"Ugh..."
Okamoto Dousuke's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself gazing at a stark white ceiling.
As he went to raise his hand, a slight tug reminded him of an IV line connected to his arm. Turning his head, he saw the telltale needle inserted into his vein.
"You're awake." A voice drifted from the bed beside his.
Dousuke looked over to see Kakashi propped up against his pillows. "Kakashi? What are you doing here? I remember... I think I fainted. Where are we?" Okamoto Dousuke asked, his voice still a little groggy.
"Hospital. Konoha Hospital. Thanks to our little sparring match yesterday, my arm got a bit messed up too, so they brought me here along with you. And you, well, you pushed your chakra reserves way past their limit. Luckily, Lady Tsunade patched you up, otherwise you might have been out for a couple of days," Kakashi explained, his hands resting behind his head as he leaned back against the pillows.
Squeak!
The door to their room opened, and Hondou Ryo walked in, carrying two fruit baskets. He placed one on Kakashi's bedside table and the other on Dousuke's.
"You two! What's going on with you? Didn't we emphasize before the competition that friendship comes first? You both have such bright futures ahead of you!" Hondou Ryo looked at them, a mixture of concern and mild exasperation in his eyes. These two students were among the most talented he had ever taught, and seeing them both collapse had worried him.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hondou, for causing you concern. And Kakashi, I apologize for getting you injured," Okamoto Dousuke said, pushing the blankets aside and sitting up straighter in bed.
Kakashi looked over at Dousuke. "I should probably apologize to you too. I admit, I used to have some preconceived notions about you, but after yesterday, I recognize that your strength is definitely on par with mine, Dousuke-kun."
Okamoto Dousuke met Kakashi's gaze. "A person's worth shouldn't be determined solely by rankings. What will you do, Hatake Kakashi, if someday, reputation becomes a burden or a constraint for you?"
"I... I don't know," Kakashi admitted, glancing down at his injured right hand, his usual confident demeanor momentarily absent.
"Alright, alright, let's not get into heavy philosophical discussions right now," Hondou Ryo interjected, noticing the shift in the conversation.
"Oh, and Dousuke, there was one more thing. When I arrived at the hospital just now, I ran into Lady Tsunade near the entrance. She asked me to tell you that when you wake up, she wants you to go find her on the third floor of the hospital." Hondou Ryo then turned to Kakashi, a look of both amazement and a touch of regret on his face. "Kakashi, the Third Hokage has personally approved your graduation application. Once your hand is healed, you can report directly to the Ninja Registration Office."
As Hondou Ryo reached the door, he paused, his back to Kakashi. "Kakashi... I still feel like you're too young for all this, even though you're undeniably skilled..." He then sighed and continued to limp out of the room.
"Congratulations, Kakashi. You've managed to get a step ahead of me in that regard," Okamoto Dousuke said with a hint of a smile.
Kakashi glanced at him, then simply replied, "With your abilities, you could easily apply for early graduation yourself." He didn't elaborate further.
Okamoto Dousuke looked at the slowly dripping IV bag above him. Impatient for it to finish, he decided to take matters into his own hands, gently pulling the needle from his arm. He then straightened his clothes and prepared to finally meet the future Fifth Hokage, Senju Tsunade.
Okamoto Dousuke made his way to the third floor of the hospital. The nameplates outside the doors indicated various administrative offices: the hospital director, assistant director, and heads of different departments.
This auntie is really making this difficult. She couldn't even tell Mr. Hondou exactly where she'd be, Dousuke thought to himself, a touch of annoyance creeping in. He had been wandering the third-floor corridor for a while now, unsure which room belonged to Tsunade. He had tried asking a nurse downstairs, but the general hospital staff didn't usually frequent this floor, which was reserved for the senior staff's offices. And apparently, Tsunade wasn't a regular presence at the hospital.
Just as Okamoto Dousuke was hesitating whether to knock on the door marked with the director's name, the door of the room at the far south end of the hallway creaked open.
A figure with long, dark hair emerged. His skin, though not as fair as Okamoto Dousuke's, possessed a noticeable pallor. As he walked, the blue jade earrings dangling from his earlobes swayed gently.
The rope tied around his waist, with its suggestive serpentine knot, seemed to writhe subtly in the dim corridor.
His long, golden pupils fixed intently on Okamoto Dousuke, who was still holding the fruit basket Mr. Hondou had given him.
A primal shiver ran down Okamoto Dousuke's spine. He felt as though he was being watched by a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, and his entire body trembled involuntarily.
"I remember you, kid," Orochimaru said with a chilling smirk, observing Okamoto Dousuke's reaction. The purple eyeshadow extending towards his nose accentuated the lines around his eyes, giving them the unsettling appearance of a cobra's hood, as if poised to strike.
Okamoto Dousuke stood frozen as Orochimaru approached him step by step. His mind screamed at him to move, but his limbs felt like lead, shaking uncontrollably.
"Orochimaru, I would appreciate it if you could restrain yourself, even a little," Tsunade's voice called out sharply from within the room.
"My apologies, Tsunade," Orochimaru replied, his low voice laced with a dangerous amusement, like a snake before it lunges. "I simply spotted a promising little seedling and couldn't resist a closer look."
He then turned his attention back to Dousuke. "Tsunade is waiting for you, go on ahead, kid."
As Orochimaru withdrew his oppressive aura, Okamoto Dousuke gasped for breath, his heart pounding. He quickly scurried past Orochimaru towards the room he had just exited.
Orochimaru watched Okamoto Dousuke knock on the door, a faint curl of his lips the only indication of his thoughts, before silently turning and heading towards the stairs.
Tuk, tuk.
"Come in," a powerful, commanding voice replied from inside.
Okamoto Dousuke took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped into the room.
Stepping into the room, Okamoto Dousuke found himself in a neat and organized office. Unlike a typical hospital room, there was no bed in sight. Bookcases filled with volumes lined the walls, and a large work desk sat in the center of the space, cluttered with teacups and a tea set that hadn't been put away.
Tsunade stood by the window, looking out at the scenery below, her back to the door. She was wearing a white, short-sleeved, open-collared top that barely reached her waist.
A sleek black mesh suit hugged her smooth waist, revealing not a hint of fat and even accentuating her round navel. Her lower body was covered by a short, red skirt that ended mid-thigh. The mesh suit continued beneath as fitted shorts, ending near her knees.
Instead of traditional heeled sandals, she wore toeless ninja boots, her toenails painted in a neat row of gem-like colors. Her vibrant golden hair was tied up in a playful ponytail that swished back and forth behind her head. She looked less like one of the legendary Sannin and more like a lively girl from next door.
Without turning, Tsunade spoke, her voice calm, "Lady Tsunade, thank you for your help. Kakashi filled me in on everything." Okamoto Dousuke placed the fruit basket on the desk, his voice a little formal.
Tsunade finally turned, her gaze sharp as she assessed Okamoto Dousuke standing before her.
He was wearing the same orange jacket and black trousers from yesterday's competition. Though slightly soiled, his appearance was still tidy, suggesting a naturally neat disposition.
"Do you realize that secretly learning B-rank or higher-level ninjutsu without the explicit permission of the village is technically an act of treason?" Tsunade said sternly, her eyes boring into him. "If you tell me who taught you that Palm Senjutsu, I will personally plead your case before the Third Hokage."
"Well, actually... no one specifically taught me," Okamoto Dousuke admitted, feeling a knot of nervousness tighten in his stomach under Tsunade's intense scrutiny. Having spent over twenty years in his previous life, the highest authority he had ever encountered was a company manager, and that was in a structured, law-abiding society.
Now, standing before a woman who was practically royalty in the ninja world, where human life seemed so fragile, the apprehension was unavoidable for someone who had only been in this world for a year.
Seeing Tsunade's expression grow increasingly serious, Okamoto Dousuke quickly blurted out, "Actually, Tsunade-sama, you taught me. I wonder if you remember, about a year ago, there was a student in the ninja academy who was accidentally kicked by a classmate and ended up with several broken ribs? When you were treating me then, you explained the Mystical Palm Technique in detail."
"Are you saying you learned such an advanced technique just by hearing it explained once?" Tsunade looked at the boy with a mixture of suspicion and intrigue.
During Okamoto Dousuke's brief unconsciousness in the hospital, Tsunade had already looked into his background. His records were surprisingly clean. Both his parents had tragically died during the Second Shinobi World War when he was only three, leaving him with no known living relatives.
With the kindness of neighbors, he had been able to attend the Ninja Academy from the age of four. He generally kept to himself, with his closest acquaintance being Might Guy, the energetic child from the Maito family who could often be seen doing rigorous exercises around the village.
"I understand," Tsunade said finally, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You should go back and get some proper rest now." She gave the child a final, assessing glance, a new idea beginning to take shape in her mind.