Chief Surgeon; Will of Fire

A minute later.

"Finished."

His voice was as calm as if he were reporting the weather. Beside him, Shizune let out a long breath, nearly collapsing. This had been more exhausting than performing a surgery herself.

Amai stared blankly at the wound on Karai's chest—the excised parasite nests, the repaired meridians, and the impossibly clean incision.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out. The Fourth Raikage stood at the doorway, his gaze fixed on Sōji.

There was no longer any doubt in that gaze, only deep admiration and recognition. So much so that he failed to notice Tsunade's abnormal state.

But Sōji paid no attention to any of it. He took off his bloodstained protective suit with swift movements, peeled off his gloves, and tossed the surgical gown aside.

Then he quickly headed for the door.

Tsunade was still standing there. Her body shook even more violently, her face as pale as paper, her forehead covered in cold sweat.

Those golden eyes had lost their focus, staring blankly into empty space.

She was in another world—the world where Dan and Nawaki still existed.

Sōji stopped before her and swiftly removed his outer robe. It was a dark gray long coat, somewhat faded from washing but clean, still carrying the lingering warmth of his body.

He spread the robe open and gently draped it over Tsunade's shoulders.

Tsunade's body stiffened slightly. That warm touch seemed to pull her back a little from some freezing place.

Her eyelashes trembled, but her gaze remained unfocused. Sōji said nothing more and simply turned to look at the people inside.

"Lord Raikage."

His voice remained as calm as ever. "This operation is complete. Once I've rested a little, I'll prepare for your surgery."

The Fourth Raikage looked at him and nodded.

"Also..."

Sōji looked at Shizune. "Shizune, I'll leave the follow-up care to you. Changing the dressings, observation, preventing infection—you know more about that than I do."

Shizune froze for a moment, then nodded. "All right, leave it to me!"

Sōji gave a slight nod, then reached out and gently held Tsunade's arm. His grip was light, but steady.

"Lady Tsunade, I'll take you outside for some air."

Tsunade said nothing. She merely followed his lead, slowly turning and slowly taking a step forward.

The two of them walked out of the stone house side by side.

Outside, the post-rain sunshine was just right.

The air was fresh as though it had been washed clean, carrying the scent of earth and grass. Birds chirped from the distant treetops.

Supporting Tsunade, Sōji slowly led her to a rock warmed by the sun.

He helped her sit down.

Tsunade sat there with his outer robe around her shoulders, golden hair spilling over them. Her body was still trembling faintly, but she was better than before.

Sōji did not leave. He stood beside her with his back to the sunlight, blocking the harshest glare.

Silence. There was only the wind and birdsong around them.

After a long while, Tsunade suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse.

"...You saw it?"

Sōji was silent for a moment. "Yes. I saw it."

Tsunade did not ask what he had seen, and he did not say. One stood while the other sat, and the atmosphere between them was strangely peaceful.

The sunlight fell upon them both, warm and gentle.

Inside the stone house.

Shizune was handling the follow-up care. Amai stood blankly to one side, watching Karai breathe steadily, unable to recover from his shock for a long time.

The Fourth Raikage stood at the doorway, his gaze passing through it to settle on the two figures outside.

"Lady Tsunade... was that... Hemophobia?"

He had clearly noticed it, but had not rashly spoken up. Now that the person involved was absent, he could not help asking.

Shizune was silent for a moment before finally revealing the matter, drawing a sigh from the Fourth Raikage.

No wonder Tsunade had not taken up the scalpel herself. A person at the pinnacle of Medical Ninjutsu suffering from such an illness...

Amai also shook his head regretfully. Tsunade had always been the goal that countless medical ninjas admired and strove toward. Yet now she...

"What strange things are you two thinking about?"

A voice suddenly rang out.

The two turned and saw Shizune standing by the operating table, gauze in hand as she carefully bandaged Karai. There was little expression on her face, only absolute concentration.

"Lady Tsunade's illness will get better." Her voice was quiet, but unwavering.

The Fourth Raikage looked at her and asked in a deep voice, "Psychological illnesses are not so easily cured. What makes you so certain?"

Shizune raised her head. A special light shone in those gentle eyes. "Because Lady Tsunade has never given up on herself."

As she spoke, she set down the gauze, walked to the window, and looked outside.

Sunlight filtered through the window and fell across her face.

"Lady Tsunade... lost her younger brother, lost the man she loved, and lost so, so many things."

"She left Konoha, stopped being a ninja, drank and gambled all day. It looked like she had given up on everything, but I know she hadn't."

Shizune's voice was soft, but every word was clear. "She still teaches me, still researches new Medical Ninjutsu, and still saves people."

"When you from Hidden Cloud came looking for her this time, she said she wouldn't treat anyone, but in the end, she still came."

"Just now, she stood at the doorway, trembling all over, her face white as paper. But she didn't leave. She stood right there."

Shizune turned and looked at the Fourth Raikage. "Lady Tsunade has never given up on being a medical ninja. She just needs time."

The Fourth Raikage looked at the light in the young girl's eyes and suddenly fell silent.

He had seen that light before.

It was in the eyes of Kumogakure's young ninjas when they looked at him.

It was the light of trust, of following, of taking someone as their goal and faith.

"And besides..."

Shizune suddenly smiled. It was a gentle smile, carrying a trace of pride.

"Lady Tsunade's disciple can already independently complete a surgery of this level."

As she spoke, she looked outside at the silver-haired boy.

"The Will of Fire isn't one person burning alone. It's one person lighting another, then lighting the next, repeating over and over, endlessly."

"And Lady Tsunade's fire has never gone out."

The sunlight was warm against his body, driving away the chill brought out from the stone house.

Sōji still stood at Tsunade's side, his back to the sunlight like an unmoving shadow.

He did not look at her. His gaze rested on the distant treetops, where several birds hopped about, chirping noisily.

Their silence continued for a long time, so long that even the wind seemed to slow. Then Tsunade spoke.

"How much longer are you going to stand there?"

Her voice was still somewhat hoarse, but much better than before. That familiar, faintly impatient tone slowly returned to her words.

Sōji merely shrugged. "Let them wait. I can stand here until you feel ready to go back."

Tsunade gave a derisive snort. "Brat, who taught you to suck up like that? Shizune?"

"The truth."

"Heh—"

Tsunade pulled the outer robe closer around herself. That dark gray robe carried the boy's warmth, and on this clearing afternoon after the rain, it gave her an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

She lowered her head and looked at it. The fabric was ordinary, somewhat faded from washing, with a small stain near the cuff that would not come out.

It was nothing valuable, but she did not immediately return it.