Bloodline Disease

Knock, knock...

Knock, knock, knock...

Uchiha Chiri knocked on the gate of the Zenin Clan compound, not far from Naka Shrine.

A moment later, Toji, dressed in a pure white haori, opened the door.

He still wore those plain glasses, his expression as gentle as ever, though now tinged with confusion. "You're... from the Uchiha Clan? It's so late. What can I do for you?"

"My name is Uchiha Chiri. Lord Toji, I sincerely apologize for disturbing you so late at night."

Uchiha Chiri placed both hands over her lower abdomen and bowed slightly, lowering her stance considerably. "There are injured members in our Uchiha Clan who require your treatment. Please rest assured, we will pay triple the consultation fee."

"It's not about the fee." Toji slowly stepped out of the compound. "Gospel Hospital accepts patients twenty-four hours a day. Why not take the injured directly there?"

"Because... this concerns matters private to our clan. We do not wish for everyone to know."

Toji adjusted his glasses. "I see. Then please lead the way."

Very soon.

Toji was brought to the Uchiha clan grounds.

A large room was packed with wounded people, and the air was thick with oppressive tension.

Toji immediately got to work.

For burns caused by ninjutsu, he wrapped the wounds in the Mystical Palm Technique. For slashed and torn wounds caused by ninja blades, he released Earth Grudge Fear from his palms to stitch them closed.

Of course, he still claimed it was Heavenly Mercy Fear. Compared to the version released from his back, aside from its ugly appearance, its chakra fluctuations were extremely faint, making it seem no more threatening than the level of an ordinary Chunin.

"Thank you, Doctor Toji."

"Many thanks."

"Please come visit our Uchiha sometime."

The Uchiha receiving treatment were grateful and friendly toward Toji.

The Uchiha Clan had no medical ninja.

During the war-torn Warring States Period, aside from revering the strong, they also held ninja skilled in medicine in especially high regard. To the Uchiha, a ninja with superb medical skills was like a second life.

Although peace had now arrived, the tradition of respecting medical ninja had endured.

Toji responded to each of them.

At the same time, he silently took note of one person: Uchiha Bing.

Interesting. This chakra... are they related?

Under the eaves.

Uchiha Chiri stood with her arms crossed, half leaning against a pillar as she rested.

Hearing footsteps, she opened her eyes, and her blurred vision gradually refocused.

When she saw who it was, she asked, "Lord Toji, how is it? Has the treatment finished?"

"Just call me Toji." Toji nodded. "Most of them were seriously injured. Many have lost their sight and will need proper rest and recovery."

"There is still one person who has not received treatment."

Uchiha Chiri instinctively pressed, "Who?"

"You."

"Me?" Uchiha Chiri froze for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm not injured. I don't need treatment."

"Please trust my professional judgment." Toji's tone suddenly turned firm. "To discover an injured patient and do nothing is an insult to me."

Uchiha Chiri hesitated for a moment before finally relenting. "This... all right."

"Please follow me."

Toji led Uchiha Chiri to the former Gospel Medical Clinic and gestured for her to lie down on the operating table.

"Miss Chiri, judging from your condition along the way, my diagnosis was correct. You have suffered severe internal injuries."

"Even though you tried your best to conceal it, your unsteady gait, impaired distance perception, trembling pupils... these are all signs of cerebellar damage."

At those words, Uchiha Chiri's pupils suddenly constricted, and her breathing faltered for an instant.

Toji raised a hand and used the Mystical Palm Technique, pressing his palm against her temple as gentle chakra slowly flowed into her body.

As he examined and recorded her condition, he said, "While traveling through the Shinobi World, I have encountered users of Kekkei Genkai Dojutsu. After excessively activating their eye techniques, they displayed symptoms identical to yours."

"I studied this. The foundation of Kekkei Genkai Dojutsu is ocular power, and ocular power is essentially a special kind of chakra released from the brain. Excessive use of ocular power is equivalent to draining the brain dry."

"A person will become dizzy and lose their balance, their body will lose coordination, and even normal running will be affected."

"Your symptoms are far more serious than those of the clansmen treated earlier. From this, I can only infer that Miss Chiri's power is stronger. Accordingly, the backlash and strain your eye techniques inflict upon your brain are also more severe."

Toji's voice was very gentle.

Meeting his gaze, Uchiha Chiri could sense the undisguised sincerity in his eyes.

Her tense body gradually relaxed.

Toji continued, "In essence, this is a chronic Bloodline Disease. Frequent use of eye techniques will cause irreversible damage to the brain."

"However, the human body has a certain capacity for self-healing. If you refrain from using any eye techniques for at least three months, your body will slowly recover, though it will not be able to return to its optimal condition."

Uchiha Chiri let out a long breath. Rather than asking about her own illness, she asked, "Toji, aren't you curious about what happened at Naka Shrine tonight?"

"I'm not curious. I only do what a doctor is supposed to do."

"Those clansmen who lost their sight activated an eye technique that led them astray. To guide them, I also used an eye technique. It was my first time using it. Though I am stronger than them, dealing with so many clansmen at once still injured my eyes..."

Chiri continued speaking on her own. Beneath her cold exterior hid a burning heart.

Toji listened silently. After a long while, he withdrew his hand. "Miss Chiri, this treatment is complete. When you return, please follow the doctor's orders. Come back in a week for the second stage of treatment. It will continue for about a month, and the results will reach their peak."

"I understand." Uchiha Chiri rose to her feet. "Tomorrow, I will have clan members deliver triple the treatment fee to the Zenin Clan."

"The normal fee is enough. I will only take what I am entitled to."

Uchiha Chiri walked out of the clinic. Her blurred vision and double vision had vanished, and her steps had become light once more.

Feeling her body improve, she murmured softly:

"Doctor Toji is a good person, and he has principles of his own."

"He is worth making friends with."

She quickly returned to the clan grounds and summoned a young clansman. "Setsuna, have you finished counting?"

"Yes, Lady Chiri." Uchiha Setsuna lowered his head, unable to hide his dejection. "Yusuke, Masayuki, Taku... five clansmen are dead. Uchiha Yan is missing. According to the clansman closest to her at the time, Lady Yan was badly injured and ran in the direction of the Forest of Death."

"The clan elders have already sent people to pursue and investigate."

"Uchiha Yan escaped?"

Chiri frowned deeply. The worst-case scenario had still happened.

If clansmen had died in internal conflict, she could still conceal it and tell the Hokage it was an internal matter.

But if a ninja escaped, it was defection. If the Uchiha produced a rogue ninja, they had to report it and bring her back.

"Go notify Ayano and have her lead another team of elites there. Uchiha Yan is badly injured. She cannot have gone far or moved quickly."

"You must bring her back before dawn."