The Konoha Hospital's cafeteria was quite large.
At noon, Miki would come here to eat.
Hitomi and Chiri were also here.
Four years had made them excellent Medical Ninja, each capable of handling their respective fields independently.
Hitomi, with her convenient Byakugan, was exceptionally quick at diagnosing and treating various internal and external injuries, capable of keenly pinpointing hidden ailments.
Chiri, while knowledgeable in most areas, specialized in psychological treatment, using Genjutsu to adjust patients' emotions.
As for Miki, she was proficient in almost everything, a true workhorse of the Hospital, always ready to assist wherever difficulties arose.
Tsunade received similar treatment; she was incredibly powerful in Medical Ninjutsu, with her self-created Fine Malady Extraction Technique capable of curing most illnesses.
For something like a cold, the technique was an instant cure.
However, Tsunade was much more popular than Miki.
Children who had visited a few times and experienced her treatment would start crying hysterically the moment they saw Miki from afar.
Over these four years, the four of them often gathered to discuss Medical Ninjutsu.
Aside from Miki's unique Insect Secret Technique, which the other three couldn't learn, their knowledge of Medical Ninjutsu was shared, including the various medicines Miki developed.
The four often collaborated on particularly difficult cases.
When Miki sat down at their usual table, Chiri and Hitomi were already eating.
"Are you busy today?" Chiri asked, elegantly pushing her hair back as Miki sat down.
Miki shook her head and replied, "Only two people this morning. One had kidney stones, so I cleared his pipes, and another broke his leg, which I reattached."
"I haven't had any patients all morning," Chiri sighed. "The Ninja Academy graduation is coming up again soon; there will probably be many Genin coming in then."
At this moment, Hitomi quickly shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice, her large, dark-ringed eyes wide, her delicate and pretty face full of exhaustion. She held up her fingers and gestured, "Six surgeries this morning! Six!"
"Just let me die already!" Hitomi wailed. "When will this dreadful life end? I'm starting to miss the days of being a Genin and picking up trash!"
"That's because you're so skilled, quick and steady with the knife," Miki said, taking a sip of her miso soup.
"Yesterday and today, I only slept four hours! If this continues, I'll die, won't I? Won't I?!" Hitomi said, wolfing down her rice.
Just then, the table shook heavily. As a meal tray was set down, the energetic Golden-Haired Girl said, "Insect Woman, move in a bit."
After sitting, she kept nudging Miki.
Miki moved over and said, "Is your butt starting to get bigger too, Big Forehead?"
"Hmph, don't start. I'm starving today." Tsunade's work wasn't particularly tiring, but it consumed a lot of Chakra.
"If you want to argue, today's the last day," Miki said, picking up a piece of tempura and putting it in her mouth.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Tsunade looked at Miki sensitively.
"Our Medical Ninjutsu training has ended," Miki said.
"Are you saying?!" Hitomi suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Is our true Shinobi life about to begin?!"
Chiri looked at Miki, her eyes questioning.
"Second Class will begin executing official Shinobi missions," Miki confirmed Hitomi's guess.
"Finally! Freedom!" Hitomi cheered.
"Shinobi missions, huh…" Tsunade said, "They're all boring missions, like protecting merchants or young ladies, escort missions… Oh, and bandit extermination."
"Are there no Shinobi battles?" Hitomi asked curiously.
Tsunade said, "There are, but the opponents are too weak. The journey is boring and arduous, and it's not as easy and comfortable as staying in the Hospital."
"Is that so?" Hitomi wondered.
"I wonder who it was, but someone was once brought back half-dead," Miki said. "Oh, right, it was Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Big Forehead, did you run away back then?"
Tsunade's face darkened. She said, "You get lost! I hope you die outside!"
"That won't trouble Princess-sama," Miki said. "Speaking of which, aren't you going to do a few more missions to take over as Fourth Hokage? The Sandaime isn't getting any younger."
Referring to being middle-aged.
Tsunade said irritably, "Hokage, whoever wants to be it can be it!"
"You can't be so willful about this," Miki said.
"That pervert Jiraiya is traveling the world, God knows where he's messing around, and that bastard Orochimaru too, so mysterious, God knows what he's up to," Tsunade said. "How am I supposed to do missions?"
"Can't you team up with others?" Miki said.
"No!" Tsunade said. "I don't want to bring along dead weight."
Tsunade looked at Miki, expectantly saying, "Why don't I team up with you guys? Just the four of us, a standard Shinobi squad."
"That won't do," Miki said. "The Fourth Hokage can't be from Anbu, doing dirty work."
"You're going to Anbu?!" Tsunade asked incredulously. "Why would you agree to something like that?"
"Because I'm an insect; I habitually hide in the darkness," Miki said indifferently.
"Miki!" Tsunade exclaimed. "You could clearly refuse Sarutobi-ojisan's orders, couldn't you?"
"Because there's a debt of gratitude to repay," Miki said. "It's not because of the Sandaime. Also, this is called necessary evil; someone has to carry it out."
"But…" Tsunade still wanted to say something.
"No buts," Miki said. "You must become Hokage; many people are looking forward to it."
"Is it because of me?"
Sixteen-year-old Tsunade was no longer foolish.
After so many years, she was starting to understand what the Village was like.
"Don't flatter yourself, Big Forehead," Miki said. "This is a Shinobi's destiny."
The scene fell silent.
Hitomi carefully ate her rice, occasionally glancing at Tsunade's expression.
Tsunade's face alternated between green and pale, lost in thought.
Chiri ate calmly, her eyes lowered, her expression serene.
Miki didn't care about Tsunade's thoughts. In this world, one couldn't survive without being strong, and besides, Tsunade herself wasn't a fragile girl.
"Are you full?" Miki asked after a moment.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm, mhm," Hitomi nodded repeatedly, quickly wiping her oily mouth.
"I'm full," Chiri said, putting down her chopsticks and looking at Miki demurely.
"Then, let's depart," Miki said.
"Where? Now? What about the Hospital work?" Tsunade asked a series of eager questions.
"All Hospital work has been completed."
"Of course, now."
Miki said.
"As for where we're going, it's simply towards the future."
"Don't stand still, Princess Tsunade."
"Let's go."
With that, Chiri and Hitomi followed Miki's steps.
Tsunade stood still, watching the three figures gradually disappear into the distance.
They left, huh…
Is there still any meaning in staying at this Hospital?
"Bastard!" Tsunade slammed her hand on the dining table.
The table collapsed.
The surrounding colleagues looked at Tsunade, angry but not daring to speak.
Immediately, Tsunade rolled up her sleeves and stood up menacingly.
"Jiraiya, you better not let me find you!!!"
She, too, would move towards the future.
"First, Orochimaru!"
In a crude secret base, Orochimaru, holding instant noodles, sneezed violently.
An ominous chill surged in his heart.
It seems this chapter was delayed and never posted.
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