Chapter 116: Tsunade’s Night and Haruto’s Proposal
Tsunade sat in her office, the dim light from the moon casting long shadows across the room. The bottle of sake on her desk was nearly empty, a testament to how long she had been sitting there, deep in thought. The faint buzz of alcohol hummed in her mind, but it barely dulled the edge of the memories that haunted her.
Her brother, Nawaki. Her lover, Dan. Their deaths had carved deep wounds into her heart, wounds that had never fully healed. She took another sip of sake, her hand tightening around the cup as her mind wandered back to the past. It was their deaths that had driven her to this point, after all. The gambling, the drinking—it wasn't that she loved those things. It was the pain she couldn't shake, the grief that still clung to her soul like a heavy fog.
Nawaki, so full of hope and dreams of becoming Hokage, had been taken too soon. And Dan, with his gentle heart and kind eyes, had shared those same dreams, only to meet the same tragic fate. Their deaths had left her shattered, and it wasn't just her heart that had been affected. It was why she had developed her blood phobia. The sight of blood, the very thing she had worked with her whole life as a medic, now triggered memories too painful to bear.
Despite all of her strength, all of her power as one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade had never been able to protect them. And that was the pain she drank to forget. But no matter how much sake she consumed, the memories always came back.
She stared at the bottle on her desk, her tolerance to alcohol having grown over the years. It took a lot to even feel buzzed these days, but tonight, she had finally reached that point. The office was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of papers in the wind.
Her eyes drifted to a stack of documents she had been avoiding, her gaze landing on the paper Haruto had written and given to her earlier. She hadn't touched it yet. After all, she had a lot on her mind, and the academy hadn't been her top priority. But Haruto's last paper had been an interesting read, and the kid had a knack for thinking outside the box.
Why not? she thought, reaching for the paper. She could use the distraction.
Unfolding it, she began to read. It was an article—a proposal, really—offering ideas to improve the Ninja Academy. And, as expected, it was unlike anything she had ever seen before. The ideas, while grounded in practicality, felt foreign, as if they were drawn from a world very different from her own.
What Tsunade didn't know was that Haruto had drawn these ideas from his old world, a world far removed from the ninja village's way of life. And while his suggestions were unconventional, they were, in their own way, intriguing.
The paper had three core ideas that stood out:
1. Specialization Tracks for Ninja Education
Haruto proposed that, much like universities in his old world, the academy should introduce specialization tracks for students. While everyone should receive a solid foundation in the basics of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, students should have the option to focus on a particular field after reaching a certain level of competence.
For example, students with an aptitude for medical ninjutsu could begin more intensive training in that area earlier. Those with a natural affinity for fūinjutsu, espionage, or even sensor-type techniques could start developing those skills in a more focused manner, instead of waiting until after graduation or being assigned to a specific squad.
This, Haruto argued, would allow students to better prepare for their future roles in the village, and ensure that Konoha had highly specialized ninja who could meet a variety of needs.
2. Mental and Emotional Resilience Training
Another key point in Haruto's proposal was the implementation of mental and emotional resilience training. He noted that, while the academy did a good job of teaching the physical and tactical aspects of being a ninja, it failed to adequately prepare students for the psychological trauma that often accompanied the shinobi life.
Haruto suggested that the academy should integrate lessons on handling stress, grief, and the emotional toll of combat. Meditation, therapy, and even peer counseling could be tools to help students develop the mental resilience they needed to survive not just physically, but emotionally.
This was a concept almost entirely absent in the current curriculum, but one that Tsunade knew all too well. She had seen countless shinobi fall, not because they lacked skill, but because they couldn't bear the weight of the horrors they had witnessed. Perhaps Haruto was onto something with this.
3. Modernization of Combat Training
Haruto's final suggestion was the modernization of combat training. He noted that, while traditional methods were important, the world of ninjas was changing, and Konoha needed to adapt if it wanted to remain strong.
He proposed integrating more complex, scenario-based training simulations—battles that reflected real-world missions, including ambushes, long-range combat, and large-scale operations. By creating more realistic training environments, students would be better prepared for the unpredictable nature of real combat.
In his old world, military simulations were a standard part of training, helping soldiers prepare for every possible scenario. Haruto believed this could be adapted for the ninja academy, giving students a more thorough understanding of how to apply their skills in a variety of situations, and not just in one-on-one sparring matches.
Tsunade paused after reading the final section, setting the paper down for a moment as she processed the ideas. They were… different. And yet, as she considered each suggestion, she couldn't help but feel that there was merit to Haruto's thinking. Specialization tracks could help Konoha produce more skilled shinobi earlier in their careers. Mental resilience training? That was something every ninja could benefit from, considering the losses she had endured. And updating the academy's combat simulations? With the looming threat of war always on the horizon, that idea made more sense than ever.
She leaned back in her chair, staring at the paper with a small, thoughtful smile.
"That kid," she muttered to herself, "has some interesting ideas."
And for the first time in a long while, Tsunade felt a flicker of hope for the future of the village's younger generation. Maybe this was what Konoha needed—fresh ideas, new perspectives, and a willingness to adapt.
Taking one last sip of her sake, she folded the paper back up and placed it neatly on her desk. Tomorrow, she would bring this up with the Hokage and the academy heads. But for now, she would let the thoughts swirl in her mind, alongside the memories of those she had lost.
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