Secret Medicine

Motochika-sensei was lazy by nature and had questionable self-discipline.

But the fact that he had become a jōnin entrusted with important duties and recognized by the village spoke volumes about his professional ability and work ethic.

Hundreds, even thousands, of missions and killings had long since tempered his heart until it was harder than steel. By ordinary standards, Nara Motonari was nothing short of a deranged killer!

But in the world of shinobi, his approach was surprisingly hard to fault...

After all, statistically speaking, hiring a small organization like Takigakure to carry out high-difficulty missions of B-rank or higher was always a gamble.

From an individual perspective, killing without hesitation improved the Transport Squad's efficiency in gathering intelligence. From a broader perspective, it freed up more room in Takigakure's meager budget.

Together, these made for a high-quality decision that was a win for both sides.

Motochika-sensei understood this, and Soji knew it as well.

So when Nara Motonari discovered that the third unlucky bastard he had questioned was still refusing to talk, despite cold sweat pouring down his face under the pressure of death at arm's length, he decisively summoned his prized student, a qualified medical practitioner, and ordered him to give the man a full course of acupuncture with his signature weapon, Glass Wire—a treatment enough to make anyone with a fear of holes die on the spot!

Thanks to the extensive medical knowledge he had acquired at Konoha Hospital, Doctor Yamada lived up to expectations and performed the operation exceptionally well.

—The Mystical Palm Technique, combined with the secret art Rain Woman's Heart, produced a perfect chemical reaction where one plus one was greater than two. The boy controlled the boundary between life and death with extraordinary precision!

For the most grueling three minutes and twenty-one seconds of the patient's life, he endured unimaginable torment. Until the moment his vital signs disappeared, his facial expressions remained utterly out of control...

This thoroughly unpleasant method of interrogation had indeed worked wonders.

After watching the despairing cycle of tickling and pain repeat without end, the last surviving Waterfall Ninja assassin finally broke...

Trembling, he confessed the mission's details and everything he knew about the client, then earned himself a quick, painless, one-way ticket to hell.

But the aftermath of the attack did not end there.

According to the man, the shinobi who had hired Takigakure to attack the Konoha Medical Team had come from the Land of Earth.

They had offered twice the usual going rate, and the village had sent out far more than just this one group to take the job.

So when Motochika-sensei shared this intelligence at the team meeting that evening, most of the Konoha Ninja assigned to escort the team fell silent...

A moment later, the energetic girl Erina was the first to offer her opinion!

"Sensei, now that we've confirmed the Rock Ninja are acting against us through hired contractors, the situation at the border has fundamentally changed. I think we should suspend construction and return to the village to report to the Hokage!"

As soon as Erina finished speaking, the gathered shinobi began whispering among themselves—they mostly agreed with Miss Sarutobi. Only Soji, who had acted alongside Nara Motonari earlier, and another kunoichi with short, neat hair remained silent.

Sure enough, once the murmuring threatened to get out of hand, Nara Motonari immediately raised a hand to quiet everyone.

Only then did he explain his reasoning, starting with the basics: "Everyone, the more dangerous the situation, the more important it is to stay calm. Think about it—we've only got the word of a few desperate criminals, with no evidence to back it up.

"Not only might these Waterfall Ninja be lying, but even if they have no intention of hiding anything, we can't use secondhand intelligence like this to judge the international situation."

Nara Motonari's voice was not loud.

But his firm, steady tone, combined with the skill he had shown when he subdued four attackers in an instant, quickly suppressed the objections of his teammates.

...As he said, in the treacherous world of shinobi, framing others was nothing unusual.

Even the seemingly brawny, brutish muscleheads from Kumogakure had all sorts of schemes behind the scenes. That alone said plenty about the integrity of the major powers in the Shinobi World.

Who could guarantee that what had happened tonight wasn't a carefully planned conspiracy?

No one present dared make that guarantee. So when Motochika-sensei spoke again, everyone's attitude had clearly softened.

"With all the strange and powerful jutsu out there, even what you see with your own eyes might not be real. How can we make a hasty decision based on one side's story?

"If we turn back halfway and delay construction of the Field Hospital, the border troops will suffer even greater losses. The village simply cannot accept that.

"Besides, according to the intelligence division, relations between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning have been growing tense lately. It's hard to imagine the new Tsuchikage would turn his attention toward the Land of Fire."

Motochika paused there, giving everyone a moment to calm their nerves.

Once things had settled, he turned to the short-haired kunoichi who had not yet spoken, adding another safeguard to his decision.

"Of course, it's always best to be cautious. No matter how unlikely it is, the advance medical team shouldn't travel with unanswered questions.

"Miss Inoue Reina, I think your Communications Squad should find a way to send this news back to the village immediately. That way, our colleagues from other departments along the route can prepare to assist us, and we can also use Anbu channels to verify the intelligence as soon as possible."

"Yes, Lord Nara. I'll go check on the Reverse Summoning scrolls right away."

The woman who had been addressed bowed, then immediately stood and left the tent.

Her movements were quick and efficient, and she looked a little older than the three eleven- and twelve-year-old kids of Team Five. Judging by that, she was probably quite capable in actual combat.

...Of course, what caught Soji's attention more than her personal ability was her surname.

Like Yamada, Inoue was a common surname. But considering everything that had led up to this trip, the boy couldn't help wondering whether she was related to Director Inoue Hisahide.

Before Soji could think any further about it, Motochika-sensei continued assigning tasks, and he had no choice but to refocus on the predicament at hand.

With the threat situation having changed, the escort team's security measures naturally had to be more cautious than before.

Specifically, Motochika-sensei increased the number of hidden sentries on night patrol, expanded the traps around the camp, and made minor adjustments to their original route.

But after all the tasks had been assigned, Soji somehow ended up with a lighter workload...

The boy noticed something was off right away. After the meeting, he made an excuse to split up from Erina and Todo, then returned to the commander's tent.

As expected, Motochika-sensei was waiting for him there.

Compared with the crowded meeting just moments earlier, the two of them, teacher and student, no longer needed to bother with pleasantries in private. As soon as Motochika spoke, he got straight to the point...

"To be honest, the Waterfall Ninja assassins might not be telling the truth, but there is a real possibility that the Rock Ninja will join forces with the Sand Ninja."

"...If that's the case, why are you insisting on continuing the mission?"

"Because it's part of the plan."

Motochika rubbed his chin and glanced at Soji. "You don't look surprised. Did you hear about this through some other channel?"

"No. This is the first I've heard of what you just told me."

Soji's tone was firm, and he made no unnecessary movements.

"I just thought that, with Director Chosokabe personally involved, assigning only three squads to escort such valuable medical supplies seemed a little too reckless."

"Good grief, you really are a clever kid... So, want to hear a few more details?"

"Please allow me to decline." Soji shifted his legs back as he sat on his knees, making his answer clear through his actions.

Seeing this, Motochika only smiled more broadly. He pulled an opaque brown vial from inside his clothes and set it in front of his student.

"If you're not interested, I won't say more. Take this vial and keep it safe. You'll have a chance to make a dazzling entrance later."