Sakura Haruno Is Usefull

Boom!!!

The entire Third Training Ground shook as if hit by a small earthquake.

The ground cracked, dirt and rocks scattered everywhere, and cracks spread from Haruno Sakura’s punch like a spider web. Several massive trees toppled over, and even the lake nearby spilled into the cracks!

Sarutobi Hiruzen hid in a nearby tree, watching in shock. His heart raced. This is way too similar…

If he hadn’t known Sakura’s background, he might have thought this pink-haired girl was Tsunade’s long-lost daughter!

Sakura panted, feeling all the chakra in her body drained by the punch. She reflected, If I ever fight someone, I need to control my chakra precisely. Whether it's a 100-kilogram iron block or a 10-kilogram one, a blow to the head is fatal either way—it just varies in how gruesome it looks.

“Huh?” She looked up at Hiruzen hiding high in the tree. “Master? Why are you up there?”

Sakura waved at him, puzzled. When she’d thrown that punch, Hiruzen had felt the danger and scrambled into the tree without looking back, fearing he’d be hit by that pink fist and end up having tea with the First Hokage sooner than expected.

“Uh, Sakura, next time you use that kind of strength, please warn me beforehand. I’m getting too old for this!” he said, looking around at the destroyed training ground with a grimace.

“You told me to go all out, Master,” Sakura replied, nodding earnestly. “And there’s nothing left around here to practice on.”

Hiruzen blinked, giving up on the discussion. What was I thinking, testing this kind of power directly? Still, seeing such skill at her age was beyond impressive. It seemed like this immense strength was made for her.

Looking at the pink-haired girl, Hiruzen couldn’t help but feel as if he were staring at a young Tsunade.

“Sakura, since I’ve taken you as my disciple, there’s a technique you must learn,” he said, pushing aside the memory of his past student.

“What technique?” Sakura asked curiously.

Hiruzen bit his finger and began forming hand seals one by one.

Seeing this, Sakura’s eyes widened. Summoning? Is he really going to give me access to the Ape Demon Clan? But what if I’ve already signed with the Slug Clan?

The Ape Demons were known for their strength. Even Orochimaru acknowledged the Sarumo Clan as the strongest summoning beasts. The Ape Demon King not only possessed an indestructible body but could transform into a massive staff.

Wait… Sakura thought. Super strength and a giant staff? That could be interesting… But what if I sign with them and then summon a slug instead?

Her mind raced, but Sakura decided to make the first move. Hiruzen, moving slowly to let her observe the seals, finished the sequence and pressed his hand to the ground.

“Hai-Xu-You-Shen-Wei! Summoning Technique/Kuchiyose no jutsu!”

Bang!!

A cloud of white smoke exploded, revealing a large, muscular figure whose shadow loomed over Sakura.

“Hiruzen, this time the opponent is...a little girl?” The booming voice of the Ape Demon King emerged through the smoke, sounding puzzled as he looked down at the small pink-haired girl in front of him.

The smoke cleared to reveal the Ape Demon King—his sturdy, leather-armored body, Konoha forehead protector, white hair, and long tail. He stood over two meters tall.

"This is my new disciple," Hiruzen said with a proud smile. “Isn’t she adorable?”

Sakura showed just the right amount of awe. “Wow~! Master has such a huge monkey!”

Hiruzen, noticing her unconvincing excitement, almost sighed. What a strange reaction…

"Hahaha! Hiruzen, your new disciple is quite a character!" The Ape Demon King laughed, unbothered by being called a “monkey.”

“Ahem, Sakura, this is the Ape Demon King, an old comrade and friend. You’ll be working closely with him from now on.”

The Ape Demon King, sensing the moment, realized what was happening. Hiruzen had chosen a successor to the Sarumo Clan contract. None of Hiruzen’s former students—Tsunade, Orochimaru, or Jiraiya—had inherited the Ape Demons, but now this little girl had been chosen.

“My name is Haruno Sakura, Lord Sarumo…” Sakura extended her hand respectfully.

“Haha, just call me by my name. No need for formalities.” The Ape Demon King sat cross-legged in front of her, still towering over Sakura even seated.

“Let’s get along well in the future, Sakura.” He extended a hand larger than her head and gently shook hers.

Watching the scene with a smile, Hiruzen nodded to the Ape Demon King. “In that case, let Sakura try summoning the other members of the Sarumo Clan. Let’s take out the scroll—”

But before he finished the word “scroll,” a loud shout interrupted him.

“Summoning Technique!”

Bang!

In a puff of smoke, Sakura disappeared, leaving Hiruzen and the Ape Demon King standing there, stunned.

“Oh no…”

“It’s over…”