During this period, two major events shook the world beyond Konohagakure.
The first was a resounding victory on the southwestern battlefield.
Konoha's forces not only halted the relentless advance of Sunagakure, but pushed them back decisively—driving the front line from the borders of the Land of Fire all the way into the Land of Rivers.
When the news reached the village, it was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from everyone's shoulders.
Lanterns were hung across the streets. Shops stayed open late. Laughter and celebration filled the air.
For a brief moment—
Konoha felt safe again.
---
But the second event was far less comforting.
Kumogakure had launched a sudden, lightning-fast assault on the Land of Hot Springs—and succeeded in occupying it.
On the surface, this seemed unrelated to Konoha.
But in reality…
The Land of Hot Springs had always served as a buffer zone between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire. Its allegiance leaned more toward Konoha, acting as a natural shield.
Now that shield was gone.
With Kumogakure stationed there, they could deploy forces dangerously close to the Land of Fire's borders at any time.
The threat was immediate.
To make matters worse, Takigakure quickly sent a request for aid.
This placed Konoha in a difficult position.
Helping was necessary.
But if handled poorly, it could spark a direct confrontation with Kumogakure—dragging Konoha into a disastrous two-front war.
---
Amidst this turbulent situation…
A quieter, but deeply personal event unfolded within Ren's family.
After multiple surgeries and months of recovery, Mikami Tajima—Ren's father—finally had his casts removed.
Rehabilitation had begun.
---
Inside a hospital office, Tsunade casually tossed a report onto the table.
"Here. Your father's post-op assessment."
Ren picked it up, scanning the contents carefully.
"From what I see," Tsunade continued, leaning back in her chair, "the results are better than expected. The original success probability was around thirty percent."
She smirked slightly.
"Now? It's climbed to seventy."
Ren's eyes widened.
"As long as nothing goes wrong this month and his nerves recover properly… he should be fine."
Relief washed over him.
"That's incredible… Thank you, Lady Tsunade—for the plan, and for guiding the entire process."
"Heh."
Tsunade crossed her arms and stood up.
"I've been hearing things, you know. Rin says you've been acting mysterious lately—always busy, barely resting…"
Her eyes narrowed playfully.
"Don't tell me you've been sneaking off to date some girl?"
"—What?! Of course not!"
Ren quickly shook his head.
"It's just… the team has had more missions lately, and I've been increasing my training. On top of that, I'm studying sealing techniques from Teacher Minato and Kushina-senpai… so things have been a bit overwhelming."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"But I'll manage my time better soon."
"Really?"
Tsunade's expression turned serious.
Without warning, she stepped forward—closing the distance between them in an instant.
Her face came incredibly close.
Golden eyes locked onto his.
Ren instinctively leaned back.
Because of his young age, he was still shorter than her. Now, with her standing so close, his line of sight was… dangerously inconvenient.
If he moved even slightly—
Well…
He quickly averted his gaze.
Danger. Extreme danger.
If he did something stupid here, he had no doubt he'd receive the same punch that once sent Jiraiya flying with broken ribs.
"…Hmph. Fine. I'll believe you."
After a few seconds of scrutiny, Tsunade stepped back.
"You've been in the Advanced Medical Class for about half a year now, right?"
"Yeah, just about."
Ren nodded.
He had entered thanks to a recommendation, and counting his earlier training, he had nearly a full year of experience with medical ninjutsu.
Tsunade gave a slight nod.
"Your practical skills have improved a lot. You're already very proficient with the Healing Technique. Patients treated by you recover noticeably better than others."
She raised a finger.
"But don't get cocky."
Her tone sharpened.
"In a few days, a large number of wounded will be transferred back from the front lines. You and Rin will be on duty."
Ren's expression turned serious.
"Stay focused. Don't mess up when it matters."
Then—
Her voice softened slightly, carrying a hint of intrigue.
"If you perform well… once this batch of patients is handled, I might teach you something new."
Ren's eyes lit up instantly.
Something new?
Super strength?
Or perhaps an advanced medical technique?
Before he could ask, Tsunade had already turned and walked out, her heels clicking crisply against the tiled floor.
---
In the hospital corridor—
A different scene unfolded.
"Congratulations, Dad—you can finally stand again!"
Ren grinned widely as he stepped back, releasing his support.
Mikami Tajima stood there, leaning on a crutch.
Unsteady.
Shaky.
But standing.
His face lit up with pure joy as he slowly shifted his weight, feeling the ground beneath his feet once more.
After so long…
He could stand again.
---
But after the initial excitement faded—
His expression changed.
A trace of confusion crept in.
"Being able to stand… it's amazing," he said quietly.
"But… Yu…"
He hesitated.
"I heard from the doctor… even if my leg heals, I won't be able to return as a ninja."
Silence hung in the air.
"What… should I do from now on?"
---
The truth was harsh.
The life expectancy of a ninja was never high.
Even in peaceful times, most barely reached their fifties. Those who lived past sixty were rare.
And now—
Forced into retirement midway through his life…
It was only natural for Tajima to feel lost.
---
But Ren had already thought about this.
He guided his father to sit on a nearby bench, then spoke calmly.
"Dad… how about starting a small business?"
Tajima blinked.
"A business?"
"Yeah."
Ren nodded.
"There's a spot next to Ichiraku Ramen with a lot of foot traffic. You could open a small general store—sell drinks, snacks… simple stuff."
He leaned forward slightly, enthusiasm building.
"Actually, while studying pharmacology with Lady Tsunade, I came up with something—a kind of sparkling drink."
"It's sweet, refreshing, and really good."
A grin spread across his face.
"I'll write down the recipe for you. When we produce it, we can call it—Konoha Raw Cola!"
He even raised a finger dramatically.
"And I've already thought of the slogan—"
"'Drink Konoha Raw Cola, and your chakra will glow!'"
Tajima stared at him for a moment.
Then—
He chuckled.
"…A general store, huh?"
He imagined it briefly.
Customers coming and going. A stable, peaceful life.
"It's not bad," he admitted. "More stable than being a ninja."
Then he waved his hand dismissively.
"But writing books? Forget it. Your old man isn't educated enough for that."
Ren coughed lightly.
"Who said writing needs to be profound?"
He leaned in with a mischievous smile.
"You can write something… simpler."
Tajima narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"…Like what?"
Ren blinked innocently.
Then said—
"…Adult novels?"
"Pff—COUGH—COUGH—!"
Tajima nearly choked on his own saliva.
His face turned bright red instantly.
He looked around frantically to make sure no one had heard.
"Ad—adult novels?!"
He lowered his voice, flustered.
"Yu! What nonsense are you talking about?! How can a ninja write something like that?! That's just—!"
He struggled to find the right words.
"…Completely inappropriate!"
Ren couldn't help but laugh.
And for the first time in a long while—
The hospital corridor echoed not with pain or worry…
But with warmth.
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