Medical Ninja

They did not linger where they were.

There had been far too much commotion in those woods. If they stayed any longer, they would eventually draw other teams over. Shikamaru glanced at the scrolls on the ground, confirmed that one was an Earth Scroll, and casually tossed it to Sakura.

"Do you have enough scrolls now?"

Sakura caught it and shook her head.

"We're still short one Earth Scroll."

Naruto had woken up by then. Draped over Choji's back, he drowsily called out, "What? It's over already? Damn it, I didn't even get to do anything!"

Sasuke leaned against a tree, his face still somewhat pale. Hearing Naruto's voice, he glanced at him but said nothing.

Chiya had only half woken up. He cracked his eyes open slightly, saw Ino supporting him, and instinctively asked, "Where are the scrolls?"

Ino turned to look at him and nearly laughed in exasperation.

"That's the first thing you ask after waking up?"

Chiya's lips moved.

"What else would I ask?"

"You're unbelievable."

Though Ino said that, her grip remained steady. When she saw blood seeping from Chiya's shoulder again, her brows immediately drew together. She pressed a hand over his wound. "Don't move around, or you'll bleed out."

Chiya closed his eyes, too exhausted to bicker with her.

Nothing else major happened for the rest of the journey.

Near dawn, they ran into a Grass Village team. Those three were unlucky; there were so many people on this side that they were knocked unconscious with a kick each. That gave them their second Earth Scroll.

Team 10 had gathered all their scrolls long ago, so they did not split up again. After Rock Lee met up with Neji and Tenten along the way, they also headed for the Central Tower. When they finally saw the towering structure, Naruto instantly perked up and pointed ahead, shouting, "We're here! We're here! We passed!"

Sakura let out a breath of relief.

Sasuke said nothing, merely looking at Chiya as Ino supported him.

Chiya's steps were unsteady, and his face looked awful. He had barely spoken during the journey. His shoulder had only been hastily bandaged, and the blood on his clothes had yet to dry. He looked worse off than both Naruto and Sasuke.

After entering the tower, Sakura placed the two sets of Heaven-and-Earth Scrolls on the floor.

The instant the scrolls were opened, white smoke exploded with a bang.

"Well, well. It looks like you really did pass smoothly."

Iruka's figure appeared amid the smoke.

Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka looked at the group before him. The smile on his face had only begun to form before it froze.

Naruto's clothes were torn, Sasuke was pale, Sakura had an injured arm, and Chiya could barely remain standing.

Iruka fell silent for a moment.

"You really are a sorry sight."

Naruto scratched his head, just about to brag, when Sakura reached out and shoved him back down.

"Don't talk yet."

Iruka nodded, his expression becoming more serious.

"Go rest inside first. The medical team will be here soon."

They were led into the rest area within the tower. Quite a few teams that had passed the exam were already there, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and medicine. The moment Chiya sat down, his vision went dark and he toppled to one side.

Ino hurriedly reached out and caught him.

"Chiya!"

Sakura immediately came over to inspect his wound.

Naruto stood nearby, anxiously pacing in circles.

"Hey, Chiya, don't scare us like that!"

Sasuke leaned against the wall, staring at the blood on Chiya's shoulder. His fingers slowly clenched, then loosened.

Before long, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Several people dressed in Konoha medical ninja uniforms entered, carrying stretchers and moving quickly. They scanned the room, their gazes barely pausing before landing directly on Chiya.

"This one is the most seriously injured. Take him first."

Sakura and the others hurriedly made way for the medical ninjas.

Their movements were indeed practiced. They cut away the bandages, stopped the bleeding again, secured his shoulder, and lifted him onto the stretcher with almost no wasted motion.

Shikamaru stood nearby, but his brow slowly furrowed.

He looked at Sasuke, then at Naruto.

Naruto's injuries were not light either, and Sasuke still had that strange Cursed Seal on his neck. Yet from the moment these people entered, their eyes had never left Chiya.

Shikamaru's lips parted. Just as he was about to say something, one of the medical ninjas stuffed a pill into Chiya's mouth and wrapped his shoulder in fresh bandages.

Shikamaru paused, then ultimately said nothing.

Maybe he was overthinking it. Chiya really did need treatment right now.

As Ino watched them carry Chiya onto the stretcher, she instinctively followed for two steps.

The leader raised a hand to stop her.

"You stay here. Examinees are not permitted in the treatment area."

Ino's expression darkened.

"I'll only go as far as the door."

"No."

The man's voice was not loud, but there was no room for negotiation.

Ino wanted to say something else, but Shikamaru reached out and tugged her.

"Ino."

Ino turned back to him.

Shikamaru shook his head.

She gritted her teeth and could only stop.

The stretcher was quickly carried out of the room.

The hallway was much quieter, with only the faint creaking of the stretcher poles swaying.

The medical ninjas walked faster and faster. The moment they rounded a corner, the leader said in a low voice, "We've got him. Withdraw!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The man had silver hair and wore a mask, his forehead protector slanted over one eye.

Kakashi leaned against the wall as though he had been waiting for a long time.

"Put him down."

Their steps halted.

The leader looked up.

"Please step aside. This genin needs emergency treatment. We are the medical team."

Kakashi looked at them, his voice still lazy.

"Konoha's medical ninjas haven't even set out yet."

The corridor immediately fell silent.

The man's expression did not change.

"Perhaps there was an error in relaying the orders."

"Is that so?"

Kakashi raised a hand and pushed up his forehead protector.

His crimson Sharingan was revealed.

"If you think you can kill me, then go ahead and make your move."

He looked at the group, his tone still calm.

"Otherwise, put him down."

Chiya remained unconscious on the stretcher, his face frighteningly pale.

The medical ninjas did not move.

The air seemed to freeze.

After several seconds, the leader slowly released the stretcher.

"Since you insist, he's your responsibility. But if anything happens to him, you'll bear full responsibility."

Kakashi said nothing.

The man glanced at him, then turned and left. The others retreated with him, quickly vanishing around the corner.

After watching them go, Kakashi walked over to the stretcher and looked down at Chiya, his gaze grave.

Kakashi stared at him for two seconds, then let out a soft sigh.

"My students really are becoming more troublesome by the day."

He bent down, hoisted Chiya onto his back, and turned to head back.

When Kakashi returned to the rest area carrying Chiya, Naruto was the first to rush over.

"Kakashi-sensei! What happened to Chiya?"

Sakura immediately rose to her feet as well.

"What happened to those medical ninjas?"

Kakashi's eye curved into a smile.

"Ah, there was a little problem on the way."

Shikamaru glanced at him but said nothing.

Ino, however, stared fixedly at Chiya.

"He's okay, right?"

"He's fine for now."

Kakashi laid Chiya down by the wall. The real medical ninjas soon arrived and examined his wound again. Sakura stood nearby to help, and Ino was not driven away this time. She simply crouched beside him and watched as Chiya was bandaged again.

Before long, everyone who had passed the second exam was called to the main hall.

Chiya was still unconscious, while everyone else quickly got up and hurried over.

At the front of the hall stood the Third Hokage, his gaze sweeping over everyone one by one.

"First of all, congratulations on passing the second exam."

Everyone quieted down.

The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe and continued, "However, more people passed than expected. Before the official exam, there will be one more round of preliminaries."

Naruto froze.

"Huh? We still have to fight?"

Sakura covered Naruto's mouth.

"Keep your voice down."

Gekko Hayate coughed twice and stepped forward.

"Next, I will serve as the examiner for the preliminary matches. Anyone who is physically unwell or wishes to withdraw may speak up now."

No one in the hall spoke.

"Very well. Then I'll take it that everyone intends to participate in the preliminaries."