The Konohagakure Medical Department, officially known as the Konoha Medical and R&D Pharmaceutical Unit, was established by the village's founder, Hashirama Senju. This vital organization functions in two parts: Located in the village center, it serves as the primary healthcare provider for all citizens. While some medical-ninjas work here, most staff are ordinary doctors and nurses. After all, medical-ninjas are a rare resource, and their expertise can't be readily available to everyone.
This facility, nestled in a forest near the village's core, is the true heart of the Medical Department. Here, a concentration of medical-ninjas dedicate themselves to research and development. They delve into pathology, formulate new medicines, and oversee a comprehensive training program for aspiring medical-ninjas.
Following Tsunade's guidance, Aizen embarked on a new chapter. Armed with her letter of recommendation, he set off early the next morning. After a brief navigation through a dense forest, he reached his destination – the Konoha Medical Department.Towering white buildings peeked through the trees, a stark contrast to the surrounding greenery. Approaching the entrance, Aizen presented Tsunade's letter to the stoic guard. With a cursory glance, he was granted access. Stepping inside, Aizen was greeted by a sight familiar from his previous life – a pristine environment with white walls and orderly staff clad in white coats. Patients recovering in wards hinted at the department's dedication to healing.
A soft female voice broke Aizen's silent observation. "Hello there! Are you Aizen, reporting for duty today?" Turning his head, Aizen saw a beautiful woman in her twenties, clad in a white coat. Her short blonde hair framed a friendly smile. "Yes, that's me," Aizen replied with a nod and a smile of his own. "Aizen. And you are...?"
"I'm Senju Nao," the woman replied, "Team leader of both the Medical Department and the Drug Research and Development Department. Tsunade-sama sent me your information yesterday. I informed the guard to expect you, so they'd let you in right away." Senju Nao offered a warm smile as she spoke. However, Aizen noticed her reaching towards him, seemingly to pinch his cheek. He subtly stepped back, maintaining a polite distance.
"Tsunade-sensei said she'd show me around yesterday," Aizen mentioned, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Did something come up?"
"That's a shame," Senju Nao said with a playful sigh, though her eyes seemed to hold a different emotion for a brief moment. "Tsunade-sama received an unexpected task yesterday, and I believe she'll be delayed today."Aizen simply nodded, accepting the explanation without further comment.
"Come on, let me show you around today to learn about the basic situation here. You will be staying here for a long time."
Senju Nao chuckled, transforming into a friendly guide. "It'll help you acclimate to your new environment. You'll be here for a while, after all." Aizen followed attentively as Senju Nao explained the department's structure, staff composition, and key areas. This provided a valuable foundation for him to navigate his new surroundings. After a comprehensive tour, Senju Nao led Aizen to a special room. "Interesting," Aizen remarked upon entering. The room was occupied by serious figures in white coats, meticulously working at lab benches. These individuals, primarily young adults ranging from thirteen to nineteen, shared a common thread: dedication. While there was a slight gender imbalance – slightly more females than males – this diversity wasn't uncommon in ninja training.
Aizen noticed large fish, around half a meter long, laid out on the benches. Each fish bore various wounds. The figures in white coats concentrated chakra in their palms, seemingly manipulating it to heal the fish's injuries. "These are medical-ninjas-in-training," Senju Nao explained with a smile. "They're honing their skills in Medical Ninjutsu and Chakra Scalpel – foundational techniques for all medical-ninjas." She then led Aizen to an unoccupied bench, retrieved a large fish from a nearby pool, and gently placed it on the surface.
"You've already mastered the healing technique," Senju Nao noted. "Today, however, we'll focus on Chakra Scalpel. It requires a high degree of precision, so pay close attention." Her expression turned serious as she prepared to instruct him on this crucial skill. Aizen responded with a serious nod. Unlike Healing Jutsu, Chakra Scalpel boasted offensive capabilities as well. It fell under Konohagakure's repertoire of control ninjutsu and could only be learned after officially joining the medical department.
Senju Nao launched into a meticulous explanation, generously sharing her knowledge and experience with Chakra Scalpel. Aizen absorbed her instruction with rapt attention. "Any questions so far?" Senju Nao inquired after her detailed explanation. She then proceeded to demonstrate the technique herself, expertly creating a precise incision in a training dummy (replacing the fish).
Finally, she turned to Aizen with a smile. Aizen, without a word, mirrored the technique Senju Nao showcased. He channeled chakra into his fingertips and made a swift swipe towards the training dummy. A faint tearing sound echoed as a clean incision, identical to Senju Nao's, appeared on the dummy. Senju Nao's smile faltered for a moment. A prodigy even by her standards, it had taken her two weeks to master Chakra Scalpel. Yet, here was Aizen replicating it flawlessly after a single demonstration.
"No wonder Tsunade-sama said your medical ninjutsu training wouldn't begin with joining a team," Senju Nao finally managed, a wry smile returning to her face. "She wants you to learn under a sub-captain for a while, get acclimated, and then directly take on a medical team captaincy." The medical division had a clear hierarchy: trainee medical-nin, full medical-nin, medical team leader, sub-captain, and captain. Aizen, however, caught a crucial detail in Senju Nao's explanation. "So, Nao-san, you're not actually the head of the training division?" he inquired. "Well, not exactly," Senju Nao admitted, her expression turning slightly complicated. "I'm just showing you around today, familiarizing you with the department and its common practices. Your official instructor will be Tsunade-sama's former teammate, Hiruko."