A Contrast

Amid Tsunade's silence, Akiyama Shun went to help in the other wards.

However, because he didn't have enough chakra, he couldn't heal the injured all at once. To save more people, he could only treat their life-threatening wounds first, making sure they would last a little longer.

Other medical ninja would have to handle the follow-up treatment.

For some patients, after their life-threatening wounds were treated, their blood was carefully wiped away and their bodies wrapped in bandages. Those patients had been prepared especially for Tsunade.

After just one midday shift under such a heavy workload, Akiyama Shun had used up all his chakra.

Fortunately, he had managed to treat every life-threatening wound.

Once he was done, Akiyama Shun found an empty seat in the lobby and sat down to rest.

Before long, the day was over.

Tsunade had finally finished her work, too.

"You brat, you're pretty impressive."

When she saw Akiyama Shun again, Tsunade didn't know what to say for a moment.

The more geniuses she met, the more she could appreciate just how extraordinary Akiyama Shun was.

"Thank you for the praise, Lady Tsunade. I know."

"Hahaha! You brat aren't humble at all!"

Tsunade slapped Akiyama Shun on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

Shizune stood nearby, her eyes shining as she watched Akiyama Shun. Of course, she'd heard the others talk about him.

She'd known that Akiyama Shun was talented in combat, but she hadn't expected him to be just as exceptional when it came to medical ninjutsu!

"Come on, I'm treating you to dinner tonight!"

"Lady Tsunade, didn't you lose all your money?"

"Hahaha! Didn't you bring me a bunch this morning? I'll treat you with your money, of course."

"..."

Led by Tsunade, the three of them went to the izakaya she visited most often.

Using the money Akiyama Shun had brought her, Tsunade splurged and ordered a mountain of food.

"This is so wonderful~"

As Shizune ate, she felt as though she were seeing her life flash before her eyes.

She hadn't eaten this well in ages. Memories of Tsunade's debts, of her and Tonton going out to swindle money, and of Tsunade losing it all soon after they got it kept flooding back.

Shizune wasn't the only one. Tonton was crying, too.

Akiyama Shun smiled at the sight.

After dinner, he and a helpless Shizune carried Tsunade back.

Then Akiyama Shun returned to his own place.

Over the next two months,

Akiyama Shun didn't encounter anything unusual.

Every day, he just went to school.

Well, he also had to help Tsunade earn money.

During those two months,

Akiyama Shun did two more ten-pulls.

Afterward, he still had 740 coins.

The two guaranteed pulls gave him four fragments for the S-rank ninja Jiraiya and the A-rank Sarutobi Konohamaru.

That's right, the little beast with the revive.

He got a few Secret Scroll fragments, but not enough to collect five of any one kind.

No artifacts or summoning beasts, either.

His B-rank ninja [Hatake Kakashi (Young)] had reached 28 fragments, while [Haku] hadn't increased.

Among the C-rank ninjas, he got six fragments for [Tsunade (Young)], along with a few fragments for other C-rank ninjas.

By some incredible stroke of luck, he collected enough fragments to unlock a C-rank ninja—and even got a full C-rank character card!

The C-rank ninja he unlocked with fragments was a real surprise!

[Uzumaki Naruto (Ninja Academy Student)]!

Also known as Poop-Throwing Naruto!

At this point, Naruto hadn't learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique yet, and he couldn't even use the Clone Technique properly.

He didn't show off the Sexy Technique, and his ultimate was the Harem Technique...

In short, he wasn't much use.

But the other C-rank ninja was different.

[Gekko Hayate]

The star of the Shippuden era—a man with kidney deficiency!

In the original story, during the Chunin Ninja Exams, Gekko Hayate overheard Baki and Yakushi Kabuto plotting, and Baki eventually killed him.

This ninja didn't show off many techniques in the Naruto Mobile Game, either.

He only had the Body Flicker Technique and Shadow Clone Technique, both of which [Uchiha Itachi (Ninja Rookie)] already had.

He didn't show off his Transparent Escape, either.

But [Gekko Hayate] wasn't about ninjutsu. His strength lay in swordsmanship!

In Naruto Mobile Game, C-rank didn't necessarily mean Genin!

[Gekko Hayate] was a bona fide Special Jōnin! He was even an Anbu operative!

If it were ninjutsu, Akiyama Shun would have to consider whether he had enough chakra and how many times he could use it.

Swordsmanship was different. He could just pick up a sword and use it!

In other words, this ninja represented the sword skills of a Special Jōnin!

He could greatly improve Akiyama Shun's close-combat ability!

"Not bad~ It even came with a sword!"

Early the next morning,

Akiyama Shun and Yuhi Kurenai walked to school together.

"Shun, I've learned the Clone Technique! Pretty impressive, right~"

"Very impressive. When I was your age, I didn't even know what I'd be doing."

Yuhi Kurenai looked puzzled by his answer.

"Am I not a year older than you?"

"That's why I said that. I don't know what I'll be doing a year from now, either."

"..."

As they joked around, they happened to run into Hatake Sakumo, who was taking Kakashi to school.

Hatake Sakumo had spotted the two of them, too. He led a reluctant-looking Kakashi over to them.

As one of Konoha's most legendary troublemakers, Akiyama Shun had a vivid impression of him.

He was known as White Fang of Konoha, a ninja respected even by the Sannin.

As Kakashi's father, Hatake Sakumo naturally had a stern face, but he was quite the opposite of what it suggested.

He was both reservedly flirtatious and airheaded.

The first time he met Might Duy and his son, he'd hoped they would look after Kakashi a little. But when Might Duy replied, "I'm afraid I can't do that," Hatake Sakumo thought he was difficult to get along with. It took Kakashi, his own son, reminding him that the green-clad man hadn't even passed the Ninja Academy entrance exam to set him straight.

He'd also invented an extremely cheeky E-rank ninjutsu: the Hidden Leaf Secret Taijutsu Technique: Thousand Years of Death.

"Lord White Fang!" "Lord White Fang!"

Though his mind had been full of random thoughts, Akiyama Shun still greeted Hatake Sakumo politely alongside Yuhi Kurenai.

"So you're Akiyama Shun and Yuhi Kurenai. I've heard plenty about you both, especially you, Akiyama Shun. Even Lord Third has told me about your performance at the Ninja Academy."

"You're too kind, Lord White Fang."

Akiyama Shun's expression remained perfectly natural. After all, he'd done so well that praise was only to be expected.

But to Hatake Sakumo, the fact that Akiyama Shun could take the praise in stride only raised his opinion of him.

"By the way, please look after Kakashi at school."

"Father! What are you saying? Why would I need him to look after me?"

Kakashi had already felt awkward when Hatake Sakumo brought him over. His father's words made him even more embarrassed, and he quickly jabbed Hatake Sakumo in the thigh twice with his elbow.

Hatake Sakumo looked at Kakashi's expression in confusion. "I see you watching him every day after school. I thought you really wanted to be friends with him."

"What are you talking about? I don't want anything like that!"

Kakashi grew even more embarrassed. After jabbing his father twice, he simply grabbed Hatake Sakumo's leg and tried to drag him away.

"Hahahahaha!"

Hatake Sakumo rarely saw Kakashi make a face like that, and Kakashi's reaction made him laugh.

Akiyama Shun replied solemnly, "Don't worry, Lord White Fang. Kakashi is my classmate. I'll get along with him even if you don't ask me to."

"Then I'm relieved. See you next time!"

Seeing Kakashi's reaction, Hatake Sakumo stopped teasing him and left with him.

As they turned to go, Akiyama Shun could clearly see Kakashi breathing a sigh of relief.

Akiyama Shun turned to meet Yuhi Kurenai's eyes. They both smiled.

Once they entered the school, it was time for class.

But today's lesson was a little different.

Kazama Shinya didn't take them to the training grounds. Instead, he brought them to an open space. At its center stood a box for drawing lots and a rack of ninja tools, displaying all kinds of equipment.

"Today is the practical exam!"