Yakushi Nonō

Not long after the Konoha group hurried away, an eerie rain mist silently lingered among the mountain forests, which had never before borne any trace of rain. Figures emerged one after another, their eyes cruel and bloodthirsty.

"Just now, a pack of rats slipped away from here. Konoha genin?"

"What does it matter? Let those Konoha bastards see just how strong Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen really are!"

One Kirigakure ninja after another, their teeth sharp like fangs, revealed bloodthirsty expressions as Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Nations, crossed into the borderlands of the Land of Fire.

The Land of Water, which had previously remained on the sidelines, was slowly baring Kirigakure's fangs at the Land of Fire's Konoha.

After a night had passed, the distant horizon gradually turned pale. In Konoha Hospital, Uchiha Huayue, lying in a hospital bed, slowly opened his eyes, the dark golden hair hanging before them swaying slightly.

"Please do not move around carelessly. It is only simple chakra exhaustion; you just need to rest for a few days. You must have gone through an unimaginable battle."

Her smile was gentle and calm, as though it carried the compassionate radiance of motherhood. The Toad Glasses before her eyes and her soft features made people lower their guard without realizing it.

"A hospital? That works too. At least I won't have to go to the battlefield. I guess I picked up my life again. Where are those guys?"

"Your friends? They already went back ahead of you. Those two girls were very worried about you. Come to think of it, I have not seen any of your family visit either. Are they busy with missions?"

Her gentle manner made Huayue subconsciously look toward the spotless ceiling as he answered softly.

"Them? They died on missions. That is why I hate this sort of thing. Shinobi who make children go to the battlefield are such a pain."

"I am sorry. It seems I mentioned something I should not have. Please rest well, and live healthily while carrying your father and mother's hopes with you."

The petite woman with the gentle smile lightly touched Uchiha Huayue's forehead, and the notification that appeared made him pause.

Character Check-in: Yakushi Nonō

Abilities possessed: Mystical Palm Technique, Chakra Scalpel, Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique, Delicate Illness Extraction Technique...

Random Draw in progress... Check-in successful. Obtained Chakra Scalpel today!

Compared with a Medical Ninja's offensive methods, Huayue cared more about that name.

Yakushi Nonō, the current Medical Squad Leader, was known as the Wandering Miko. Her intelligence-gathering abilities and Medical Ninjutsu could absolutely rank among Konoha's top five.

Most importantly, she was Yakushi Kabuto's adoptive mother, one of the few in Konoha willing to take in orphans. She was a kind person willing to risk her life so that the children could survive.

Unfortunately, she was ultimately still not trusted by Danzo, who arranged the tragedy of a son killing his mother. This led to extremely serious consequences, indirectly bringing about the Fourth Great Ninja War and adding quite a few elite forces to the Allied Shinobi Forces.

Her figure gradually left the hospital room. Her movements were gentle as she quietly closed the door behind her.

After a moment of silence, Huayue let out a faint sigh.

"What a good woman. She is already exhausted like this. Pretending to be sick was not a waste of effort after all. Now I do not have to go to the battlefield, right?"

As his thoughts turned, bags of snacks fell from the sky onto the pale blue water, making the Black Nine-Tails nod in satisfaction.

"Since your sincerity is so plentiful, This Lord will forgive you. Is that forbidden technique useful? Back when Menma collected Kekkei Genkai and forbidden techniques, he relied on Fox, with This Lord as the offspring. Wahahaha..."

"More or less. At least it is useful for scouting. Compared with Nine Mask Svāhā, I still want that book in your stomach. When are you taking it out?"

The strange and intricate Mangekyō stared at the Black Nine-Tails' abdomen as Huayue tested him in a low voice, immediately drawing the Black Nine-Tails' rebuttal.

"You damned Uchiha brat, are you dreaming? That is This Lord's hope of returning to the world. Though you brat have been quite sensible, This Lord still wants to regain freedom."

"If not for that thing, my chakra would have already resonated with the Nine-Tails here. Then you brat would have been captured too, so if you know what is good for you—"

"As long as Konoha's bastards dare to reach their claws over, I will chop them off one by one. Compared with some so-called village, my personal safety comes first."

After staring blankly for a moment, the Black Nine-Tails could not help bursting into laughter, sending ripples across the water.

"Hahaha! This Lord knew I had not misjudged you. You are not as rigid and old-fashioned as I imagined. Just like Menma, who killed his own father and teacher without hesitation, you are ruthless!"

Ignoring the Black Nine-Tails as he feasted heartily, Uchiha Huayue closed his eyes to rest. What chakra exhaustion? It was entirely an excuse because he did not want to go to the battlefield.

What Jinchūriki would end up lying in a hospital bed because of excessive chakra consumption? Even a Jinchūriki who had not reconciled with their Tailed Beast possessed several times the chakra of an ordinary person.

Not to mention that within Huayue was the Nine-Tailed Fox, the Nine-Tails that had received the greatest share of chakra. Though it was the opposite Nine-Tails, there was no difference in the amount of chakra.

"I cannot believe I happened to run into the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Raikage. My luck is as terrible as ever. I just hope this does not draw too much attention. Otherwise..."

His brows rose as he instinctively covered his eyes. Using the Mangekyō Sharingan for too long really would make him go blind.

Inside Konoha's Hokage's Office.

Looking at the mission report in his hands, Konoha's true rulers, the Konoha F4, exchanged glances. In the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke first.

"You encountered the A-B Combo of the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. There were no casualties in the end, all thanks to Uchiha Huayue's Flying Thunder God Technique?"

Sarutobi Hina nodded solemnly, while Hatake Kakashi, who had been summoned as a witness, gave a slight nod beside her.

Sarutobi Hiruzen examined the mission report in his hands once more. Purple smoke escaped his mouth, and as the tobacco slowly burned, his thoughts returned to that disdainful youth during the prewar mobilization.

"In short, we understand that Uchiha Huayue protected his companions' lives on the battlefield, successfully completed the mission, and indirectly thwarted Kumogakure's efforts. You should both rest for a while and prepare for your next mission."

After the two withdrew, the gloomy old man who had remained silent all along, most of his face covered in bandages, spoke coldly.

"At only ten years old, he managed to retreat unscathed before the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Raikage, even saving all the shinobi traveling with him. Yet his injuries amount to nothing more than excessive chakra consumption?"

"A talent like this would receive the village's focused cultivation no matter which clan they came from, but he just had to be an Uchiha..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet and sighed softly.

"Uchiha Huayue was willing to save his companions, which shows that he still recognizes the Will of Fire in his heart. He is worth cultivating, a link that could ease our relationship with the Uchiha Clan..."

"Do not be naive, Hiruzen! What if this brat chooses the same path as that person? We should follow the Second Hokage's final instructions and eliminate the threat while it is still in its infancy. Kill him."