For a moment, the entire world turned gray in Nawaki's dimmed eyes, as though he were living in a deathly silent hell without the slightest trace of life.
By contrast.
Tsunade instead seemed to have calmed down.
"Hemophobia..."
Tsunade's pupils contracted sharply. She had never imagined that she would one day fear blood, but thinking about Nawaki dying in her hands, that kind of intense psychological shock really might be more than she could bear.
"Araki, is there any way to break this?"
Tsunade looked toward Araki as though seeking help. She addressed the question to him, but in truth, she was not asking Araki, but the First Hokage's Necklace.
By now, she was certain that Araki had a connection to the First Hokage's Necklace. The images Araki saw might have been sent by her grandfather.
As for why it was Araki...
That was no longer something she should be considering right now.
Tsunade only wanted her little brother to survive!
"Have him study Medical Ninjutsu with me."
Araki immediately stated his objective. After saying this, before Tsunade or Nawaki could respond, he added another sentence.
"If Nawaki can be transferred to the Medical Team, his assignment won't be fighting on the front lines, but providing medical care in the rear. Besides, since we're both beginners, we can avoid contact with battlefield casualties altogether. That would effectively keep danger away from Nawaki."
As Araki said this, he also watched the changes in Tsunade's and Nawaki's expressions.
Especially when he mentioned medical-nin.
Tsunade looked thoughtful and said nothing. It was clear that she was considering whether this was feasible.
Nawaki no longer looked desperate to avoid the subject as he had when Araki first mentioned medical-nin. He, too, was thinking seriously. After all, his life was at stake.
He really had gotten a little scared!
How could he not be scared?!
Who wanted to die?!
Nawaki still held a grand dream in his heart. He wanted to become the Hokage of Konoha. If he died before realizing that dream, he would die with regrets, unable to rest in peace.
"That really is a good idea."
After considering it for a moment, Tsunade slowly nodded, then took off the First Hokage's Necklace she was wearing and placed it around Nawaki's neck again.
"Nawaki, keep this necklace with you. That way, Araki can check on the dangers you face at any time. If I'm not mistaken, this is Grandfather's protection!"
Tsunade spoke gently. For her little brother, she would do anything. Had Nawaki not died so young, she would long since have become Konoha's ultimate brother-enabler and would certainly have helped him become Konoha's Hokage.
"Okay."
This time, Nawaki was not willfully defiant. After Araki repeatedly described the gruesome circumstances of his death, the convictions he had thought as solid as rock had wavered. His resolve to sacrifice himself for the village at any moment was actually nowhere near as firm as he had imagined.
At the sight, the corner of Araki's mouth could not help twitching slightly, and black lines appeared across his face.
The change passed in an instant, unnoticed by either of them.
This First Hokage's Necklace was clearly a necklace of misfortune, yet Tsunade had taken it for a good-luck charm.
"Araki, I'll leave Nawaki in your care. Have him study with you for the time being. He won't be going out on missions anymore."
Tsunade spoke with absolute certainty. When it came to medical-nin, she had considerable authority. Transferring her own little brother into the Medical Team posed no difficulty whatsoever.
Konoha's current Medical Team system was still incomplete and had major problems, especially with frontline medical care.
She had once proposed to the Third and Konoha High Command that every ninja squad be assigned a medical-nin, which would greatly reduce ninja casualties, but the proposal had been rejected.
For a time, this had made her feel as though the higher-ups deliberately wanted some people to die.
But that was merely an immature suspicion without any evidence. She did not want it to be true either, so she had not pursued that line of thought.
As a result, the vast majority of medical-nin remained at the main base in Konoha, while a small number set up camp along the front lines at the border. They would only go to provide treatment when something happened, otherwise remaining on standby.
Thinking of this...
Tsunade suddenly felt a little relieved that her proposal had not passed.
Now she could openly keep Nawaki in Konoha, protecting him at her side under the pretext of studying Medical Ninjutsu and doing everything possible to prevent tragedy.
Chapter 52: The three great rules of medical-nin
"Yes!"
Araki immediately answered.
At this point.
He slowly breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
His gamble had paid off!
This round had been a complete victory!
He really had turned a bicycle into a motorcycle!
Araki sat quietly where he was. He had said everything he needed to say, and the rest of the time belonged to Tsunade and Nawaki.
But until Tsunade formally sent him away, he would not volunteer to leave. There was no point in doing so.
Sharing a secret was equivalent to gaining a solid bond!
To put it nicely, they were weathering the storm in the same boat!
To put it less nicely, they were grasshoppers tied to the same string!
Araki was not worried at all that Tsunade and Nawaki would reveal the secret of the First Hokage's Necklace. During his account just now, he had only described Nawaki's death, not anyone else's. That was, in fact, true.
Still, he had deliberately steered them a little.
After all, in the original course of the story, Tsunade seemed to have overlooked this part, or perhaps she had buried it in her heart without showing it.
But just then, Araki had clearly seen the gravity in Tsunade's eyes. It told him that his guidance had succeeded. Tsunade now had a sense of crisis and recognized that the danger facing Nawaki might not come entirely from outside. It could also come from within. None of this was certain.
With that.
Tsunade would absolutely never reveal the secret of the First Hokage's Necklace.
On another level, after this huge gamble, Araki would gain Tsunade's trust and more opportunities to spend time with Nawaki, having already forged a deeper connection with him.
Nawaki was different from Kushina.
Kushina was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Many people were watching her, and trouble could come at any time. That was not even counting whatever the Nine-Tails himself might stir up.
Nawaki, on the other hand, was Tsunade's own little brother. Having a hold on Nawaki was equivalent to having a hold on Tsunade's lifeline. Besides, if Nawaki really did have a chance to become Hokage in the future, all these bonds and feelings at this stage could be considered investments.
Aside from that.
Araki felt that when he was with Nawaki, more of people's attention would fall on Nawaki.
This was the green-leaf effect!
Before transmigrating, Araki had often seen girls become best friends with girls whose figures and looks did not measure up to their own. When they went shopping together, the visual contrast would make them stand out. It was equivalent to finding a green leaf to serve as a foil.
Araki wanted to be the green leaf that served as Nawaki's foil.
As long as someone more eye-catching stood beside him, much of the attention would naturally pass him over, making him less likely to be noticed.
Of course.
Beyond the gains in these bonds.
Araki had also obtained a legitimate reason to touch the First Hokage's Necklace whenever he wanted!
That was something he absolutely had not possessed before this gamble succeeded!
If Araki had done nothing, Nawaki would have gone to the front lines on a mission tomorrow and very possibly died there. During that period, Araki would have had no chance to touch the First Hokage's Necklace. Afterward, Tsunade would give it to Dan Katō, leaving him even fewer opportunities.
The Chakra crystal on the First Hokage's Necklace improved him far too noticeably!
Araki did not know why it had this effect, but he was not a scientific researcher in the first place. Why worry about so many answers? If it could improve his strength so significantly, he just needed to keep rubbing it!
"Nawaki, you need to change your way of thinking and become an excellent medical-nin. Only by preserving your own life first can you pursue your lofty ideals."
Tsunade earnestly worked to change Nawaki's thinking. She knew her little brother all too well. He had been exceptionally brave since childhood, willing to rush to the very front on any mission and shield his teammates from danger. He was an excellent companion without question.
That way of thinking conflicted with being a medical-nin!
It was precisely because of these restrictions that Nawaki did not want to become a medical-nin. He did not want to be bound by rules.
But now there was no other way.
"Mm."
Nawaki wilted like an eggplant struck by frost. His pouting face was filled with helplessness and resignation to reality. Even the strongest warrior had moments when he backed down. There was no shame in bowing to the risk of death.
"However..."
Just then, seeing her little brother Nawaki's defeated appearance, Tsunade felt a secret thrill of satisfaction, but also a pang of heartache. She changed tack and said, "Beyond the three great rules of medical-nin, there's actually a fourth point. I'll do everything I can to train you, so don't be too discouraged."
"A fourth point?"
Nawaki suddenly raised his head, his eyes brightening slightly, as though he had grasped a lifeline. Hope showed in his gaze, yet he did not dare give himself over to it completely.
At the same time.
Araki also looked over.
For the past little while, Tsunade had been talking to Nawaki, leaving him ignored off to the side.
Araki did not mind this at all.
This was exactly what he wanted.
If even Tsunade could overlook him within a short time after something like this had happened, then it went without saying how things would be around other strangers.
This protective camouflage of having no presence could spare Araki a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
"Mm..."
Tsunade nodded. She stared deeply into Nawaki's eyes, then turned to look at Araki.
"Araki, you listen too. I'll tell both of you together."
Tsunade held up three fingers.