Research Makes Me Happy

"You're a kid from the Nara Clan, aren't you? Your bandaging skills are pretty good!"

Tsunade praised the bashful Shikaku, then thanked Inoichi and Choza before beginning to treat Nawaki's injuries.

A special Chakra glow lit up her hands as Tsunade swiftly healed Nawaki's burns and wounds from the explosion's impact.

"How amazing!"

The four boys watched Tsunade perform the technique in awe. Nawaki was clearly fairly used to receiving this kind of treatment. His expression occasionally turned strange, probably because the healing wounds were itching.

Most people would probably have made strange noises by now.

"This is the Mystical Palm Technique of Medical Ninjutsu. It activates the cells in a wound, speeding up healing. It can even help maintain your skin!"

Tsunade smiled at the four wide-eyed boys.

"Satoru, are you hurt? Do you need treatment?"

"Uh... I don't think so. Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

Before Satoru had even finished speaking, Tsunade pinched Nawaki's freshly pale cheek and complained.

"You didn't even get hurt? Nawaki, you're way too pathetic!"

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Nawaki surrendered before her immense strength. Tsunade considered for a moment, then turned back to Satoru.

"Satoru, you learned several new techniques so quickly. Especially the Food Creation Technique and Water Creation Technique—you can actually alter their flavors through Chakra stimulation. That's truly eye-opening!"

"It seems you're especially skilled at precise Chakra control. Are you interested in trying to learn Medical Ninjutsu?"

To learn Medical Ninjutsu, one had to possess Yang Release Chakra, whether innate or acquired through later training.

But precise Chakra control was often a matter of talent.

It could be strengthened through practice, but the greater one's talent, the higher one's eventual achievements would naturally be.

"Well..."

Satoru blinked. He had not expected Tsunade to make him such an offer.

Honestly, saying he was not tempted by Medical Ninjutsu would have been a lie.

Powerful Medical Ninjutsu was welcomed by every ninja, and it also offered a relative chance to stay away from the battlefield.

But with a great war looming, if he spent more effort learning Medical Ninjutsu now, his interpretation of The Book of Medivh and study of arcane knowledge would likely be delayed.

At the end of the day, Satoru's foundation was Arcane Power. Only by gaining greater control over Arcane Power could he become stronger.

Avoiding the battlefield was not a solution. What Satoru lacked most was actual combat experience. If he did not accumulate experience while he was still weak, things would become even harder later.

If he distracted himself by studying Medical Ninjutsu now, the losses would outweigh the gains.

As for staying home like a dog and not going to the battlefield?

Even the Hokage's son could not manage that!

Of course, most importantly, if he agreed to Tsunade's offer, he would undoubtedly place himself under her watchful eye.

That would make many of his secrets difficult to hide.

"Actually, I've been afraid of injections since I was little."

Satoru blinked and put on an expression of lingering fear.

"Taking medicine is fine, but syringes, IV drips, scalpels, surgical scissors, sutures, hemostats, and things like that give me an inexplicable sense of terror!"

"If I'm forced to deal with them, I might faint... So although I really want to learn Medical Ninjutsu, I guess I just don't have the ability!"

"..."

The other five people present all stared at Satoru speechlessly.

A ninja who was afraid of doctors?!

Were you kidding them?

Still...

"Ahem... Satoru used to be afraid of heights too. He only got over it recently. Do all shut-ins have this many weird problems?"

Shikaku could not help ruthlessly mocking him. Over this period of time, he had gained a deep understanding of just how much of a shut-in Satoru was.

Satoru shot Shikaku an unruffled glare. The latter sheepishly shut his mouth, though he soon fell into thought.

"Afraid of doctors..."

Tsunade covered her forehead with a helpless smile. It was not as though she had never heard of such strange conditions.

But at most, children were afraid of injections. Yet this guy in front of her...

Wait!

"It's normal enough for such a young child to know about syringes and IV drips, but he knows all those professional surgical instruments afterward too, and he's afraid of them..."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips.

"This brat has a problem!"

Seeing Satoru first freeze at her expression, then grow somewhat awkward, and finally put on a shameless look that said, "That's just how I am," Tsunade could not help laughing.

"You little brat, acting so shameless at such a young age—be careful, or you'll end up like Jiraiya and never find a girlfriend!"

"Tch... How could a woman be allowed to disrupt a shut-in's happiness..."

Satoru muttered softly, "Research makes me happy. Women only affect the progress of my research..."

Tsunade looked speechlessly at Satoru's quiet muttering, then turned to the other four children, who were wearing obedient expressions.

"I feel like you aren't children of the same age group."

"We think so too!"

The four boys nodded in perfect unison.

"Aren't you quite close with Nonō? Does she affect the progress of your research?"

Choza, apparently unafraid of death, seemed determined to delve deeper into this topic. As a former chubby kid who had slimmed down and become much more confident, he truly could not understand Satoru's viewpoint.

Girls were so cute. How could he be so heartless?

"Satoru, you can't be like this. I worked so hard to become popular, and I finally—"

Deformation Technique: Pig!

"Oink~!"

Shikaku, Inoichi, and Nawaki covered their mouths with both hands in horror and retreated again and again—

Especially Nawaki, who had just experienced the Deformation Technique himself. Looking at the pink piglet wandering around in circles on the ground in confusion, he actually began to feel a little happier.

"Big Sis, I think sheep are much better!"

"This..."

Tsunade nodded solemnly.

"The humiliation factor is extremely high..."

Inoichi, however, wore an eager expression. "Damn... I really want to learn that..."

"It's simply torture... No, it's an excellent ninjutsu for dealing enemies a painless mental blow!"

"How incredible!"

Tsunade came to her senses and suddenly thought of someone.

"Well, Satoru, I happen to know a friend who loves research very much. I'll introduce him to you another day!"

Tsunade revealed a mysterious smile that made Satoru shiver.

A friend? Someone who loved research? Who?

No way...

Satoru hurriedly tried to wave the offer away.

"Um, Lady Tsunade, there's no need to trouble yourself—"

"It's no trouble at all!"

A meaningful smile spread across Tsunade's face. She raised her right fist and waved it before Satoru, satisfied to see his little face turn even paler.

"My friend will definitely be 'very happy' to meet a young man like you who also loves research!"

Tsunade emphasized the words "very happy."

"I'd bet that you'll definitely like him!"

"I..."

As Satoru silently complained in his heart, Who's the big fat sheep who always loses every bet?, he watched Tsunade call Nawaki over and bid farewell to the four of them, his expression conflicted.

"This is trouble..."

"Satoru, the person Lady Tsunade knows, couldn't it be..."

Shikaku stepped forward thoughtfully and whispered.

"Is that person troublesome?"

"Yeah..."

Satoru sighed, his face full of worry.

"Who else could it be? Of course it's Lord Orochimaru..."

"Being noticed by him has me scared out of my mind!"