Hashirama jumped in surprise.
"Guy? What's wrong?"
Guy took a deep breath and bowed solemnly.
"Lord First! I heard Lady Tsunade is back! Could... could you ask her to save Rock Lee's legs?"
His voice trembled slightly.
"I would be forever grateful!"
Hashirama froze for a moment.
Rock Lee?
That boy with the bowl cut who always followed Guy around?
Genya frowned slightly.
Rock Lee's legs...
Although Guy had talked him into stopping his training earlier, the damage had already been done.
The medical ninja had said he might never be a ninja again.
Guy raised his head, his eyes red.
"Lee... he's always worked so hard! His youth has only just begun! If it ends like this..."
He clenched his fists.
"I can't accept it! And neither can he!"
Hashirama looked at him and fell silent for a moment.
Then he patted Guy on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to Tsunade."
Guy froze.
"Lord First..."
"That girl may seem cold, but she has a good heart."
Hashirama smiled.
"And when it comes to Medical Ninjutsu, if she calls herself second best, no one would dare claim first. If even she can't heal him..."
He paused.
"Then no one can."
Guy's tears finally fell.
He bowed deeply again.
"Thank you! Thank you, Lord First!"
Watching from the side, Genya suddenly spoke.
"Where's Lee now?"
Guy raised his head.
"He kept training despite his injuries... he's at Konoha Hospital now..."
"Let's go."
Genya turned around.
"Let's see him first."
Guy paused, then nodded firmly.
"All right!"
The three of them headed toward Konoha Hospital.
Along the way, Guy kept talking about Lee.
He talked about how Lee had wanted to be a ninja since he was little.
How he did five hundred push-ups, five hundred sit-ups, five hundred squats, and