Yakushi Nonō's Longing

Aburame Ryoma felt a sense of salvation upon hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen say that this matter would be treated as if it never happened, and he immediately asked.

"Lord Hokage, when you say this matter will be treated as if it never happened, does that mean you won't tell my father about it?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen cast a glance at him and said coldly.

"No. If I don't explain this matter clearly, how would your father know what happened to you?"

"The Aburame clan would mistakenly believe their clansman was being bullied and would accuse me of treating them unfairly."

"Therefore, I will inform them of your situation, but I will have them keep it confidential and not reveal who it was that injured you."

Upon hearing this, Aburame Ryoma's face immediately darkened.

Sarutobi Hiruzen guessed what Aburame Ryoma was thinking, and in order to prevent this child from blaming him, he added in a softened tone.

"Of course, I keep my word. You are just a child, so I will not punish you. Furthermore, your injuries are not light; I will immediately send Anbu to take you to the hospital and call Tsunade to treat you both."

Sarutobi Hiruzen beckoned, and two tall, sturdy Anbu appeared instantly beside Aburame Ryoma and Pumpkin Head, picking them up to transport them to the hospital.

The kidnapping of a young girl by Aburame Ryoma and Pumpkin Head was a very serious matter, and they had originally expected to face severe punishment.

They had even mentally prepared themselves to be locked away in Konoha Prison.

They never expected that the Hokage would not only refrain from punishing them but would also care for their injuries and have the Anbu send them to the hospital.

Most importantly, he had actually ordered Tsunade to treat them.

Although Tsunade's combat strength was not currently at its peak, she was known as the Princess of Konoha, held a lofty status, and possessed profound mastery of medical ninjutsu.

In a sense, she was the dream lover of every male ninja in Konoha!

That Sarutobi Hiruzen would actually have the Princess treat them left the two youths feeling flattered.

They also felt the concern Sarutobi Hiruzen had for them.

In their hearts, they were filled with gratitude toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.

This Hokage was truly great!

However, neither Aburame Ryoma nor Pumpkin Head knew the truth.

Sarutobi Hiruzen having Tsunade treat them was not out of concern for them, but rather a hope that they would recover quickly so they could return to the battlefield.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's concern was for Konoha!

After walking for a distance while holding Yakushi Nono's small hand, Uchiha Kurohane noticed that she seemed terrified, acting like a wooden puppet with a vacant expression, having not said a single word.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at the blonde girl before him with concern.

"Are you alright? Are you injured?"

Yakushi Nono snapped back to reality, covered her chest with both hands, and said with a look of gratitude.

"I am not injured. Thank you for saving me!"

"If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened to me. You are my savior!"

"I will repay your kindness. If you have any needs in the future, just tell me. As long as it is something I can do for you, I will do it."

Yakushi Nono's clear, watery eyes flickered as she looked at Uchiha Kurohane with the burning gaze of a young girl in love.

Uchiha Kurohane felt his face heat up slightly under her gaze.

[If you have any needs in the future, just tell me. As long as it is something I can do for you, I will do it.]

Coming from the lips of a beautiful girl, these words were incredibly lethal, and Uchiha Kurohane couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.

However, he did not feel carried away by this.

The fact that Yakushi Nono could serve as a spy, moving between major ninja villages without being exposed and successfully gathering intelligence, showed that she was an extremely intelligent woman.

Even if she didn't know now, she would eventually discover the truth about this attack.

Rather than letting her find out she had been deceived later, it was better to tell her directly.

"Senior Yakushi, you have misunderstood. Aburame Ryoma and Pumpkin Head were not trying to kidnap you; their true goal was to take revenge on me."

"It was because I was talking to you earlier that they misunderstood. You were actually the victim; I am the one who implicated you."

Yakushi Nono's large eyes blinked in confusion, and after pondering for a moment, she fully understood the cause of the incident.

She then widened her eyes and looked at Uchiha Kurohane with an expression of disbelief.

"Why would you voluntarily reveal this?"

Yakushi Nono did not understand.

Wouldn't it have been better to say nothing and accept her repayment?

Most boys coveted her beauty; surely they would all do that, right?

Uchiha Kurohane looked straight into her puzzled, large eyes and smiled with pursed lips.

"Not deceiving girls is my justice."

"I am the one who implicated you, and saving you is me taking responsibility. This is also my justice, so you don't need to thank me, and you certainly don't need to repay me."

"On the contrary, I should be the one apologizing to you."

Yakushi Nono was stunned.

He was nothing like what Danzo had described!

Danzo had said that boys were all liars and villains who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.

But Kurohane was different!

He was not a man who would resort to any means; he was a man of justice!

Justice!

As an orphan and a ninja of Konoha, Yakushi Nono had never cared for such a word.

Under Danzo's brainwashing, she had come to believe that the world was dark and that justice did not exist.

Yet, she never expected that when the word "justice" fell from Uchiha Kurohane's lips, it would sound so dashing, so deeply yearning.

He was like sunlight piercing through the night, warming Yakushi Nono's heart and giving her a sense of being redeemed.

Like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to this warm radiance.

Yakushi Nono was filled with admiration for Uchiha Kurohane's sense of justice.

For the first time, she felt the beauty of the world and found hope.

"Do you understand? It was my fault that you were attacked. I offer you my sincere apology. Can you forgive me?"

Yakushi Nono shook her head earnestly.

"No, this isn't your fault. You truly saved me. You don't need to feel guilty; I still want to repay your kindness!"

[Ji Ya~ Yakushi Nono believes you are a person who can be trusted. Achievement "Trust of Yakushi Nono" unlocked. Obtained entry "Yakushi Nono's Melee Talent A".]

(Yakushi Nono's Melee Talent A: Yakushi Nono is a kunoichi skilled in close-quarters combat techniques. She excels at using kunai, short blades, and similar weapons for grappling. She is proficient in using naked chokes, mounts, joint locks, and other jujutsu techniques. The host masters all of her melee skills.)

Uchiha Kurohane did not feel particularly surprised by this reward.

He had originally hoped to farm medical knowledge entries from Yakushi Nono, not expecting to get this instead.

Kunai couldn't kill anyone, and even ninja blades were hardly worth mentioning.

In the later stages, everyone just relied on chakra cloaks and Susanoo, charging headlong—who used taijutsu techniques?

Even Guy just opened the Eight Gates and relied on brute force.

Trying to poke someone with a small kunai was purely a joke.

However, the jujutsu techniques seemed somewhat useful.

Perhaps they would be "a little bit" useful during the nighttime hours.

Compared to the reward, gaining Yakushi Nono's trust was what mattered most.

With her trust, he could finally enter the heart of this introverted girl.

Uchiha Kurohane probed cautiously.

"I don't need your repayment, and I am not your benefactor. If you want to thank me, then become my companion and study medical knowledge with me."

Fearing that Yakushi Nono might misunderstand his intentions, he added, "Those books are too complex. Studying them alone, I'm a bit at a loss as to where to start."

Yakushi Nono revealed a warm smile and handed the books in her hands to Uchiha Kurohane.

"Of course! I'll give you my medical texts. I've made many annotations and notes in them; it will be much easier for you to learn if you look at those."

Uchiha Kurohane took the medical books, which were heavier than a brick, and flipped through them.

He discovered that she had used pens of various colors to make notes, and every page was filled with numerous sticky notes.

Yakushi Nono had clearly put in a great deal of effort. If Uchiha Kurohane truly intended to study medical knowledge, these notes would indeed be of great help.

But the problem was, as a transmigrator, Uchiha Kurohane didn't want to be like he was before he crossed over—studying and memorizing like a beast of burden...