Naruto: Reborn as Sakura with Manyuu Chifusa Template

"Sakura, Karin, Neji and Hinata," Sakura announced, as she knocked on the Hokage's office door. "Here to see the Hokage!"

"Come in!" came Tsunade's voice in response.

Sakura pushed open the door and stepped inside the room, which was filled to the brim with piles of documents stacked so high they nearly reached the ceiling. Sidestepping around the many haphazardly placed paper pillars, she began making her way to the Hokage's desk; behind which Tsunade and Shizune were busy organizing the various messes that the Third Hokage had left them.

"Mission accomplished, Lady Fifth!" said Sakura respectfully. "We have successfully rescued Hinata, but unfortunately, we couldn't save her eyes— apparently, one was destroyed by our ANBU, and the other is in the eye socket of some fellow named Dodai."

Tsunade's eyes briefly flickered down to Sakura's chest, before flickering back up to meet the pink-haired girl's gaze. Was it just her, or was she slightly bigger than the last time she'd seen her?

"Mmh, I'm aware," said Tsunade distractedly, before turning to Hinata. "Hinata, was it? Are your new eyes causing you any discomfort?"

If she had to be honest, Hinata was not all that distraught over the loss of her Byakugan. Of course, that's not to say that having her eyes plucked out of her head and replaced with another pair hadn't traumatized her— it certainly had, but it had only caused a regular amount of trauma.

Her creepy white eyes had got her bullied as a child, and she had never been especially good at using them in conjunction with her clan's Gentle Fist Taijutsu; at least when compared to her cousin Neji, which had caused her to develop an inferiority complex.

If anything, Hinata was relieved.

Hinata was relieved that she wouldn't have to become the Hyūga clan's leader any more— relieved that she wouldn't have to be compared to Neji any more— and lastly, relieved that she would never have to receive the Caged Bird Seal due to her uselessness. Indeed, Hinata's younger sister was a true prodigy, and Hanabi had already been all but designated as the next clan head…

"They feel fine," said Hinata in a low voice, shaking her head shyly.

"That's good," said Tsunade, her expression softening slightly. "Very well, then— you've all earned some time off. You're dismissed for today, but I'll want a detailed written report about your activities outside of the village on my desk by tomorrow morning, you hear?"

"Yes!"

Sakura turned to leave with the others, but before she could take even one step towards the exit, Tsunade's voice rang out behind her once more.

"Hold on," said Tsunade. "Not you, Sakura."

Tsunade rose to her feet and strode towards the door, leaving Shizune alone with the mountains of paperwork. Hearing a stifled sob, Sakura glanced over her shoulder and gave the flat-chested woman slumped over her work a pitying look.

"Come with me," Tsunade continued, gesturing for Sakura to follow. "The geezers want to speak with you."

The geezers— that could only mean one thing: the Konoha Council of crusty old shinobi past their prime…

Sakura trotted behind Tsunade; striving to keep pace with the woman's long strides while still maintaining a dignified aura— which was something that was very difficult to achieve, when her breasts bounced lewdly with every step that she took…

After a short walk within the Hokage residence, Tsunade ushered Sakura into a small room, where the Council of Elders was already waiting for them, sitting on sofas around a low table. There they were; Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu…

"Sit," said Danzō simply, gesturing for Tsunade and Sakura to take a seat on an empty sofa, before taking a sip from his teacup.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously. Had this man seriously helped himself to her tea and invited her to sit— in her own house!?

"I don't know how it was with you and sensei, but I'm the Hokage now," Tsunade said warningly, "That sort of thing won't fly with me. Am I understood?"

"My apologies," said Danzō mirthfully.

His face expressed remorse, but his exposed eye radiated inhumane coldness…

"Come now, Tsunade," Koharu said coaxingly. "We're all friends here, aren't we? There's no need to treat old Danzō so harshly…"

Tsunade was always wary when dealing with her Sarutobi-sensei's old colleagues. 'Beware of Root,' Jiraiya had once told her— but Tsunade didn't need Jiraiya's input to know when she was dealing with a nest of snakes.

"I'll be the judge of that," Tsunade snorted. "Well, out with it— what do you want with Sakura?"

Sakura gulped nervously. Could they have discovered her slightly evil acts against her fellow villagers? Did they know she had stolen comrades' breasts?

"Straight to the point, then," sighed Homura. "To be perfectly frank, due to the young lady's actions in the Hidden Cloud, the Hidden Leaf is in a right pickle."

Sakura tried her utmost to refrain from sighing in relief.

"The only reason we're not currently at war with Kumogakure is the fact that you spared both their Raikage and their Jinchūriki," added Koharu. "But knowing them, they won't take such an affront lying down."

Sakura tilted her head curiously at the mention of the word Jinchūriki— people of her age weren't supposed to know about such things yet.

"The chakra monster you fought over the sea," Homura explained. "Your fight was seen by fisherman on the coast."

In any case, it was probably a good thing that Sarutobi Hiruzen was dead— if he were still alive, he would have probably sacrificed Sakura to appease the Cloud's anger, just like he had done with Hizashi.

"We need allies, and it just happens that the Sand would be open to an alliance," Koharu continued. "Their terms are simple— the Sand's future Kazekage Gaara would like young Sakura's hand in marriage."

'Using Genjutsu on Gaara backfired,' said Inner Sakura glumly.

Sakura stared at the old woman in dismay— she had saved Hinata from a forced marriage, only to be forced into a marriage herself!? No way! She would rather become a missing-nin right now and join the Akatsuki than get married to that freak!

"I refuse!" said Sakura hotly. "I mean, have you seen the guy's eyebrows!? Like, hello! He has none!"

"I will not force a shinobi of the Leaf to do such a thing," said Tsunade coldly, staring at Koharu with a chilly expression on her face. "As a woman, you ought to understand perfectly well what such a deal would entail for Sakura!"

"I agree with Tsunade," said Danzō nonchalantly.

Sakura did a double take— had Danzō seriously just come to her defence!?

"Which is why the girl should be entrusted to me," Danzō continued. "Let her join my Root— I have need of powerful Genjutsu practitioners."

Homura nodded in agreement.

"That's also a good idea," he said. "The Hidden Cloud issued a bounty on the black market. They're offering a considerable sum for the young lady's head— Seventy million ryō, I think. She'll be safe, hidden among the Root."

Sakura was now positively horrified. If she had her own bingo book entry, then didn't that mean that Kakuzu would be on the lookout for her every time she left the safety of the village!?

"But I want to stay with Team Kakashi!" said Sakura weakly. "It's where I belong!"

Sakura was beginning to have second thoughts about rejoining Naruto and the others. Their adventures took them all over the continent, but if she somehow got Naruto and Sasuke killed, it would be pretty much game over for humanity…

"Which brings us to the final topic of our meeting," said Koharu gently. "Haruno Sakura, in light of your accomplishments and your results in the Chūnin exams, all four of us have formally agreed to your promotion to Chūnin! Congratulations!"

While this didn't mean that Team Kakashi would be disbanded (since Naruto and Sasuke were still Genin), it meant that Sakura wouldn't have to stick around if she didn't want to. Furthermore, she could now choose to undertake up to B-ranked missions on her own, and she was also free to form and lead her own squad of Genin!