The New Captain, Might Kai

Xing Ran suppressed the urge to mock Kai's tear-jerking moments and instead looked at the familiar faces of this life with confusion.

Her black high ponytail resembled a broom, accentuating her high and wide forehead, making it even more dazzling. It was as unbearable to look at as Kai's white teeth, and her gray jacket, coupled with her always taut cheeks, gave her a more serious and stern image.

This was a peer from the Nara Clan named Nara Izumi. If she didn't always have a stern face, she would be considered a beauty above average. Since she was a member of the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance, Xing Ran was quite familiar with her.

"Izumi, what's going on? Did your team suffer casualties?" Xing Ran knew that although Kai was carefree and unkempt, he was also a qualified ninja. Since he said "welcome to the team," it was highly likely that he was about to be assigned to Kai's squad.

However, Kai's squad was previously a full three-person ninja team. If he was joining, it meant there was a casualty, and casualties often meant death.

"That guy became a teacher at the academy after passing the Chunin exams. So, Lord Hokage arranged for us to switch posts and said he found us a good teammate, hehe." Nara Izumi clearly guessed Xing Ran's misunderstanding and quickly explained. However, explaining other people's problems was just out of her sincere nature of treating people and things. By the end of her explanation, she sarcastically called Xing Ran the "good teammate" found by the Hokage, with a very sarcastic "hehe."

Xing Ran and Izumi hadn't interacted much since graduating from the Ninja Academy, but given their Ino-Shika-Cho connection, many things weren't secrets.

So, in Izumi's perception, Xing Ran was still that dead last. Compared to her, who had been an elite from the academy to the front lines, such a teammate was simply testing her ability to carry the team. She hated the role of someone who just coasted to victory.

"Alright, Izumi, you can't always judge people by their past in the ninja world. Xing Ran has mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, a very complex and powerful ninjutsu. With him here, Kai's combat power can increase by at least 30%. If you still think it's unsuitable, I'll find someone else." At this moment, the Third Hokage spoke appropriately, his teasing expression completely unconcealed. He had read the treatment report for Junpei from Konoha Hospital. Junpei had been urgently treated with the Mystical Palm Technique before being admitted. Although his use of the Mystical Palm Technique wasn't great, it was indeed the Mystical Palm Technique.

For a team stationed on the border, every moment must be prepared for battle. Having a medical ninja in the squad is a guarantee of life, something everyone desires. Squads that reject medical ninjas are either brain-dead or too strong themselves and dislike medical ninjas slowing them down.

Although Nara Izumi didn't think her team was strong enough to ignore the addition of a medical ninja, she still believed Xing Ran would be a burden, hence her previous sarcastic remarks.

However, those remarks were made under the assumption that Xing Ran was only at the level of a first-aid ninja. Now, hearing that Xing Ran had mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, a divine skill on the battlefield, her eyes widened.

"Hehe, it's alright. I didn't expect to be so suitable as a medical ninja either, otherwise, I wouldn't have been at the bottom of the class in the Ninja Academy." Xing Ran showed a standard sunny smile, mainly not to deal with Nara Izumi, but to the Hokage.

This old man was very cunning. His teasing smile looked strange. It seemed like he was mocking Nara Izumi, but why did Xing Ran always feel a chill down his neck?

Xing Ran quickly explained the reason for his brilliance, not that he was a slacker in school or had suddenly awakened Superman-like powers, which sounded too fake.

"No need to change. Youth is without regret. Since Yamanaka Xingran was assigned to our team by Lord Hokage, it's fate. Ah, what beautiful youth! A new comrade has already set my heart ablaze—" Kai heard the Hokage's words and realized Xing Ran's presence could better assist him. There was no reason to refuse, so he immediately launched into a series of inexplicably passionate words, settling the matter.

"It's fine as long as you all think it's okay. Xing Ran, I called you here because it's a mission assigned by the village. Our comrades on the front lines have been fighting for a long time. This period is relatively safe, so the village has decided to carry out a border rotation operation to ensure border security and allow our hardworking comrades to go home and rest for a while." Xing Ran's personal opinion was ignored by everyone. After Kai settled the matter, the Third Hokage immediately began assigning the mission.

In fact, Xing Ran was reluctant to go on missions. Learning more knowledge and preparing to deal with Orochimaru in the future, as well as researching forbidden soul techniques, was the fundamental goal. If he could empty Grandma Qiu's knowledge base, he would have the mood to go out and change his perspective. But he had only just begun clinical learning and still had much to learn.

However, Xing Ran didn't have the capital to object. He could choose not to actively accept missions because that was his right. But as the Third Hokage said, this mission was a village decision, so it fell within the scope of duty and responsibility for Konoha ninjas, and he could not refuse, or the consequences would be severe, even being treated as a deserter.

Ninjas, in this world where ninja villages handled national defense, were ultimately soldiers. It was just that when national security threats were low, they had more freedom, more like mercenaries, who could decide whether to accept missions and what kind of missions based on their preferences and economic capabilities.

But once a mission was set by the village council, the village's higher-ups, it became a conscription mode. Leave was canceled, and they were immediately assigned to a team, or they would be treated as deserters.

Xing Ran had no choice but to accept the Third Hokage's arrangement, and time was not generous; he had to depart today.

With a belly full of complaints, Xing Ran went home and packed his belongings, his depressed mood evident.

However, after Xing Ran went to Grandma Qiu's shop to say goodbye, his mood immediately improved.

Grandma Qiu told him that after studying theoretical knowledge for so long, this was a good opportunity to put it into practice. There were many wounded on the front lines, and this could be considered a rare combination of work and rest. Reading ten thousand books also required traveling ten thousand miles.

Before leaving, Grandma Qiu gave Xing Ran two ninjutsu scrolls. One was the Hemostasis Technique, used for post-operative healing and battlefield emergencies. The casting time was relatively short, only for emergency treatment. The other was the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, a type of medical ninjutsu that required high skill, capable of extracting or transplanting organs and poisons. The Uchiha clan's eye transplantation had traces of this technique.

Both techniques were very suitable medical ninjutsu for the battlefield. Although Grandma Qiu had never explicitly said she would take Xing Ran as a disciple, the benefits of apprenticeship had indeed fallen upon Xing Ran. The Hemostasis Technique was understandable, as it was a basic ninjutsu. However, the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique was a very precious technique and difficult to learn.