In mid-December of Year 45, Konoha Hospital saw a significant increase in patients with injuries compared to the previous month.
For seasoned Konoha Ninja, getting hurt was all in a day's work. But the newly graduated students were different. Many young ninja had seen their dreams shatter.
In the evening, Shu Furukawa had just finished treating a patient in the intensive care unit at Konoha Hospital when a voice came from the doorway:
"Is Mami out of danger?"
A boy of about twelve hurried to the bedside and asked anxiously, his voice raised. Kakashi, following behind him, calmly interjected:
"A ninja must always keep his cool!"
"It's not a life-threatening injury. At Shu's level, she'll be discharged in two days at most."
The boy at the bedside looked angry. His teammate hurried over and grabbed him, then bowed in apology:
"Uchida's just too worried about Mami. I apologize for his recklessness."
Shu Furukawa didn't blame them. He smiled warmly and briefly explained:
"Just as Kakashi said, Mami can leave the hospital in two days."
"Don't blame yourselves. Sunagakure Ninja are skilled with poison, and you did a good job getting her treated quickly."
As if worried his teammate might say something inappropriate, the older boy bowed again. Then, ignoring his struggling teammate, he dragged him straight out of the ward.
"It seems you really care about your subordinates. An injury like this didn't need a stay in the intensive care unit."
Shu Furukawa had used the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to complete most of the treatment with little effort. He knew Kakashi was pulling strings for his subordinates, but the boys clearly didn't appreciate it.
Kakashi remained calm. Given his age, he knew his subordinates didn't think much of him:
"If this makes them quit being ninja, that would actually be a good thing."
"At their age, they'd struggle against even a Chunin. I don't have much faith in their futures."
"If they just want to make money, they have better options. If they insist on becoming ninja, they'll only drag their team down."
Shu Furukawa didn't dispute Kakashi's reasoning. In his view, most girls really weren't suited to this line of work. But, thinking of the higher-ups' plans, he still offered a warning:
"The village needs more Genin for low-level missions. Kakashi, if you keep this up, Lord Hokage will be asking to speak with you."
"It'll be a hassle either way. Just give them some D-rank missions from now on. You can arrange the rest of your time however you like."
"All right. You're right."
Kakashi answered simply, then went back to his usual dead-fish stare. He'd overestimated the new graduates' abilities. They'd nearly failed even a C-rank mission.
"Did you run into a puppeteer? Poisoned Senbon are a real pain."
"Don't underestimate Sunagakure. They have some excellent medical ninja, too. They're even ahead of Konoha in poison research."
"Lady Tsunade developed an antidote to this poison a long time ago. Remember to bring some on your next mission."
Kakashi nodded seriously at the reminder, then began reviewing the fight from the day before:
"The puppets' attacks were definitely strange, but once the puppets were destroyed, the ninja controlling them quickly fell behind."
"I increased the frequency of the lightning on my short sword. It worked well. Fortunately, the enemy's Wind Release wasn't very strong, or things would've been much more troublesome."
The advantage of elemental matchups was important in most ninja battles. When Shu Furukawa used a short sword, he usually infused it with Wind Release chakra. He had already mastered most of the White Fang Swordsmanship he'd gained through Collection.
"Looks like you've developed some insights of your own..."
Shu Furukawa offered a word of praise, but before he could say anything else, the girl on the bed woke up. Seeing the two of them, she murmured groggily:
"Am I safe?"
"Looks like Kakashi was right. I really don't have what it takes to be a ninja..."
If nothing unexpected happened, the girl would most likely end her ninja career as soon as she left the hospital. Kakashi was getting better and better at talking people out of being ninja.
That evening, Tsunade surprised everyone by staying away from the bar. She drank in her apartment until her cheeks were flushed.
"This seasoned cod roe is delicious! Shizune, pour me another!"
"Lady Tsunade, you've had too much..."
Shizune carefully poured her a cup, but Tsunade downed it in one go. She propped her chin on her hand and swayed from side to side before loudly complaining:
"I knew staying in the village would bring trouble. Konoha's become just like Kumogakure—it's actually starting to yearn for war."
"Shu, has anyone talked to you about this? That Nara boy thinks highly of you, doesn't he?"
"Today, they told me they could make their clan's medical texts available to me. I wonder what kind of deal those people offered Jiraiya and Orochimaru..."
The Hardline Faction's voice in the village was growing louder. Maybe they weren't satisfied with their current income; more and more ninja were calling for expansion.
Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure had all "done it." There was no reason for Konoha, the strongest of the Five Great Nations, to keep holding back.
The village hadn't gained much from the Second Shinobi World War. That was why the Hardline Faction now had supporters.
"Captain Shikaku never talks to me about any of that. With those medical texts, you should be able to develop even more new medicines, right, Sensei?"
Shu Furukawa savored a pickled scallop unhurriedly. He'd picked up on Tsunade's unspoken meaning, but had no interest in discussing the Hokage selection.
"You brat, you're just brushing me off!"
"I'd rather travel the world and visit every casino. Being Hokage wouldn't change a thing. The Old Man really is getting old."
Tsunade grumbled in annoyance, then began another round of "eating like a whirlwind." No one believed she didn't want to become Hokage. Many of the ninja clans were hedging their bets on both sides.
Shizune didn't understand why Tsunade was so troubled. Becoming Hokage was many people's dream; it meant everyone acknowledged you.
By the end of dinner, Tsunade had managed to drink herself into a stupor again. Shu Furukawa had seen her like this many times, but it was Katsuyu's first:
"So Lady Tsunade has this side to her in private!"
The soft voice came from Shu Furukawa's shoulder. Shizune looked a little embarrassed. The image of a drunk didn't quite fit the stature of the Sannin...
Although Tsunade gambled, drank too much, and wasn't good at housework or cooking, Shu Furukawa still thought his teacher was a "good woman":
"Ninja are under a lot of pressure. Sensei just doesn't sweat the small stuff!"
"I see!"
Katsuyu wiggled her feelers and answered. Compared to Tsunade's troubles, she found Shu Furukawa much stranger. He actually wanted to be "cursed."
"Shu, will there be a war in the future?"
Shizune had just helped Tsunade lie down. Then she turned to Shu Furukawa, looking lost, and voiced the question on her mind.
He'd meant to casually brush the girl off, but after a moment's silence, Shu Furukawa suddenly asked:
"What are we fighting for?"
Shizune had been about to say it was for the village and her comrades, but she opened her mouth and said nothing. No one was invading Konoha right now. War was only something some ninja longed for.
"Don't worry. Even if there's a war, I can protect you. It's best for girls to stay in the village."
Shu Furukawa smiled reassuringly at Shizune. Her cheeks flushed as she murmured in reply. Katsuyu wiggled her feelers again, thinking of the plans ahead, and sighed inwardly:
"War? Is this the opportunity Lord Shu was talking about?"
"..."