"Teacher."
Tsunade knocked and entered the Hokage's office.
"Perfect timing."
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up a scroll. "These are the specific details for establishing the medical ninja training classes. Take a look and see if anything needs adjustment."
Tsunade nodded, stepped forward, and took the scroll.
She unrolled it and began reading.
"Your arrangements are thorough. I have nothing to add."
Tsunade said after finishing.
"Since you approve, the medical ninja training classes will be implemented starting next month."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his pipe. "That coincides nicely with the new semester at the Ninja Academy."
"That works."
Tsunade paused, then added: "Natsuki requested the Sword of the Thunder God. His kenjutsu talent is quite impressive, so I've already given it to him."
"An unexpected bonus."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyebrows rose briefly, then he chuckled.
He knew Tsunade's judgment well.
If she said Natsuki's kenjutsu talent was "quite impressive," it meant the boy was exceptional.
In other words, Konoha had gained another genius.
"After he graduates, I'll assign him a Jonin instructor who specializes in kenjutsu."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said thoughtfully.
Hearing this, Tsunade thought of Nawaki.
Although her brother still had three years until graduation, it was already time to consider who his Jonin instructor would be.
She leaned toward her two teammates: Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
"Tsunade, there's one more matter."
Sarutobi Hiruzen continued. "The Uzumaki clan has agreed to send a Jinchuriki candidate after the new year. You'll be the one to escort her here."
The Uzumaki clan was an ally of Konoha—but more precisely, they were allies of the Senju clan.
Among the current Senju, the most prominent ninja was naturally Tsunade.
She was also the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito. Having her receive the candidate was the most appropriate choice.
"Does Grandmother Mito know?"
Tsunade nodded and asked.
"I just received the news, so she hasn't been informed yet. I'll have to trouble you to tell her."
Sarutobi Hiruzen replied.
Meanwhile, at the training ground near the Konoha Orphanage.
Natsuki faced a wooden log. His body was slightly bent, right hand gripping the Sword of the Thunder God in a ready stance.
One-Sword Style: Iai — Lion's Song!
In an instant, all the chakra in his body surged into the blade.
With a sharp hum, the Sword of the Thunder God's edge materialized in the air.
The next second—Natsuki vanished.
He and the sword became a flash of lightning, streaking past the wooden log.
When he reappeared, he was already three meters beyond it.
He looked back.
The log had been cleaved cleanly in two.
The cut was impossibly smooth. Faint sparks of lightning still crackled along the surface.
Natsuki nodded with satisfaction—but exhaustion immediately followed.
With his current strength, executing Lion's Song was extremely taxing. He could only use it once before needing to recover.
But he was satisfied nonetheless.
The speed and power of that technique would make it nearly impossible for most Genin or Chunin to react in time.
After resting briefly, Natsuki resumed practicing the Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique.
Time advanced quickly to September.
The first day of the new semester arrived.
"Everyone, attention. I have an announcement."
Before the bell even rang, Ishida Yu hurried into the Class 1-A classroom.
The students immediately quieted down, looking at him with curiosity.
"The Konoha Medical Ninja Training Program has been officially established. Students who wish to become medical ninjas can apply through me."
Ishida Yu said directly.
"Medical ninja?"
"Are you going to apply?"
"Who wants to be a medical ninja? I'm going to be a combat ninja—dominate the battlefield and become the strongest Hokage!"
Chatter erupted among the students.
"Nonou, go apply."
Natsuki thought for a moment before speaking.
His strategy was for Yakushi Nonou to maintain as low a profile as possible. That way, Shimura Danzo wouldn't notice her immediately.
If others learned she had already been granted early admission by Tsunade, her reputation would skyrocket.
Going through the normal application process would provide some cover—and buy them time.
Yakushi Nonou didn't fully understand, but she nodded obediently.
She hesitated, then looked at Natsuki with hopeful eyes. "Are you going to apply too?"
Natsuki shook his head. "I don't have talent like yours. There's no point wasting time in the training program."
Disappointment flickered across Nonou's face.
"You need to study hard."
Natsuki reached out and patted her head. "If I ever get injured, I'll be counting on you."
"Mm!"
Nonou's expression brightened immediately. "I definitely won't let you get hurt!"
She recovered her spirits, stood up, and walked to Ishida Yu to receive an application form.
When she returned, Natsuki glanced at it.
The form was divided into two sections.
The top portion was for personal information.
The bottom detailed the program's conditions.
First: students would still attend the Ninja Academy's theory classes, such as the Will of Fire.
Second: all resources related to medical training would be covered by Konoha.
Third: after graduation, medical ninjas would receive priority assignment to elite squads.
Natsuki wasn't surprised.
Medical ninjas were simply too scarce.
The proposal he—or rather, Tsunade—had made about assigning a medical ninja to every squad was actually unrealistic.
Not just now. Even thirty years later, when Uzumaki Naruto's generation graduated, that goal still wouldn't be achieved.
Natsuki shifted his attention back to Ishida Yu.
Besides Yakushi Nonou, seven other students had applied.
Namikaze Minato and Onodera weren't among them.
Medical ninjas were important, yes—but kids preferred fighting over playing support.
Besides, applying didn't guarantee acceptance. Candidates also needed Yang Release aptitude.
The outcome was exactly as Natsuki predicted.
By the next day, only three students from Class 1-A had been accepted. The rest were rejected due to insufficient talent.
Winter passed. Spring arrived. Time flowed steadily onward.
At the end of February, Class 1-A faced their final exams—the year-end assessment.
The format had changed dramatically. Physical fitness tests, ninja tool throwing, and the Substitution Jutsu evaluation were all canceled.
In their place: actual combat.
The reasoning was simple. Combat encompassed everything—physical conditioning, weapon skills, and jutsu application. It was a comprehensive assessment.
[Congratulations, Host. You have unlocked Zoro Template Ability 3: One-Sword Style — Lion Strike.]
Natsuki exhaled with relief.
After more than half a year of grinding, he had finally mastered the D-Rank Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique.
"My talent really is terrible."
Natsuki shook his head ruefully.
If it were Hatake Kakashi, learning a D-Rank technique would probably take less than three days.
Fortunately, he had a cheat.
Learning ninjutsu the hard way was never meant to be his main path.
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