Autumn rain pattered against the windows of the Senju Clan Compound.
Tsunade got up early and tiptoed into the kitchen.
On the stove, bone broth that had simmered all night bubbled away, filling the whole room with its fragrant aroma.
The broth was a rich, milky white, and the meat on the bones had been stewed until it was falling apart. It looked as though a gentle suck would make it slide right into your mouth, leaving a lingering taste on your lips.
She gently blew on the steam, cheeks flushed as she held a spoon. She ladled the choicest broth and meat into a lunchbox, then carefully sealed it shut.
She took out the rice she had steamed the day before, scooped several portions into a fresh lunchbox, then added a few nourishing side dishes, arranging everything into a lovely meal.
After preparing everything, and before her grandmother and younger brother had woken up, Tsunade took an umbrella and stepped into the fine autumn rain. With light, quick steps, she hurried toward the hospital.
It had been a week since they returned from their mission to the Land of Fang.
The details of the alliance against the Five Great Nations had all been reported to the Third. The news had been like a stone tossed into still water, its ripples spreading outward. Over the past few days, a solemn air had gradually settled over Konoha.
Everyone knew the Second Shinobi World War was just around the corner.
"Good morning, Lady Tsunade."
"Are you visiting again today, Lady Tsunade?"
The nurses' voices brought Tsunade back to her senses.
She nodded to them one by one, clutching the lunchbox as she hurried up to the third floor.
She quietly made her way to the end of the third floor and stopped outside a room, taking a deep breath.
Even though this wasn't her first visit, she was still a little nervous.
After all, he had been injured because of her.
Beyond the guilt she felt, the words the boy had said as he carried her to safety in Tea House City still echoed in her mind.
He's from the Uchiha Clan, so why does he know just what to say?
Tsunade bit her lip, her heart fluttering like a startled fawn.
She had never felt this way before.
Her usual bold, carefree temperament seemed to have deserted her.
She was like a girl tasting honey for the first time, wanting nothing more than to lose herself in its sweetness.
She gently rested her hand on the door, cheeks flushed as she prepared to knock.
But then a voice from inside happened to reach her ears.
It was Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice.
How strange. What's that old man doing here?
Suspicious, Tsunade quietly leaned against the door and listened.
"Knock, knock."
Early in the morning, someone knocked on the hospital room door.
Sakuya braced himself with his right hand and sat up in bed, still not quite used to it.
"Come in."
"Hehe, good morning, Sakuya."
Hiruzen Sarutobi came in from outside, smiling warmly beneath his Hokage Hat.
"Third."
Sakuya greeted him.
"How are you feeling?"
Hiruzen walked up to his bed and looked at Uchiha Sakuya's missing left arm.
"The wound is gradually healing."
Sakuya nodded. "The poison in my body has mostly been cleared, too. Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage."
"Hehe, it's nothing. I should be thanking you this time."
Hiruzen pulled over a chair and sat down. "If it weren't for you, Amegakure might have taken Tsunade away."
"She's our comrade. Protecting our comrades is a Konoha Ninja's duty."
Sakuya replied.
"But you lost an arm because of her."
Hiruzen sighed. "Your left arm, no less. Without it, how will you perform Hand Seals or throw ninja tools? Even your Taijutsu will be greatly weakened by its loss."
Looking at Sakuya's empty left sleeve, Hiruzen's words were filled with regret over the loss of so much of the village's combat strength. Yet there was also a hint of probing, and an expectation so subtle it was hard to notice. "Sakuya, do you think it was worth it?"
"Was it worth it?"
Sakuya smiled at the question. "Third, Tsunade is my comrade."
"But before the mission, you argued with her at the Jonin meeting, didn't you?"
Hiruzen asked, "You were on such bad terms with her. Why did you save her?"
"Bad terms?"
Sakuya tilted his head. "No. I just don't agree with her ideas. That doesn't mean we're on bad terms."
"Hm?"
Hiruzen was taken aback.
"Lord Hokage, I still feel the same way as before. Tsunade's idea of reforming the current team system is deeply flawed. It could even lead Konoha to ruin. But that doesn't mean I don't consider her a comrade."
Sakuya spoke with utmost seriousness. "She's a shinobi of the village and my comrade. Losing an arm to save her is no big deal."
"Sakuya..."
The Third gazed at the boy and, for a moment, seemed to see someone from the past.
"Besides..."
Sakuya suddenly smiled and raised his right hand. "I usually use my right hand, and I can perform Hand Seals one-handed. I can also use Ninjutsu without Hand Seals. Losing my left arm hasn't cost me my combat ability."
"...You really are open-minded."
Hiruzen came back to himself and nodded with satisfaction. "Sakuya, your heart is filled with the Will of Fire."
Just like Kagami...
"Speaking of which, Lord Hokage."
Uchiha Sakuya didn't dwell on Hiruzen's talk of the Will of Fire. "About what Tsunade brought up earlier—the reform of the ninja team system."
"What about it? I thought you didn't agree with her."
"After encountering shinobi from Amegakure on this mission, I gave it some serious thought."
Sakuya said, "Actually, there's merit to Tsunade's idea. It's just that she's going about it too early."
"Oh?"
"I think she's right to want to promote Medical Ninjutsu. It's just too soon."
Sakuya braced himself against the bed with his right hand and sat up straight. "I think it's far too early for Genin to start learning Medical Ninjutsu. The average Genin in the village is only twelve or thirteen years old. They've only just graduated from the Ninja Academy, and most have learned little more than the Basic Three Body Techniques. Some haven't even mastered their chakra natures. Having them start learning Medical Ninjutsu so early would do more harm than good."
"What do you mean, Sakuya...?"
Hearing that there was more to his words, Hiruzen pressed him for an explanation.
"Chunin or Special Jonin, on the other hand, would be qualified to learn Medical Ninjutsu."
Sakuya replied.
"Chunin..."
Hiruzen pondered this.
"The average Chunin in the village is eighteen years old. By then, they've already learned quite a few Ninjutsu and have at least some familiarity with chakra natures and Chakra Nature Transformation. If they start learning Medical Ninjutsu at that point, they won't find it as difficult to grasp as Genin would. In fact, they'll understand it as soon as it's taught to them, and the time and effort required to learn it will be far less than for Genin."
Sakuya gazed at the autumn rain outside the window. "Besides, they're older and have a better understanding of what it means to make sacrifices. By then, learning Medical Ninjutsu can also help them understand the heavy responsibility they bear."
Before you continue