Bloodline Disease Completely Cured

The seasons in Tanzaku Town were never distinct, yet the icicles hanging from the eaves eventually became wisteria climbing the walls, and after the wisteria faded, came the clamorous cicadas.

When the autumn wind scattered the cicadas' cries, the lanterns outside the gambling houses throughout the street took on a bleak warm yellow. Then, one morning upon opening the window, a thin layer of snow already covered the peak of Tanzaku Mountain.

Thus, winter gave way to spring, and a year passed just like that.

Kaguya Yama—or rather, Yamada Soji—stood in the back courtyard of the pharmacy at South Street Number Seven, slowly spreading open his hands.

With his palms facing upward, pale bone matter faintly flowed beneath his skin. Yet that movement was tame and controllable, no longer carrying the sharp agitation it once had.

With a slight thought, a bone blade smoothly pierced out from his right forearm. It was roughly half a foot long, its edge sharp as a knife, gleaming with a porcelain-like, gentle coldness beneath the winter sunlight.

The bone blade did not retract.

With his left hand, he picked up the special medicinal powder prepared on the stone table and evenly sprinkled it over the exposed bone surface.

The powder let out a faint sizzle upon touching the bone, as though it were being absorbed. The bone surface immediately became even more lustrous.

Then, he clenched his right hand into a fist and gave it a hard shake.

Crack—

That section of ulna snapped cleanly at the base and fell into a tray lined with white cloth, its fracture perfectly neat.

Almost simultaneously, fresh bone grew and formed beneath the skin of his forearm at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within several breaths, it had fully returned to normal, leaving only a faint mark on the skin that rapidly healed.

"Looks like you've completely mastered it."

At that moment, a lazy voice came from behind him.

Tsunade leaned against a corridor pillar with her arms folded, her blonde hair somewhat dim beneath the thin afternoon sunlight.

She wore a thick brown haori with the character for "gamble" written on its back. Her face carried the languid air of someone freshly awake from a hangover, but her eyes were strikingly clear.

"Yes."

At the sound of her voice, Sōji turned and gave a respectful bow. "This was all thanks to Lady Tsunade and Miss Shizune."

"Don't thank me. I didn't do anything myself."

Tsunade waved a hand, walked to the stone table, and picked up the broken bone. Her fingers rubbed over the fracture. "The marrow color is healthy, and the regeneration rate has stabilized within the safe threshold. Shizune did a good job this time."

She made it sound casual, but Sōji knew that over the past year, he had relied on the quiet support of this master of Medical Ninjutsu.

The formulation of every medicinal decoction, the data from every bone activity test, even the core concept behind the radical treatment plan—breaking bone outside the body, isolating it with medicinal powder, and inducing safe regeneration—

All of it had been Tsunade's guidance, casually offered as though she were merely dispelling fog.

She had not acted personally, but she had never neglected him.

At that moment, Shizune jogged out from the room with a record book in her hands, the tip of her nose reddened by the cold.

"Sōji, the bone metabolism rate from just now was ideal. It improved by another 0.3 seconds compared to last week, and the powder absorption rate..."

She rattled off technical terms endlessly, her eyes shining.

For the past year, this had been the most fulfilling and challenging period of her career as a healer.

A terminal illness that should have been fatal in theory had gradually been pried open to reveal a path to survival under her hands. Though her teacher had offered guidance behind the scenes, that sense of accomplishment was far beyond treating ordinary injuries.

At the side, Tsunade merely gave an occasional grunt as she listened, though her gaze drifted toward the cherry tree in the corner of the courtyard, its leaves all fallen.

This brat had been rather well-behaved over the past year.

Other than eating, sleeping, cooperating with treatment, and burying himself in training, he was practically a tireless machine.

Oh, right, and business. His Yamada Pharmacy had now expanded into an enterprise occupying half a street.

Tsunade had also seen him several times practicing Shikotsumyaku in the wasteland outside the town. Its destructive power was formidable, yet his control was exceptionally precise.

"The root cause of Bloodline Disease lies in the contamination of cellular memory and toxins when bones are excessively generated and reclaimed."

"The Kaguya Clan treated bones as weapons. They used them, withdrew them, then used them again. The errors accumulating within them only grew greater and greater, eventually causing the entire bodily system to collapse."

"The fundamental treatment is to replace everything at once. Discard bones removed from the body as waste. Your body needs to become accustomed to creating new ones, rather than recycling garbage."

"You must always remember that!"

With that, Tsunade casually tossed the bone blade in her hand onto the table, flicked her sleeve, and left.

"So today is the last day?"

In the front hall of the pharmacy, Sōji poured hot tea for the two women.

Tsunade sat cross-legged beside the brazier and unceremoniously grabbed a handful of pastries from the table. Shizune, meanwhile, sat properly on her knees with Tonton in her arms. The little pig had grown at least a full round fatter than before.

"Yes!"

Shizune nodded, set Tonton on a cushion beside her, then pulled a thick stack of papers from the scroll she carried.

"These are the complete treatment records, the key points for follow-up observation, and the full formulas for Bone Suppression Powder and Marrow Vitality Decoction."

"Being cured of Bloodline Disease doesn't mean it can never recur."

"Especially if you suffer serious injuries. Your body's instinct will frantically regenerate bone, and that is when the old condition is most likely to return."

"Take these medicines on schedule. They can suppress it to the greatest extent possible."

After that, she carefully explained several more precautions, including dosage adjustments for different seasons, which foods were incompatible, and even how to use chakra to guide the Bone Pulse when his emotions fluctuated intensely...

She left nothing unaddressed, like a truly responsible physician giving instructions to a patient being discharged.

"Miss Shizune, I will never forget this great kindness." Sōji politely bowed.

Shizune's cheeks immediately reddened slightly. She waved her hands and said, "It was because you cooperated so well, Sōji..."

"Enough. Spare each other the pleasantries!"

Tsunade swallowed a pastry, brushed the crumbs from her hands, and stood. "You received the things, and you heard the medical instructions. We're even now."

"Shizune, let's go. The ship for the Land of Lightning departs at dusk."

Hearing that, Sōji stood as well. After hesitating for a moment, he still spoke. "Lady Tsunade, please wait."

"Hm?"

"There is one more matter I would boldly like to request."

His voice was clear and his tone sincere. "Would you be willing to accept me as your disciple and teach me Medical Ninjutsu?"

The front hall fell silent for a moment, save for the crackling fire.

Tsunade turned around, her face expressionless. "Your reason?"

"Though my Bloodline Disease has been cured, this treatment was pioneered by Lady Tsunade and Miss Shizune."

"I wish to study Medical Ninjutsu more deeply. First, to strengthen myself and prevent the illness from recurring."

"Second, many people in this world suffer from disease. If I can use what I learn to give back to the people of the Land of Fire, I can repay a small part of your kindness."

His reasons sounded excellent, but Tsunade laughed, even with a hint of amusement.

"Brat, you're getting better and better at telling lies with a straight face."

As she spoke, she stepped closer, her presence immensely oppressive. "You really do want to learn Medical Ninjutsu, but give back to the people of the Land of Fire? You're from the Land of Water, so save it!"

"You saw the potential of Medical Ninjutsu in combat, didn't you?"

"Chakra control precise down to the cellular level can stop bleeding and regenerate tissue instantly, even alter the body's condition. For a taijutsu ninja like you who relies on his body, the temptation is simply too great."

Sōji fell silent and did not deny it.

"I no longer take disciples."

Tsunade's refusal was absolute. "Teaching Shizune was already an exception. You? A Kaguya orphan with an unknown identity, wrapped up in a whole pile of trouble I can't see through."

"If I teach you Medical Ninjutsu, who knows whether one day you'll use it to create something even more sinister."

Her words were blunt.

Sōji helplessly raised his head and looked into her eyes. "There isn't even the slightest possibility?"

"No!"

Tsunade turned away cleanly and waved a hand. "Give up on that thought! The maintenance methods Shizune taught you are enough to last a lifetime. Don't be greedy."

Before she had even finished speaking, she strode toward the exit, the hem of her haori slicing through the air.

Shizune gave Sōji an apologetic look, hurriedly picked up Tonton and the luggage, and followed. At the doorway, Tsunade paused. Without turning back, her voice drifted over.

"Staying in a place like Tanzaku Town for too long gets boring. Your illness is cured now. Go do what you need to do. Don't keep hiding away in one place."

After saying that, the two women disappeared completely into the bustling street outside.

Yamada Soji stood where he was, listening to their footsteps fade until he could no longer hear them. Then he slowly sat back down beside the brazier, picked up the cup of tea that had already gone lukewarm, and took a sip.

His attempt to become her disciple had failed, but that was within expectations.

He set down the tea cup, his fingertips unconsciously brushing across the tabletop.

Outside the window, Tanzaku Town remained noisy in the afternoon, with gamblers' shouts faintly carrying over.

A year had passed. This fortress built from money and desire had somehow begun to give him the weary feeling of a temporary shelter.

It was time for him to make a move.