Special Patient

Konoha Hospital is massive.

But that is no match for the speed of a ninja!

Two sturdy male nurses leaped from a third-floor window with Soji in tow, then covered the distance to the surgical preparation area in a few swift bounds.

They deposited the boy before Director Chosokabe and vanished immediately. Chief Inoue Hisahide followed a moment later, pushing through the curtain to enter the room.

"Director, the person has been brought."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Chosokabe hung the freshly developed film on the light box, his movements as he turned back to look at Soji nearly synchronized with the other doctors present.

This was not the first time the boy had been the center of such intense attention.

But because they were in a hospital, and because the matter involved life and death, he felt a pressure this time that was vastly different from before.

Fortunately, Soji was not one to shy away from the stage.

"Director Chosokabe, what exactly is going on here?"

Seeing the boy take a proactive step forward, the old director's upturned eyes relaxed slightly.

He pointed to the X-ray behind him and cut straight to the point: "An important patient was just rushed to the hospital. A comprehensive examination revealed clear signs of internal hemorrhaging."

"Internal organ rupture caused by rib fractures?"

Soji glanced at the film. With only half a year of accumulated knowledge, he wasn't yet capable of accurately analyzing the pathology. But with the situation pressing, he could only offer his best assessment.

Chosokabe didn't commit to his clinical diagnosis, instead continuing to explain the situation in a low voice: "The fractured bones have already been repaired by other doctors, and the tissue damage to the stomach and kidneys has been properly addressed. The problem now is that the patient's liver is still hemorrhaging."

"I see..." Having reached this point, Soji roughly understood the old director's intent. He adjusted his train of thought and responded: "Is it because of the influence of a special ninjutsu that the liver is unable to heal?"

"Precisely."

"Then may I ask what kind of ninjutsu attacked the patient?" Soji pressed further.

"..."

This question plunged everyone present into a brief silence.

A few seconds later, it was Chosokabe himself who answered the boy's query.

"Have you heard of Magnet Release?"

"..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, it was Soji's turn to fall silent.

Whether as an elite student of the Ninja Academy or as a transmigrator, Yamada Soji knew very well that Magnet Release was the signature technique of the ninja village in the Land of Wind.

Although few could truly master this secret art, its high recognizability had made it a major symbol of the Land of Wind ever since the Second Kazekage, Shamon, rose to power.

Now that a Konoha ninja had been wounded by Magnet Release, the implications were truly terrifying to contemplate...

Looking at the broader historical context, after the passing of Tobirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen had taken the mantle of Hokage—the symbol of supreme power—from his teacher. He had consolidated Konoha's internal strength and waged a brutal campaign against the treacherous Kumogakure, finally bringing the First Shinobi World War to a close.

As for the Sand Ninja, who had participated the least and preserved the most of their fighting strength, they had maintained a subtle, distant relationship with the powerful Konoha throughout the previous war.

Now, after more than a decade of peace in the shinobi world, a member of Konoha's premier clan had allegedly been struck by a secret technique of the Kazekage's lineage while on a mission. This could not help but stir up dark suspicions, potentially creating cracks in the fragile "Wind-Fire Alliance."

National conflicts were not like children having a spat...

The power dynamics at this level were far too delicate; any misjudgment by either side could reignite the war that was just beginning to fade!

Therefore, from the perspective of Konoha Hospital, whether reformist or conservative, any rational person hoped to save the life of the Uchiha clansman.

It was against this backdrop that the elders, led by Chosokabe Masayuki, had set aside their prejudices to invite a rookie like Yamada Soji outside the operating room to consult.

"I'll be blunt. The hospital leadership has reviewed the paper you published in the journal. As the only user of the Filth-Licking Technique, how much confidence do you have in extracting the metal fragments from the patient's liver?"

Chosokabe's gaze met Yamada-kun's in mid-air.

For Soji, who had already sensed the danger, a refusal was almost on the tip of his tongue.

--Analyzing his personal professional level and risk tolerance, it was far too early for him to be dragged into a gamble of this magnitude.

Had it not been for this emergency, Soji would have preferred to gradually climb into the view of the upper echelons through steady accumulation, slowly seizing the resources of the administrators, rather than going all-in on a high-stakes surgery.

But the privilege of his foresight as a transmigrator issued a warning before his brain could reach a final conclusion, and the thought of retreating, which had only flickered in his mind for an instant, was quickly cast aside by Yamada-kun.

He knew very well that compared to Hashirama and Tobirama, the Third Hokage's reign would last for a very long time.

And according to the original historical trajectory, the impending Second Shinobi World War would be ignited by the conflict between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind!

Given the current situation, if an Uchiha clansman were to die from this attack, it might well become the fuse that triggers a direct conflict between Konoha and the Sand Ninja in the history books of the future.

At such a critical historical juncture, it wouldn't be hard for Yamada-kun to "retreat in the face of difficulty"...

But if the high-ranking officials, led by the Third Hokage, were to misunderstand that he had the ability to save the dying but refused to take the risk due to personal gain, it would inevitably leave a poor impression on the core of Konoha's new generation of power.

...This was not the boy overthinking or worrying needlessly.

According to current trends, Soji was almost destined to carve out a niche for himself in the medical field over the next few years.

As his future achievements became more dazzling, the impression others held of this current "history" might very well become distorted!

Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't harbor suspicions toward an 11-year-old child at this stage, as time passed—five years, ten years later—when the aging Hokage looked back on Yamada Soji's life, this unpleasant memory could very well become an unresolved knot.

Not to mention that within the Third Hokage's core leadership group, there existed an old schemer like Shimura Danzō who never hesitated to harbor the most malicious intentions toward his fellow village ninjas!

Should he whisper a few words into his old partner's ear, the path to promotion that Yamada Soji had meticulously planned would be beset by countless obstacles!

...He who does not worry about the future will soon have troubles at his doorstep.

After spending a second or two running all these thoughts through his mind, Yamada-kun finally made up his mind.

His pupils constricted, and the slight narrowing of his eyelids caused his entire demeanor to undergo a transformation.

"Director, I cannot provide any conclusions without seeing the patient myself."

"If the situation is urgent, you may enter the operating room immediately to conduct your own examination."

Chosokabe cast a sidelong glance, and the two male nurses who had vanished moments ago reappeared at once.

One of them brought a mask and gloves for Soji, while the other stood before the isolation door, guiding the youth.

Yet, such earnest sincerity was worthless to Yamada Soji—the foundation of trust between the two parties was missing.

While Soji certainly believed that one must face crises head-on, he also had to consider whether he would be treated as a scapegoat by the hospital administration should the treatment fail.

Therefore, he knelt on one knee, performing a formal bow to the old director for the very first time.

"Lord Chosokabe, I am very grateful for the trust you and the other seniors in the field have placed in me.

However, as an intern, this student is well aware that my experience and abilities are far from sufficient to complete such an important surgery alone.

If you and the other seniors are truly willing to give me this opportunity, then before I officially take over, this student has two requests that I hope you will grant!"

Great risks hide great opportunities.

Yamada Soji knew there was no avoiding this, but he felt that a single pillar could not support a collapsing house.

Therefore, before taking action, he had to drag a few heavyweights into the water with him!