Back at Konoha Hospital, Tsunade walked with a hurried pace.She walked through the hospital corridor and headed straight for the rest room.
As soon as Tsunade opened the door, she saw Hatake Kaede sitting by the window, intently reading a notebook.Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his focused profile.
Tsunade walked casually to Hatake Kaede's side and looked at the notebook in his hand, which was filled with detailed records of his "super strength technique" and his insights.
Kaede looked up at Tsunade as she entered, then his ancestral deadpan eyes focused back on the notebook, occasionally gesturing with his hand.
Tsunade crossed her arms, a faint smile playing on her lips.Her bright eyes radiated an indescribable confidence and self-satisfaction, as if everything around her was under her control.
Tsunade walked briskly to Hatake Kaede's side.She stopped, bent down slightly, and brought her head close to Kaede's, her smile widening as she whispered, "'Super Strength Technique'!That's my unique skill!How about I teach you?" Her voice carried a hint of teasing and mockery, as if she was deliberately teasing Kaede.
Hatake Kaede slowly folded the note in his hand, staring lifelessly at Tsunade with his ancestral, bored expression, and said expressionlessly, "Lady Tsunade, if you're really bored, why don't you go teach a class and show off your talents?"
Tsunade's throat suddenly felt like it was blocked by something.She stared wide-eyed at Hatake Kaede, a hint of embarrassment and awkwardness on her face.
This morning, Tsunade hurriedly dragged Hatake Kaede here, then dumped everything on him like a hands-off manager.Originally, Tsunade had planned to go to a tavern for a drink and relax after everything was settled.
However, before she could take any action, the summons from the Third Hokage came like a bolt from the blue, arriving without warning.
Tsunade gave an awkward smile, then coughed lightly to clear her throat before slowly saying, "Hmm.I heard you encountered quite a few setbacks on this mission." Her voice was low and tinged with curiosity.
Kaede looked at Tsunade with a half-smile, then slowly refocused his gaze on the old notebook in his hand.
After a moment of silence, Hatake Kaede finally spoke, "Lady Tsunade, your change of topic was a bit too abrupt." His voice carried a hint of teasing.
As Kaede looked at the notes in his hand, he slowly recounted the mission to Tsunade.
"Yes, this mission is indeed quite unexpected," Tsunade remarked."Generally speaking, C-rank missions are relatively simple, without too many twists and turns or surprises.But your experience this time has been so dramatic and unpredictable, it's truly unexpected."
Recalling her conversation with the Third Hokage in the Hokage's office, Tsunade pondered for a moment before saying, "Given the circumstances you encountered during the mission, I believe the difficulty of this mission needs to be reassessed.The original C-rank mission may be upgraded to B-rank, or even possibly A-rank."
Upon hearing Tsunade's words, a slight ripple finally appeared on Hatake Kaede's previously indifferent face.A higher mission level meant higher rewards.Heh heh heh, money, of course, the more the better!
Hatake Kaede nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "Well, that's good news."
Tsunade completely lost her patience; she was never a patient person to begin with.She plopped down on the sofa without any regard for appearances, staring at Hatake Kaede and saying, "The old man just called me over, wanting me to take you as his disciple.What do you think?"
After listening to Tsunade's words and thinking about them carefully, Hatake Kaede understood the meaning behind the Third Hokage's actions.
[Factional conflict?]
Hatake Kaede stared intently at Tsunade, a strange smile suddenly appearing on his usually calm and composed face.
Hatake Kaede said, "I can become Tsunade's apprentice, but how can Tsunade make me willingly become the kind of blade in the hands of the higher-ups?In other words, how can Tsunade guarantee that I won't 'turn the blade inward'?"
Although Tsunade was somewhat prepared, she was still startled by Hatake Kaede's strange expression.
Tsunade calmly said, "I knew it would be like this all along.That's why I refused."
Hatake Kaede stood up and stretched, then said to Tsunade with a half-smile, "Lady Tsunade, you don't need to cover for the higher-ups!My father is Hatake Sakumo, who was originally a samurai turned ninja.Although he's not as rigid and stubborn as a traditional samurai, he still has his own bottom line."
"Even if I become Lady Tsunade's apprentice, I will never be able to enter the upper echelons of Konoha.I am a pawn to restrain my father, Hatake Sakumo, and a shackle to control him."
"When my father's bottom line is crossed, or when my father, Hatake Sakumo, touches on the interests of the higher-ups.If my father, Hatake Sakumo, becomes disobedient and turns into an uncontrollable blade."
"The higher-ups can break my father, this sharp blade, at any time and instead nurture me, this young, easily controlled, and potentially powerful child."
"Once I grow up, I can become the new 'Konoha White Fang' again!I will continue to clear obstacles for the higher-ups and serve them like a slave."
This isn't baseless speculation, but rather a depiction of everything Kakashi will experience in the future.Of course, the protagonist, Hatake Kaede, has already arrived in this world and naturally won't allow these things to happen.
Tsunade gave a wry smile and said, "I knew it would be like this." But in her heart, she thought: [Old man, old man, I hope you.]You'll have to do something that will cause misunderstandings, otherwise.hehe, this little monster isn't easy to deal with.
Tsunade shook her head, feigning indifference, and said, "Fine, I won't interfere in your affairs anymore.I only have one request, or rather, a plea!You won't harm the village, will you?"
Kaede straightened his clothes and solemnly promised, "My beloved family and friends live on this land, and I will not let any stains be tainted on this beautiful land."
......
At noon, in a quiet and elegant tavern in the village.
Inside a private booth, Tsunade raised her hand and shouted to the bar's front desk, "Boss, another bottle of wine, please."
There was already an empty wine bottle on the table in the VIP area, and Hatake Kaede quickly stopped Tsunade from asking for more.He said to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, please don't drink anymore.You have classes this afternoon!"
Hearing that she had to attend classes in the afternoon gave Tsunade a headache.She scratched her hair in frustration and said irritably, "Don't even mention those students, they're all as stupid as pigs, no matter how I teach them, they just won't learn."
Hatake Kaede raised his glass, took a sip of his juice, and said to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, tell me the truth, why did the Third Hokage agree to such an unrealistic plan from the higher-ups?"
Without even thinking, Tsunade said, "You're so ambitious and ignorant."
Hatake Kaede frowned and said to Tsunade, who was getting a little carried away, "Lady Tsunade, please don't let your own subjective opinions influence this specific event.This matter is not simple."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade looked indignant and said to Hatake Kaede, "Heh~ brat, you haven't even grown your hair yet and you're already trying to lecture me?"
Now it was Hatake Kaede's turn to have a headache."Let's have a proper discussion about the specifics, and you're talking to me about whether your pubic hair has fully grown?" Hatake Kaede wanted nothing more than to knock Tsunade unconscious and throw her into the street.
Hatake Kaede took a deep breath and said to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, although the medical reform of the medical department was decided by the higher-ups without considering the actual difficulties, its purpose is to train a large number of medical ninjas in order to reduce casualties in future wars."
Tsunade gradually straightened up and looked at Hatake Kaede, saying, "What exactly are you trying to say?I can understand all of this.The problem now is the difficulty of training medical ninjas.Not all ninjas are suitable for it."
Hatake Kaede took a sip of his juice and continued, "That's the key point.Are we training all-around medical ninjas, or battlefield medical ninjas?"
Tsunade pondered for a moment, seemingly grasping something, yet still somewhat puzzled.She looked at Hatake Kaede and asked, "Medical ninja, battlefield medic ninja, what's the difference?"
Hatake Kaede put down his water glass and looked at Tsunade with a serious expression: "Of course there's a difference."
"Let's start with medical ninjas.Medical ninjas are those who use specific medical ninjutsu to achieve the goals of healing and detoxification.The most crucial aspect is learning these medical ninjutsu, especially the use of the Palm Healing Technique.This is a difficult point."
"Furthermore, regarding my understanding of battlefield medic ninjas, these individuals may not possess medical ninjutsu, but they must have a certain level of medical knowledge.The most common situations on the battlefield are being stabbed by sharp blades, poisoning, and fractures.In the face of these situations, I believe battlefield medic ninjas need to learn techniques such as bandaging, detoxification, and basic bone setting."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade immediately interrupted Hatake Kaede: "I understand what you mean.What you're trying to say is that although many ninjas can't learn medical ninjutsu in a short time, they can quickly memorize this medical knowledge.In the process of treatment that doesn't involve medical ninjutsu, most people can still complete it smoothly.However.let me think about it some more, let me think about it some more."
Seeing Tsunade deep in thought, Hatake Kaede stopped disturbing her and quietly ate his own food beside her.
Tsunade's eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if she had thought of something interesting.
After a while, Tsunade slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly.Grabbing Hatake Kaede by the collar, she stormed out of the tavern and ran back to the hospital.
As she was leaving, Tsunade shouted to the tavern owner, "My name is Tsunade.Put the cost of the drinks on your tab, and we'll settle the bill at the Hokage's office later."
Hatake Kaede, who was being grabbed by the collar, looked on with envy, envying Tsunade's self-righteousness.
Back at the hospital, Tsunade immediately went to her office.This surprised the doctors and nurses, who wondered what Lady Tsunade was up to now.
Hatake Kaede was thrown onto the sofa and then ignored.
Tsunade sat at her desk, picked up a pen and paper, and began her work.She meticulously recorded the ideas inspired by Hatake Kaede on paper, compiling them into a report.
Hatake Kaede quietly watched Tsunade working hard, his thoughts beginning to wander.
[After my reminder, Tsunade will no longer propose equipping the behind-enemy-lines combat teams with medical ninjas because of Nawaki's sacrifice.Instead, she will propose a more reasonable plan.]
That plan seemed promising, but it overlooked a crucial factor: in wartime, all resources are prioritized for the front lines.Training a large number of medical ninjas during wartime is simply impractical.
In the original timeline, Tsunade's plan, after a series of trials, diverged into two directions: "dedicated, formally-affiliated medical ninjas in the medical squad" and "combat ninjas skilled in medical ninjutsu." This was the most ideal outcome of the plan.
My suggestion merely shortened this process of differentiation.According to the current timeline, the Second Shinobi World War is about to break out.At this point, training "combat ninjas skilled in medical ninjutsu"—what I call battlefield medic ninjas—is a higher priority.[The matters concerning.]
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