Uchiha Yan clicked her tongue and said sarcastically,
"An equal exchange? I've never seen an equal trade involve a sneak attack and tying someone up so tightly they can't move."
Toji calmly explained, "If I remove your restraints, you'll immediately attack me. To keep you from doing something so stupid, I can't let you go yet."
At the very least, he had to wait until he mastered either the Curse Mark or Sealing Jutsu.
Toji silently added in his heart.
"Heh, if this is an equal exchange, what do I get, and what do you want from me?"
"Do you crave power? Do you crave truly living?"
Toji's words were like a devil's whisper, curling around Uchiha Yan's ears.
Her heart suddenly tightened, and an inexplicable sense of dread quietly spread through her.
To the Uchiha, "power" possessed a fatal allure beyond words.
Especially after she had personally witnessed Uchiha Chiri defeat every clansman who had activated Izanagi all by herself, forcing them to their knees in submission. That longing had only grown stronger.
"You want power capable of matching, even surpassing, Uchiha Chiri's, don't you?"
"Don't resist me. In the end, you'll obtain everything you desire."
After a moment of silence, Uchiha Yan's breathing grew heavier, and a wild smile curled across her face. "Hehehe. Sooner or later, I'll tear that mask off your face."
Not refusing was the same as agreeing.
Ignoring her provocation, Toji took out two metal patches and placed them against her temples. "Now is the time for you to cooperate with me."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Feel anger."
"I'm always angry!"
January 15th, Konoha Year 6.
In the blink of an eye, the first day of classes at the Ninja Academy had arrived.
The school gates bustled with voices and activity, packed with parents sending their children off to school, their faces filled with anticipation and unease.
Meanwhile, Konoha F4 sat gathered in the principal's office.
Hashirama Senju looked out the window at the flourishing scene of life bursting forth, joy nearly overflowing from his face as he asked excitedly, "How many children enrolled?"
"Counting those who passed the initial assessment and those admitted as alternates, there are 123 students in total."
Uchiha Chiri delivered her report. "The top student is from the Uchiha Clan... Kagami Uchiha."
"Not bad, not bad. As expected of an Uchiha genius!" Hashirama praised him with a smile, then asked, "Have the teachers and curriculum been properly arranged?"
"Everything has been arranged," Chiri replied.
"The academy selected Chunin from each clan who possess solid abilities, loyalty to the village, and patience with children to serve as instructors. The first year will focus on foundational education, with emphasis on strengthening the students' bodies and laying a firm foundation in ninja basics..."
"In addition, the Ninja Academy will work with Gospel Hospital to give every new student an entrance physical. Children with Yang Release chakra will be identified and, with the consent of both themselves and their families, placed in medical training classes to be raised as medical ninja."
"You've thought of everything."
Hashirama praised, "Toji, Chiri, Konoha is fortunate to have you both."
"You flatter us."
Toji rose to take his leave. "I'll go oversee the students' physical examinations first."
Toji displayed exceptional patience when it came to the students' medical examinations.
Even with an extremely packed schedule—working shifts at Gospel Hospital during the day, conducting research in the laboratory at night, and sleeping less than eight hours a day—he still insisted on examining every child personally.
He was preparing to cultivate his own inner circle.
Konoha would be incomplete without bonds between masters and disciples. Since he had no master, he could only take disciples himself.
Of course, that was only a joke.
His real motive was that he needed assistants.
Whether they helped shoulder Gospel Hospital's work or unknowingly participated in portions of his research, they could save him a great deal of effort.
Toji had limitless time, but limited energy.
With a gentle smile, Toji said, "One at a time. Line up properly, don't rush."
One afternoon later.
The compiled examination reports reached Toji's hands. Expressionless, he looked over the list of students with Yang Release chakra.
As expected, the results were far from ideal.
Several familiar names appeared in the report: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, Torifu Akimichi...
There were nineteen people in total with aptitude for Yang Release, concentrated among the Akimichi, Nara, and Senju.
Hiruzen and Koharu were already Tobirama Senju's disciples. The Akimichi and Nara Clans were more inclined to have their members follow combat paths; Yang Release talent should naturally be used for the Multi-Size Technique and Shadow Secret Technique, rather than Medical Ninjutsu.
As for the Senju Clan students, even if they were willing to become medical ninja, Toji could not possibly raise them as trusted confidants.
Toji opened the second compiled report.
There were very few samples among this batch of alternate students. Only one name stood alone on the entire list.
"Hmm? Matsumoto Kazuka..."
[Matsumoto Kazuka · Female] [Age: 12] [Insufficient conventional ninja talent, but possesses a strong desire to learn and intense interest in Ninjutsu Science. Admitted as an alternate student.]
Born a civilian, eager for knowledge, and mentally mature—this was Toji's ideal template for a disciple.
It was also the true gain from his trip here.
"I didn't come for nothing."
Toji sent the selected list to Uchiha Chiri. Near the end of the school day, he held a class meeting for the medical training class in an empty classroom.
There were five people in attendance.
Four Senju, and Matsumoto Kazuka.
One of the Senju was Takayuki Senju, Hashirama's son.
The moment Toji saw Matsumoto Kazuka, his expression froze slightly.
It was no wonder he had lost his composure.
The girl had pale purple eyeshadow at the corners of her eyes, deathly pale skin, and a white snake quietly coiled around her shoulders.
That appearance actually gave him the illusion that he was seeing Orochimaru.
His shock vanished in an instant, and Toji quickly regained his composure. He already had a faint guess about her identity. Orochimaru was of the same generation as Tsunade, so it was not strange for his parents to be around Takayuki Senju's age...
"Fate truly is mysterious."
Toji adjusted his glasses and began making arrangements. "My name is Toji, and I am your medical instructor."
"Besides your regular courses, gather in this medical classroom every Friday afternoon. I will teach you Medical Ninjutsu. After graduation, the village will assign you to specialized and important positions."
"Matsumoto Kazuka will serve as the medical class monitor. Before every Friday, she will collect everyone's assignments and deliver them to my office at Gospel Hospital."
"That is all."
Ignoring Takayuki Senju, who was eager to speak, and Kazuka's confused expression, he began teaching immediately, unwilling to waste a single second.
"Lesson 1: I want you to remember the three major rules for medical ninja—"
"First, medical ninja must never give up treatment before their teammates are dead."
"Second, medical ninja must never stand on the front lines of battle."
"Third, medical ninja must never die before any member of their squad."
"..."
"This week's assignment: copy each of the three rules one hundred times, then write a one-thousand-word reflection on your understanding of them. No using clones to write for you, and no having someone else write it. If I catch you, you'll be kicked out of the medical class immediately."
Before you continue