"Nonou."
Chiwa let out a sigh. "If I were a Jonin, I would absolutely make you my student."
It was already August. After five months of teaching, she had nothing left to give.
Yakushi Nonou was undoubtedly the most talented medical ninja student she had ever encountered.
The girl learned everything quickly—and could even draw her own conclusions from complex medical knowledge.
"Thank you, Chiwa-sensei."
Yakushi Nonou replied politely.
"Natsuki, you still need to work harder."
Chiwa shifted her attention.
Compared to Nonou's performance, Natsuki seemed thoroughly average.
If she were being honest, she'd advise him to give up on becoming a medical ninja entirely.
Among all ninjutsu disciplines, medical ninjutsu and sealing techniques had the highest learning curves. They simply weren't suited for most ninja.
"I know my limits."
Natsuki nodded. "There's still one month left on our contract. Could Chiwa-sensei take Nonou to intern at Konoha Hospital?"
Chiwa hesitated.
She was only a Genin. For Nonou to intern at the hospital, they'd need Tsunade's approval.
But she had accepted Natsuki's mission. It wouldn't be right to do nothing for the remaining month.
Nonou now possessed solid medical knowledge—but lacked practical experience.
An internship at Konoha Hospital would be an excellent opportunity.
"A formal internship isn't possible, but I can let her shadow me during my shifts."
After considering it carefully, Chiwa offered a compromise.
"Thank you, Chiwa-sensei."
Natsuki exhaled with relief.
Whether it was an internship or observation, his goal had been achieved.
"Follow me."
Chiwa grabbed her nurse's uniform and led them toward Konoha Hospital.
They arrived shortly.
"I'm a Genin, so I work as a nurse here."
Chiwa explained. "I don't have my own office. I usually stay in the nurses' station."
She pushed open the door.
Natsuki glanced around instinctively.
The room was spacious, with six desks arranged on either side. Only two nurses were present.
"Oh my—what an adorable little boy!"
The young nurse at the first desk on the left stared at Natsuki with sparkling eyes.
Natsuki instinctively took half a step back.
He felt like he was about to be devoured.
"Chiwa, what's with these two kids?"
The other nurse asked curiously.
"They're both my students."
Chiwa briefly explained the situation.
Both nurses turned their attention to Yakushi Nonou.
Chiwa had just praised her effusively—claiming she would definitely become a medical Jonin someday.
In this era, medical ninjas were painfully rare. Fewer than ten medical Jonin existed in all of Konoha.
The weight of that statement was enormous. Almost unbelievable.
"How about we test her chakra nature?"
Chiwa noticed their skeptical expressions. "That should settle it."
There were seven chakra natures: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang.
Each corresponded to a different release type.
Medical ninjutsu fell under Yang Release.
To become a medical ninja, one needed both Yang Release affinity and precise chakra control. Both were essential.
Standard chakra paper could detect Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Lightning.
Natsuki had tested his own nature using the chakra paper his parents left behind. His affinity was Earth.
Yin and Yang required special methods to detect.
Konoha Hospital had instruments designed specifically for Yang nature assessment.
From what Natsuki understood of the original story, everyone possessed Yin and Yang natures to some degree. It was a matter of quantity.
After all, Yang represented the body. Yin represented the spirit.
"I'll go ask the head nurse for permission."
The enthusiastic young nurse nodded and stood up.
Testing for Yang nature didn't cost anything. Under normal circumstances, requests were approved.
Natsuki watched her leave and couldn't help but feel fortunate.
With this test, Nonou's talent would be impossible to hide. Word would reach Tsunade soon.
They might even see her today.
A moment later, the nurse returned.
She carried an instrument that resembled a rectangular block.
At her signal, Nonou raised her hand and placed it on the device.
The screen flickered—and a red light seeped through.
Chiwa and the others gasped.
Red indicated the highest level of Yang nature talent.
In all of Konoha, fewer than five medical ninjas possessed this caliber of affinity—and every single one was already a medical Jonin.
"I think we need to report this to Lady Tsunade."
Chiwa murmured.
Medical ninjas were already scarce. Now that they'd discovered a genuine prodigy, they couldn't afford to let her slip through the cracks.
Besides, if Tsunade took interest in Nonou, Chiwa herself might benefit from the association.
The other two nurses exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
Yakushi Nonou instinctively looked at Natsuki.
She was still a child. The nurses' reactions had left her feeling overwhelmed.
The thought of meeting the legendary Tsunade only made it worse.
"Don't be nervous. This is a good thing."
Natsuki smiled and pinched her cheek gently.
Hearing his reassurance, Nonou relaxed slightly.
"Let's go find Lady Tsunade right now!"
Chiwa said eagerly.
Natsuki felt a spark of anticipation.
He'd seen Tsunade once before—on enrollment day.
Led by Chiwa, Natsuki and Nonou arrived at Tsunade's office.
At this point in time, Tsunade was still an ordinary Konoha ninja.
Nawaki was alive. She and Dan Kato weren't together yet. She hadn't developed her fear of blood.
"Come in."
Tsunade's voice called out.
Chiwa pushed open the door.
"Chiwa?" Tsunade's gaze shifted to Nonou and Natsuki. "What brings you here?"
"Lady Tsunade."
Chiwa immediately explained Nonou's situation.
Tsunade rested her chin on interlaced fingers, her sharp eyes assessing the young girl.
Nonou fidgeted under that gaze—and instinctively hid behind Natsuki.
Seeing this, Tsunade couldn't help but smile.
She considered for a moment, then made her decision.
The importance of medical ninjas was undeniable. One more medical Jonin could save countless lives on the battlefield.
Even if she didn't take Nonou as a personal student, she had to ensure the girl became a medical ninja.
"Nonou. Starting today, you will intern at Konoha Hospital."
Tsunade looked directly at her.
"Th-Thank you, Lady Tsunade!"
Nonou immediately bowed.
An internship meant they would teach her medical ninjutsu.
Natsuki exhaled quietly.
His plan was proceeding smoothly.
Of course, the reason it had gone so smoothly was Nonou's exceptional talent.
Combined with the scarcity of medical ninjas, the moment she displayed her abilities, she was bound to attract Tsunade's attention.
Now it was his turn.
He had no talent for medical ninjutsu. He'd have to attract Tsunade's interest through other means.
For example—proposing ideas ahead of their time.
Like permanently assigning a medical ninja to every squad.
Or establishing formal medical training programs.
Ideas that would make Konoha take medical ninjas far more seriously.
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