"Last night, I heard a lot of people calling you the 'Silver Flash.' I think it sounds pretty cool."
Carrying a cup of water, Shizune returned to the bedside and gently helped Kaede sit up.
Kaede didn't resist. He took a couple of sips with her support, then smiled lightly. "I just did what I was supposed to do... You think 'Silver Flash' is a good name?"
"It really suits your image."
Shizune helped him lie back down, smiling as she set the cup aside. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, her cheeks turned a faint pink, and she hesitated. "Um… do you need to... um... relieve yourself?"
Kaede froze for a moment, then gave a helpless smile. "Yeah... I think that's going to be a bit of a problem."
"It's, It's okay! You're the patient!" Shizune stammered.
Kaede understood well enough: special circumstances call for special measures.
But...
Shizune didn't seem just embarrassed, was that... anticipation in her eyes?
Why do I feel like you're more eager than I am...?
Looking at her, Kaede couldn't help but mentally sigh. It seemed like Shizune had finally found a legitimate excuse that was hard to refute.
With flushed cheeks and a hint of hidden excitement in her eyes, Shizune said, "Don't be embarrassed. It's fine, I'm a medical professional right now!"
She spoke as she began to take action to assist him.
However, just then, Tsunade's voice suddenly came from the side. She seemed to have been woken up and let out a yawn. "Shizune, what are you doing? Huh, Kaede's awake?"
Her attempt to help was interrupted. The atmosphere immediately turned awkward, and Shizune froze, clearly flustered.
"Uh... um..."
Tsunade frowned in confusion at her stammering. "What were you doing?"
Seeing Shizune caught off guard, Kaede smiled and stepped in. "Lady Tsunade, your medical skills are truly the best in the ninja world. My chakra pathways are completely healed now."
Tsunade gave Kaede a sidelong glance. "Don't get cheeky. You've got some nerve, falling asleep during the treatment."
Kaede chuckled. "It's because having you here is so reassuring."
And he meant it.
Even though he was injured, with Tsunade by his side, he felt truly safe, more so than he ever had at home. That sense of security let him relax completely and fall into a peaceful sleep.
As for the pain of the treatment, it was nothing to him. After all, using the Eight Gates with Lightning Release involved constant pain, and having his body shredded by Wind Release countless times, those pains far surpassed anything he'd just gone through.
Ninjas who train in the Eight Gates naturally develop extreme pain tolerance; their strength is forged through agony. And for Kaede, who could reverse time itself and relieve pain over and over, it was something he'd grown numb to.
Pain, eventually, just becomes part of life.
Tsunade was quietly pleased by Kaede's words. She raised an eyebrow, then reached out and placed her hand on his chest, sending in a thread of chakra to check on his condition.
"Hm... Looks like in two or three days, you'll be able to move around normally. In about a week, you'll be fully recovered and ready for training or combat."
She gave her prognosis after a moment of sensing.
Then, letting out another yawn, Tsunade said, "I'm going back to sleep. Shizune, if you're not tired, take care of Kaede. He can't move well yet."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Shizune replied, visibly relieved.
As Tsunade lay back down and turned away to sleep, Shizune looked back at Kaede. Their eyes met for a few seconds before she awkwardly looked away and mumbled, "I'll... go get something. I'll be right back. Hang in there a bit longer."
"..."
The corner of Kaede's mouth twitched.
Then he sighed.
Using time reversal on his own bladder just felt psychologically wrong. And rewinding his entire body would risk undoing Tsunade's treatment, which might raise some suspicion. After thinking it over, he decided to just endure it.
If someone had to help him, it was better for Shizune than Tsunade. If the latter got involved... he'd never be able to look her in the eye again.
A few moments later,
The issue was... resolved.
Shizune returned to her bed with a faint blush on her cheeks, exhaled softly, and drifted back to sleep, content.
…
The Next Morning
Main Command Tent, Konoha Frontline Base
Jiraiya had been seated in the command tent since early morning. Now that the battle had ended in a decisive victory, the aftermath was the busiest phase, organizing orders, executing new strategies, cleaning up the battlefield, tallying achievements, and more. All of it fell on his shoulders.
"Lord Jiraiya, yesterday's battle reports have been finalized."
As Jiraiya was drafting new strategies, Yamanaka Inoichi entered the tent and gave him a report, handing over a scroll.
Jiraiya exhaled and shifted his gaze from the map to the report. He stood and took the scroll, beginning to read from the top.
First were Konoha's own casualties.
Total deaths: 214. The detailed list of the fallen was recorded on a separate page. After a quick glance, Jiraiya said in a deep voice, "Send the list to the village as soon as possible."
Inoichi nodded silently.
Jiraiya continued reading. Next came the wounded: 68 seriously injured, 371 lightly injured... Though the actual number of injured was higher, minor wounds weren't included in the count.
This was the reality of total war. Even in a major victory like this one, the toll was steep, nearly one in ten had been lost or injured.
Jiraiya's expression darkened as he read on.
Next were statistics for the Sand ninja. There were no injury numbers listed, only kills and prisoners. In total: 681 Sand ninja killed, 14 captured.
Nearly 700 enemies neutralized.
At the very bottom was the list of distinguished achievements. At the top were two names, now incredibly familiar to the entire village:
Hatake Kaede.
Namikaze Minato.
First was Namikaze Minato: 112 Sand ninja killed, including 21 Jōnin. An astounding number. Nearly half of the enemy casualties on the flank were his doing alone!
Next was Hatake Kaede: 61 Sand ninja killed, including 11 Jōnin... and more importantly, he defeated and killed Sunagakure Elder, Chiyo!
Though the number of kills was lower than Minato's, slaying Chiyo, a ninja known throughout the shinobi world and hailed as the pinnacle of puppet mastery, was a far more shocking feat.
In short,
The achievements of Kaede and Minato far eclipsed everyone else's. The brilliance of their contributions was unmatched.
Jiraiya took a deep breath and set the scroll down.
"Report Kaede and Minato's achievements truthfully to the village," he said calmly.
"Yes, sir," Inoichi replied, then left the tent.
…
Half a Day Later
Konoha received the detailed report from the Land of Wind front.
It was impossible to keep such a battle under wraps. Soon, the news was made public, spreading like wildfire throughout the village, causing a massive uproar.
Countless ninja were stunned.
Minato's record was jaw-dropping, but as a seasoned Jōnin and Jiraiya's student, he already had fame and expectations. His feat, while impressive, was within the realm of possibility.
But the other name...
Hatake Kaede.
On the Land of Grass front, 33 Iwagakure ninjas were slain.
In the Land of Rain, 101 Sunagakure ninjas were slain.
On the Land of Wind border, 61 Sunagakure ninjas were slain.
And, he faced and defeated Sunagakure Elder Chiyo in single combat, killing her on the battlefield!
Each line of blood-red ink read like waves of carnage dyed in blood, echoing in the hearts of every ninja and civilian in Konoha, setting the village ablaze with excitement!
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