A Game Beside the Sickbed

In the best private ward of Konoha Hospital, the scent of disinfectant was thick and pungent. Uchiha Ling lay on the snow-white bed, connected to several monitors tracking his vital signs, the lines pulsing weakly but steadily. His face remained pale, his breathing shallow as if it might cease at any moment. His wounds had been carefully treated and wrapped in bandages, making him look like a porcelain doll that had been clumsily glued back together after shattering.

Naruto pulled up a small stool and stubbornly stood guard by the bedside, his eyes fixed on Uchiha Ling's face, terrified that if he blinked, that faint breath might stop. Though dried tear tracks still stained the boy's face, there was something new in his eyes—a spark ignited by Tsunade's words, a flame called "responsibility" burning quietly within him.

Jiraiya leaned against the window with his arms crossed, his expression grim as he stared outside. Tsunade had been settled in the room next door to rest; her own injuries were not light, and she required quiet recuperation. The two sages, Shima and Fukasaku, had already returned to Mount Myoboku.

The door to the ward was pushed open gently, and Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado walked in, followed by two guards. Seeing Uchiha Ling's tragic state, the two advisors furrowed their brows.

"What is his condition?" Koharu Utatane asked, looking toward the medical ninja who was recording data.

"His vital signs are temporarily stable, but... the situation is very grim," the medical ninja lowered his voice. "He has multiple comminuted fractures throughout his body, severe internal organ damage, and extensive ruptures in his chakra pathways. More troubling is that his spirit seems to have suffered a violent impact and some form of... erosion. It is already a miracle that he survived. As for when he might wake up, or how much he can recover if he does... it is hard to say."

The two advisors fell silent for a moment. Though they harbored wariness toward Uchiha Ling's power and the "Dawn Wind," seeing him reduced to this state while trying to rescue his comrades and protect the village's jinchuriki stirred something within them.

"Thank you for your hard work; do everything you can to save him," Homura Mitokado said to the medical ninja.

Just then, the door opened again. This time, it was Shimura Danzo who entered. Leaning on his cane, his single eye swept over Uchiha Ling on the bed without a flicker of emotion, as if he were looking at an insignificant object.

"Danzo, what are you doing here?" Jiraiya stood up straight immediately, blocking the bedside with a hostile tone.

"Naturally, I am here to understand the situation," Danzo's voice was steady. "Uchiha Ling left the village without authorization, utilized dangerous Tailed Beast power, and engaged in battle with unknown forces, causing massive destruction. These things require a clear explanation. Especially that 'Dawn Wind' organization under his command—in such a sensitive time, their loyalty and potential danger require strict scrutiny."

Every word he spoke clung to "rules" and "danger," framing Uchiha Ling's desperate rescue attempt as a violation and a hidden threat.

"An explanation?" Jiraiya nearly laughed in anger. "If it weren't for the kid risking his life, Tsunade, myself, and the Nine-Tails jinchuriki would all be corpses by now! You want an explanation? Fine, I'll give you one: those who attacked us were rogue ninja from the Rain Village calling themselves the 'Akatsuki' organization, and their leader possesses a terrifying ocular jutsu never seen before, known as the 'Rinnegan'! That is your explanation! You should be strengthening border security and investigating this organization right now, not spouting nonsense here in front of a comatose child!"

"Rinnegan?" Danzo's single eye narrowed slightly, a flash of shock crossing his face before he quickly regained his composure. "Even so, merit is merit, and fault is fault. The rules cannot be discarded. Until he wakes up, 'Dawn Wind' must be subject to a full investigation and supervision by Root, just in case."

This was his true goal. To take full control of "Dawn Wind" while Uchiha Ling was unconscious, or perhaps... to dismantle it entirely.

"Don't you dare!" Naruto jumped up from his stool like an enraged lion cub, spreading his arms to block the bed and glaring at Danzo. "You aren't allowed to touch my brother's people! They are all good people! They are the ones who saved the Pervy Sage and Granny Tsunade!"

Danzo didn't even glance at Naruto, keeping his gaze fixed on Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, you are a sensible man. You should understand what it means for Konoha to have an uncontrolled force operating outside the village system, especially after the incidents with Orochimaru and this latest attack."

Jiraiya's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. He knew Danzo's words held logic; Konoha truly could not afford more internal instability. But to hand over the comrades Uchiha Ling had risked his life to protect to Danzo for "scrutiny"? How was that any different from throwing them into a pit of fire?

"Danzo." A weak but icy voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see Tsunade leaning against the doorframe. Her face was still pale, but her golden eyes burned with fury. "Drop that act. We will discuss 'Dawn Wind' after Ling wakes up. For now, I am the one in charge here."

She walked into the room step by step. Though her gait was unsteady, the authority of a Sannin was unquestionable. She glanced at Uchiha Ling on the bed, a flicker of complexity crossing her eyes, before turning to the two advisors. "Aunt Koharu, Uncle Homura, I believe the current priority is to stabilize the village, elect a new Hokage, and concentrate our strength to deal with that 'Akatsuki' organization with the Rinnegan. Not to engage in internal strife here."

Her stance caused the scales to tip instantly.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged a look, both seeing the decision in the other's eyes. Tsunade's attitude was vital, and her words had indeed pointed out the core conflict.

"Tsunade is right," Koharu Utatane said slowly. "The urgent task is to select the Fifth Hokage and consolidate our power. As for Uchiha Ling and 'Dawn Wind'... given their contributions in this incident, the investigation can be deferred, but their range of activity must be restricted pending further processing."

This effectively vetoed Danzo's proposal to take over "Dawn Wind" immediately.

A cold glint flashed in Danzo's single eye, but knowing the situation was beyond his control, he said no more. He took one last deep look at the unconscious Uchiha Ling, swept his gaze over Tsunade and Jiraiya, and with a cold snort, turned and left the ward.

Watching his retreating back, Jiraiya and Tsunade both let out a sigh of relief, though their hearts remained heavy. Danzo would never let this go.

"You two," Tsunade looked at Jiraiya and Naruto, her tone brooking no argument, "get out and get some rest! Especially you, Jiraiya—don't just stand there if your wounds aren't fully healed! Naruto, your brother needs quiet!"

Naruto wanted to say something more, but Jiraiya grabbed him by the collar.

"Let's go, kid. Let your brother get some rest." Jiraiya sighed, dragging the reluctant Naruto out of the ward.

The room finally fell silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of the monitors.

Tsunade walked to the bedside, looking at Uchiha Ling's pale, quiet face. She reached out and gently rested her hand on his wrist, pure chakra flowing like a gentle spring into his body, nourishing his battered frame.

"You brat..." she cursed under her breath, though it was unclear who she was really scolding. "Always causing trouble."

But her touch remained infinitely gentle.

Outside the window, dusk fell over Konoha, the setting sun casting its glow through the glass and onto Uchiha Ling's bloodless face, as if trying to infuse him with a hint of warmth.

And the power struggle in Konoha, with Tsunade's return and Uchiha Ling's critical injury, had entered a new phase. Danzo's ambition had been temporarily suppressed, but it was far from over. That organization called "Akatsuki" and the mysterious Rinnegan were like a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, reminding everyone that the external threat had never vanished.