"Has he woken up yet?"
In the outskirts of Konoha, within a vast underground facility, a dark and shadowy elder, his right eye covered in bandages, and his entire right arm wrapped, stood leaning on a cane.
A scar shaped like an "X" marked his chin.
Kneeling respectfully before him was a figure in a mask, reporting dutifully, "Lord Danzo, he has woken up… His mental state is still somewhat unstable, but we have obtained sufficient information."
The Root ninja continued in a low voice, "First, he fell under Ishikawa Kiyoshi's Genjutsu, and the moment he managed to break free, he was trapped again in a layered Genjutsu from Kiyoshi."
"Mastery over Genjutsu as well, huh?" Danzo raised an eyebrow.
"And he even used dual-layered Genjutsu to take down a Chunin swiftly, keeping him completely under his control. Impressive for such a young brat, especially as a descendant of Senju Toka."
This elder was none other than Danzo Shimura, a prominent figure within Konoha, appointed by the Third Hokage as his advisor and head of the covert Root division.
Known for his ruthlessness and willingness to do whatever it took to achieve his goals, Danzo was feared throughout the shinobi world, earning the nickname "The Darkness of the Shinobi."
"Shall we continue probing him, Lord Danzo?" asked the Root operative.
"No need. Tsunade is already at odds with Hiruzen, and she won't stay in the village long. No point in provoking her too much…" Danzo muttered, running his hand over his covered right arm.
A chilling glint of malice shone in his eye. "Besides, we have more pressing matters than some kid who hasn't even reached his potential."
"Bring Uchiha Itachi here. It's time for him to make his decision."
"Yes, sir…"
---
Meanwhile—
Inside Konoha Hospital.
"Lady Tsunade!"
"Lady Tsunade, you've returned!"
"This is wonderful news!"
Patients, doctors, and nurses alike crowded around Tsunade, their faces brimming with excitement.
Even the nurses, usually professional and composed, seemed starstruck and infatuated, crowding around her with admiration.
Caught in the crowd, Shizune and Kiyoshi were pushed aside, allowing them to witness firsthand Tsunade's legendary status and charm as a medical expert.
"Tsunade-sensei is really popular, huh…" Kiyoshi murmured, following her to Konoha Hospital for some hands-on training.
Shizune, holding her pet pig Tonton, nodded proudly. "Of course! Lady Tsunade isn't only the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
She's also a hero who distinguished herself in numerous battles and established the entire medical-nin system, saving countless lives in the process."
Once Tsunade finally managed to break free from the crowd, she gestured to the hospital staff, who quickly arranged for Kiyoshi, her disciple, to treat injured patients.
Tsunade, however, did not intend to supervise directly. "Shizune, you guide him," she ordered, leaving the hands-on work to her.
Due to her fear of blood, Tsunade couldn't enter the surgery room herself. Plus, it was a relatively minor surgery, and with Shizune's experience, she should be more than capable.
"My leg! My leg…"
In the operating room, a wounded Chunin in Konoha's standard vest lay on the table, moaning in pain. His right leg was mangled and covered in blood, making it a grotesque sight.
"His right leg was injured by an explosive tag, but thankfully, it's salvageable…" Shizune, wearing gloves, examined the wound and directed Kiyoshi beside her.
"We need to clean out the dead tissue quickly to avoid infection, without resorting to amputation."
"Understood." Kiyoshi nodded, taking in the sight of the gruesome wound.
This was his first real look at the harsh, unforgiving world of shinobi, where this was only the tip of the iceberg—far worse injuries awaited out there.
But his resolve was strong, and he managed to keep his composure as he observed the bloody, damaged leg.
Shizune, silently noting his calmness, nodded approvingly. "Want to give it a try, Kiyoshi?"
Given his skill level in medical ninjutsu and her guidance, Shizune was confident he could handle a minor operation like this.
"As a trained veterinarian, I think I can manage this," Kiyoshi took a deep breath, steadying himself.
Though he had experience in surgery, it was mainly with animals—mice, stray cats, wild rabbits, and similar small creatures.
After three or four years as a veterinarian, he was no stranger to medical procedures.
"Ve… Veterinarian?"
The medic-nin Yamashiro Kawaki, who had been observing, raised an eyebrow and exclaimed.
"Shizune, you're Lady Tsunade's disciple and have years of experience, but him—he's too young."
On the operating table, the Chunin patient, pale but numbed by anesthesia, became agitated.
"This is my leg we're talking about!"
A child, barely eight years old, was about to perform surgery on him? He wasn't about to risk losing a limb.
"Just trust Lady Tsunade's judgment, and trust my partner here," Shizune said firmly, meeting the patient's gaze.
"All right," the Chunin said through gritted teeth, steeling himself. "If Lady Tsunade approves of him, then I'll trust you."
"Rest assured," Kiyoshi replied without hesitation, grabbing the scalpel and focusing his attention.
Carefully, he worked his way through the torn tissue, removing the damaged flesh with precision and speed.
With Shizune watching closely, Kiyoshi's experience as a "veterinarian" quickly showed.
He grew more proficient as he proceeded, and before long, he had excised the decayed tissue with swift, clean cuts. Shizune, impressed, gave a small nod of approval.
"Now comes the easy part."
After rinsing the wound and disinfecting it, Kiyoshi pressed his glowing green palm onto the leg, initiating a healing jutsu.
"That's… the Mystical Palm Jutsu?" Kawaki looked on, stunned.
An A-rank medical jutsu, mastered by such a young kid? Such talent—it was no wonder Lady Tsunade took him as her disciple.
"The wound is fully cleaned. A bit of medicine and some bandages, and he'll be good to go."
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