Absurd Illusionary Realm

"No, absolutely not!"

"But if she moves around during the surgery, affecting the procedure, it could lead to irreversible consequences!"

"Then, that's not okay either!"

"In that case, there's nothing we can do."

In the hallway, a middle-aged woman and several nurses were arguing heatedly.

"Can you tell me what's happening here?"

A cool voice came from the side. The nurses turned and let out joyful exclamations.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Hearing the nurses call out the name of the person who arrived, the middle-aged woman's aggressive stance faltered for a moment, but she quickly rushed forward without regard for anything else.

"Lady Tsunade, please, you must save my daughter!"

"Don't get agitated," Tsunade said, placating the woman as she asked the nurses, "What exactly is going on?"

"Well, it's like this, this lady's daughter needs surgery. But she's too young, and if we don't use 'anesthesia,' it might affect the procedure," a nurse said, looking at the little girl in the ward with a mixture of helplessness and pity.

Tsunade followed her gaze towards the adjacent ward. Inside, a little girl, about two or three years old, sat on a chair with teary eyes. Beside her, a slightly older boy was looking after and comforting her.

Without thinking too much, Tsunade said with a solemn expression, "If we can't find a way to restrain her body, proceeding with the surgery rashly would indeed be very dangerous!"

The nurse nodded, "We have that same concern, which is why we wanted to give her anesthesia."

The middle-aged woman on the side was furious, "You call that anesthesia? That's practically murder!"

The nurse looked embarrassed, "Actually, we have smaller doses..."

Seeing the woman's murderous glare, the nurse didn't continue.

"I could temporarily sever her pain receptors using a Chakra Scalpel, but she's still very young. It's hard to say if it would affect her future life," Tsunade mused seriously, then recalled Nonou's earlier suggestion, "Have you tried Illusion Arts?"

"We've already tried, but the little girl woke up very quickly," the nurse said helplessly. "Besides, the adults in the village who are skilled in Illusion Arts are all out on missions."

Tsunade shook her head slightly. She knew that the skilled Illusion Arts users the nurse mentioned likely didn't include that clan.

After all, that clan's arrogance was well-known, and coupled with their role in the Police Force, it made most people in the village keep their distance.

"The Uchiha Clan..." Tsunade hesitated. She didn't have much interaction with them, and her status as a "princess" of the Senju Clan might even trigger an allergic reaction from them.

Just then, a small figure standing at the doorway broke everyone's train of thought.

"Actually, Sister Anko can undergo surgery now."

"Soseki, you mean?" Nonou's eyes lit up. She knew better than anyone else what Soseki had been practicing and experimenting with over the past two months.

"He's Shimizu Soseki?" Tsunade finally realized that the little boy in the ward earlier wasn't the little girl's brother.

Soseki nodded his head, "I've already cast Illusion Arts on Sister Anko, so the surgery should be possible now."

Before anyone could question him, Nonou stepped into the ward first. Looking at the sweetly sleeping little girl, she carefully placed her right hand on her.

Soon, Nonou emerged with a pleased expression, "Lady Tsunade, please come and take a look."

Seeing this, the nurses couldn't help but have thoughts of disbelief flash through their minds, "Could it have actually worked? Even a Chunin can't do this!" (Author's Note: This isn't to say that Chunin-level Illusion Arts can't affect a little girl, but rather, as mentioned in the previous paragraphs, the little girl would wake up quickly. This is because most Illusion Arts are only intended to deceive the enemy for a few seconds to end a fight, and they don't typically focus on longevity. Also, the immersion level of Illusion Arts is another issue. Lastly, the Chunin mentioned here might not necessarily specialize in Illusion Arts, just like a math professor might not be able to solve a language problem, and the story that spreads is that even professors can't solve it.)

The middle-aged woman looked at Tsunade with full expectation, "Lady Tsunade..."

Tsunade walked into the ward and saw the little girl sleeping soundly, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "It has indeed succeeded, but we still need to test it further."

Saying that, Tsunade clenched her right fist suddenly.

Bang!

The explosive sound of air being crushed made everyone instinctively flinch. However, the little girl on the chair merely licked her lips, her breathing undisturbed.

"This level of immersion... did you construct a complete and realistic world?" Tsunade exclaimed, then looked at Soseki with a complex tone, "Perhaps, a Illusion Arts ninja would be a better fit for you."

"Whether it's Medical Ninjutsu or Illusion Arts, I will do my utmost to learn any technique that can help others!" Soseki clenched his fist like Tsunade, saying with firm conviction.

Then, he changed the subject, "However, this illusion doesn't really require much realism?"

"Why do you say that?" Tsunade asked with great interest.

"Because we're children. Children don't really care if the world is real or not," Soseki said as a matter of course.

Tsunade's expression slightly stiffened. It seemed to be true. For children, a whimsical and unrestrained world might be even more in line with their fantasies.

Soseki continued, "Also, I had a long talk with Sister Anko just now, and I know what she's longing for."

"Is it family or friends?" Tsunade asked softly.

Soseki shook his head, "No, actually Sister Anko's dream is very simple. She just wants to eat red bean soup again."

"Because sweets can make people happy, that's why I gave her that name," Anko's mother said, patting her slightly protruding waist with a hint of awkwardness. "It's just that after the war, the prices have become too high..."

"So, I deliberately designed an illusion for her where the whole world is red bean soup," Soseki spread his arms, as if earnestly painting that world of red bean soup.

"An illusion like that is truly difficult for you," Tsunade couldn't help but chuckle, then sighed, "But no one could have thought of such a simple illusion."

"You're truly remarkable, little one!"

Soseki said somewhat "shyly," "I just listen and understand more than others."

Tsunade murmured softly, as if asking, "Listen, understand?"

Soseki nodded vigorously, "Yes! I believe doctors shouldn't just treat physical pain. Mental suffering and confusion also need our guidance and comfort! And only by listening and understanding their true feelings can we find the most suitable treatment method for the patient."

"Learn to listen, learn to understand the patient's true feelings?" Tsunade was touched. For the first time, she looked at Soseki as an equal. "What makes him stronger than other Medical Ninja isn't just talent and effort, but more so, his attitude and responsibility as a doctor!"