Bab 170: 170
Haruto woke up well before dawn, his internal clock always sharp and punctual. As the dim light of early morning seeped into his room, he took a deep breath and sat up. The first thing he did was absorb the memories of the shadow clone he had left working on his explosive tag improvements.
The clone had made notable progress in refining the concept. Instead of creating a broad area of destruction like traditional explosive tags, Haruto's goal was to make the blast smaller but more concentrated. The idea was to compress the explosive force, focusing it into a tight radius that would create a powerful but localized shockwave. The theory was that by concentrating the explosion, the damage to direct targets would increase significantly while reducing collateral damage to surrounding areas.
He could visualize how this would be particularly useful in battle. Instead of leveling entire buildings or forests, these concentrated tags could be used to target key weak points in armor or barriers, making them far more strategic. There was still work to be done, but the clone's progress left him optimistic.
After absorbing the clone's experiences, Haruto wasted no time creating another one, assigning it to continue the explosive tag experiments while he focused on his physical training.
Training with Daichi and Shisui was as intense as ever. The early morning light barely illuminated the training grounds as the trio pushed themselves through another brutal regimen of exercises. They switched between sparring, endurance drills, and tactical combat training. Shisui, with his one-tomoe Sharingan, remained a challenge, but Haruto and Daichi had been steadily catching up. Haruto held back his more advanced techniques like Thunder Scalpel, preferring to refine his fundamentals.
By the time they finished, they were exhausted but satisfied. After a quick breakfast, where they laughed over their minor injuries and traded notes on what had worked in the sparring matches, Haruto excused himself to head to the hospital.
The hospital was a different kind of battlefield. Haruto arrived and immediately got to work, slipping into the routine of tending to patients. Word had spread that the Hokage would be visiting the hospital later in the day, and there was a palpable energy in the air. However, Haruto was focused on the task at hand, eager to absorb as much experience as possible.
The cases were varied, but one, in particular, caught his attention. A shinobi had come in with a gruesome shuriken injury to the abdomen. The wound was deep, and to stop the bleeding on the battlefield, the shinobi had used fire release jutsu to cauterize the wound—a risky but often necessary technique in emergency situations. The injury was a fascinating case because while the fire had stopped the bleeding, it had also severely burned the surrounding tissue, making the treatment more complex.
Haruto studied the wound carefully, taking note of the extensive damage caused by the fire. He first used a chakra scalpel to remove the damaged tissue with precision, ensuring that none of the necrotic flesh would cause an infection. Once that was done, he applied a cooling salve to reduce the burn's inflammation and began the regenerative healing jutsu, knitting the healthy tissue back together.
While healing, he monitored the patient's chakra levels and made sure to keep the flow of chakra balanced to avoid overloading the body's natural healing processes. After a steady, focused session, the wound was no longer life-threatening, and the patient's recovery would be manageable with further care.
Haruto wiped his brow, satisfied with his work. These were the kinds of challenges that made medical ninjutsu fascinating to him—taking an injury and not only treating it but doing so in a way that respected the body's natural processes while enhancing them.
Meanwhile, across the village…
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his home, watching as the early morning light crept across the horizon. He was awake, as always, before most of the village. Today was an important day, one that he had been quietly planning for months.
The hospital tour had been officially scheduled as part of his regular duties as Hokage, but this particular visit wasn't just a formality. It had been years since he last toured the hospital in-depth, and while he always liked to keep an eye on all areas of the village, this time he had a specific goal in mind.
Haruto Takeda.
The name had been coming up more frequently lately. Both Tsunade and Sakumo Hatake had mentioned the boy's talents, and his Will of Fire essay had caught the attention of some of the academy instructors. Hiruzen wasn't one to ignore talent, especially not in someone who could become a future pillar of Konoha. Haruto had the potential to be something more, and today was the first step in forming a connection with him.
It wasn't just about talent, though. Hiruzen understood the power dynamics of the village better than anyone. He had already formed bonds with other promising young shinobi—Minato, Kakashi, and Shisui—and now, it was time to bring Haruto into his sphere as well. There were many forces in the village—clans, elders, ambitious individuals like Danzo—and as Hokage, Hiruzen knew the importance of having talented shinobi who believed in the Will of Fire close to him.
He had coordinated with Tsunade and Sakumo to ensure that Haruto would be available during his visit today. It was time to start building that relationship, subtly but surely.
Hiruzen stood up, adjusting his Hokage robes. It was going to be a long day, but an important one. His first stop, as always, was the hospital. But today, he wasn't just there to observe. He was there to ensure that Haruto Takeda knew he had the Hokage's attention.
As Haruto finished his treatment on the injured shinobi, he felt a shift in the energy of the hospital. It was subtle, but noticeable. The Hokage would be arriving soon. He continued his work, unaware that today's tour was about much more than just medical oversight. Today, Hiruzen was making his move.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone