The money saved was what allowed Gid to qualify for the Ninja Academy.
This was the harsh reality for ordinary people in the Hidden Leaf!
Beyond this example, there were many others, including Shisui, who, due to his father's expensive illness, had to start performing missions at a young age to support his family.
"I can afford it." Hazuki Uchiha nodded.
She was already prepared for Kiyoshi to ruthlessly extort her again.
Her parents had also been ninjas and accumulated a lot of mission compensation during their lives.
As long as she could pay for Yamada Ōhiro's medical expenses, Hazuki was entirely willing to part with the money.
Seeing her devotion for love, a smile tugged at Kiyoshi's lips.
The Uchiha were this obsessive; once they committed to something, they had to see it through.
Hazuki took out a sum of money from the ninja tool pouch behind her and said to Kiyoshi:
"This is my sincerity."
Hazuki looked at Kiyoshi.
Unexpectedly, Kiyoshi shook his head and pushed the money away.
"I took your money before because of the bad blood between us. Now that we are clan members, doing so again would be inappropriate. Please leave, Miss Hazuki, I cannot perform this surgery." Kiyoshi made a gesture for her to leave.
Hazuki knelt before the low table, her fingertips slightly curled.
She looked up at Kiyoshi across from her, her gaze filled with stubbornness.
"Kiyoshi… I know you can do it. Whatever the cost, as long as I can manage it…" Before finishing her sentence, she forced a smile that barely reached her eyes.
"I have a method that can increase the surgery's success rate. Are you willing?" Kiyoshi tapped his finger on the tabletop, speaking meaningfully.
"Of course, I am willing." Hearing such good news, Hazuki immediately agreed.
"That is for you to help me with my training." Kiyoshi gestured to Hazuki, indicating for her to come closer.
However, the condition Kiyoshi proposed made Hazuki's heart drop in terror!
***
Hidden Leaf Hospital.
Hazuki walked in with her head bowed, filled with worry.
Kiyoshi's condition was too harsh; it was almost to a point she couldn't accept.
She felt a knot in her stomach and just wanted to see Ōhiro.
"Are you his friend? The patient's condition is not optimistic recently. I hope you can talk to him."
Hazuki was stunned.
She looked at the girl who appeared in the ward, with short hair and what looked like greasepaint or stickers on her face, feeling surprised.
But the information in the girl's words made Hazuki immediately rush into the patient room.
Quickly, she saw Ōhiro, whose face was almost devoid of color.
"If the patient opts for the direct severing of the meridian system, he can still live." Rin Nohara said.
Because ninjas held these things in such high regard—no less important than their second life—they could not decide to cut the meridian system without permission.
The hospital had many disputes over this in the past, so over time, it became mandatory to get the patient or their family's signature.
"In any case, you must make a decision quickly." Rin left that single sentence and walked out.
She didn't quite understand the mindset of delaying the surgery; living was the most important thing.
But this was the patient's opinion, and they had no right to interfere.
"You're here, Hazuki." Ōhiro spoke, his mouth connected to the oxygen apparatus.
"Yes." Hazuki felt a pang of sadness seeing the once relatively strong Ōhiro so weak.
But the thought of Kiyoshi's demand made her incredibly conflicted.
***
The next day.
Hokage Tower.
Minato Namikaze and Yūki Minazuki looked at the same C-rank mission request.
"Lord Third, is this the mission you've assigned to me?" Yūki asked.
"Yes. Didn't your entire squad become Chūnin? You can handle this mission now." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe.
Yūki was the Jōnin leader of Kiyoshi, Asuma, and Kurenai. Letting them go out for training was a good idea.
"Yes." Yūki replied.
"Minato, your team members have just graduated, but you have the veteran Kakashi, and with you, there shouldn't be any danger."
Hearing this, Minato nodded.
This mission was to provide escort for the mysterious Land of Demons.
It was said that the priestess there had recently felt uneasy, sensing that the demon Mōryō was likely to be unsealed again.
Minato did not know how strong Mōryō was.
But since it could only be sealed, it probably wasn't simple.
"Lord Third, I will complete this mission." Minato nodded.
Yūki beside him looked relaxed.
This mission involved two squads working together. With Jōnin Minato present, it was a strong alliance.
What pressure could there be in dealing with a local demon from a small place?
In his opinion, any talk of a priestess or Mōryō was just deliberately exaggerated local rumors.
***
"Still haven't made a decision?" Rin entered the ward to check on the patient's condition.
She often helped out at the Hidden Leaf Hospital when she had free time, especially now that there were so many patients.
"I… I need more time to think." Hazuki sighed.
Ōhiro didn't want to give up his ninja qualification and refused to have his meridian system severed.
But currently, there was no medical ninja who could guarantee the success of the surgery.
Forcing others to attempt it meant a success rate of probably less than 10%, which was no different from gambling with his life.
"Then you must hurry. Kiyoshi is about to leave for a mission." Rin learned at noon today that they were heading to a place called the Land of Demons for an escort mission.
"Executing a mission?" Hazuki was stunned and immediately asked for details.
The patient Rin patiently told Hazuki everything, then urged Hazuki to persuade the patient again. She then noted the situation in the chart and prepared to leave.
Hazuki, left standing there, her expression drastically changed. Biting her lip, she decided to talk to Kiyoshi again.
"Kiyoshi is on the fifth floor right now, so you'd better hurry and find him." Rin, who had taken a step out of the room, kindly reminded her.
"…Okay." Hazuki thanked Rin, then headed toward the upper floor.
Before long, Kiyoshi, who was on the fifth floor, heard a knock on the door.
"The door isn't locked." Kiyoshi said.
Nonō Yakushi was out on a mission, leaving the office temporarily for him to use alone.
"Ah, Miss Hazuki. Have you made up your mind?" Kiyoshi whispered, like a demon.
"I… I understand." Hazuki took a deep breath.
All of this was for… Ōhiro.
Thinking of her moments with Ōhiro, Hazuki began to kneel.
Kiyoshi, however, stopped her and helped her up.
"Sister Hazuki, that's not how it's done." Kiyoshi shook his head.
Since she was seeking excitement, she had to follow through completely.
He then changed into his surgical attire, instructed a few nurses to move Yamada Ōhiro into the operating room, and prepared to begin the surgery.
"You… alone?" Hazuki asked in astonishment.
Kiyoshi had actually dismissed everyone else, leaving only her besides Ōhiro.
"With my Sharingan, everyone else would just be a hindrance." Kiyoshi said calmly.
This was chakra-based medical ninjutsu, much of which was different from medicine in his previous life. He alone could oversee the surgery.
"Then, let's begin. Help me with my training to increase the success rate of the surgery." Kiyoshi said slowly after injecting the anesthetic and waiting for Ōhiro to fall unconscious.
As his Dōjutsu power increased, the insight of the Sharingan would also strengthen.
He stood before the operating table, performing surgery on Ōhiro while looking at Hazuki.
He signaled Hazuki to release his seal herself.
This was an indispensable part of assisting the surgery.
Hazuki's expression kept changing. She looked at Kiyoshi, who had already sliced the skin but suddenly stopped, and could only say tremblingly:
"I will… do it…"
Hazuki said tearfully. She knelt down and summoned Kiyoshi's unique summoned beast, the Unicorn Giant Beast.
A large shadow began to fall over them.
***
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