Yamada Hiroyuki's weak voice made Uchiha Hazuki's expression soften with pity.
She gently said:
"The doctor said you'll recover soon."
"Tell the doctor I insist on retaining my status as a ninja."
Hiroyuki felt that even extracting chakra now caused pain in his heart.
But if he couldn't remain a ninja, he had no confidence to walk alongside Hazuki of the Uchiha clan.
Being a ninja was his last stronghold as a civilian.
"…Alright."
Hazuki nodded, placed a flower in the water bottle for Hiroyuki, spoke a few more caring words, then left.
She walked down the corridor to find the doctor she had just met.
"Try to persuade him more."
The doctor spoke.
If it were a matter of simply cutting away, the procedure wouldn't require such precision—just severing the meridian system and finishing it.
But the patient was stubborn, insisting on keeping his ninja qualification.
"I understand. I'll try to persuade him."
Hazuki shook her head gently. The tear mole on her face resembled a dried tear streak, adding an unexpectedly endearing charm.
"Is… Kiyoshi really the only option?"
"Not necessarily. There are alternatives, but the other doctors are too busy, and the hospital doesn't have enough personnel for such surgery. Moreover…"
The doctor explained the reason.
This wasn't a difficult cancer or poisoning case. The problem was the location of the injury—too critical.
Could a cranial surgery be treated the same as an amputation?
The former required utmost care and precision.
There were people in Konoha Hospital capable, but few.
Nonou and Tsunade were the first tier. A few other seasoned doctors, such as Lady Sarutobi, also belonged to this tier.
The second tier could barely perform it, but now they were all busy.
Kiyoshi's skill was fourth tier, but his Sharingan granted him a unique advantage, allowing him to perform certain precise surgeries on par with second-tier doctors.
"I… understand. So we just wait for a free slot?"
"Exactly. As far as I know, Kiyoshi is still taking the Chunin Exams today. He should finish today, making him the fastest option for this surgery."
"Minimum wait time?"
"Two days. At the latest, surgery must be the day after tomorrow. Otherwise, they'd have to remove part of the complex meridian system, leaving lifelong side effects and making ninja life very difficult."
The doctor sighed.
Hazuki had no luck—the timing was terrible.
Many ninja near the borders had been ambushed, making the hospital extremely busy in recent days.
Before Hiroyuki arrived, there were already many ninja with similarly severe injuries.
Getting help from a non-staff ninja like Kiyoshi was a good choice.
Though Kiyoshi occasionally helped at the hospital, he wasn't officially part of it. As Nonou's disciple, he had free time for surgeries.
"I'll go first. There's something else."
A patient seemed to want to ask something, and the doctor quickly went over.
Although all major countries were holding Chunin Exams, the outside world had grown chaotic.
Fortunately, as a logistics medical ninja, he didn't have to fight on the front lines.
Watching the doctor leave, Hazuki's eyes lowered behind her fringe.
What to do… Should she seek Kiyoshi's help?
She had finally distanced herself from Kiyoshi. Getting close again would let him manipulate her again.
Hazuki paused for a long moment, massaging her already stiff face.
For now, she would wait to see if any doctors became available.
...
The Chunin Exams continued.
Not long after Kiyoshi closed his eyes to rest, a notification panel appeared.
"You have acquired the entry [Water Release Seed (White)]."
[Entry: Water Release Seed (White)]
[Requirement: Use Fire Release to suppress Water Release and defeat the young Tomei Meimei.]
[Progress: Completed.]
[Effect: Enhances your chakra's affinity for "Water Release," allowing you to refine chakra of that nature.]
[Note: Can continue to advance later.]
He had obtained it by defeating Tomei Meimei.
Looking back at her, he could still see her glaring fiercely.
Kiyoshi couldn't help but smile.
Thanks to Tomei Meimei for the entry.
He had defeated other water-natured chakra users before.
Now it seemed the chance of acquiring such seeds depended on the ninja's innate talent.
The higher the talent, the higher the drop rate for Kiyoshi.
Like Asuma Sarutobi dropping a Wind Release Seed he would become Konoha's elite Jonin, first tier under the Hokage.
Among Konoha's strongest Wind Release ninja, Wind chakra was rarer than Water or Fire.
Tomei Meimei, who dropped the Water Release Seed, had only been bested by Uchiha Madara before already proving her talent.
Those with insufficient talent, defeated by Kiyoshi, rarely granted an entry.
Now, Kiyoshi possessed Lightning, Fire, Yin, Yang, Wind, Water chakra types.
Only Earth remained to complete all chakra natures.
This would aid him in using the Chakra Nature Mastery (Blue) entry and facilitate terrain-based counterattacks.
"These entries suggest further advancement…"
Kiyoshi pondered.
Advancing further could raise the potential ceiling of the corresponding talent, even fusing multiple natures to use simultaneously.
Besides Sharingan, Byakugan, or Corpse Path, which are unique organ-based abilities called "Kekkei Genkai," there was another way to synthesize Kekkei Genkai.
By combining two chakra natures and using them simultaneously, a new effect could be created called a "Kekkei Genkai."
The famous Wood Release is a combination of Earth and Water.
But achieving this was extremely difficult.
Even Kakashi, skilled in all chakra natures and a master at copying with the Sharingan, could not use two simultaneously to create a Kekkei Genkai.
To do so required extraordinary genetic potential, as Kekkei Genkai could be inherited by offspring.
(End of Chapter)