A few days later, in the Hokage's office.
"... That concludes the entire process and outcome of this mission."
After the report ended, the office fell into a brief silence.
Behind his desk, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, listened quietly to the two men's detailed accounts and then gave them a very kind smile.
"You've done a great job. You've far exceeded my expectations."
His voice was gentle and full of affirmation. "Based on the nature of this incident, the scope involved, and the final results, the mission evaluation committee has unanimously decided to officially upgrade your mission level to A-rank."
A-rank missions often mean that the event itself has touched upon or may affect the balance of power, security, and stability between regions.
This exposure and thwarting of the border magistrate's conspiracy to collude with a foreign cult to kidnap local children for wicked purposes truly deserves the weight of this level.
"Now that the mission has been successfully completed, you should all take a good rest for a while."
The third Hokage smiled, his tone relaxed, like an elder caring for his juniors, gently instructing them: "Especially you, Shinichi, your first mission has been so tumultuous. Go back and relax to recover your spirits."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Hokage-sama."
Shinichi respectfully replied, paused briefly, then raised his head and said, "Third Hokage, I am very interested in medical Ninjutsu. I wonder if I could apply to go to Konoha Hospital for basic training during my spare time?"
"Oh? You want to learn medical Ninjutsu?"
The third Hokage put down his pipe with interest, his smile becoming even more gentle. "Shinichi, what brings you to this idea all of a sudden?"
"Reporting to the third Hokage."
Shinichi replied calmly.
"There are several reasons. First, you taught me before that my control over the chakra is not good enough. I have heard that medical Ninjutsu requires an extremely high degree of precision in chakra control, and it can even be said to be the most demanding of all branches of Ninjutsu."
"I think that by learning medical Ninjutsu, I can greatly improve my ability to control Chakra, which will be of great benefit to my overall growth in the future."
He paused briefly before continuing his clear and logical explanation: "Secondly, compared to Ninjutsu, I actually invest more in Taijutsu, and my fighting style focuses more on Taijutsu. Medical skills and Taijutsu have had something in common since ancient times."
"A deep understanding of human anatomy, the meridian system, muscle power, and even vital weaknesses not only allows me to train more scientifically and effectively, reducing hidden injuries, but also enables me to more accurately grasp the timing, location, and force of attack and defense in actual combat, elevating the power and efficiency of my Taijutsu to a new level."
Finally, he added, "In addition, as a ninja, it is inevitable to encounter situations where I'm injured, or my teammates need help when carrying out missions. Having some basic medical knowledge can provide an extra layer of protection in critical moments and reduce unnecessary casualties."
After listening, the third Hokage slowly nodded and smiled, "Well... since you have this intention and your words make sense, I naturally have no reason to refuse. Here's what we'll do: I'll let the medical department know later, and you can report for duty if you have time in the next couple of days."
"However, Shinichi, medical Ninjutsu is complex and requires not only talent, but also unwavering patience and extraordinary meticulousness. You must remember to act within your capabilities and never be greedy for more or faster progress. You must proceed step by step."
"Understood, third Hokage-sama!"
Shinichi nodded solemnly. "I will certainly keep your teachings in mind and will humbly learn from the seniors at the hospital."
After the two bowed and left, the Hokage's office returned to silence, leaving only the third Hokage alone.
He picked up again the still-freshly printed mission report on the table and slowly turned to the last appendix, where Kosuke Maruboshi's handwritten comments and team member evaluations were displayed.
Exceptionally gifted and resilient; insightful and analytical; decisive and composed in the face of adversity...
In his comments, Kosuke Maruboshi gave Shinichi a very high evaluation, and later emphasized that he was a child with a strong sense of responsibility and deep empathy.
As the third Hokage read, a smile bloomed on his face, like layers of chrysanthemums in autumn.
... ... ..
Perhaps because Shinichi left the village to carry out a mission right after graduation, and the risks during the mission increased sharply, ultimately resulting in him taking an A-rank mission, the third Hokage felt somewhat guilty and believed that the young ninja should be given a more stable transition period.
As a result, for the next two months, Shinichi and Kosuke Maruboshi received mostly D-rank missions, and their activities were mainly confined to the area around Konoha.
The furthest they ever went was to a village near the Konoha, where they helped local villagers drive away and eliminate two brown bears that had awakened from hibernation and were disturbing the nearby village.
Even while on duty, Shinichi didn't slack off in the slightest. On one hand, he continued his studies under Kosuke Maruboshi.
Kosuke Maruboshi's skill in deeply integrating his exquisite swordsmanship with practical ninja combat experience greatly benefited Shinichi.
At the same time, although Kosuke Maruboshi was skilled in Water Style, he also had solid expertise in Fire Style. His guidance also helped Shinichi improve his use of Fire Style Jutsu.
Although they are teammates in name only, most of the time, Kosuke Maruboshi is more like a mentor who imparts all his knowledge to his students.
On the other hand, thanks to the third Hokage's advance notice, Shinichi was able to enter Konoha Hospital smoothly and begin to learn about the professional knowledge of Medical Ninjas.
Although students learn basic pharmacology and human anatomy at the Ninja Academy, it is only the very beginning compared to the depth and precision of knowledge required to become a truly qualified Medical Ninja.
Becoming a qualified Medical Ninja is extremely difficult, usually requiring several years of systematic training and rigorous practice, and demanding a high level of talent and temperament.
However, with the added advantage of being a Genius and other such talents, Shinichi's learning efficiency far surpasses that of ordinary people.
"Are you going home, Shinichi?"
On this day, after finishing his studies at the hospital, a familiar doctor saw him packing his things and greeted him with a smile.
"Yes, senior, see you tomorrow."
Shinichi nodded in response.
As he walked down the corridor, several nurses smiled and waved to him.
"See you tomorrow, Shinichi!"
"Be careful on the road."
It's clear that although it's only been two months, he's quite popular here.
Shinichi responded politely to each question and left the hospital with steady steps.
Back home, after a quick wash, he went to bed and lay down on his back.
With a calm mind, the system panel silently appeared.
In the panel, one of the talents has changed: [Charming (Green): You possess exceptional personal charm. Your words and actions naturally exude approachability and credibility, effortlessly inspiring goodwill and identification in others, who are more easily influenced by your emotions and attitudes.]
This was upgraded from the original Friendly (White) talent; although it was not deliberately pursued, it eventually solidified into a deeper impression in people's minds over time.
His gaze swept over Charming (Green) talent and landed on another newly generated white talent: [Medical Fundamentals (White): You possess excellent memory and comprehension of human anatomy and pharmacology, demonstrating precision and efficiency in learning and applying medical knowledge and basic treatment techniques.]
This is direct feedback from his recent studies at the Konoha hospital. However, looking at this talent, Shinichi had already confirmed a fact in his mind.
Just as he had previously speculated...
Medical Fundamentals (White) is a subcategory of talent within the category of Ninja occupation.
Its creation precisely demonstrates that the identity of Medical Ninja is not considered an independent occupation in the panel's judgment logic.
It is more like an occupation branch under the ninja system, a derivative application of the combination of ninja and medical knowledge, rather than an extraordinary professional system with an independent origin and complete inheritance.
So, what is it?
Needless to say, ninjas are the undisputed leading discipline in the Shinobi World today.
And the Swordsman... Shinichi's thoughts raced back through the clues he knew. The various clues in the original work indicated that this occurred before Kaguya Otsutsuki descended and chakra spread widely.
This world already has many extraordinary beings, yet humanity has still been able to establish mainstream civilizations and stable nations.
This means that before chakra became the dominant power, humanity must have possessed other means to contend with the supernatural.
Samurai, or swordsmen, are one such example. However, after the widespread adoption of chakra, a more efficient and versatile form of energy, they replaced their internal energy with chakra.
Even in the Land of Iron, which verbally upholds the samurai tradition, the samurai actually utilize chakra.
So, besides the Swordsman occupation, what other occupations are there?
Shinichi's gaze sharpened, and two terms surfaced in his mind: Priestess! Monk!