Do You Have Many Questions, Little One?

The next day, Aoba walked into the Experimental Class with a yawn.

"Good afternoon, Aoba-kun."

"Oh, hi, Rin."

After greeting her, Aoba slumped onto his desk.

"Aoba-kun, you look terrible."

Rin leaned closer and asked worriedly, "Are you sick?"

"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night."

Aoba waved a hand, his eyes beneath the sunglasses bloodshot.

It was not enough to simply scan the information into the Chip. The Chip system would summarize and organize it, then allow the user to learn and master it in simulated scenarios.

Aoba had wondered how effective the auxiliary Chip would be for learning Medical Ninjutsu. He had gotten so absorbed that he did not actually go to sleep until two or three in the morning.

"I have some medicine to wake you up. Want to try it?"

Shizune took out a small medicine bottle. As if trying to make it sound more credible, she explained, "This came from Konoha Hospital. Well, you know how some surgeries can last more than ten hours, or even longer. Those doctors take some of this to stay alert."

Shizune spouted nonsense with a straight face, though she could not think of a better excuse.

Konoha Hospital did have this medicine, but there was very little of it. It was not something people could casually take.

It used quite a few expensive medicinal ingredients and had been specially formulated by Tsunade for herself.

After all, she got drunk every other day. If she suddenly needed to perform surgery herself, this medicine could quickly sober her up and restore her condition.

However, ever since Tsunade developed Hemophobia, she had never been able to return to the operating table. There had been no chance to use the medicine again.

Still, Shizune kept some on hand as usual, just in case she needed it one day.

As for its sobering effect, it also worked as a stimulant because Shizune had taken it herself.

The effects were truly excellent.

"Sure, I'll give it a try."

He had guessed that Tsunade had probably formulated the medicine herself. He happened to be planning to improve the flavor of Military Ration Pills, so he could use it as a reference.

Shizune poured out two pills and handed them to Aoba. Without a second thought, he swallowed them in one gulp.

"System, analyze the medicine's ingredients."

[Received. Beginning component analysis.]

Very quickly, the system displayed a long list of medicinal ingredients and proportions. There were also several blank spaces and question marks.

Those were things missing from the Chip Database.

That was why Aoba had been so eager to get to the Archives Room at the hospital.

But honestly, the medicine really was good. In less than a few minutes, Aoba felt much better and no longer so sleepy.

Then the classroom door was kicked open with a bang.

Tsunade strode inside. Today, she wore a teal kimono with a wide sash around her waist, and her impressive chest heaved sharply with every step.

Aoba's lips twitched. That can still get bigger afterward? Would anyone believe it?

Tsunade shot him a glare, and Aoba immediately sat up straight.

"We've studied theory for a while now. Starting today, we'll begin practical training."

At the words "practical training," quite a few students' faces darkened.

The shadow cast by their last practical session had simply been too great.

"Go catch a live fish."

Tsunade gestured.

"A fish?"

Aoba froze for a moment, then immediately realized what Tsunade intended to do.

He nodded at once and vanished from the spot with Body Flicker.

Tsunade raised her brows in surprise.

"Oh, not bad. That was a very clean Body Flicker."

She had not expected this brat to have such talent in ninjutsu aside from medicine.

Very soon, Aoba returned to the classroom carrying a grass carp weighing seven or eight pounds.

Tsunade lightly flicked the fish's head. The grass carp, which had been thrashing around moments earlier, instantly went still.

"All right, now save this fish."

???

Aoba said, "Wait, me?"

"Obviously. If not you, then me?"

"O-Okay."

Wait, he had only demonstrated Medical Ninjutsu at Konoha Hospital yesterday. Tsunade already knew about it today?

Yumiko?

No, it was Teacher Ueno!

Aoba felt as though he had fallen into a massive trap, with countless threads slowly winding around him.

Aoba took a deep breath and picked up the fish.

"That's incredible."

Her control over the force was simply perfect. According to the Chip's analysis, the fish was not completely dead. It was in something like a game's critical-health state, the kind where it would completely kick the bucket in a few more minutes.

This was a classic beginner exercise for medical ninja.

After Sakura became Tsunade's apprentice in the original story, the first thing she practiced was treating fish.

Aoba took out a scroll from his ninja tool pouch and spread it open. It was covered in Cursed Seals.

They had been written with ink mixed from chakra-infused blood and were auxiliary Cursed Seals specially used for healing with Medical Ninjutsu.

Tsunade merely glanced at it and nodded inwardly. The auxiliary Cursed Seals were drawn quite well. Interesting.

Aoba placed the fish on the blank area in the center of the scroll. Green chakra light then glowed in his palms.

"Wow!"

"Aoba is amazing!"

When they saw green light glowing from Aoba's hands, the surrounding students cried out in surprise.

After studying theory for so long, how could they not know what that represented?

From this point on, Aoba could be considered a medical ninja.

While the classroom buzzed with excitement, Tsunade quietly sensed the chakra in Aoba's hands.

His chakra was very stable. He could manage even without the auxiliary Cursed Seals.

"This little brat has been hiding it well."

Tsunade's eyes were sharp. With chakra that stable, it was obvious he had learned this some time ago.

If anyone else had learned Medical Ninjutsu, they would have been eager to show it off everywhere. Medical ninja were highly sought after no matter where they went.

A few minutes later.

The grass carp, which had been lying belly-up with rolled-back eyes, suddenly flicked its tail and slapped Aoba's hand with a smack. Then it began bouncing energetically across the lectern.

"It's alive! It really came back to life!"

"You're amazing, Aoba-kun!"

The classroom erupted into enthusiastic applause. Nohara Rin's little face was flushed red with excitement, and her eyes were full of admiration.

Aoba shook the water off his hand, but there was little emotion in his heart.

"Mm, not bad. You didn't embarrass me."

Tsunade clapped her hands and said blandly.

Aoba: ???

Fine, your chest is big, so you're right.

Aoba did not dare talk back.

Tsunade was the sort who responded to flattery. If he dared bristle at her, she would dare pull out every one of his spines.

Tsunade stood and walked to the blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk and quickly writing several complex jutsu structures.

"These are the basic principles of Medical Ninjutsu and the chakra flow routes. Memorize them all."

"And these hand seals."

After writing them down, she tossed aside the chalk and dusted off her hands.

"All right, that's how the principles work. Get practicing. If you don't understand something, ask Aoba."

After saying that, Tsunade ignored the stunned students below and walked straight out of the classroom. Before leaving, she did not forget to add, "I'm going to the office for some tea. If you don't understand something, don't come bother me. You know the consequences."

The classroom door slammed shut with a bang.

Leaving behind a roomful of thoroughly bewildered students.

By then, Aoba's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

I knew it!

I knew it would turn out like this!

Aaahhh!!!