Outside the door, Homura Mitokado was already waiting.
Although it had only been less than an hour, the psychological pressure on him was quite immense.
It wasn't that he was afraid of taking responsibility, but... the one performing the surgery was, after all, his nephew. If anything unexpected happened, causing Asuma to be unable to serve as a Ninja again, he would feel terrible.
Creak!
The door opened.
Homura Mitokado immediately stood up and asked, "How did it go?"
"It was a success!"
Gozan nodded heavily.
Homura Mitokado was first delighted, then worried, and quickly asked, "What was successful? The whole surgery, or just part of it?"
"The entire surgery for one hand!"
Gozan replied.
He paused and said, "The reason we didn't do the other one is, first, my energy couldn't keep up, and second, we wanted to wait for Asuma to wake up and see the effect of the surgery."
"How much can he recover?"
Homura Mitokado asked eagerly.
Gozan thought for a moment and conservatively said, "There's a seventy to eighty percent chance of full recovery. Thanks to Masahiko, if it weren't for him... honestly, the few of us only had a twenty percent chance of complete healing."
At this point, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.
As the leader of the Medical Squad, his medical abilities were actually inferior to a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young man.
And—
The other party was only part-time!
Gozan, lacking confidence, still sincerely praised Masahiko, then finally asked, "How did he train such precise Chakra control?"
Homura Mitokado's expression was blank, and he gently shook his head.
His impression of Masahiko was... strong Ninjutsu talent, strong research mindset, a promising young genius who, if properly nurtured, might even rival Orochimaru.
He never expected this child to have such high talent in medicine as well.
When Masahiko was hired as a Medical Research Advisor, he thought Konoha Hospital was interested in Masahiko's research talent, but he never expected Masahiko to be so strong!
Gozan's tone turned excited:
"Advisor-sama, you must persuade Masahiko. His medical skill... if he specializes in medicine, he will surely rival Lady Tsunade in the future!"
"This..."
Homura Mitokado hesitated.
He felt that Gozan was exaggerating, but thinking carefully about his own assessment of Masahiko, he also felt there was a certain possibility.
However.
What could he use to make Masahiko change careers to become a Medical Ninja?
So... Homura Mitokado lightly coughed and said, "Masahiko also holds an important position in the Ninja Academy. Furthermore, this must be based on his willingness."
Gozan knew it was hopeless upon hearing this, but after a moment's thought, he understood the implication.
Homura Mitokado was helping the Hokage manage the Ninja Academy!
He immediately fell silent... In the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi paced back and forth, while Kakashi, with half-closed eyes, looked listless.
He hadn't wanted to come.
But, as soon as he was about to leave in the afternoon, he was immediately stopped by Anbu and summoned.
He couldn't help but sigh softly, "Hokage-sama..."
"Ahem, Kakashi, is something wrong?"
"No, please continue."
Kakashi was helpless.
He could understand Hiruzen Sarutobi's mood and knew why he wasn't going to Konoha Hospital, but walking back and forth really affected his state.
Before long.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
The door was knocked.
Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly went forward and opened the door himself.
The person outside was quite surprised, then reacted and immediately reported, "Hokage-sama, this is the report from Konoha Hospital."
"Good!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took it, then hesitated a bit. When he wanted to ask more, the transmitting Medical Ninja had already respectfully left.
He closed the door and returned to the office.
After much deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi handed the report to Kakashi: "You help me take a look."
"Yes."
Kakashi did not decline.
Taking it and looking closely, he smiled and said, "Hokage-sama, Asuma's left hand surgery has been completed and was very successful."
"That's great, that's great!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi excitedly clenched his fist, a little incoherent.
Afterward, he snatched the report letter and read it carefully.
After reading it, he praised repeatedly, "Good! What a Masahiko! If our Konoha had a hundred Masahikos..."
"Then all the other Ninja villages would attack us."
Kakashi yawned.
"Hahahaha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi burst into laughter, all his weariness gone.
He patted Kakashi's shoulder: "Alright, I see you don't want to stay here. Go do your own thing!"
Upon hearing this, Kakashi immediately stood up.
"Oh, right, go check on Guy for me. If it weren't for him that day... it would have been quite dangerous."
Hiruzen Sarutobi mentioned.
Kakashi nodded.
No one expected Shennong to be able to open the Seventh Gate.
It was only because Masahiko had prepared in advance; if it had been anyone else, Shennong probably would have succeeded.
He stood up and went downstairs.
At the Yamanaka Flower Shop on the street, he saw Masahiko inside.
However.
Besides him, there was also Kurenai Yuhi... "You two, you really can be seen together anytime."
Kakashi couldn't help but laugh.
Kurenai Yuhi turned her head, gave him a glare, and said, "Masahiko just came out of the hospital. We just happened to meet."
"Ah, right, right."
Kakashi nodded slightly, looking as if he 'believed' her.
Kurenai Yuhi was speechless.
Masahiko raised an eyebrow and said, "We're going to see Yakumo and Guy. Kurenai is also going, so we just met up."
"Then count me in."
Kakashi, in a 'coincidental' manner, stepped forward and also started picking and choosing.
Inside the flower shop, Yamanaka Inoichis wife, who only occasionally came over, smiled even more brightly at this scene.
It wasn't until the three of them left that Ino excitedly ran over.
"Mom, where's Teacher Masahiko?"
"He left, went to the hospital with Kurenai."
Yamanaka Inoichis wife replied.
She smiled and said, "Ino, your teacher and Kurenai are a perfect match!"
Ino didn't speak after hearing this, her expression somewhat gloomy, but she sighed helplessly.
After that, she was silent for a few seconds and said, "I'll take a bouquet of flowers to see Yakumo."
"Aren't you going to arrange one yourself?"
Yamanaka Inoichis wife said, her tone natural, "Flowers arranged by yourself can make people feel your sincerity more."
Ino hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently: "Alright."
...Konoha Hospital, inside the ward.
Asuma, seeing Kurenai enter, immediately sat up, a trace of excitement appearing on his face.
But then.
Kakashi Hatake, Yagyu Masahiko... he lay back down a bit.
"You all came?"
Asuma forced a smile, his gaze towards Masahiko becoming particularly complex, "I heard. Thank you!"
"It's nothing, I just happened to have a breakthrough recently, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to achieve this level."
Masahiko replied sincerely.
He had obtained Ranshinshō yesterday and trained it for half the night, pushing it to a 'proficient' level.
It truly lived up to its reputation as an A-rank Ninjutsu, extremely difficult.
However, the effects it brought were also significant—
Through repeated training and practice, his control over Medical Chakra became more precise and skilled!
If not for this, Masahiko wouldn't have volunteered this morning.
Only then did Kurenai Yuhi realize... "You performed the surgery?"
"I helped a little."
Masahiko didn't elaborate.
Seeing this, Asuma sighed softly with complex emotions and said, "To be honest... I once thought my hand was going to be crippled, so I really, really thank you!"
"It's nothing. There's another one tomorrow. Rest well and don't feel burdened."
Masahiko said with a smile.
Asuma nodded repeatedly.
Kakashi leaned against the wall, holding his Icha Icha Paradise, looking listless.
Seeing them chat for a while, he closed his book and looked at the other two:
"Finished talking? Shall we go to the next place?"
"Alright."
The three exited the Room.
In the corridor, Kakashi asked in a low voice, "Are you confident?"
"After the first success, everyone feels more confident for the second. The actual operation should be simpler."
Masahiko replied, "So, senior, you can tell Hokage-sama to rest assured."
"Mm."