Sakiya was assigned to the medical station, working as an assistant to help care for wounded patients whose injuries had stabilized but still left them with limited mobility.
With her distinctive appearance—marked by an eyepatch—and her eccentric way of speaking and acting, she quickly became well-known in the ward.
The patients had given her a nickname: "Little Angel."
It wasn't meant as an insult. In fact, Sakiya had earned a fair amount of praise for her work, even if her methods were… unique. Not all her patients had experiences like the unfortunate "Mummy."
As for why she singled him out, it had to do with an ability she had awakened.
She called it [Malicious Sorrow]—a skill that allowed her to see the evil within a person's heart.
And "Mummy" was, by far, the worst case she had encountered. His presence was soaked in malice, making her instinctively dislike him. And so, her treatment of him had been… different.
But not every patient left that impression.
As she entered one of the tents on her daily rounds, the man inside greeted her with a warm smile.
"You're here again, Sakiya."
Lying on the bed was a middle-aged man, also covered in bandages, but unlike "Mummy," his eyes radiated warmth and kindness. His presence gave off a comforting aura, making those around him feel at ease.
Sakiya had seen it too—his kindness was genuine, and it had the power to spread to others.
With a proud tilt of her chin, she smiled. "I remember you, warrior Kawatomi. Your strength may be lacking, but your spirit and willpower are worthy of my praise!"
Kawatomi chuckled. He enjoyed the company of this lively, quirky girl, even if she was a bit unusual.
"To be praised by the Eye of Death… what an honor."
Sakiya's single visible eye gleamed as she nodded firmly.
"Naturally!"
Kawatomi looked at her puffed-up, confident expression and felt an urge to reach out and ruffle her hair.
But, of course, he couldn't move.
His thoughts drifted for a moment. His daughter had once been just like Sakiya—lively, full of energy, and always running around. He used to love patting her head, just as he wished he could do now.
A nostalgic smile crossed his lips as he lost himself in the memory.
And so, another day in the medical tent began—one filled with Sakiya's peculiar but well-intentioned care.
Including, of course, the daily routine of giving out medicine.
----
At that moment, Naruto followed Jiraiya back to Konoha.
As they entered the village, both came to an abrupt stop, staring in shock at the devastated streets.
Houses lay in ruins, and workers moved sluggishly through the wreckage, doing their best to repair the damage.
Naruto slapped his cheeks, trying to process what he was seeing.
"What the hell happened!?"
The two hurried to the Hokage's office, where they learned about Pain's attack and the destruction he had caused. After confirming that their friends were safe, Naruto wasted no time in rushing to the medical camp.
---
Meanwhile, Sakiya was busy feeding medicine to a young boy.
The kid's name was Udon. Apparently, he had helped evacuate civilians when one of Pain's giant summoned centipedes rampaged through the village. Despite his small size, he had shown courage beyond his years.
Udon was known for his love of math, but at that moment, he was far more interested in something else.
"Big Sis Sakiya!" he asked eagerly. "Can I awaken my special eyes when I turn ten?"
Sakiya nodded with complete seriousness.
"Awakening them at ten? That's totally normal. Most people can do it if they follow the right steps."
With that, she scooped up a spoonful of medicine and held it out to him, her expression solemn.
"This is a sacred elixir! It strengthens the body and even helps awaken special powers!"
Udon's eyes sparkled with excitement. Ignoring the bitterness, he swallowed the medicine in one gulp. His face immediately scrunched up, but he forced it down.
Sakiya patted his head proudly.
"Feel that warmth spreading through your body? That's the power of the elixir at work!"
Udon's eyes widened in amazement.
"I really feel it!"
Standing nearby, Konohamaru watched the exchange, feeling utterly speechless.
Of course the kid felt warmth—the medicine was hot.
Udon was usually the smart one, so how did he fall for that so easily?
Konohamaru glanced at Sakiya, watching her serious expression.
Was she actually being serious?
Konohamaru wasn't badly injured. He had only come to this tent to keep Udon company, but now he was starting to question reality.
Just as Sakiya finished feeding Udon his medicine, someone suddenly burst into the tent.
"Sakiya-chan!!!"
That loud voice was unmistakable.
Naruto came running at full speed, stopping in front of Sakiya with a relieved smile.
"You're okay! That's a relief!"
Sakiya looked at him, unimpressed.
"I am the strongest existence. How could anything happen to me?"
Naruto scratched his head and grinned.
"Haha, yeah, I guess that's true."
Before the conversation could continue, Sakura stormed in, catching up to Naruto and immediately landing a punch on his head.
BANG!
Naruto clutched his head, crouching down in pain like a wounded monkey.
"Sakura! That hurt!"
Hands on her hips, Sakura glared at him.
"This is a medical tent! How many times do I have to tell you—keep it down!"
Naruto groaned, rubbing the lump forming on his head.
"Sorry, sorry! I'll be more careful!"
Sakura let out a sigh before turning to Sakiya.
"Sorry, Sakiya. I tried to stop him."
Sakiya crossed her arms, raised a finger to her chin, and smirked.
"Kukuku~ It doesn't bother me."
"After all, the supreme Sakiya is destined to have admirers."
Sakura forced a smile, her expression twitching.
"Uh-huh. Right."
Her inner thoughts?
Yeah… I'm pretty sure Naruto is the only one admiring you.
Actually… wait. Is Naruto even admiring you?
Naruto was smirking from the side—until Konohamaru suddenly called out.
"Naruto-nii!"
Naruto turned, surprised.
"Konohamaru!? You're here too?"
"Yeah, what a coincidence!" Konohamaru grinned.
Then, he glanced at Sakiya and tilted his head.
"Haha, is this weird sister your friend, Naruto-nii?"
Naruto chuckled.
"Yeah, we're really good friends."
At that moment, Sakiya puffed out her chest and huffed.
"Hmph! You're just a low-ranking member of my Death Oath!"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, still grinning.
"Haha, even if I'm a low-ranking member, that still makes me a friend, right?"
Sakiya froze.
For a moment, she seemed stunned.
Then, after a long pause, she reluctantly nodded.
"...I guess so."
"Hehe."
Naruto grinned wider.
Sakura, watching from the side, was shocked.
Did Naruto just win an argument? Since when was he this smooth?
Naruto then clapped his hands together.
"Since I'm here, I'll help too!"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!"
Sakura shut that idea down immediately, her expression turning serious.
"Sorry, but we don't need guys who don't know medical ninjutsu!"
Naruto pouted.
"Aww, come on…"
"Then I'll just keep Sakiya company!"
Sakura gave him a sharp look.
Wait.
Did Naruto just figure out how to be persistent?
Did he finally get it!?
Even Sakiya was caught off guard.
But the next second, she crossed her arms and frowned.
"I don't need your help."
"I'll stay with you anyway. You can't chase me away."
Sakiya scowled, trying to argue, but after a moment of silence… she realized she couldn't.
"...Fine. Do whatever you want."
And so, she unwillingly gained a follower.
Sakiya shot Naruto a helpless look, but then something caught her attention.
Using her Malicious Sorrow, she observed him closely.
She noticed something strange.
Naruto wasn't purely "good" or "evil."
He was both.
On one side, he radiated intense goodwill—the kind of person who truly cared about others.
But on the other, there was a deep, lingering darkness.
Naruto had been surrounded by hatred and loneliness since childhood, yet he had somehow managed to stay in the light.
It wasn't easy.
It shouldn't have been easy.
"Sakiya?"
Sakiya snapped out of her thoughts.
She turned away quickly.
"I-I wasn't looking at you! I was just… analyzing your darkness levels!"
Naruto blinked, then smirked.
He suddenly remembered something Jiraiya once told him.
"If a girl acts flustered and makes weird excuses, she's probably into you."
His smirk widened.
"Heh. I get it, Sakiya."
Sakiya stared at him.
Then, she frowned.
He was definitely misunderstanding something.
"Ugh, whatever. Not worth explaining."
She turned on her heel and started walking toward the next patient tent.
Naruto stood there, grinning to himself for a moment—until he realized she was leaving.
"Eh? Wait, Sakiya!"
And just like that, he ran after her.
_______
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