"Yeah."
"I blew that Jonin all over the place with Explosive Tags."
Shin'un answered casually.
Seeing Shin'un confirm his guess, Yūichi instantly looked as though a whole field of burly men had taken turns with him, the light gradually fading from his eyes.
Shin'un crouched and waved a hand in front of Yūichi's eyes. Seeing that he still wore that dead-fish stare, he couldn't help asking.
"What's wrong? You look like you've been broken."
At those words, Yūichi reacted.
"You're the one who's been broken!"
He glared fiercely at Shin'un, then couldn't help lowering his head and sighing.
"I'm just marveling. Marveling that your strength has already reached this level."
"I thought my strength definitely ranked among the best of our generation."
"Who would've thought... sigh."
Shin'un was a little surprised by Yūichi's behavior.
He hadn't expected Yūichi, whose mind was filled with nothing but fighting and family honor, to think about things like this.
Looking at Yūichi's bowed head, Shin'un was about to comfort him when the dejected-looking boy suddenly raised his head.
"Don't worry, I won't stay down like this!"
"Shin'un! You'd better watch out. I won't stop trying to catch up to you!"
"Even if I have to keep at it until I'm as old as the old man next door, I'll keep at it!"
"Just you wait! I'll definitely catch up to you..."
"..."
Yūichi suddenly sprang up from the ground, pointing excitedly at Shin'un as he began swearing oaths.
Shin'un froze briefly at the sight.
Watching Yūichi grow more animated with every word, Shin'un couldn't help shaking his head.
The kid was certainly resilient. Nobody needed to worry about him at all.
"That Iwagakure Chunin is dead!"
"His whole body was burned to charcoal. He clearly died from Fire Style."
Just then, the Konoha Ninja who had gone to check on the Stone Ninja Chunin returned to the group.
He first reported the Iwagakure Chunin's death, then looked strangely at Yūichi, who stood in front of Shin'un.
Is this Hirakawa Shin'un's teammate?
He might not be able to kill a Jonin and come out unscathed like Hirakawa Shin'un, but killing a Chunin at ten years old is enough to prove his considerable talent.
Geniuses always appear in bunches...
Shin'un had no idea what this Konoha Ninja was thinking. Hearing that the Iwagakure Chunin was dead, he merely nodded in understanding.
Taking Yūichi along, whose legs were now a little weak after the battle, the group leaped back onto the branches and headed to the other side of the dense forest to find Shiina Kō.
Several minutes later, Shin'un returned to where they had run into the Stone Ninja patrol and immediately spotted Shiina Kō collapsed on the ground.
Tap.
They leaped down from the treetops and came to Shiina Kō's side.
After seeing that Shin'un and Yūichi had both returned safely, Shiina Kō seemed finally reassured and passed out on the spot, frightening Shin'un into rushing forward to check on her.
Fortunately, Shiina Kō had clearly bandaged herself earlier, and the wound on her thigh hadn't bled much.
She might only have passed out because enduring the pain had exhausted her willpower.
Now that there were no enemies left, Shin'un and Yūichi calmed down and examined Shiina Kō's wound.
"With an injury like this... will she still be able to be a ninja?"
Looking at Shiina Kō's unnaturally twisted thigh, Yūichi couldn't help asking.
To him, it would truly be a shame if Shiina Kō could no longer be a ninja because of this injury.
After all, having an attentive girl on the team was a good thing.
Shiina Kō was gentle, had a good talent for Water Release, worked hard at her regular training, and coordinated well with Shin'un and Yūichi.
Another teammate might not be as good a fit as Shiina Kō.
Shin'un heard Yūichi's question but didn't dwell on it.
Whether she could continue being a ninja could wait. The urgent thing now was to get her treated and save Shiina Kō's life.
"Are there any medical-nin among the teams on this mission?"
Turning around, Shin'un looked at the Konoha Ninja behind him.
At Shin'un's question, the Konoha Ninja all paused. After exchanging glances, a small, thin ninja spoke.
"Medical-nin are weak in combat. Why bring them on a dangerous mission like wiping out a Stone Ninja outpost?"
Shin'un paused, then understood after a moment's thought.
Tsunade's younger brother Nawaki hadn't died yet, so Tsunade hadn't been spurred by his death to propose that every ninja squad should have a medical-nin.
Nor was this like the future, when Medical Ninjutsu was widespread enough that there was usually one person capable of using it among every two or three squads.
Here in the Second Shinobi World War, medical-nin could generally only be found in safe Konoha camps.
"But..." Just as Shin'un was worrying, the small, thin ninja who had spoken continued:
"If you just mean someone who knows Medical Ninjutsu, there is one person in the group."
"Who?" Shin'un looked up and asked.
"Your teacher, Lord Orochimaru," the small, thin ninja said.
Shin'un understood immediately. Given Orochimaru's obsession with Ninjutsu, along with having once been on the same team as Tsunade, who was proficient in Medical Ninjutsu, it really wasn't surprising that he could use it.
At that thought, Shin'un hurriedly stood, picked up the unconscious Shiina Kō, settled her securely on his back, and headed back toward the Stone Ninja outpost that had already been wiped out.
Seeing this, the others hurriedly leaped onto the branches and chased after Shin'un.
Several minutes later, they returned to the Stone Ninja outpost.
Shin'un immediately spotted Orochimaru beside the Konoha Ninja clearing the battlefield.
"Sensei!"
Before they even reached Orochimaru, Yūichi shouted from beside Shin'un.
At the shout, Orochimaru turned to look at Shin'un's group.
Seeing Shin'un and Yūichi safe and sound, Orochimaru retained his cold, sharp presence, but his pupils contracted slightly when he saw Shiina Kō unconscious on Shin'un's back.
"Sensei, do you know Medical Ninjutsu? Please take a look at Shiina Kō!"
Shin'un finally reached Orochimaru, and the first thing he asked was whether Orochimaru could use Medical Ninjutsu.
Orochimaru said nothing. He merely crouched, tore open the bandages on Shiina Kō's thigh, and examined the injury.
After a couple of looks, Orochimaru held out both hands, green light rising from his palms.
Under this unique Yang Release Chakra, which radiated green vitality, the injury to Shiina Kō's thigh quickly improved.
"This is..."
Partway through the treatment, Orochimaru seemed to discover something. After simply stopping the bleeding, he ceased treatment, took out bandages, and began bandaging Shiina Kō.
Standing beside him, Shin'un hurriedly asked when he saw this.
"What's wrong, Sensei?"
Orochimaru turned to glance at Shin'un and explained:
"Her thighbone is completely broken, and many tiny bone splinters are embedded around the wound."
"The crushing force also severely damaged the chakra pathways in her thigh. Without proper treatment, it will affect her future career as a ninja."
Orochimaru paused after speaking.
"Only a professional medical-nin can treat this kind of injury."
"Don't worry. If we head back to Konoha immediately, there's still time."
With that, before Shin'un beside him could speak, Orochimaru stood and turned toward the dozen or so Konoha Ninja behind him.
"Move out immediately! Return to Konoha at top speed!"