The Uchiha and Medical Ninja

Uchiha Gen knew that learning Medical Ninjutsu inevitably involved a lesson in saving fish.

But how was he supposed to save a fish that had been flattened into a fish cake?

"Ahem, I used too much force. Let's start over."

As she spoke, Tsunade grabbed another fish and slammed it onto the ground.

"Go ahead."

Looking at the half-dead fish, Tsunade stepped aside with satisfaction, folded her arms, and gestured for Uchiha Gen to begin treating it.

Uchiha Gen didn't hesitate. Green light glowed from his hand as he placed it on the fish.

Standing nearby, Tsunade watched Uchiha Gen carefully working to save the fish, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

Knowing the Healing Jutsu and actually being able to use it were two different things. Medical Ninjutsu required a great deal of knowledge.

Yet Uchiha Gen was using his Sharingan and delicate chakra control to gradually repair the fish's muscle tissue.

I only wanted to show him how difficult Medical Ninjutsu is, but I didn't expect... If this kid devoted himself to Medical Ninjutsu, he might surpass me by far someday.

Still, just as I suspected, the Uchiha really are well suited to learning Medical Ninjutsu. Their Sharingan, a dojutsu kekkei genkai, is also highly suited to medical work in some ways.

It's a shame Uchiha ninja can't join my Medical Department. What a headache. I can't figure out what the old man is thinking. Uchiha ninja may be strong in battle, but not every Uchiha is suited for it.

Some of the Uchiha women, for instance... Forget it. What does it have to do with me? The kid is the kid, and the Uchiha are the Uchiha... Hah. I'll talk to Grandma when I get back.

"Be more precise. Your chakra nearly cooked the fish. This one's done for. Start over. Also, the chakra you applied here just now..."

Tsunade had been watching Uchiha Gen's hands-on practice closely. She suddenly spoke, slammed another fish onto the ground, and began explaining his various mistakes in a serious tone.

The rest of the day, right up until late at night, Uchiha Gen and Tsunade spent their time smashing fish and trying to save them.

Nearby, Minato Namikaze and Jiraiya picked up the fish the two of them had used and roasted them. There were so many that Jiraiya even handed skewers of grilled fish to Ganghuo Uchiha and the others, who were secretly guarding Uchiha Gen.

In the days that followed, Uchiha Gen continued learning Medical Ninjutsu from Tsunade, while also keeping up with his Strength of a Hundred training.

After Tsunade gave Ino Sarutobi a heads-up, Uchiha Gen stopped going to the Ninja Academy.

Ino Sarutobi had been utterly stunned when she saw Tsunade asking for leave on Uchiha Gen's behalf.

The Senju were asking for leave for an Uchiha... The sight had left him completely dumbfounded.

Seeing this, Minato Namikaze also asked Jiraiya to get him leave. Jiraiya then took him off somewhere to train.

During this period of Medical Ninjutsu training, Uchiha Gen lived a routine that took him in a straight line between the Uchiha Clan Compound, the banks of the Naka River, and the Senju Compound.

Every morning, he left for the Senju Compound to practice Medical Ninjutsu on his own and listen to Mito Uzumaki explain some basic Sealing Jutsu.

Then he waited for Tsunade to wake up before starting her lessons, studying until late into the evening before returning to the Uchiha Clan Compound to rest.

Uchiha Gen's daily routine had also attracted the attention of Konoha's various clans.

That included the people in the Hokage Office.

"Lady Mito has recommended that these Uchiha enter the Medical Department to train. Homura, Koharu, what do you think?"

In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his two friends and spoke gravely.

"Absolutely not! How could Lady Mito recommend Uchiha ninja? This is the Medical Department! What do Uchiha ninja have to do with medicine?

"Hiruzen, the Uchiha already have an entire Military Police Force. Do you want them sticking their fingers into other departments too? We mustn't forget the Second's teachings, Hiruzen!"

As soon as Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, Utatane Koharu immediately replied in an angry voice.

The Medical Department was under her management. Although Tsunade had taken most of her authority, that was Tsunade—the granddaughter of two Hokage. But the Uchiha? She would never allow them into the Medical Department.

"Wait... Lady Mito really said that?"

Unlike Utatane Koharu's fierce reaction, Mitokado Homura sounded surprised.

"She came to tell me herself. She said it was Tsunade's suggestion."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was difficult to read. He had been handling official business when Mito Uzumaki came to see him in person and discussed many things with him.

Besides the matter of the Land of Whirlpools, she had talked about arrangements for an Uzumaki Clan member who would soon be brought to Konoha. The rest concerned the arrangements for several Uchiha ninja.

"Although there's been a lot of talk in the village lately about the Senju and the Uchiha, I didn't expect this to be Lady Mito's doing...

"Mikoto Uchiha, Minako Uchiha, and Uchiha... They're all female Uchiha? And almost all of them are children. What's special about them?"

Mitokado Homura picked up the list from the desk and looked over its contents in surprise.

"Nothing special. They've only just started using chakra, and Tsunade thinks they're well suited to learning Medical Ninjutsu.

"Besides, Uchiha ninja are stronger in combat than other ninja, and that applies even to medical ninja."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. He had a feeling Tsunade had some other plan in mind with this push to have the Uchiha learn Medical Ninjutsu, but he couldn't figure out what his student was thinking.

Just as Utatane Koharu had said, the Uchiha and Medical Ninjutsu seemed to have nothing to do with each other.

"Training a single medical ninja takes a great deal of time and money. Tsunade is being utterly reckless! Hiruzen, you need to rein in your student!"

When Utatane Koharu heard that this had been Tsunade's suggestion, she immediately flew into a rage and snapped at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

She hadn't objected to Tsunade before only because of her status. But now Tsunade had done something completely unbecoming of her, and Koharu's objections came pouring out.

She didn't dare confront Mito Uzumaki, but she considered herself Tsunade's elder and felt she could at least say a few words to her.