Outside the operating room of Konoha Hospital.
Hyuga Yu had changed into a white surgical gown and stood before the sink. Water ran through his fingers, but his mind was elsewhere.
His right eyelid was still twitching.
It had twitched all the way from Black Tower to here, leaving him restless and irritated.
"Yu, are you all right?"
Hospital Director Baishi's voice came from behind him, gentle but tinged with concern.
Hyuga Yu turned off the tap, shook his hands dry, and turned around with his usual calm expression already restored. "I'm fine, Teacher Baishi. How is Nohara Rin?"
"She's ready." Baishi nodded and looked toward the operating table. "The Three-Tails chakra you cleared from her before has regenerated. This time, it's even more violent. If we don't deal with it now, I'm afraid..."
He did not finish, but the meaning was clear.
Hyuga Yu nodded and pushed open the operating room door.
The operating room was not large. Under the shadowless lamp, Nohara Rin lay quietly on a specially made operating table, her severely twisted and deformed body resembling a mountain of flesh and bone. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was steady—it looked like she had already been anesthetized.
Her complexion was far paler than it had been a week ago, and traces of cold sweat still remained on her forehead.
Hyuga Yu walked to the operating table, followed by the Medical Ninjas participating in the operation. Baishi, Matsumoto, and Furobuki, three senior hospital officials, served as first assistant, second assistant, and anesthetist respectively. Beyond the wall, a group of attending physicians from various departments had gathered before the live surgical field monitors to observe and learn; they were the future young leadership of the Konoha Medical Unit. In the observation room beyond the glass curtain wall