Resurrection

"What? You said Sakumo was seriously wounded?" In the Hokage Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was startled by the news brought by the Anbu.

The Second Shinobi World War had only just ended. Hatake Sakumo had rendered outstanding service, and the name Konoha White Fang struck fear into the hearts of enemies. Although a previous mission failure had caused the village some losses, the Third Hokage had never intended to blame Hatake Sakumo. Yet some people were unwilling to let things rest and deliberately spread rumors, blowing a minor matter out of all proportion. By the time the Third Hokage learned of it, it was already too late. The matter itself was true, and issuing a gag order would only make it seem like they were trying to cover it up.

The Third Hokage had intended to wait until the villagers' emotions settled before stepping in to clarify things, but unexpectedly, three days ago, the companions Sakumo had saved also began accusing him. Just like that, the situation completely slipped beyond the Third Hokage's control.

The Third Hokage had originally been troubled by this matter when the Anbu brought news that Hatake Sakumo was critically injured and on the verge of death. The Third Hokage's fury was ignited. At this time, he was not the elderly man in his twilight years from the original story's sixtieth year of Konoha. The Third Hokage, at the height of his power, made the reporting Anbu ninja break out in a cold sweat with just a trace of his aura.

"How is Sakumo now?"

"Lord Hokage, Yamanaka Tohru and Hatake Junko are currently at Konoha Hospital."

"We're going to Konoha Hospital." Sarutobi Hiruzen suppressed the anger in his heart. Hatake Sakumo's life was what mattered now.

"Lord Hokage!"

"How is Sakumo?"

"Well... Lord Hokage, Lord White Fang has already passed away!"

"What?" The Third Hokage fell silent.

"Lord White Fang isn't dead yet! I can save him." Just as no one dared speak for fear of provoking the Third Hokage's wrath, they could afford to wait, but Hatake Sakumo could not. Of the twenty minutes of Ice Seal, five had already passed. He had to restore the heart's function within the remaining fifteen minutes.

"Impossible. Lord White Fang's heart was pierced, and he has no signs of life. His body has already gone cold. How can you save a dead man?"

"Lord Hokage, I can save Lord White Fang!"

"It's you! Yamanaka Tohru?" The Third Hokage clearly remembered Yamanaka Tohru reading books on Medical Ninjutsu in the library two months ago.

"Kid, don't mess around!" the Third Hokage said, looking at Yamanaka Tohru.

"I really can!" Yamanaka Tohru's eyes revealed unwavering confidence as he met the Third Hokage's gaze without fear.

"Yamanaka Tohru, can I trust you?" The confidence in Yamanaka Tohru's eyes moved the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, the Medical Ninjas in the hospital have all said that Lord White Fang is dead. This is already the worst possible outcome. How could things get any worse?"

"Junko, what do you say?" Yamanaka Tohru's words had moved the Third Hokage, but reason told him that Yamanaka Tohru was only a child who had studied Medical Ninjutsu for merely two months. The Third Hokage needed another voice to support Yamanaka Tohru.

"Lord Hokage, I believe him!" Junko did not think that much about it. The Medical Ninjas here all said her husband was dead, but Yamanaka Tohru alone said he could save him. Yamanaka Tohru was Junko's only hope.

"Fine! Yamanaka Tohru, I leave him to you! Don't let me down. Sakumo is a hero; he shouldn't die like this."

"Yes, Lord Hokage! Please give me a few Ration Pills. My chakra may not be enough to save Lord White Fang."

After accepting the Ration Pills given by the Third Hokage, Yamanaka Tohru entered the operating room with several nurses.

Konoha Hospital was quite efficient. Once the preparations for surgery were complete, twelve minutes remained on the Ice Seal. Yamanaka Tohru had to restore the heart's function within those twelve minutes.

Outside the operating room, the Third Hokage comforted Hatake Junko. Everything now depended on Yamanaka Tohru.

Standing on a small stool, Yamanaka Tohru felt more than half his chakra restored by one Ration Pill. With five years of surgical experience from his previous life, he was not nervous in the slightest in a situation like this.

Yamanaka Tohru used the Chakra Scalpel to cut open the flesh around Hatake Sakumo's heart, then used the [Mystical Palm Technique] directly to repair Hatake Sakumo's heart. Without flesh obstructing it, the Mystical Palm Technique's effect was greatly enhanced. Once the heart had been repaired, Yamanaka Tohru used the [Mystical Palm Technique] to heal Hatake Sakumo's external injuries as well.

Ox—Rabbit—Monkey—Chidori! Yamanaka Tohru had never trained in Chidori, so it was impossible for him to use the real thing. Nor did he need the complete version. Once the hand seals were finished, faint sparks of electricity began to dance in his left hand.

Although Hatake Sakumo's heart had been repaired, it had not resumed beating. Following the method of electrical stimulation from his previous life, Yamanaka Tohru shocked the heart to make it beat again. Under repeated pulses of electricity, Hatake Sakumo's heart slowly began to beat.

The ice melted away, and as Hatake Sakumo's heart resumed functioning, his bodily functions gradually recovered.

In twelve minutes, Yamanaka Tohru successfully pulled Hatake Sakumo back from the brink of death.

Seeing Hatake Sakumo breathing steadily, Yamanaka Tohru finally relaxed. Once his taut nerves loosened, his vision went black, and he fainted.

The operating room doors opened, and Hatake Sakumo was wheeled out by the nurses.

"How is Sakumo?"

"Lord Hokage, Lord White Fang is fine! That lord's medical skills are incredible."

Hatake Junko wept tears of joy. The Third Hokage also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that White Fang was safe.

"Wait, where is Yamanaka Tohru?" Hatake Sakumo had been wheeled out, yet Yamanaka Tohru was nowhere to be seen. Today's performance had proved his value. In the Third Hokage's eyes, someone capable of bringing the dead back to life was a Medical Ninja no less outstanding than Tsunade.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade had developed hemophobia after the deaths of her younger brother and her lover, Dan Katō. Tsunade had left Konoha with Dan Katō's niece. Her ordeal had caused the Third Hokage immense grief, and he had also lamented Konoha's loss of its finest Medical Ninja.

Yamanaka Tohru's performance today allowed the Third Hokage to see the rise of another "Tsunade."

"That lord exhausted himself too much and fainted!" Yamanaka Tohru's performance had made the three nurses see him in a new light.

"Mm, that's good!" The Third Hokage was completely reassured. Both Hatake Sakumo and Yamanaka Tohru were fine. Better still, a blessing had come out of this misfortune—the Third Hokage had discovered a Medical Ninja capable of replacing Tsunade.

"Um, Lord Hokage!"

"Junko, what is it?"

"Lord Hokage, an Anbu ninja was killed by Sakumo at my home earlier." Junko instinctively assumed the Masked Ninja's death had been Hatake Sakumo's doing.

The Anbu of this world were completely different from how they had been portrayed in the anime from Yamanaka Tohru's previous life. Anbu ninja possessed at least the strength of a Chunin.

Yamanaka Tohru had only managed to kill the Masked Ninja through sheer luck. His disguise had been too convincing, and the Masked Ninja had failed to notice his Chakra Scalpel. After Yamanaka Tohru severed the meridians in his legs, coupled with the bizarre nature of his Ice Release Teleportation, the Masked Ninja had been killed so easily.

"Hmm?" The Third Hokage knew perfectly well that none of the Anbu under his command had gone to the Hatake Family home. That left only Danzo's Root.

"Junko, don't worry. I'll have the Anbu handle it."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"

"Junko, don't keep this old man company. Go be with Sakumo!"

"Then, Lord Hokage, I'll be leaving." Hatake Junko had been worried about Sakumo all along. After bidding the Third Hokage farewell, she hurried away.

"Go dispose of the Root ninja's corpse. Danzo has stretched his hand too far."

"Yes." The ninja in the shadows answered, then fell silent once more.

"Danzo, don't disappoint this old man!"

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