Chapter 27: Self-Exposure?
February 20, Year 51 of Konoha
Without a doubt, Uchiha Asuka was one of the few members of the Uchiha Clan who was sunny, handsome, and gentle all at once. He didn't possess the Uchiha Clan's characteristic arrogance toward outsiders, and he was extremely patient with his clumsy apprentice.
After all, not everyone could possess the Sharingan and copy ninjutsu like the Uchiha Clan, nor was he one of the Ninja World's legendary teachers.
The Ninja World's truly great teacher—Tsunade:
She personally taught her apprentice Medical Ninjutsu, and in just two and a half years transformed an intern into someone with "superb medical skills, monstrous strength inherited from Tsunade, the ability to treat injuries that even medical ninja like Chiyo couldn't handle, and who even outperformed Sasori in preparing antidotes from a pharmacy."
The Ninja World's truly great teacher—Jiraiya:
His disciples included Minato Namikaze, whose speed was unrivaled in the Ninja World, as well as the three future leaders of the Land of Rain. Every one of his students became a formidable shinobi. After more than two years of guidance, Uzumaki Naruto went from the Academy's dead last to Konoha's hero, capable of punching Orochimaru, kicking Hidan and Kakuzu, and talking Nagato into surrendering, completely turning his life around.
The Ninja World's truly great teacher—Orochimaru:
A scientist with ambition, ideals, and the ability to put them into practice often produced unexpected results.
After more than two years of training under him, Sasuke successfully transformed from a revenge-obsessed Uchiha orphan into someone who could converse with the Nine-Tails using only his three-tomoe Sharingan.
As for Asuka...
His three-tomoe Sharingan could currently only see Kushina's fair stomach and the fine layer of soft hair on it. Staring for too long could easily lead to misunderstandings.
As a fake "great teacher," Uchiha Asuka relied on his superb Medical Ninjutsu to buy discounted medicinal herbs from the Nara Clan's pharmacy, then used his own money to buy live fish at the market. After slamming them onto the ground a few times, he would let his apprentice practice Medical Ninjutsu on them. If they survived, he released them; if they died, they became dinner.
As for theory lessons, he personally wrote the teaching materials, casually filling a single A4 page every morning and handing it over as that day's freshly prepared lesson.
Although he wasn't as outrageous as Jiraiya, Tsunade, or Orochimaru, who could train Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura into people capable of fighting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki with their bare hands in just over two years, he was still very diligent and responsible.
He was very confident that within five years, he could train Yūgao into an excellent medical ninja.
"This fish soup is really delicious."
"Ah!"
After taking another sip, Asuka gave Yūgao a thumbs-up and praised her.
"Your fish stew has improved much faster than your Medical Ninjutsu."
"Medical Ninjutsu is so difficult!"
Yūgao Uzuki pouted after taking a sip herself and said dejectedly,
"It's already been four days, and I still haven't even gotten started. Sensei, how long did it take you?"
"Me?"
Asuka set down his spoon, leaned back in his chair, and recalled,
"After drinking fish soup three times a day for eighty-seven consecutive meals, I finally got started. If I hadn't, I would've starved to death."
"Then... Sensei..."
Yūgao looked at the fish soup on the table, subconsciously swallowed, and asked blankly,
"Do we really have to drink eighty-seven more bowls of fish soup?"
"That's for you. I'm not drinking any more."
Asuka wiped his mouth with a tissue.
Thinking about the not-yet-born Haruno Sakura and Tsunade, who was probably losing money in some gambling den, he continued,
"Honestly, I still can't understand how someone could study for only two and a half years and make the Hidden Sand's greatest medical ninja willingly admit defeat."
"The only explanation I can think of is that the old woman deliberately praised Konoha because she saw Sunagakure's military strength declining."
"Old woman?"
Yūgao looked at Asuka in confusion.
An old woman who could breathe life into puppets?
That sounds almost mythical.
Something on the level of the Sage of Six Paths.
"That old woman is Chiyo, one of Sunagakure's senior leaders."
Pointing toward the Konoha Inn, Asuka poked at the fish in his bowl and said in a somewhat subdued voice,
"She's Ebizō's older sister."
"If there's a ceiling for medical techniques in the Ninja World, then the living Chiyo is one."
"Tsunade is another."
"And your teacher..."
"I'm about one-third of the way between the two."
"Wow!"
Yūgao's eyes sparkled.
"Sensei, your Medical Ninjutsu is that amazing?"
She had only heard that her teacher was skilled in Medical Ninjutsu.
She had never imagined he could already be considered halfway comparable to Lady Tsunade.
After all, Tsunade was rumored to be able to cure almost any illness and was recognized as the Ninja World's greatest medical ninja.
Thinking of this, she noticed that Asuka suddenly looked somewhat dispirited for some reason.
Yūgao immediately stood up, walked over, and gently patted his shoulder.
"Sensei."
"You're still very young."
"Don't underestimate yourself just because you can't surpass them yet."
"You simply can't surpass Tsunade and Chiyo right now."
"But from what you've said..."
"In the entire history of shinobi, how many people could ever surpass those two?"
"Opponents like that only appear once in a thousand years."
"Anyone would lose against them."
"If I were you, Sensei..."
"I'd proudly call myself the third-best medical ninja in the world."
"Indeed."
Asuka shook his head, driving away the memories of the Third Shinobi World War.
Placing his hands on his hips, he looked toward the outskirts of the village with a proud expression.
Chiyo is fifty-seven this year.
Tsunade is thirty-eight.
When Chiyo dies, I'll become second.
When Tsunade dies, I'll become first.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
At that moment, the wall clock chimed.
Asuka glanced at it, saw the hour hand pointing at ten, stood up, and said,
"I'm heading out to take care of something."
"Finish eating and go home afterward."
"Okay!"
Asuka immediately leaped onto the rooftops and headed toward the Nara Clan compound.
Feeling the anonymous report in his pocket, he looked toward the center of the compound.
Over the past few days, he had been gradually feeding Nara Yoshino information about the mysterious intruder.
As a professional detective...
He would only finish the final step today—the last treatment for Ryoko's son.
Tomorrow...
He would hand over the rest of the information.
Then Nara Yoshino would discover that the private detective she had hired...
Was actually the mysterious culprit who had repeatedly sneaked into the Nara Clan compound and knocked on a widow's door in the middle of the night.
Hmm.
If nothing unexpected happens...
Then nothing unexpected should happen.
Smiling, Asuka skillfully pushed open the door and slipped inside.
Danzo's influence: -1.
Creak—
Hearing the door open, Nara Ryoko, who had been hiding inside the room, turned toward the entrance.
Hmm?
Why is he here?
The moment she saw Asuka sneak inside, she frowned.
Then, as another possibility occurred to her, her expression suddenly changed in realization.
He probably has the same idea we do.
He's here to ambush the real culprit and gather decisive evidence.
Judging from how familiar he looked...
He had definitely entered this place more than once.
A professional indeed.
He even scouted the terrain beforehand.
"How did you get in?"
Looking at the suddenly appearing "Nara Ryoko," Asuka blinked in confusion.
He had been here several times already.
Hadn't he always come in this way after avoiding the patrols?
Lowering her voice, Ryoko whispered,
"You'd better find somewhere to hide."
"...?"
Asuka became even more confused.
I just need to treat your son and then go home to sleep.
Why would I hide?
Thinking that, he casually closed the door and asked directly,
"Where's the child?"
Ryoko pointed toward the vacant room next door and whispered,
"He's in the empty room next door."
"Alright."
Asuka turned to leave.
If I'd known he was next door, why did I even come in here?
This woman is acting strangely today.
Just then, Ryoko suddenly grabbed his arm and frowned.
"Where are you going?"
She stood up, held onto his arm, and continued in a low voice,
"The fact that you're so calm after seeing me proves you've already figured something out."
"That's right."
"Based on the information you provided, we've concluded that the culprit will most likely come again tonight."
"So we're planning to ambush him ourselves."
"I didn't expect you to think of the same plan."
"If you leave now, you'll ruin everything."
"Today's patrols have already been ordered to ignore anyone entering from outside."
"But if someone leaves from inside, the clan members hiding in the shadows will catch them immediately."
"Since you already know all this..."
"You should stay here and wait with us."
"Quickly find a place to hide."
"Us?"
Hearing Asuka's question, Ryoko pointed around the room.
"There's someone behind the curtain."
"Someone inside the cabinet."
"And under the bed is too dusty, so nobody's hiding there."
...
Without saying a word, Asuka walked over to the curtain.
Quietly lifting a corner...
He saw Akimichi's wife hiding behind it.
She smiled at him warmly.
Then he walked to the cabinet.
Opening it just a crack...
He found Nara Yoshino and Yamanaka's wife hiding inside.
Yamanaka's wife even raised a finger to her lips, signaling him to keep quiet.
This tiny room...
Actually had five people hiding inside.
...Six.
Including himself.
Should I expose myself now...
Or wait until tomorrow?