Pleasure doing business - Naruto: Mindfire

The examination room was modest, its walls painted a pale green that had faded with age, its air carrying the sharp scent of antiseptic mingled with the earthy undertone of dried herbs. A single window overlooked the Yamanaka clan's internal garden, its glass letting in the late morning light that cast long shadows across the polished floor.

Satoru sat on the examination table, his legs tapping slightly against the edge, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. He had been waiting for twenty minutes, his patience wearing thin, his mind turning over the possibilities of what the results might reveal. He had come to the clan's medical-nin for a check-up before he began his possible tune training.

The door slid open with a soft shhk, and Yamanaka Tadashi entered. He was a middle-aged man, his hair streaked with grey, his expression carrying the sharp-tongued demeanour of someone who had spent decades dealing with stubborn shinobi. He held a scroll in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, his movements unhurried, his attention absolute. He did not apologise for the wait. He set the scroll down on a nearby counter, took a long sip of tea, and regarded Satoru with the expression of a man who had seen too many stubborn shinobi to be impressed by one more.

"Your results are back," Tadashi said, his voice flat. "Congratulations. You are better than ever."

Satoru blinked, his expression shifting from anticipation to confusion. "That is… good to know."

Tadashi set down his tea and unrolled the scroll, his eyes scanning the contents with practised efficiency. He spoke in the clipped, efficient tone of someone who had explained complex medical concepts to impatient shinobi for decades.

"First: chakra pathway scarring. The poison left microscopic scarring throughout your chakra network. The pathways themselves are recovering and intact, but their internal lining is rougher than before. This roughness creates resistance, which explains the 'sluggish' sensation you have been experiencing when channelling chakra."

Satoru absorbed the information, his expression neutral. "And the second point?"

Tadashi continued, his voice measured. "The apparent 'shrinkage' of your chakra reserves is actually a redistribution. The Sharingan was hoarding Yin chakra in the ocular pathways, creating an artificially large reserve that could never be accessed for anything except the eye itself. Now that the anchor is damaged, the hoarded chakra has been released back into the general network. Your total capacity is similar; your usable capacity for non-Sharingan techniques has actually increased."

Satoru's eyes narrowed. "Increased?"

Tadashi nodded. "Before the poisoning, your Sharingan was essentially holding your Yin chakra hostage. You had a large reserve, but most of it was inaccessible. Now that the anchor is damaged, that chakra is available for other uses." He paused, his gaze steady. "The redistribution has shifted your Yin-Yang ratio closer to a normal Yamanaka's. This means standard clan techniques are now theoretically possible."

Satoru's heart rate ticked up. The words carried weight, a possibility he had not anticipated. "But?"

Tadashi's expression was flat. "But the pathway scarring means that using them will be painful and inefficient until the scarring heals or is compensated for. The roughness creates resistance, and that resistance will translate into discomfort and reduced efficiency."

Satoru asked pointed questions, his voice sharp, his attention absolute. "Can I use Yamanaka techniques now?"

Tadashi's response was measured. "Yes, in theory. The spiritual anchor is weak enough that your soul can now detach without the Sharingan slamming the door shut. But your body is not yet healed enough to attempt anything beyond preparatory exercises. Pushing too hard could destabilise the new balance."

Satoru's voice was flat. "Can I train both bloodlines simultaneously?"

Tadashi shook his head. "I advise against it. The new Yin-Yang balance is fragile. Overusing the Sharingan could trigger a relapse of the anchor mechanism. Overusing Yamanaka techniques could destabilise your spiritual energy entirely. You must alternate, not combine."

Satoru's jaw tightened. "What about the Mind Mirror series?"

Tadashi's expression shifted slightly. "The Mind Mirror techniques are your own creation, not a standard clan art. They rely on the Sharingan's perception and the Yamanaka's reflection framework, so they are currently safer than either pure bloodline technique. But they are still demanding. Use them sparingly."

Satoru nodded slowly, processing the information. The picture was becoming clearer; his body was a delicate balance, a fragile equilibrium that could be disrupted by carelessness.

Tadashi set down his tea and looked at Satoru directly for the first time. His expression was serious, his voice carrying the weight of a warning. "I am going to give you a warning, and you are going to ignore it, because that is what shinobi do. But I will say it anyway."

He paused, his gaze steady. "Your body is no longer what it was. The elegant, efficient machine that could channel chakra with precision is gone. What remains is a healing body with a fragile equilibrium. If you push too hard, too fast, you will not simply exhaust yourself. You will actively damage the new balance, potentially locking yourself out of Yamanaka techniques permanently and crippling the Sharingan in the process."

Satoru absorbed the warning, his expression unchanged. He asked if Tadashi could give him a recovery timeline.

Tadashi scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "You want a timeline? Fine. Your physical recovery is on track; you will be walking and fighting normally within a month. Your chakra pathways will take three to four months before the scarring smooths out enough for sustained combat. Your Yin-Yang balance will remain delicate for at least a year. And your Sharingan? Ask the Uchiha. I do not treat eyes."

Satoru nodded, processing everything. He slid off the examination table, his movements deliberate, his mind already turning over the implications. He asked what he owed for the consultation.

Tadashi gave him a flat look. "You thought this was free?"

Satoru paused, his expression shifting. "I assumed the clan subsidised medical services for its members."

"The clan subsidises emergency care," Tadashi said, his voice flat. "You walked in here voluntarily asking for a comprehensive chakra pathway analysis, a Yin-Yang recalibration assessment, and a dojutsu anchor evaluation. That is elective. That is out-of-pocket."

Satoru stared at him, his voice carrying a note of disbelief. "I am a clan member. I almost died on a mission for the village."

"And the hospital bill for that was covered," Tadashi said smoothly. "This is a specialist consultation. Different budget. Different rules."

Satoru's eye twitched. "How much?"

Tadashi picked up the clipboard and read off a number. The number was not small. It was 12,000 Ryo.

Satoru's expression went through several stages; disbelief, calculation, resignation, and finally a reluctant acceptance. He reached into his pouch, counted out the ryo, and handed it over with the expression of a man who had just discovered that knowledge was indeed expensive.

Tadashi counted the money, nodded, and pocketed it. "Pleasure doing business. Try not to break yourself before the next appointment."

Satoru gave him a look. "There is going to be a next appointment?"

"With your history?" Tadashi's voice was dry. "Absolutely."

Satoru sighed, the sound carrying the weight of his frustration. He turned and walked out of the examination room, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft shhk. In the hallway, he paused, looked down at his now-lighter money pouch, and muttered to himself:

"I survived the Akatsuki. I survived Sasori's poison. My greatest remaining threat is apparently clan bureaucracy."

He shook his head and headed for the exit, the faint sound of Tadashi's chuckle following him down the corridor.

Chapter 244 - Pleasure doing business