On the battlefield where Konoha and Kumogakure were locked in a tragic clash, the air was thick with the scent of dust and blood.
As Takuno's figure crossed the perimeter and stepped into the Konoha camp, Jiraiya, who was reviewing a map, caught sight of him immediately. His furrowed brows relaxed instantly, and he strode forward to meet him.
"Takuno, kid!" Jiraiya's voice was booming as his large hand slapped heavily onto Takuno's shoulder. He said repeatedly, "Good! Good! Good! Hahaha, this great one knew your heart couldn't stay away from here; you'd definitely rush back at top speed! How was it? Did you rest well this time?"
His hearty laughter carried an inexpressible sense of relief.
Takuno nodded slightly, his words concise yet clear. "It was fine. I took a trip to the Land of Hot Springs; the hot springs there are indeed quite nice."
"The Land of Hot Springs?!" Jiraiya's eyes widened, and a look of intense envy immediately surfaced on his face. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice with a mischievous tone as he pressed, "Oh boy! You actually went to that hot spring holy land! Quick, tell me, which kind of bathhouse did you patronize?"
After a brief silence, Takuno uttered a word without changing his expression: "—A private one."
"Nani—?!" Jiraiya reacted as if he had heard of some unthinkable atrocity, jumping up exaggeratedly and pointing at him while shouting in grief and indignation.
"Private?! My god! You idiot! That's a total waste of a good thing! To go to the Land of Hot Springs and not experience the beauty of mixed bathing, isn't that a wasted trip?! Blockhead! Moron! Big dummy!" Spittle nearly flew onto Takuno's face.
Takuno remained expressionless, having long expected this rhetoric. His eyes held the helplessness of 'just as I thought.'
He sighed softly and decisively ended the meaningless conversation, his tone normal but carrying an indisputable shift. "Jiraiya-sama, I'm heading over to the medical ward."
This simple statement seemed to press the mute button.
The playful grin on Jiraiya's face vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn and grave expression.
He reined in all his unserious looks and nodded firmly, his voice steadying, filled with trust and entrustment: "—Mm. Go on, I'm counting on you for everything!"
The pungent smell of disinfectant mixed with the heavy scent of blood was the eternal theme of the medical tents on the battlefield.
Takuno's figure reappeared here. He calmly stepped into this area filled with painful groans and busy figures, without even a twitch of his brow.
This smell, this sight—they were far too familiar to him, whether from his own special environments filled with experimental materials or even earlier.
When he was barely ten years old, he had dared to infiltrate the Land of Whirlpools alone after it had turned into a purgatory due to war, calmly 'collecting' materials amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
The tragedy of that time was far beyond what the scale of this frontline medical room could compare to.
Takuno's return was like a shot of adrenaline, silently injected into the hearts of all the exhausted Medical Ninja.
Many weary faces lit up the moment they saw him, and their tense expressions relaxed somewhat.
Their captain, the Ninja with the highest medical skills, was back!
Without any pleasantries or nonsense, Takuno didn't even spare a second glance at his surroundings before quickly assessing the situation.
He washed his hands and pulled on medical gloves, his movements smooth and natural as he integrated directly into the long line of rescue efforts.
His gaze was focused and sharp, his Chakra precisely controlling scalpels and healing techniques without the slightest hesitation or lag.
Several days passed in exhaustion and tension.
Inside the medical tent, stretchers continued to bring in new casualties; groans were constant, and the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
However, compared to the nearly hopeless sight of wounded piled high when Takuno had first arrived, things now seemed much more orderly despite the continued urgency. The injured could receive more timely treatment.
This visible change originated almost entirely from Takuno's terrifyingly efficient diagnostic and treatment pace.
Every one of his movements was precise and rapid, like an untiring healing machine, greatly relieving the pressure on the other Medical Ninja.
Takuno didn't simply leave a Wood Clone and depart. The casualties here were far heavier than expected; a Wood Clone alone couldn't handle the mountain of work from the start. He needed to wait a while before he could comfortably leave it to a Wood Clone.
To further enhance the efficiency and coverage of the treatment, a pitch-black summoned crow appeared on the crossbeam rope at the top of the tent.
The crow's beak shimmered with an unusual metallic luster, and its sharp eyes calmly scanned every corner below.
Takuno briefly communicated his intent to it; its mission was to serve as the most loyal 'sentinel.'
Once it discovered a wounded person whose condition suddenly worsened to the brink of death while no other Medical Ninja happened to be rescuing them, it would immediately alert him.
This silent black messenger soon became a unique sight in the medical tent.
With its several precise early warnings, Takuno successfully provided timely rescue, pulling several people back from the brink of death.
As the news spread, the Medical Ninja hurrying back and forth and the wounded receiving treatment all noticed the crow that always stayed at the highest point of the tent and knew it belonged to Takuno.
"That's Takuno-sama's summoned beast, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it should be a crow. I heard it can help him quickly find wounded who need emergency aid—"
"I remember it wasn't there before. It only appeared after he came back from this break. Could it be he specifically made a contract during that time—Takuno-sama is truly thoughtful!"
People naturally made the connection. This powerful medical genius must have anticipated the massive pressure from the stalemated war and the surge in casualties, so he specifically contracted such a summoned beast.
Its sole purpose was to race against time to save more lives!
This silent, meticulous spirit of dedication deeply touched everyone who had been guarded by that black figure on the edge of despair.
As for why the Medical Ninja didn't contract medical-type Summoned Beasts themselves?
The reason was simple: Ninja beasts that could be used for direct auxiliary treatment on the battlefield were as rare as top-tier Medical Ninja in the entire Ninja World.
It wasn't something they could contract just because they wanted to.
At this moment, Jiraiya was sitting on a simple stool, having an external arm wound stitched by Takuno.
Since the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B, personally arrived on the battlefield, the frequency of Jiraiya's visits to the medical room had also significantly increased.
His gaze, however, drifted toward the black 'lookout' at the top of the tent, his eyes pensive.
He watched Takuno's slender fingers steadily manipulate Chakra threads, suturing the wound with the precision of the finest instrument. That ease and exquisite control of Chakra even reminded one of Tsunade's demeanor in her youth.
A thought popped uncontrollably into Jiraiya's head.
"With this level of control—if he could really contract that Katsuyu Sage of Shikkotsu Forest—the healing amplification and strategic significance it would bring would be an incalculable boost for Konoha!"
But that thought was merely a flash.
Jiraiya immediately shook his head inwardly. He knew that if he told Tsunade about Takuno's importance, she certainly wouldn't be stingy with the summoning contract.
But the key problem—first, he had to find Tsunade!
Thinking of Tsunade, who was elusive and deliberately avoiding her past and Konoha, Jiraiya's heart was filled with helplessness and heaviness, and he couldn't help but let out another low sigh.
"Takuno kid," Jiraiya pulled back his thoughts and looked at Takuno, who was seriously treating the wound, taking the initiative to break the silence. "Have you heard of Tsunade?"
Takuno's hands didn't stop for a second. He answered without looking up, his tone carrying respect, "Of course. One of Konoha's Sannin, the legendary medical expert. No Ninja who studies Medical Ninjutsu could possibly not know Lady Tsunade's name."
He then raised his tone slightly, with a well-placed hint of confusion, "Why did Jiraiya-sama suddenly mention Lady Tsunade?"
"Mm," a rare look of seriousness appeared on Jiraiya's face as he looked directly at Takuno. "I was thinking, if possible, after this war ends, I'll find a way to have her take you as a disciple."
Takuno's suturing motion paused imperceptibly, the movement so small that no one but himself could detect it.
He looked up at Jiraiya, his gaze calm and his voice steady. "As someone who specializes in Sealing Jutsus, I should be—unsuitable, right?"
"Heh," Jiraiya laughed with certainty upon hearing this. "Quite the opposite! Takuno kid, you are absolutely the most suitable person I've ever seen to inherit that girl's legacy! Bar none!"
His tone was categorical, filled with unquestionable confidence.
Takuno lowered his eyes, focusing on the suturing in his hands. After a moment of silence, when he looked up again, his eyes appropriately shimmered with a light of yearning and sincerity. "If Lady Tsunade doesn't mind, having the honor of joining her tutelage—would naturally be for the best."
Inwardly, Takuno's thoughts were quite different. Becoming Tsunade's disciple didn't have a huge effect on him. Unfortunately, he seemed to have no reason to refuse. Even using Sealing Jutsus as an excuse wouldn't work; becoming her disciple didn't mean he couldn't study Sealing Jutsus anymore.
However, there were two of Tsunade's Ninjutsu he was somewhat interested in: the Yin Seal, which allows Chakra to accumulate continuously and burst instantly, and the forbidden technique that harnesses this massive amount of Chakra to achieve ultra-fast regeneration—Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth — Strength of a Hundred Technique!
Although it was often joked that the combined effect of these two S-rank Ninjutsu only barely reached the level of the permanent passive recovery ability inherent to the Sage Body of the First Hokage, Hashirama.
But this was by no means a denial of their own powerful value.
Once he successfully mastered and utilized this pair of combined Ninjutsu, his combat power would instantly leap to the Kage level!
Moreover, these two Ninjutsu might even be stackable with a Sage Body, though the marginal returns might not be as high.
Furthermore, if he could obtain the summoning contract for Shikkotsu Forest, that would certainly be very good as well.
"Haha! Then it's settled!" Seeing Takuno agree, Jiraiya's mood brightened considerably, as if he had already seen a glimmer of hope. He laughed loudly.
"Once this damn war is over, this great one will go find Tsunade to discuss this matter. Don't worry, Tsunade definitely won't refuse me!"
Takuno seriously doubted the truth of this statement, but he still replied.
"Yes, I am deeply grateful."
This silence, which had just become slightly relaxed due to the topic of master and disciple, was torn apart by an Anbu who suddenly burst in!
The newcomer arrived wrapped in a gale, his breath ragged and his voice carrying an undeniable sense of urgency as he reported loudly: "Lord Jiraiya! Urgent news! The main Iwagakure forces have suddenly crossed the border and are invading in force from the northwest of the Land of Fire! The front line is in critical danger! Currently, the Fourth Hokage has personally led troops to rush to the northwest border for reinforcements!"
This sudden war report was like a bolt from the blue, exploding violently within the noisy medical tent.
The voice was not small, clearly spreading throughout the entire busy area.
"Wha—What?!!" Jiraiya stood up abruptly, his eyes widening instantly, his face filled with extreme shock.
The previous relaxation vanished instantly, replaced by intense worry.
A massive chill descended; one wave had barely settled before another rose!
The threat from Kumogakure was already like a thorn in their side, and now Iwagakure was making trouble at this critical juncture?!
The surrounding wounded and Medical Ninja also instantly stopped their movements or their groans.
The noise ceased abruptly, and a deathly silence descended, followed by irrepressible panicked discussions and the sound of people gasping.
"Iwagakure is attacking too?!"
"The northwest—Heavens, two fronts—"
The battlefield here was already littered with corpses, and the pressure from Kumogakure was still increasing. Konoha's Ninja casualties were severe, and now a deadly new front had been opened?!
Despair and panic were like a tangible dark cloud, pressing heavily on everyone's heart.
The atmosphere, which was already as heavy as if it had solidified, instantly dropped to freezing point, making even breathing difficult.
"Summon all Jonin and above to gather at the command post immediately!" Jiraiya could no longer care about anything else, the shock on his face quickly transforming into the decisiveness and coldness befitting a frontline commander.
He gave the order in a deep voice, sounding like a cold winter wind, and then strode out of the medical room without hesitation, his figure appearing heavy.
"Yes!" The Anbu did not dare to delay for a moment, immediately disappearing with Body Flicker to execute the order.
The medical room, which was already particularly oppressive due to the wails of the wounded and the heavy atmosphere, was now shrouded in a bone-chilling gravity.
Takuno clearly felt this almost suffocating pressure.
His healing movements did not stop for a second. He calmly scanned his medical colleagues, who appeared flustered and lost due to the bad news from the front. His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear and powerful, breaking the dead silence.
"We are Medical Ninja. Holding this place and saving every person before us is our mission at this moment! As for the Iwagakure front—" He paused, injecting a reassuring certainty into his tone.
"Don't forget, the Hokage-sama is personally overseeing things there. The fame of the 'Yellow Flash' is not just a legend!"
These words were like a shot of adrenaline.
After speaking, Takuno ignored the spreading anxiety and continued to treat the next patient's injuries with the steadiness of a rock.
His focused figure, unshaken by the outside world, invisibly radiated a calming power.
Witnessing this, the surrounding Medical Ninja gritted their teeth, temporarily suppressing the anxiety surging in their chests and their concern for the front lines, forcing themselves back into the urgent rescue work at hand.
In fact, Takuno's heart was not entirely without ripples.
Minato going to the Iwagakure battlefield personally? He had long anticipated this.
From the moment the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B appeared on the Kumogakure battlefield, he knew that the Fourth Hokage, who deterred the Ninja World with his Flying Thunder God Technique, would inevitably take action.
Minato loved his family deeply, but his sense of responsibility toward Konoha and its people was equally ingrained in his soul.
Between protecting his family and fulfilling his duties as Hokage, a painful choice was unavoidable, but Minato would ultimately choose this path.
However, Iwagakure choosing to declare war on Konoha at this moment truly caught Takuno by surprise.
According to the original story he knew, Iwagakure indeed took advantage of the situation when Konoha and Kumogakure were deadlocked.
But the key point was that after experiencing the brutal Third Great Ninja War, Iwagakure's losses were extremely heavy. A large number of elites were lost in the campaign to besiege the Third Raikage, and they suffered even more under Minato's elusive Flying Thunder God Technique.
Because of this, even in the original timeline, after the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself during the Nine-Tails' attack, the benefits Iwagakure gained at the end of the war were far less than those of Kumogakure, which had swooped in when the Village was vulnerable.
Takuno couldn't quite understand why, with Ōnoki's calculating and extremely cautious character, he would dare to launch a large-scale offensive against Konoha while the "Yellow Flash" was still around.
Takuno frowned in thought.
A possible explanation gradually surfaced: the fact that Minato had not appeared publicly on the Kumogakure front for a long time had given Ōnoki a fatal illusion!
He might have incorrectly judged that Minato was tied down by something or had even met with an accident, leaving the Land of Fire's gateway wide open.
"If I were Ōnoki and discovered that Konoha's top combat power, Minato, could not be deployed," Takuno thought to himself, "seeing Konoha pinned down by the fierce Kumogakure, paying a huge price just to maintain an advantage but unable to win in a short time...
Merely being satisfied with the small gains of competing for mission resources would be too conservative. Seizing the opportunity to tear off a large piece of fat—that is the logic of power, a most reasonable ambition.
Unfortunately, Iwagakure's Tsuchikage completely miscalculated.
Minato's combat power was not only fully intact but was also liberated at the critical moment!
However, Minato appearing on the Iwagakure battlefield was not entirely a good thing; it would inevitably trigger a chain reaction.
The most direct impact would occur on the Kumogakure battlefield before him, where the Fourth Raikage Ay, would no longer have any worries and could personally come to the front line!
At that time, Kumogakure would gather a terrifying "AB Combination" lineup, including the Fourth Raikage himself, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito Nii, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B.
Each of them was a peak combatant capable of changing the course of the battle single-handedly.
Even more troublesome was that in order to reinforce the Iwagakure front, Konoha might have to split its forces again from the already strained troops on the Kumogakure battlefield.
Despite the new pressure brought by the current battle situation, from an overall perspective, the foundation of Konoha's advantage had not been completely overturned.
Although Konoha's casualties in the duel with Kumogakure were not small, considering everything, the price paid by Kumogakure was undoubtedly even heavier.
Although Konoha was inferior to Kumogakure in terms of the number of top-tier combatants, having only Jiraiya.
It still possessed a considerable number of powerful Ninja, and its core advantage lay in a complete medical system that far surpassed Kumogakure's.
This meant that once the war entered a stage of attrition and stalemate, Konoha's rear support capabilities would play a decisive role.
Continually accumulating casualties would be like heavy weights that would eventually force Kumogakure, with its limited ability to replenish troops, to consider strategic contraction or even eventual retreat.
Therefore, the participation of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B did not fundamentally tip the balance of power between the two sides.
With the aforementioned comprehensive advantages, especially the potential for a war of attrition, Konoha still substantially occupied a significant superior position.
Even if the Fourth Raikage himself personally went into battle and Konoha split its forces to deal with the pressure of the Iwagakure battlefield, it would only be a downgrade from a clear strategic advantage to a more deadlocked strategic parity.
When considering the continuous supply brought by the Land of Fire's vast resources, if the war fell into a tug-of-war, the final winner would most likely still be Konoha.
Although the Fourth Raikage's frontal impact was strong, his overall influence on the battlefield was not as great as that of the Eight-Tails Killer B.
On another key battlefield, in the direction of Iwagakure, Konoha had the "Yellow Flash" Minato.
His elusive Flying Thunder God Technique was a strategic-level weapon on the battlefield, sufficient to restrain or even suppress Iwagakure's offensive.
However, Minato also had his insurmountable limitations; the constraints of his total Chakra meant it was impossible for him to completely sweep the entire Iwagakure battlefield using the Flying Thunder God alone.
Furthermore, the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Ōnoki of the "Both Scales," was by no means a name earned lightly. The Dust Release Kekkei Tōta he mastered possessed terrifying destructive power, and Iwagakure itself might also deploy Jinchuriki into the battle.
In addition, the strength of the team brought by Minato consisted of the remaining forces from various clans and was not powerful.
All of this indicated that the Iwagakure front would likewise fall into a long-lasting stalemate.
Considering the two major battlefields comprehensively, Takuno realized that even with the existence of such an outstanding combatant as Minato, this war ignited by three powerful enemies would, even if Konoha ultimately won, inevitably pay an extremely heavy price, leading to a "pyrrhic victory" filled with blood and tears.
Such a prospect couldn't help but make him fall into doubt.
In the original story, after Konoha had experienced such a brutal Nine-Tails' attack and its vitality was greatly damaged, how exactly did it manage to survive the wars with Kumogakure and Iwagakure?
Or rather, how much did Konoha ultimately pay to secure an alliance with Kumogakure?
The "Hyuga Clan Head" dying an unnatural death was perhaps merely the "tip of the iceberg" of this massive sacrifice.
Beyond that, how many unknown compromises and sacrifices accompanied the armistice agreement reached with Iwagakure?
These questions were like a mist; the only known clue was that the Third Hokage's eldest son might have perished on the Iwagakure battlefield—
Takuno sat in his office and rubbed his head; this was one of his few rest periods.
It seemed that this war triggered by him was even more brutal than he had imagined.
Moreover, this war could not be entirely blamed on him.
Because even without Takuno, Orochimaru's experiments would inevitably have been exposed a few months later, as the Anbu had already noticed the disappearance of Ninja in the Village.
Discovering Orochimaru's experiments was merely a matter of time; he had only advanced the process.
As for the news of Orochimaru's defection, it would have been exposed by Orochimaru himself sooner or later.
And even if it were delayed by a few months, this sudden war would not have had any substantial change for Konoha.
Takuno shook his head; his gains from this war were already sufficient.
It seemed that this war would probably continue for a very long time.
But what did all this have to do with him?
Takuno stretched; he was just a Medical Ninja of Konoha.
Never mind a three-way war; even if it were a five-way war, it would be the same.