Tsunade agreed. "There really are very few. Konoha Hospital serves all of Konoha and the surrounding villages, so I can't spare many people. These Medical Ninja are already the most I could possibly get."
Tsunade pursed her lips. "I even brought in some of the Medical Ninja from Anbu."
"Sensei, have you ever considered increasing the number of Medical Ninja?"
Uchiha Chonhua took the opportunity to make a suggestion. "Injuries are unavoidable on the battlefield. We can manage for now, but what if more of our comrades get hurt one day and we don't have enough Medical Ninja to treat them all? Wouldn't we have to watch them die in agony?"
"I don't want to see that happen, Sensei. I hope we can have more Medical Ninja to protect our comrades' lives."
Tsunade pondered his words.
Chonhua had voiced what was in her heart. Increasing investment in the training of Medical Ninja and expanding their ranks had always been something she wanted to do.
But the old Hokage had kept hesitating and had yet to approve it.
After years of peace, the clouds of war were gathering. More shinobi were getting injured, and the Medical Ninja were being stretched thin, rushing from one patient to another.
And that was on top of those at Konoha Hospital responsible for looking after the people of Konoha and the surrounding villages...
It wasn't enough. Not nearly enough!
"With the facts right in front of him, the old man can't hesitate any longer. Expanding the ranks of the Medical Ninja is urgent!"
Tsunade left with samples of Ibuse's poison, planning to persuade Sarutobi Hiruzen to invest resources in training more Medical Ninja once the war was over.
Uchiha Chonhua was off patrol for the time being, so he stayed to help treat the wounded.
His medical skills earned the recognition and admiration of the Medical Ninja present.
Namikaze Minato scratched his head. He wanted to stay and help, but his Medical Ninjutsu wasn't very good. He could treat himself without trouble, but using it to treat the wounded...
Namikaze Minato reconsidered. For the sake of the wounded, he decided not to get involved.
"I'll lend a hand."
Namikaze Minato moved from bed to bed, acting as a nurse.
"Thank you. It doesn't hurt anymore. Huh? Are you from the Uchiha Clan?"
One of the wounded thanked Uchiha Chonhua, then froze when he saw the Uchiha Clan crest on Chonhua's clothes.
It was unusual enough for a shinobi from the Uchiha Clan to know Medical Ninjutsu. It was even more surprising to find one here, treating him and easing his pain.
He was an Uchiha, after all. Whenever they appeared in the village, they always wore cold expressions and seemed difficult to approach.
When enforcing the law, they were rough and forceful, and spoke in cold, cutting tones...
He'd never imagined that one day someone from the Uchiha Clan would treat him.
"You're all right now. Be more careful next time."
Uchiha Chonhua gave him a gentle smile, his expression kind.
"...Oh, ah, yes. I'll be careful next time."
The wounded man looked at Uchiha Chonhua in amazement.
Are you sure you're an Uchiha?
Chapter 57: Healing the Wounded and Winning Hearts
"Thank you, Chonhua. I've completely recovered."
"You're so young, yet your Medical Ninjutsu is already this impressive. You're making me feel ashamed, kid."
"Hey, you're not the only one. Those of us who are Medical Ninja feel ashamed too."
"As expected of Lady Tsunade's student. Like teacher, like student!"
"..."
As the praise rang around him, Uchiha Chonhua calmly finished treating a Konoha shinobi.
He straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled warmly. "All done. Your arm is fine now."
The Konoha shinobi swung his arm and cried out in delight. "It's healed! I'm all better!"
He had accidentally taken a Kunai through the arm while fighting Amegakure shinobi. Now, after Uchiha Chonhua's treatment, it was completely healed, as good as new.
"Thank you, thank you!" The Konoha shinobi grabbed Uchiha Chonhua's hand and bowed repeatedly.
"Don't mention it. With great ability comes great responsibility." Uchiha Chonhua smiled. In the Konoha shinobi's eyes, he seemed to glow.
Uchiha Chonhua spoke slowly. "I don't want to see my comrades suffer. Since I have the ability to treat everyone, I can't shirk my responsibility!"
With great ability comes great responsibility.
The Konoha shinobi murmured the words to himself. What a wonderful thing to say! Warmth welled up in his heart, and he looked at Uchiha Chonhua with newfound respect.
He couldn't help thinking that this Uchiha boy was a good person.
Whoosh!
The curtain was thrown aside.
"Help! Help! It's an emergency! Someone, come save him!"
At the sound, Uchiha Chonhua hurriedly gave the Konoha shinobi an apologetic smile, then stepped forward. "Here, put him in this empty bed. I'll treat him!"
"You..." The burly man hesitated as he looked at the boy before him. Then, seeing the distinctive Uchiha Clan crest, he understood.
"You're the Uchiha kid with the exceptional medical skills, aren't you?"
Uchiha Chonhua was part of the combat unit. His daily duties included patrolling, capturing or killing Amegakure shinobi when they encountered them, and seizing Poison Gas Bombs.
But they didn't run into Amegakure shinobi all that often. Most of his work was patrolling and keeping watch.
The combat unit worked in shifts. Amegakure had fewer shinobi than Konoha, so there was no need to commit a large force.
After handing over his duties to the next shift each day, Uchiha Chonhua would come to the Temporary Hospital to help the wounded and treat Konoha shinobi suffering from poison.
As time went by, everyone in the shinobi units learned that an Uchiha boy with exceptional medical skills had arrived at the Temporary Hospital. He was Lady Tsunade's student.
His ability to heal was extraordinary. Under his care, even the most serious injuries could be brought under control.
The burly man had clearly recognized the boy in front of him. Reassured, he entrusted his injured friend to Uchiha Chonhua.
After the treatment, the burly man watched with delight as his friend's face relaxed and his breathing steadied. He no longer looked to be in pain.
"Thank you for saving my friend!"
The burly man was so moved that he started to bow to Uchiha Chonhua.
Uchiha Chonhua hurriedly helped him back up, humbly saying there was no need to thank him; it was a Konoha shinobi's duty, and of course he should save a comrade from the same village.
After a brief tug-of-war, Uchiha Chonhua finally accepted the man's bow, looking as if he had no choice.
"Just accept it, little Chonhua!"
A middle-aged man laughed. One of the patients beside him chimed in, "Exactly! You saved our lives. We ought to thank you!"
"Thanks aren't enough. When the war's over, come to my food shop. Your meals are on the house!"
"..."
Yakushi Nonō looked at Uchiha Chonhua with envy.
"It's wonderful, Chonhua. Everyone really looks up to you."
Uchiha Chonhua scratched his head in embarrassment. "I only did what I was supposed to. I really don't deserve so much praise."
"Heehee." Yakushi Nonō smiled. "You shouldn't keep turning people down. They truly want to thank you."
"Nonō's right." Tsunade walked in just then and gave Uchiha Chonhua a hard slap on the back, sending him stumbling forward several steps.
"Just accept everyone's gratitude and be at ease about it!"
Tsunade laughed, then picked up the sealing scroll containing Ibuse's poison and left.
She came and went in a hurry.
Uchiha Chonhua grimaced. That slap had hurt.
He looked up at the admiration and respect on everyone's faces and responded with a gentle smile.
It looks like it's working.
Uchiha Chonhua thought that if it was working, he should keep it up!
The urge to treat people stirred in him, and his enthusiasm rose!
Bam!
Jiraiya slapped his hand down on the table, making a loud noise.
He stared at the intelligence report in shock.
"How dare Sunagakure attack us!? Don't they know this amounts to declaring war on the Land of Fire!?"
After two months of stalemated fighting against Salamander Hanzo, Sunagakure shinobi had swept in from the southwest like a sharp blade, striking deep into the heart of the Land of Fire. They pillaged, burned, and committed every manner of atrocity!
As soon as the news arrived, the intelligence department immediately reported it to the Command Center.
Jiraiya couldn't make sense of it. He looked at Orochimaru in disbelief and muttered, "This is going to start a war between two great nations!"
Orochimaru gave a cold laugh. "Jiraiya, there's no need to be so surprised. Sunagakure declaring war on the Land of Fire isn't unexpected."
"Hm? Orochimaru, do you know something?"
Orochimaru tapped the table and looked at Jiraiya as if he were an imbecile. The stare made Jiraiya uncomfortable.
"You're looking at me in a way that's starting to annoy me."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Jiraiya, spend less time in brothels and pay more attention to what's happening in the Ninja World."
Ignoring Jiraiya's protests—"What brothels? That's slander! Slander! I'm doing research!"—Orochimaru continued, "Sunagakure stayed out of the First Shinobi World War and focused on developing itself. Now, its development has reached a bottleneck."
Most of the Land of Wind was desert, with only a few oases. It was a land poor in resources.
On top of that, the Feudal Lord of the Land of Wind was notorious for being stingy.
After years of peaceful development, Sunagakure had reached a bottleneck. To break through it, with the country unable to provide more resources and the Feudal Lord of the Land of Wind famous throughout the Ninja World as a penny-pincher—it was hard enough to get him to spend more, and they were lucky if he didn't cut funding and make things worse.
Under all these circumstances, Sunagakure could only...
Hatake Sakumo summed it up. "Expand outward! They chose the Land of Fire."
The Land of Fire was rich in resources and had excellent terrain. Other nations had always coveted it. The best piece of meat in the Ninja World was right here. Who wouldn't want a bite?
Sunagakure wanted it, and now they had acted. They had invaded the Land of Fire with a military force that had reached its limits.
"Orochimaru, the close-combat unit won't be of much use on this front. Take them south and stop Sunagakure's invasion. We can't let the people suffer any more!"
"Yes, Commander!"
Orochimaru turned and went to gather the unit for the march south.
Hatake Sakumo considered the matter for a moment, then said to Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, inform Tsunade. Have her slow down her research on Ibuse's poison and prepare some antidotes to use against Sunagakure."
Sunagakure used poison too.
Chapter 58: Check Your Chakra, Kid!
Orochimaru led the close-combat unit south and soon reached the area where Sunagakure's forces were rampaging.
Hiss, hiss—
Orochimaru crouched down and learned from the snake what was happening with the Sunagakure shinobi unit.
He frowned, his golden, snake-like eyes full of cold intent.
"Uchiha Zongxing, Hyuga Quande, split into interlocking teams and lead your clansmen in wiping out every Sunagakure squad. Leave no survivors."
Uchiha Zongxing and Hyuga Quande exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.
Soon, the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan had formed their teams.
Uchiha Chonhua and Hizashi Hyuga were assigned to the same team. They nodded to each other.
Then Uchiha Chonhua looked at Nawaki beside Orochimaru and walked over to give him some advice. "Nawaki, stay by Orochimaru's side and follow his orders. Don't go off on your own again."
During the fighting against Amegakure, Nawaki had often let his enthusiasm get the better of him. Eager to distinguish himself, he kept acting on his own.
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