With her teammates and Lee all unconscious, Sakura is forced to fight on her own before one of the Sound Genin, Kin Tsuchi, grabs the girl by her hair and proceeds to insult her for her perceived vanity. This causes Sakura to remember her past with her own rival, Ino, and she is reminded of the reasons for growing her hair so long. She then decides to focus on being a strong ninja rather than just attractive, cutting her hair to free herself from Kin's grasp before attacking Zaku. Moved by Sakura's determination, Ino and the rest of Team 10 come to her aid.