouds, truly didn't seem like something created by humans without any power. And those scenes, even Sakura Haruno, who had transmigrated, couldn't connect them with anything in her own memory.
For the first time, Sakura Haruno, as a transmigrator, felt lost. Originally, she had known everything about this world like the back of her hand. Even if there was information she wasn't clear about, she had a grasp of the general direction. But Junko's appearance had shattered all of that.
Indeed, this world was not a manga. There were many things in this world that she didn't know. As her thoughts drifted, Sakura Haruno's breathing gradually became somewhat heavy.
"Sakura!"
"Hmm?" Sakura Haruno instantly snapped out of her vortex of thoughts and saw Karin and Kurenai, who had already come to her side.
"Why are you here? You look terrible. What happened?" Karin asked with concern.
"No... nothing," Sakura Haruno shook her head. "Don't worry about me. Go and study diligently with Kurenai-sensei."
"Mm. By the way, why are you here? Where's Yakumo? Weren't you supposed to train her today?" Karin then asked.
"Um... Sakura." At this moment, Kurenai Yuhi spoke with some hesitation. "I wanted to... ask about Yakumo's situation. I heard from Lady Hokage that you are going to train her and help her become a ninja. Her health isn't very good, so you..."
"Yakumo is fine," Sakura Haruno interrupted Kurenai. "I won't train her using ordinary ninja training methods."
"That... that's good then." Kurenai seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. It was clear she was very concerned about this former student of hers.
"Well then, I'll be going. I just came to check on Karin. Since you're here teaching her, I can rest assured," Sakura Haruno said, waving her hand and turning to leave.
"Oh~ right!" Suddenly, Sakura Haruno stopped again, turned around, and asked Kurenai, "Why haven't I seen Hinata, Shino, and Kiba?"
"Them, ah." Kurenai explained with a gratified smile, "They applied for a mission from Lady Hokage. Because the mission isn't very dangerous, I didn't go with them. It's also a way for them to gain some experience."
"Oh, is that so." Sakura Haruno nodded thoughtfully. If I'm not mistaken, it's probably that Bikochu mission. What a hassle. If their mission is successful, then I'm going to be busy.
She had already promised them she would help. If the Bikochu found Sasuke then... Forget it, let's wait until they actually find him.
"Then Karin, study hard with Kurenai-sensei. I'll be leaving now," Sakura Haruno said, then flashed away and disappeared.
"Karin, let's continue," Kurenai said to Karin after seeing Sakura leave.
"Mm."
... ...
Coming out from the back mountain, Sakura Haruno looked at the sun hanging high in the sky and lazily stretched. Where to go next? It seemed she had really become completely idle.
She wandered aimlessly through the streets. However, just as Sakura was thinking of going home to catch up on some sleep, an ANBU operative appeared before her.
"Ah~~~~~~~" Sakura Haruno yawned, and before the ANBU operative could speak, she said, "I know, I know. Lady Hokage is looking for me, right?"
Only the Hokage would send ANBU to find her. She just didn't know what Tsunade-sensei wanted with her this time.
"No," the ANBU operative said. "It's Lord Third Hokage who is looking for you."
"The Third!" Sakura Haruno said, surprised. "What does the Third Hokage want with me?"
"I am only responsible for relaying the message. The message has been delivered. Please go see Lord Third Hokage as soon as possible." After speaking, the ANBU operative vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.
"The Third Hokage, huh? Not Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura Haruno frowned slightly, wondering what the Third Hokage wanted with her.
In any case, since the Third Hokage had summoned her, Sakura Haruno, now a ninja of Konoha Village, couldn't refuse to go.