The Hokage's Office was quiet, save for the faint crackling of a pipe.
A thin trail of smoke curled lazily into the air as Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, eyes calm yet thoughtful.
A moment later—
The door opened.
Qingshui stepped inside.
"Lord Hokage, you called for me?"
Just minutes earlier, an ANBU operative had appeared and urgently summoned him. Given the immediacy of the request, Qingshui could already guess—it had to be something important.
Hiruzen took another slow puff from his pipe before smiling faintly.
"Qingshui, you're here. Good."
He reached into a stack of documents and pulled out a scroll.
"There's a mission I need you to handle."
Qingshui stepped forward and accepted the scroll, his expression growing serious as he opened it.
At first glance—
It was a request from Kusagakure, the Hidden Grass Village.
But as he read further, his brows slowly furrowed.
"A large-scale poisoning incident… at Hōzuki Castle?"
Hiruzen nodded.
"It happened several days ago. The situation is… worsening."
Qingshui's gaze sharpened as he continued reading.
Hōzuki Castle—also known as the Blood Prison—was not an ordinary facility. It housed dangerous criminals from multiple nations. Normally, such individuals were of little concern to the outside world.
But this situation was different.
The poison had spread uncontrollably.
Even the medical ninja stationed at the prison had failed to contain it.
Worse—
They didn't even understand its nature.
"It's still spreading…" Qingshui muttered.
"Yes," Hiruzen replied. "And there have already been casualties."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"These prisoners…" Hiruzen continued slowly, "may be criminals, but they were not sentenced to die."
"If they were, they would have been executed already."
Qingshui closed the scroll.
"I understand."
Kusagakure had no other choice but to seek help.
And in the entire ninja world—
Konoha stood at the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu.
Thanks to one person.
"Tsunade-sama declined the mission?" Qingshui asked.
Hiruzen nodded, exhaling softly.
"She's… not in the right state of mind to take this on."
There was a brief pause.
"So I recommended you."
Qingshui wasn't surprised.
In recent months, his medical abilities had grown at an astonishing rate.
Even Tsunade herself had once remarked—
That his current level might already rival, or even surpass, her own.
"This is classified as an S-rank mission," Hiruzen added.
Qingshui raised an eyebrow slightly.
"An S-rank… for a medical mission?"
"Ordinarily, it wouldn't be," Hiruzen admitted. "But Kusagakure is offering three million ryo."
That explained it.
A typical S-rank mission started at one million ryo.
This was triple that amount.
"And with prisoners from multiple nations involved… they can't afford delays," Hiruzen continued. "If the situation worsens, it could damage the reputation of Hōzuki Castle—and Kusagakure itself."
Qingshui nodded.
"I'll take it."
Then, after a brief pause, he added:
"But I'll need assistance."
Hiruzen leaned back slightly.
"Go on."
"First… Nonou."
Qingshui spoke without hesitation.
"Her medical ninjutsu is excellent. She'll be a great asset."
Hiruzen nodded immediately.
"Approved."
Qingshui continued.
"I'd also like to bring three genin—Kurenai Yuhi, Rin Nohara, and Shizune."
Hiruzen's eyes flickered.
"Genin… on an S-rank mission?"
"It's a special case," Qingshui explained. "They've been performing exceptionally well during their internship."
"It's a good opportunity for them to gain real experience."
"And with me and Nonou present, their safety can be ensured."
Hiruzen fell silent, considering.
He had been observing the medical training program closely.
If these young ninja could prove themselves…
It would silence many critics.
"…Very well," he said at last. "I approve."
Qingshui inclined his head.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
At Konoha Hospital
Qingshui's next stop was Konoha Hospital.
He quickly located Kurenai Yuhi, Rin Nohara, and Shizune, who were in the middle of their training.
"I have a mission for you three."
The moment those words left his mouth, all three straightened instinctively.
"What kind of mission?" Rin asked.
Qingshui smiled faintly.
"S-rank."
Silence.
Then—
"What?!"
All three spoke at once.
An S-rank mission?
For newly graduated genin?
Even Asuma Sarutobi and Obito Uchiha, who had come to visit, were stunned.
"Are you serious?!" Asuma blurted out.
Obito's expression darkened immediately.
"Rin's already doing S-rank missions… and I'm still stuck in the Academy…"
The gap between them suddenly felt enormous.
Even Rin herself looked uncertain.
"Qingshui… are we really qualified?"
Kurenai nodded nervously.
"This is too much…"
Shizune remained silent, but her clenched fists revealed her anxiety.
Qingshui raised a hand.
"Relax."
"The Hokage has already approved it."
That alone carried weight.
Then he added:
"I chose you because of your performance."
"I believe in your abilities."
Those words—
Lit a spark in their hearts.
Their hesitation faded, replaced by determination.
"Yes!"
"We won't disappoint you!"
Qingshui smiled.
"Good. Prepare yourselves."
"We meet at the village gate."
At the Orphanage
Before departure, Qingshui made one more stop.
The Konoha Orphanage.
The moment he stepped inside—
"Brother Qingshui!"
Children rushed toward him, their faces bright with excitement.
He smiled warmly, greeting each of them.
After a brief exchange, the staff led the children away, leaving him alone with Nonou.
"Brother Qingshui," she said gently, adjusting her glasses. "What brings you here?"
She had changed.
The once shy girl had matured into a calm, compassionate woman.
There was a natural warmth about her—a presence that put others at ease.
It was no wonder she had become the orphanage's director.
"I need your help," Qingshui said.
"An S-rank medical mission."
Nonou didn't hesitate.
"Give me a moment."
She turned and left.
When she returned, she had already changed into her medical ninja uniform.
Her demeanor shifted subtly—still gentle, but now focused.
Qingshui nodded in approval.
"Let's go."
Departure
At the gates of Konoha, the three genin were already waiting.
Fully prepared.
Nonou glanced at them curiously.
"Who are they?"
Qingshui explained briefly.
"Medical trainees. This is a learning opportunity for them."
Introductions were exchanged quickly.
Then—
Without delay—
They set off.
On the Road
As they traveled toward the Land of Grass, Qingshui explained the mission in detail.
"A large-scale poisoning at Hōzuki Castle."
"The cause is unknown."
"The infection is spreading."
The three genin listened carefully, their expressions growing more serious with each word.
"So that's why…" Rin murmured.
Kurenai nodded.
"This isn't just a mission—it's a crisis."
Shizune tightened her grip.
"We have to succeed."
Qingshui glanced at them, a faint smile on his lips.
"Exactly."
"This isn't about rank."
"It's about saving lives."
The group moved swiftly across the landscape.
Ahead of them—
Awaited an unknown poison.
An S-rank mission.
And a test that would determine just how far they had come.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)