"Of course, I've treated many patients in Konoha," Ino said without any moral qualms, puffing out her cheeks as she expounded on her medical theory, which could be named the "Great Lament of Heaven and Earth's Intertwined Yin and Yang," encompassing the sensing of celestial timing, geographical features, human emotions, and the changes of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.
You don't understand Medical Ninjutsu, do you? It's easier if you don't.
Temari heard a lot of new terms and thought they sounded impressive, but where exactly was the impressiveness? She didn't know!
The Hidden Sand Village's poisons and puppet techniques were extremely powerful, but their medical facilities seemed a bit rudimentary to Ino. The Village didn't provide subsidies, and the wards only had injured Ninja, not a single villager.
She understood this deeply; Medical Ninjutsu required extensive practice! Her current medical skills were stuck in an awkward position, and the reason was too few opportunities to practice.
There were even fewer opportunities for practice in the Hidden Sand Village.
The true techniques would certainly not be shown to her. She just took a quick, superficial look and that was that.
Temari was busy with work and didn't have time to wander around with her. Considering Ino was Tsunade's disciple and had even tied with Kitsuchi, she was definitely not an unknown in the Ninja World. So, Temari found another Jonin to continue the tour with her.
"Jonin are truly busy," Ino said with a hint of sarcasm.
Temari proudly lifted her chin. That's right, I'm a Jonin, what are you going to do about it?
When the Female Ninja accompanying Ino introduced herself, Ino immediately pressed her lips together, then fiercely pinched her own thigh, afraid she would burst out laughing.
This Female Jonin had big eyes and a pointed chin, roughly the same age as Kakashi and Shizune.
Unlike Temari and Kankuro's distinctive attire, the Female Jonin wore the traditional white headscarf and brown vest of the Hidden Sand Village, with purple war paint, symbolizing passion and bravery, on both sides of her face.
"Hello, I'm Maki."
Ino held back her laughter; this name was too funny.
She even specifically asked, "Just Maki? What's your surname?"
Miss Maki smiled and said, "My teacher picked me up and brought me back to the Village. I'm an orphan, so I don't have a surname."
The Yamanaka Clan had previously conducted detailed investigations into many Jonin of the Hidden Sand Village, including her information. At this moment, Ino pretended not to know, as if casually chatting to extract information.
"Who was your teacher?"
Miss Maki's mood involuntarily became a bit low, and she answered indirectly, "My teacher died many years ago."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's alright."
Miss Maki's teacher was the famous Female Ninja of the Hidden Sand Village, Pakura, who used the "Scorch Release" Bloodline Limit.
Pakura had rendered outstanding service to the Hidden Sand Village, completing so many missions that the Village couldn't fully pay her rewards. Additionally, her high prestige threatened the Fourth Kazekage's authority. What to do? If this had happened in Konoha, it would definitely be will of fire brainwashing! The Hidden Sand Village didn't do that.
Their method was simple and brutal: they tricked their own general and hero into going out and handed her over to the Hidden Mist Village to be killed.
A powerful Female Ninja, devoted to the public good, did not die on the battlefield but was betrayed by her own compatriots and tragically died in an enemy ambush.
Pakura's life exemplified what it means to be "a heroic spirit today, a Great Wall yesterday."
Konoha had committed a series of foolish acts that harmed itself, such as forcing Konoha White Fang to his death and annihilating the Uchiha Clan. The Hidden Mist Village had implemented the Bloody Mist policy, but those incidents had underlying reasons and could at least be roughly explained. Konoha had not intended to kill White Fang, only to damage his reputation.
The Hidden Sand Village's act of killing a hero was truly outrageous. With so few elites in the Village, doing something like this would make no one willing to fight for them in the future.
Ino's words carried a trace of spiritual energy, and she said with a hint of allure, "I heard of Lady Pakura's renown when I was a child, Miss Maki, could you tell me more about her?"
Miss Maki greatly admired her teacher and was not entirely ignorant of the events of that year. Facing Ino's bright eyes at this moment, she felt as if she was seeing a long-lost friend, and the frustration in her heart finally found an outlet.
She began to recount her teacher's achievements from back then. Pakura's record on the battlefield was extremely brilliant, and there were simply too many stories to tell.
During the Third Shinobi World War, the most brilliant Ninja was undoubtedly Minato Namikaze, Konohas Yellow Flash, followed by the Fourth Raikage and his adopted brother Killer Bee. The fourth was Pakura. At that time, Kakashi could only be said to be emerging, still a considerable distance from dominating the battlefield.
It was truly lamentable that such a renowned Female Ninja of the Ninja World died due to her own Village's machinations.
"Every time my teacher completed a mission, I could see the fatigue on her face, but she still pushed through to train with me..."
Miss Maki grew sadder as she spoke, and Ino offered comfort at the right time, "Don't be sad, your teacher will also care for you in the Pure Land," and "The deceased are gone, but the living remain."
Her comfort was like adding fuel to the fire. Although Miss Maki did not agree to join the Konohas Yellow Flash, her words already expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Hidden Sand Village's leadership.
Ino seized the opportunity to ask some questions, indirectly probing and uncovering a lot of intelligence about the Hidden Sand Village.
Most importantly, she found out the secluded dwelling places of Chiyo and Ebizo.
Ino and Miss Maki wandered around the area designated for them in the Hidden Sand Village. Even so, she could still feel many hateful gazes.
Perhaps their friends or relatives had died at the hands of Konoha Ninja, or perhaps they simply felt that Konoha was rich and Sunagakure was poor, leading to intense hostility. Many people referred to Gaara not as the Fifth Kazekage, but as "that monster."
This hostility was particularly evident during the exams.
Ino and the other informed individuals conducted various investigations and defection efforts in secret, but even she underestimated the Hidden Sand Village's hostility.
Of the sixty Genin, less than half passed the theoretical exam. This was understandable, as the ones who came this time were not the elite anyway.
However, after the second exam, even she felt some anger.
The second exam was held in an area called the Desert of Death. Konoha lost nineteen Genin in this competition, not injured, not disabled, but missing without a trace, neither alive nor dead.
In the vast Gobi Desert, with its harsh environment, various poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, and the hostile Hidden Sand Village Ninja, these nineteen Konoha Genin "vanished into thin air" in the desert.
They had been completely unaware beforehand, not knowing that the second exam would be so brutal.
Kakashi burst into the Kazekage's office, demanding an explanation. Both sides were at loggerheads, almost coming to blows.
Gaara had a terrible headache and personally searched the desert, only finding two bodies and a young Ninja who had lost his right leg.
Missing a leg, this person could no longer be a Ninja.
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