Still No Shadow Clone Jutsu

"We failed."

Watching Shirozumi disappear around the corner, Naruto and Konohamaru dispelled their Transformation Jutsu. The two leaned against each other dejectedly.

"At least there's a consolation prize. Konohamaru, come on, I'll treat you to ramen."

Naruto's mood brightened as he looked at the money in his hand.

"Never mind, Brother Naruto, I have to go home for dinner."

Konohamaru, however, wasn't happy at all.

After all, he already received a generous allowance, so he didn't care about the small amount Kurotsuchi had given them.

After parting ways with Konohamaru, Naruto, holding the money, prepared to go to Ichiraku Ramen to reward himself with a deluxe bowl.

Halfway there, he was stopped.

"Young man, your ninjutsu just now showed me your exceptional talent..."

"Who are you?"

Naruto, his mind full of ramen, looked unhappily at the person who had stopped him.

"Good question. I am the legendary Sannin, the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku—"

Shirozumi didn't know about Naruto and Jiraiya's early encounter.

Of course, he wouldn't have cared even if he had known.

He and Konan had come to Konoha with only two main objectives.

One was to recruit Orochimaru back into the organization.

The other was to acquire some of Konoha's "resources."

Besides that, it was about allies. Kurotsuchi and Mei Terumi needed to use the Chunin Exams for some training.

Kurotsuchi brought Shirozumi and Mei Terumi to her residence.

As Kage, both Kurotsuchi and Mei Terumi naturally received top-tier arrangements.

Once inside, Kurotsuchi began to undress.

After removing her outer layers and leaving only an inner garment, Kurotsuchi took a bottle from her pocket and threw it to Shirozumi.

"You really want me to apply it?"

Shirozumi took the bottle and opened it, releasing a herbal scent.

"Oh, right. I remembered you know Medical Ninjutsu. Go ahead then."

Kurotsuchi misunderstood and took back the medicine bottle. She sat down on the table, presenting her back to Shirozumi.

"Medical Ninjutsu?"

Mei Terumi looked at Shirozumi in surprise.

She hadn't seen Shirozumi in action before. Hearing Kurotsuchi say that now, she wondered if Shirozumi was a medical ninja.

"Yeah, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki's skin was burned by Tailed Beast Chakra at the time, and he healed it with just a touch. His level of Medical Ninjutsu is far superior to even the strongest medical ninja in our Iwagakure."

After explaining to Mei Terumi, Kurotsuchi turned back to Shirozumi, looking puzzled. "What's wrong? Why aren't you moving?"

"I don't think I ever said I was a medical ninja?"

Shirozumi smiled helplessly, took the medicine bottle back from Kurotsuchi, poured some ointment into his palm, and patted Kurotsuchi's waist before starting to apply it.

"Ah!"

Kurotsuchi trembled slightly when Shirozumi patted her, but she didn't mind his actions. Instead, she asked strangely, "You're not a medical ninja? Then how did you treat the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki back then?"

"I just repaired Fū's body. If I had been present when you were injured, I could have restored you immediately, but not now."

Shirozumi explained as he finished applying the medicine to Kurotsuchi and then held out his hand.

"What?"

Kurotsuchi was still pondering the meaning of "repair" when she saw Shirozumi's gesture and didn't react immediately.

"New clean gauze and bandages, didn't you bring any with you?"

"Oh, oh, yes, they're over there. Mizukage, could you help me get them?"

Kurotsuchi pointed to a small bag she had tossed in the corner of the table. She stretched out her hand but couldn't reach it, so she had to ask Mei Terumi for help.

Mei Terumi got up, walked over, picked up the small bag, and handed it to Shirozumi.

After Shirozumi finished bandaging Kurotsuchi, she put her clothes back on and patted her waist. "This should be the last dressing change. It's almost healed."

After saying that, Kurotsuchi sighed again. "I wish our Iwagakure had a medical ninja like Tsunade."

Tsunade, as the pinnacle of medical ninja in the Ninja World, not only possessed powerful support abilities but, more importantly, was a source of inheritance and knowledge. The ninjutsu in Medical Ninjutsu that could be named were all quite difficult.

The Mystical Palm Technique is an A-rank Ninjutsu that requires precise Chakra control, with a learning difficulty on par with the Rasengan.

The other type, which simply makes the hands glow green, used by ordinary medical teams, can only serve auxiliary purposes like stopping bleeding or keeping someone alive.

If medical ninjas could directly heal like healers in online games, major Ninja Villages wouldn't have hospitals.

For injuries like those sustained by Kurotsuchi and Mei Terumi, even after treatment by medical ninjas, other methods were still needed to aid recovery.

"That reminds me, what if we established an advanced ninja research academy?"

Shirozumi said, stroking his chin.

"Advanced? Academy?"

Mei Terumi and Kurotsuchi exchanged glances.

Before, they would have certainly questioned the feasibility of Shirozumi's idea.

But now, they had both been... educated by Shirozumi.

The Ninja Village system, the Ninja Academy system – they learned these from Konoha, so why couldn't they proactively propose new systems for Konoha to learn from?

Just like the current unified military and political system they implemented, Kumogakure was learning from it, and Konoha, if it didn't want to be left behind by the times, would eventually have to change.

"Tell me more," Mei Terumi said expectantly, looking at Shirozumi. At the same time, she loosened her clothes, revealing the bandages wrapped from her shoulder to her back. She took out a box of ointment and gestured for Shirozumi to apply it for her while he explained.

Shirozumi unwrapped Mei Terumi's bandages and gauze, applying ointment as he explained:

"The current ninja academies, frankly, are meant to give children who know nothing the most basic ninja qualities, raising the ceiling for Genin, but only for Genin.

The advanced academy I envision is to raise the ceiling for Jonin, or rather, for geniuses.

After leaving the ninja academy, Genin who want to improve their strength either train themselves, rely on guidance from their Jonin leader, or get lucky and find another teacher.

If they're unlucky, they can only keep learning the basics.

There's a saying: 'A thousand-mile horse is common, but a Bole is rare.'

A Genin with medical ninja talent who follows a Jonin specializing in Fire Style will, barring accidents, have their talent buried for a considerable time.

Of course, their talent will eventually show.

But by the Jonin stage, they'll get stuck again.

Like Kurotsuchi just said, there are things at this stage that no one can teach.

So, let's consider another idea.

What if we could invite Tsunade to be a lecturer for medical ninjas?

We don't need her to treat these students as disciples and impart all her knowledge; even if she seriously teaches some knowledge, wouldn't that be better than the situations I described above?

Whether it's a young genius whose talent is buried, or a Jonin whose strength hasn't improved for a long time."

After finishing his explanation, Shirozumi had already re-bandaged Mei Terumi and even pulled her clothes back up for her.

"There's no problem between us; it's essentially an expansion of the 'Inter-mutual Alliance.' Besides mutual help in economic development, we're adding mutual help in Ninjutsu exchange.

But what about Land of Fire's Konoha? They haven't joined us. Would Tsunade, whom you mentioned, choose to impart her knowledge to us enemies?"

Mei Terumi raised the crucial question.