Gospel Hospital.
Fourth-floor general ward corridor.
The full-time medical ninja in white coats stood neatly on either side of the doors according to seniority, strength, and even family background.
The medical corps trainees from the Ninja Academy, who had undergone long-term systematic training, had also come to the hospital for internships under Toji's orders. At that moment, they stood at the very end under Matsumoto Kazuka's lead.
Click—
The doors slowly opened.
Everyone held their breath in unison, their backs ramrod straight and their heads slightly lowered.
A white haori was the first thing to come into view.
"Good morning, Director Toji!"
Their perfectly synchronized greeting echoed through the empty corridor.
"Mm." Toji gave a slight nod, his tone calm. "Gentlemen, begin your work."
At Gospel Hospital, Toji was the absolute authority.
The comprehensive Konoha medical system he had built with his own hands had been operating smoothly for two years.
Every year, countless wounded people received treatment at this hospital, greatly stabilizing Konoha's combat strength while also providing villagers with effective, affordable treatment for minor ailments.
Konoha's villagers had gained a greatly increased sense of safety and happiness.
To a certain extent, it had also softened the barriers between ninja clans and promoted the village's integration.
Standing at Toji's side was Yakushi Yashi.
This civilian-born medical ninja had been promoted by Toji to chief physician half a year ago, thanks to his excellent medical skills and sterling reputation. He had become a core figure in the hospital, second only to the director.
That was indeed why Toji had promoted him.
One day, he would have to shift his focus away from Gospel Hospital. As his foundation, Gospel Hospital's reputation could not be allowed to collapse, so he needed to select several talented medical ninja to manage it.
Yakushi Yashi was one such candidate.
His surname carried the qualities of an old acquaintance.
"Director Toji, you have seven surgeries today. One of them is an S-rank operation. The patient is Shimura Clan Jōnin Heizō Shimura, who requires heart surgery."
Yakushi Yashi reported from the side.
Medical ninja were ninja as well. Any operation performed on ninja or important figures counted as a completed mission, with the credit recorded simultaneously at the Hokage Building.
In two years,
Toji had accumulated nine completed S-rank Missions and seventy-eight A-rank Missions, while B-rank, C-rank, and D-rank Missions were too numerous to count.
Today had originally been an ordinary day.
But it was anything but ordinary for Toji, who had successfully developed Earth Grudge Parasite.
"Heart surgery?" A different look appeared in Toji's eyes. "Leave it to me."
Yakushi Yashi did not notice anything unusual about Toji and made the arrangements as usual.
Only Toji and Heizō Shimura, who had been heavily anesthetized into a deep sleep, were in the S-rank operating room.
Toji flipped through the medical records.
The file stated:
Heizō Shimura had been ambushed by Hidden Mist ninja while carrying out a mission in the Land of Water, suffering damage to his heart. Fortunately, his companions had risked their lives to escort him back, barely saving his life. By the time he was brought back to Konoha, he had already fallen into a deep coma.
Because of the critical situation, he had been sent to Gospel Hospital immediately and placed under Toji's personal care.
The ninja file listed his family relations. It stated that Heizō Shimura was Shimura Danzō's third uncle.
At the same time,
the file specifically noted that Heizō Shimura had signed an Organ Donation Volunteer Form.
"Shimura..." Toji murmured inwardly. Offer up your heart.
He casually closed the file, walked to the operating table, and raised a hand. "Heavenly Mercy Thread!"
Black threads shot from his palm and sliced open the chest cavity, exposing the damaged heart as it rose and fell weakly.
Toji silently watched the beating heart.
The Shimura Clan was renowned throughout the Shinobi World for Wind Release. Nearly every member possessed Wind-nature chakra, and Heizō Shimura before him was no exception.
A genuine Jōnin-level Wind Release heart was far too tempting for him.
Of the five heart slots within his body, only one currently held a Fire Release heart taken from an Uchiha Jōnin. The remaining slots still had enormous room for improvement.
He could have stood by and watched Heizō Shimura's life force run out, then pushed open the operating room doors and announced that he had done everything he could. After that, he could naturally claim the corpse for Gospel Hospital's disposal...
The Shimura Clan would even have to thank him.
But Toji did not choose to do that.
Ninja with injured hearts were rare. This was the perfect opportunity to plant a Parasite Mark deep within his heart. There would be many chances to take hearts in the future, but opportunities to complete a parasite implantation without leaving traces were few and far between.
The Byakugan's X-ray vision was not absolute, but it could indeed potentially glimpse the Heavenly Mercy Thread inside an injured person's body.
This had been repeatedly verified over more than two years of clinical practice. If abnormal chakra threads suddenly appeared inside an otherwise healthy heart, they would stand out far too much and easily arouse suspicion.
That was precisely why it was safest to target ninja whose hearts had already been injured. The wounds, sutures, and Parasite Mark would be mixed together. Even if scanned by the Byakugan, they would only be regarded as traces of medical chakra left behind after surgery.
Hashirama and Tobirama were still alive, so Toji acted with extreme caution.
And once the two of them died...
With the prestige and position he now held within Konoha's medical system, even if he openly planted Parasite Marks in patients with injured limbs in the future, the Hyuga Clan would be unable to shake him even if they noticed something strange and raised objections.
When that time came,
the entire Gospel Hospital would become Toji's living heart bank.
Toji withdrew his thoughts.
First, he took a small portion of Heizō Shimura's flesh.
Then, he wrapped the damaged heart with Heavenly Mercy Thread and performed deep sutures at a speed far beyond ordinary Medical Ninjutsu.
At the same time, an imperceptibly small cluster of black threads silently burrowed into the deepest part of the heart. It was perfectly concealed along with the wound during the suturing, leaving not the slightest abnormal trace.
Sensing the Earth Grudge Fear within the heart, the corner of Toji's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
The parasite implantation was complete.
As long as he wished it, he only needed to inject chakra into the Parasite Mark inside Heizō Shimura's body, and the man would instantly become his puppet. Even something like betraying the village would be decided by a single thought from Toji.
A powerful Jōnin in his prime had just had his future cut short, reduced to an Explosive Tag that Toji could detonate at any time.
Heizō Shimura's breathing gradually steadied, and his vital signs stabilized.
"Release."
Toji formed a hand seal with one hand.
At his command, Heizō Shimura's eyes rolled upward as he was forcibly awakened. Yet the hollow, cold gaze showed that his body had been taken over by Earth Grudge Fear.
After confirming the integrity of the parasite implantation, Toji withdrew his chakra, and Heizō Shimura lay back down on the bed.
During the time they were parasitized, targets lost consciousness.
Toji turned and walked to the sink, washing his hands at an unhurried pace.
After finishing, he walked out of the operating room, removed his mask, and announced to the Shimura Clan members waiting outside:
"The operation was a success. Jōnin Heizō Shimura survived. He will need at least a month to recuperate."
"Thank you so much, Lord Toji!"
At that moment,
Yakushi Yashi walked over to Toji. "Director, all your other surgeries this morning have been postponed and handed over to us. Lord Hokage wants you at the Hokage Building for a meeting."
Something had happened!
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