Lab Rats

Training crows was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Right now, he had something troublesome to deal with.

He had not forgotten what he had promised Tsunade. Unfortunately, You was either training at the Uchiha compound or following Orochimaru on missions.

As a result, Tsunade's research progress had slowed considerably.

"Lady Tsunade, please hear me out! I had my reasons!"

Uchiha Yū swallowed hard. Just moments ago, a fist the size of a sandbag had landed beside his ear.

The explosive sound made his ears ring. He cautiously turned his head and saw that the wall behind him was gone.

The nearby ninjas had thought an attack was underway and hurried over to investigate. The moment they saw Tsunade disciplining someone, they promptly slipped away.

They wore sympathetic expressions, yet none of them dared offer Uchiha Yū a chance to call for help.

Was that a joke? Tsunade was not someone an ordinary ANBU like them could interfere with.

"Heh. So your wings have grown in, and now you refuse to listen? It's only been a few days, and your answer to me is that you were improving your strength? You even shut the door and refused to see me?"

Tsunade grabbed Uchiha Yū by the collar. An air of death surrounded her, and he genuinely feared she would smash a fist into his chest.

There was precedent for this! Jiraiya was the best example. People could die from this!

"Of course not. It involved the Sand Village, so it had to take priority. I was following Teacher Orochimaru's orders."

Hearing that it concerned the Sand Village, Tsunade finally put him down.

"I'm giving you one chance. If this happens again, you're dead!"

"I didn't call you here to experiment on you, either. You'll be studying medical ninjutsu with me. Recently, every ninja who has learned the Healing Technique has been assigned to a group training session."

After briefly explaining the medical unit's arrangements, Tsunade had to acknowledge You's talent for medical ninjutsu. He was an exceptionally rare medical talent.

Thinking of that made Tsunade feel even more resentful. According to the original team assignments, Uchiha Yū was supposed to be taught by her. Yet he had ultimately been assigned to Orochimaru. What a waste of resources!

With Orochimaru's cold personality, what did he know about teaching students?

Tsunade led Uchiha Yū into the classroom, where only five people were seated and waiting for her.

"Lady Tsunade!"

"Lady Tsunade!"

"Good morning, Lady Tsunade!"

Unlike Uchiha Yū, who had arrived late, those chosen to become medical ninjas had all come to the classroom immediately.

Being able to study under Tsunade was a blessing!

"Hello, everyone."

After a large-scale screening process, only a handful had met the requirements. Even so, Tsunade was overjoyed. She believed medical ninjutsu would certainly flourish in Konoha.

Her gaze fell upon them as Tsunade began teaching medical ninjutsu anew.

For You, it was essentially a review. Much of what Tsunade taught was knowledge he had learned as a child.

After a full day of classes, Uchiha Yū felt dizzy and exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to find somewhere to collapse and sleep.

"Lady Tsunade, why have they all left while I'm still not allowed to go?"

He shot her a resentful look. Tsunade had him completely in her grasp; taking someone's food made one reluctant to criticize them, and taking their gifts made one beholden to them.

He had learned the Healing Technique and the Monstrous Strength Fist. While he had won them through a bet, Uchiha Yū was still not satisfied.

He wanted more—such as an advanced version of the Mystical Palm Technique and the Chakra Scalpel. At present, Tsunade was the only one who knew those high-level medical ninjutsu.

"Why should I let you leave? In a moment, go inside and take off all your clothes."

"?"

Uchiha Yū took a step back. He was only ten years old, and he hurriedly refused.

"That's a crime..."

Smack!

Tsunade slapped him on the head, her face darkening.

"Take off your upper body clothes, idiot! I need to examine you! Did you trick Nawaki into wearing weighted gear last time?"

"Those monster-level weights aren't something someone your age can handle."

Lowering her head, she stared at Uchiha Yū. Such heavy weights could truly crush someone to death, but according to Nawaki, when Uchiha Yū removed his weights, they had been even heavier than Nawaki's.

Nawaki's words had reignited Tsunade's interest.

She suspected that the reason his body could achieve such things was because it contained an unknown substance. That unknown substance allowed Uchiha Yū's body to grow stronger rapidly and repair damaged injuries.

"That bastard Nawaki. I didn't think he'd actually go home and do it."

Damn it, Nawaki. Did you have to do it in front of Tsunade while training?

Now I've become Tsunade's experimental material!

Thinking of his little white rabbit, he would probably end up worse off than it.

He hardened his resolve. The next time they met, he would definitely teach Nawaki a proper lesson!

"Yes. If I hadn't been there, that kid wouldn't have been able to get back up."

There were several weighted tools beneath the table. Tsunade fitted them onto Uchiha Yū, and seeing that he could still walk normally, she knew Nawaki had been telling the truth.

"Lady Tsunade, there's no need to be surprised. You adapt to this kind of weight gradually. Nawaki just wants to reach the sky in a single step. It takes long-term, persistent training, but it will noticeably improve taijutsu."

You thought of a taijutsu prodigy. Unfortunately, judging by his age, he should have just been born?

"There's a genin in the village named Might Duy. He's a taijutsu genius. When he goes all out, he can even unleash strength no weaker than a Kage's!"

"Hmm?"

Listening to him, Tsunade had not known there was such a powerful person in the village.

She herself was considered a master of taijutsu, but she still relied on Chakra's unique methods of exerting force.

The Hyuga Clan also relied on the special techniques of the Gentle Fist to deal with enemies.

She acknowledged that taijutsu was an inseparable part of being a ninja, but compared to powerful ninjutsu, one could not gain the ability to fight jonin through the body alone.

"When I have time, I'll look into him."

"And stop changing the subject. I need to examine you."

Unfortunately, she found nothing in the end. Looking at the equipment in Tsunade's laboratory, You had to admit it was already quite sophisticated. However, it could not detect radioactive elements; it could only observe their effects on the body.

"By the way, Lady Tsunade, I need to borrow your laboratory for some experiments."

Although it could not detect radioactive elements, it could observe changes in cells. Uchiha Yū needed to use the instruments to test the Healing Technique's capabilities.

Destroying and reconstructing cells were both extremely dangerous matters. It was impossible without precision instruments.

"You want to borrow my laboratory?"

Tsunade gave him a suspicious look and said with slight displeasure, "You're Orochimaru's disciple. Why do you need my laboratory? I remember Orochimaru has plenty of experimental equipment."

It was not that he did not want to borrow it. Even though Orochimaru was his teacher and his personality had not yet become twisted, if he were discovered, he would definitely be pinned to an operating table.