Princess Tsunade, the "talk-only healing master"

The afternoon practical session did not actually have the students perform treatment. It was merely a test of chakra control.

They had to wrap water in chakra, lift it, and keep it suspended for three minutes to pass.

Aoba walked over to the basin, blue chakra glowing in his palm as he easily "grabbed" a ball of water.

However, while everyone else's water balls were only palm-sized, Aoba's was as large as a basketball, leaving those around him stunned.

A young ninja in a chunin flak jacket, responsible for proctoring the exam, held a stopwatch in his hand. Even he could not help showing a flicker of surprise at the water ball in Aoba's hand.

Excellent chakra control.

"Pass."

"Thank you!"

Splash!

Aoba lowered the water ball back into the basin.

There was no need to wait for the results. They knew on the spot whether they had passed.

Those who failed to lift the water were one thing, but those whose water balls burst after being raised instantly broke down. Quite a few burst into tears on the spot.

The next day.

The theoretical exam results were posted on the bulletin board.

Yamashiro Aoba's name stood proudly at the top.

Shizune was in second place.

Nohara Rin ranked seventh.

"Yay!" x2

The two happily high-fived each other.

They both thanked Aoba at the same time. They each knew perfectly well that if Aoba had not marked out the likely test topics for them before the exam, they probably would not have scored so well.

Kurenai also stubbornly squeezed over and stared for a long time before confirming that her name was not on the list.

Her little face instantly fell, and she clenched her fists in anger before running off to beat up Obito.

The Experimental Class was also scheduled to hold lessons in the afternoon.

At first, Aoba found it strange. Morning was when people had the most energy, their minds were most alert, and their ability to think was at its best.

The Ninja Academy's schedule was also theory in the morning and practical activities in the afternoon. There was no way the instructor would not know that!

It was not until he saw the Experimental Class's teacher that he understood. It was Princess Tsunade, one of Konohagakure's Sannin.

When Tsunade appeared at the classroom door, the entire classroom erupted.

At this time, Tsunade had not yet begun wearing the outfit with the character for "gamble" on it. She wore only a tea-green long coat over a loose sleeveless top. Her chest was nowhere near as exaggerated as in the anime yet, but it was already quite substantial.

She was far more beautiful in person than in the anime. However, her bright and captivating face carried a trace of indifference and weariness.

The girls in the classroom practically had stars in their eyes.

Tsunade was not only a powerful Sannin, but also the idol of every girl aspiring to become a medical ninja.

Who knew how many people here had chosen to become medical ninjas because of Tsunade?

"Lady Tsunade!"

"Lady Tsunade is really going to teach us herself!"

Nohara Rin was so excited that her little face flushed red. Both hands tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, and she stared without blinking at the figure on the podium.

Aoba was fairly tall, and as a boy, he was too embarrassed to compete with the girls for seats, so he sat directly in the back row.

He first glanced at Rin, then at Shizune.

The former was more excited, while the latter was much calmer, just as Aoba had guessed.

Shizune had probably already been living with Tsunade by now.

Officially, it was to care for her deceased lover's niece, but who was really taking care of whom was another matter.

As for why lessons were held in the afternoon, it was probably because Tsunade could not get up in the morning.

Behind his sunglasses, he studied this legendary figure.

Tsunade had yet to develop the uninhibited, gambling-obsessed personality she would have in the future. The Tsunade before him had an indescribable sorrow lingering between her brows, as if she were shrouded beneath thick clouds.

Aoba understood. Tsunade had yet to emerge from the grief of losing her loved ones.

Thinking about it, that made sense. At Tsunade's current level, she could be called the foremost medical ninja in the Shinobi World.

She was clearly the Shinobi World's greatest healer, yet she could not save her own family. Her lover had even died right before her eyes.

This was undoubtedly the greatest irony behind her title as the Shinobi World's strongest medical ninja. Hemophobia was only the surface of it; the true cause was her doubt in her own medical skill!

Aoba guessed that Tsunade was probably already planning to leave Konohagakure, this place of sorrow.

Perhaps teaching the Experimental Class this time was the last contribution she would make to the village before leaving, hoping to train a group of medical ninjas who could replace her for Konohagakure.

"From today onward, I will guide you in learning medical ninjutsu."

Tsunade's voice was cool and carried little emotion, but the invisible authority within it silenced the noisy classroom instantly.

She did not say anything inspiring. She merely placed several thick scrolls on the podium, her gaze sweeping across every student present.

"Being a medical ninja is not an easy profession. Since you came here, do not expect to coast through your days."

Her voice was calm to the point of cruelty. "This place will not teach you how to kill. It will only teach you how to snatch people from the hands of the Death God, because what you will face in the future is blood! Death! If you do not want your comrades to groan in agony before you while you can only despair in helplessness—

"Then from now on, study seriously. If anyone dares to lose focus in my class, I'll beat him into a cripple!"

The classroom was silent. No one moved.

Aoba sharply inhaled, because he knew Tsunade was not joking.

"If anyone wants to withdraw now, there is still time."

Seeing that no one spoke, Tsunade took it as their agreement.

She then nodded and began explaining the practical manipulation of chakra in medical ninjutsu.

Her teaching style was completely different from Yamanaka Hana's. Rather than reciting from textbooks, she combined her lessons with the cruelest injuries encountered on the battlefield, as well as how to treat and handle them under extreme conditions.

These were invaluable experiences that could not be learned from books.

As he listened, he rapidly simulated the situations in his mind, recording, analyzing, and categorizing every detail and every treatment method Tsunade described.

After all, Tsunade was only a "talk-only healing master" right now. She could only explain cases through words and diagrams on the blackboard.

Even so, it made everyone's hearts pound in terror.

Quite a few girls turned pale and began showing signs of physical discomfort.

Aoba had thought the days would pass like this, amid dull yet fulfilling study.

However, the village's peaceful atmosphere was quietly shattered.

At first, there were only scattered, suppressed murmurs spreading quietly through street corners and alleyways.

"Hey, did you hear? About Lord White Fang..."

"Shh! Keep it down! They say... the mission failed..."

"How is that possible? That's Lord White Fang!"

"I heard... he gave up the mission to save his comrades..."

"How could he abandon the mission? What about the village's losses?"

At first, they were only scattered whispers, but the rumors quickly spread like a plague.

Those fanatical, blind, malicious accusations spread like a virus.

Even the comrades he had saved stepped forward to condemn him.

As Aoba walked through the streets, he could clearly feel the change in the way people looked around him.

His face remained expressionless, but his gaze behind the sunglasses darkened.

It had begun...