Ninja Academy

The next day.

Tobirama Senju, having just returned from a mission in the Land of Lightning, came back to the village in a fitted outfit still covered in dust.

Without pausing for even a moment, he headed straight for the Hokage Office.

In a grave tone, he brought news that could further destabilize the Shinobi World and plunge all of Konoha into unease—

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"Kumogakure has dispatched an elite force led by Kinkaku and Ginkaku in an attempt to capture the Nine-Tails."

The elders attending the meeting looked at one another. The office immediately fell deathly silent.

Hashirama was the first to break the silence. "Did they succeed?"

There was surprise and curiosity in his voice, but not the slightest hint of tension.

It was as though he were merely asking what had happened after some wild beast had broken into a neighbor's house.

"...They failed."

"The intelligence I have says they suffered heavy casualties and were driven back by the Nine-Tails."

"Is that so? The Nine-Tails really is strong," Hashirama remarked.

"Brother!" Tobirama's expression hardened as he stressed, "This is no time for jokes. Kumogakure intends to capture the Nine-Tails, and their intentions are sinister. If we let this go unchecked, they will sooner or later threaten Konoha."

"We should strike first and destroy their ability to wage war."

Hashirama immediately rejected Tobirama's proposal. "War will only bring deeper suffering to the civilians of both countries, and it cannot truly resolve the conflict. I hope ninja can help one another regardless of national borders..."

He turned to the young ninja from the Sarutobi clan beside him. "Sasuke, arrange for an envoy to visit Kumogakure and ask whether they need medical assistance."

"Brother!"

Tobirama immediately became anxious.

It was one thing not to kick them while they were down, but why offer them help as well?

"All right, Tobirama. My mind is made up. You have worked hard carrying out missions in the Land of Lightning lately, so take some time to rest properly."

"..."

They argued for the entire morning.

In the end, Tobirama left the Hokage Building with a sigh.

On his way back to the clan compound, he happened to spot a notice posted outside Gospel Hospital. Curious, he asked, "What is this?"

"Lord Tobirama, this is an Organ Donation Consent Form," a villager beside him eagerly explained.

Organs? What were those?

A bad feeling rose in Tobirama's heart. Once he saw the contents, as well as Toji and Hashirama's signatures, his face turned green at once.

He immediately went upstairs to find Toji.

Toji was bent over his desk, not even lifting his head. "Tobirama, have a seat."

"No need." Tobirama's tone was unfriendly. "Toji, what is this consent form about?"

"Many of the hospital's Medical Ninjutsu practitioners lack experience. They need ninja corpses as anatomical specimens to help them master Medical Ninjutsu. As for organs, some ninja have their internal organs injured by Explosive Tags or Kunai. Conventional Medical Ninjutsu cannot save them, so transplantation is the only option."

"I have already asked the Hokage to pay attention to recovering the corpses of enemy village ninja during missions. That way, the pressure on our anatomical specimens and organ reserves will ease considerably."

Upon hearing that explanation,

Tobirama calmed down.

Thinking it over, he realized that he had been the one who was too hasty.

After all, he also needed ninja corpses for his private forbidden research. It was only because he had seen his brother's name that he had instinctively assumed the worst.

Toji set down his pen and smiled gently. "Tobirama, you saw the Hokage's name and thought of something bad, didn't you?"

"It is understandable. No one would feel good imagining a relative's body being dissected by scalpels."

"However—" Toji abruptly changed the subject, revealing a rare sly smile. "Hashirama is the God of Shinobi. Who could possibly hurt him? He only signed a consent form to set an example for the villagers. It is no big deal."

"No." Tobirama shook his head. "If it were that person... What about you? You signed it too. Have you prepared yourself?"

"My greatest wish is to eliminate war and keep suffering away from this world." Toji's expression remained calm. "I am safe at the hospital, but if an accident truly happens, and the organs in my body can help the villagers after I die, I would be very glad."

Tobirama stared at Toji for a long time before finally letting out a deep breath. "I never expected there to be someone like you in the Shinobi World. Fine. Give me a pen."

"What are you going to do?"

"You said it yourself. It is only to set an example. If it can ease the village's medical burden, then as a Konoha elder and the Hokage's younger brother, I should naturally take the lead."

Toji hesitated and tried to persuade him kindly. "Tobirama, you are different. You often leave the village on missions. If something truly happens to you, then even though we are friends, I will still strictly follow the terms of the consent form."

"I am strong."

With his arms folded across his chest, Tobirama forcefully shoved the well-meaning warning back at him.

Hearing that, Toji immediately handed him a pen.

Buy one, get one free. Even suspicious Tobirama was willing to sign. What an unexpected delight.

Soon, Tobirama's name was added to the consent form as well.

Toji carefully put away this "death note." "I will keep the original copy. Your name will also be posted on the notice outside the hospital entrance later."

"Mm."

Somehow, Tobirama had signed the consent form in a muddle.

Just as he was about to head home, Toji stopped him again.

"Tobirama, there is a proposal I would like to discuss with you first."

Tobirama was immediately wary. "If you have a proposal, you should speak to the Hokage, not me."

"It is only a discussion."

"I heard from the villagers that the Land of Lightning has been making major moves lately. Is that true?"

"Mm."

Tobirama answered. That was also what he had argued about in the Hokage Building that morning.

Toji's expression grew serious as well. "That is what worries me too. If Konoha and Kumogakure go to war in the future... Gospel Hospital has enough beds for now, but we still have far too few Medical Ninjutsu practitioners."

"You want to train medical ninja?"

"Exactly! But not ninja who have already grown accustomed to killing. You are all far too clumsy."

"You mean..."

A flash of inspiration exploded in Tobirama's mind, as though something was about to break free from its shell.

Toji continued, "We should follow Gospel Hospital's model and gather children of suitable age from every ninja clan and among the civilians for centralized training."

"Children with aptitude for healing can become doctors, while those with talent for combat can gain the strength to protect the village. Everyone will have a bright future."

Boom!

Tobirama's body suddenly trembled.

In just a few words, Toji had turned his vague inspiration into a practical plan.

Ninja Academy.

Tobirama murmured, "Hiruzen, Danzo... They are both exactly the right age."

Tobirama had disciples.

However, he had only trained them in the forest outside the village during his spare time. There had been no fixed location.

During the Warring States Period, ninja taught only their own clan's children. Children from other clans were potential enemies.

Training and cultivating ninja was considered a rather private matter.

After the ninja village was established, outsiders began to be accepted as disciples, but the old customs still carried inertia. Even Tobirama had not yet considered establishing a Ninja Academy.

Only at this moment did he truly see the path clearly.

"This is feasible." Tobirama said solemnly, "It should be put into action as soon as possible."