Qingguang picked up a fallen leaf from the ground.
"Do you know how wind-style chakra cuts a dead leaf differently from a fresh one?"
Minato frowned and shook his head slightly.
"Dead leaves contain less moisture. They're more brittle and easier to cut."
"But if you don't concentrate enough chakra, you won't cut it—you'll blast it apart with chakra."
"Use less chakra and focus it more, then keep practicing. That's enough for today. It's getting late, and you have school tomorrow."
Minato lowered his head and thought it over. Some of it sounded familiar, as if he'd read it in a scroll.
He'd read it during his breaks and remembered it, but he hadn't really understood. Qingguang's explanation suddenly made everything click.
"Yes, senpai!"
After Minato left, Qingguang used chakra to gather the leaves from the ground and send them into the trash can, then headed to Tsunade's home.
"Hey, big sis, I'm here. Where are Nawaki and Kushina?"
Tsunade sat alone at the living room table, wearing only a sleeveless shirt. Her fair, delicate arms rested on the tabletop as she swirled her wrist and rolled a wineglass between her fingers.
"Nawaki went on a mission. That girl Kushina had too much fun with Mikoto today and fell asleep as soon as she got back."
"Take a look. Do you think Teacher Sarutobi will approve my reforms?" Tsunade tapped the document in front of her with a bright red fingernail.
It was the Medical Ninja reform proposal she had put together over the past few months after conducting field research.
It had three core principles.
First: Medical Ninjas must never give up treatment while the injured person was still alive.
Second: Medical Ninjas must never charge into the front lines of battle.
Third: Medical Ninjas must never die before any other member of their squad.
These three principles were straightforward and would be essential requirements for all Medical Ninjas to follow. The rest of the proposal laid out detailed plans for training Medical Ninjas, gathering medicine, and other related matters.
After looking it over, Qingguang met Tsunade's expectant gaze and gave her a strained smile.
"Big sis, there's nothing wrong with the plan, but it might not be possible to put it into practice."
"Why do you say that?" Tsunade stopped swirling her glass and looked puzzled.
"It's simple. There's no money."
Some of the wine spilled onto the table.
Tsunade felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She had considered every relevant aspect, but had forgotten to think about money.
"Even if it's difficult, we still have to put this plan into practice."
"Once it succeeds, every squad will have a Medical Ninja, which will greatly reduce the number of shinobi the village loses."
"Most shinobi who die in battle do so because they don't receive treatment in time. You can't put a price on life."
Tsunade's expression was grave, and she spoke with utmost seriousness.
Qingguang agreed with her wholeheartedly.
"Big sis, you're right."
"Today, I was helping a civilian kid train. His name is Minato Namikaze."
"Minato? The girl-like classmate Kushina told me about?" Tsunade didn't understand why Qingguang had suddenly brought him up.
What did he have to do with what they were discussing?
"This morning, he ate more than ten drawers' worth of buns in one sitting. While he was training, I found time to visit where he lives."
"It's a tiny wooden shack, barely a few square meters, on the very edge of the village. It doesn't even have electricity, and there are only a few thin sets of clothes in the wardrobe."
"His parents both died on missions."
"They were heroes of the village. But Minato and I are both children of heroes. I have my clan to look after me, and Lord Hokage even personally found a shinobi to tutor me..."
Qingguang went on at length, while Tsunade's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.
His words made her feel worse with every passing moment, and all she could do was drink one glass after another.
"Big sis, I've realized something lately. Sometimes, even a thorough, well-crafted plan isn't enough, because people have to carry it out."
"And people have selfish motives. Just like Dan—" Qingguang remembered what Orochimaru had told him, and his expression turned bitter.
"Dan? Danzo?" Tsunade asked, puzzled again.
"It's nothing. I got distracted."
"Let's get back to the Medical Ninja reforms."
"I suggest we present the plan, but not rush to implement it. You know the village's current situation. We should start small so people can accept the changes."
"As for the other proposals, we may have to wait until the war is over before we can put them into practice."
Qingguang's reasoning was sound. Although he was suggesting they slow down the reforms, he was still helping them move forward.
"sigh... You're right, but I still want to give it a try."
"If a few more arguments and a few more drinks can save more lives, then it's worth it."
Tsunade drained the rest of the wine from the bottle in one gulp.
By then, Qingguang understood how determined Tsunade was. He left not long afterward.
Tsunade was left alone at the table, thinking over what Qingguang had said.
Her hands clenched into fists, and the anger she'd been hiding rose to her face.
After taking over the Medical Department, she had found countless signs of tampering in its accounts.
On paper, everything looked fine. But behind the scenes, far too many people were pulling strings.
At first, she thought this sort of thing only happened in the Medical Department. But after hearing Qingguang's words, she realized the truth.
It wasn't just the Medical Department. The entire village was at it, and it all led back to one person.
The Hokage, who stood above all others in Konoha—her teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
She was beginning to understand why Qingguang had brought up money.
Because the Hokage used profit—and the interests of the entire village—to bind every Ninja Clan in Konoha together.
His methods were different from those of her grandfather, Hashirama, and her granduncle Tobirama.
She was furious, but at the same time, she felt helpless. It seemed that there was no way she could stand against such a behemoth on her own.
"Heh. I suppose I'll have to start small, just like Qingguang said..."
With a long sigh, Tsunade leaned back.
Of all the things in the proposal, the Ninja Academy reforms would be the easiest to put into practice. They wouldn't cost much.
The Ninja Academy...
"The Ninja Academy!?"
Tsunade suddenly sat upright, as if she'd realized something.
"Qingguang is telling me to... cultivate shinobi who belong to my own faction. Is he trying to make me Hokage someday?"
Only then did she realize why Qingguang had mentioned tutoring Minato and brought up so many things she'd thought were unrelated.
All those scattered threads had come together, pointing the way forward.
It might be incredibly difficult. The path would be full of thorns, and she'd have to make enemies of many people...
"I knew you had a sharp mind, kid. I wasn't wrong about you, after all."
"So what if it's difficult? Medical Ninjutsu is hard, too, and I learned it. This won't beat me..."
Tsunade rose and pushed open the window. The full moon outside shone brilliantly.
On the road, Qingguang was looking up at the same full moon.
"I wonder if big sis understood what I was hinting at..."
Before you continue