Orochimaru cast a fleeting glance at Okamoto Dousuke, gently patted the little girl's head, and then turned to leave.
"Let's go, Anko. It's getting late. You should head back and get some rest."
"Okay," the young girl replied, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Master, who was that older brother? Were you here to meet him?"
"No, I simply encountered him by chance. That young man is also quite a promising talent," Orochimaru said, his voice a low, gravelly murmur.
"Master, I'm the most promising genius, don't you think, Huahua?" she retorted playfully, lifting the black and white snake in her hand and bringing it close to her mouth, where she mumbled something unintelligible.
Two figures, one tall and imposing, the other small and energetic, slowly walked away into the night.
It wasn't until they were gone that Okamoto Dousuke realized Orochimaru had likely been genuinely taking a walk, perhaps accompanying Mitarashi Anko on a rather unusual pet-catching excursion.
Okamoto Dousuke decided not to dwell on the Sannin's cryptic words.
He instinctively felt that he and Orochimaru operated on fundamentally different planes.
However, the fact that he had now attracted the attention of such a formidable figure served as a stark reminder that he needed to accelerate his progress in improving his strength.
The unexpected arrival of Orochimaru had also strangely quelled the lingering restlessness in Okamoto Dousuke's heart. He gathered his belongings, used his Water Instantaneous Movement to quickly pack them, and then swiftly returned home.
The next morning, after his usual routine, Okamoto Dousuke picked up his forehead protector from the table.
"You're quite a handsome guy," he murmured to his reflection, securing the protector firmly on his forehead and offering himself a sincere compliment.
Stepping outside, he executed a few quick leaps, landing silently on a nearby rooftop, and then sped off in the direction of Konoha Hospital.
"Sister Yukino, Doctor Koyasumoto, good morning," Okamoto Dousuke greeted cheerfully as he entered the bustling lobby of the hospital, spotting the two familiar figures already doing hard work.
"Dousuke, why didn't you stay home and rest for a few more days?" Doctor Koyasumoto asked with genuine enthusiasm.
"I can't stand being idle at home, so I came to see Teacher Tsunade and my teammates," Okamoto Dousuke replied with a smile.
"Hmph!" Sister Yukino shot a brief glance at Okamoto Dousuke, then pointedly ignored him, turning her attention back to assisting other patients.
Okamoto Dousuke watched her with a helpless shrug, then touched the back of his head. "Doctor Koyasumoto, I'm going to go see my captain and the others!"
Doctor Koyasumoto, sensing the lingering awkwardness between Sister Yukino and Okamoto Dousuke, quickly interjected, "Alright, go on ahead."
Okamoto Dousuke arrived at the inpatient department and made his way directly to Nakajima Sodai's room.
Tuk-tuk-tuk.
"Please come in."
Okamoto Dousuke pushed the door open and found Nakajima Sodai wearing a light jacket and carefully packing his belongings.
"Captain Nakajima, what are you doing?"
Nakajima Sodai turned around, a smile spreading across his face when he saw Okamoto Dousuke. "Oh, Dousuke! As you can see, my injuries have improved considerably, and I'm ready to be discharged from the hospital."
Okamoto Dousuke stepped forward to help Nakajima Sodai with his packing. "Captain Nakajima, once you're fully recovered, will we still have the opportunity to work on missions together?"
"I'm not entirely sure. Reconnaissance missions are usually assembled on an as-needed basis. Once a mission is completed, the team is typically disbanded. You might be assigned to a different team leader next time. But don't worry, if you ever need anything in the future, don't hesitate to come directly to me," Nakajima Sodai said sincerely, looking at his young subordinate.
This mission truly owes its success to this remarkable nine-year-old boy standing before me, he thought. Okamoto Dousuke's potential and abilities displayed during this operation were truly exceptional.
This reminded Nakajima Sodai of another prodigious disciple of the Sannin, Minato Namikaze, and his rapid rise to the rank of Jonin at a young age. He too had been born a commoner and possessed extraordinary talent.
Perhaps in a few years, this kid will blossom into an outstanding Jonin, just like the Yellow Flash of Konoha, Minato Namikaze.
"Alright, I'm heading home now. Would you like to come over to my place for a bit?" Nakajima Sodai picked up his packed bag and looked at Okamoto Dousuke, who seemed to be slightly lost in thought, offering him a friendly invitation.
"Ah!" Okamoto Dousuke blinked, looking at Nakajima Sodai's warm smile.
"I'm really sorry, Captain Nakajima, but I need to visit Aburame Takuto later. I'll definitely come see you next time!" Okamoto Dousuke replied with a slightly apologetic tone.
"It's alright, there will be plenty of time in the future. I already went to see Takuto, but he wasn't in good spirits. It was my error in judgment during that mission. I'm hoping you might be able to talk to him," Nakajima Sodai said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Captain Nakajima, you don't need to blame yourself. Accidents are an unfortunate reality of missions."
"I know… thank you, Dousuke. I'll be heading out now then." With that, Nakajima Sodai left the ward.
Watching Nakajima Sodai slowly walk away, Okamoto Dousuke turned and made his way towards Aburame Takuto's room.
As he approached the door, Okamoto Dousuke couldn't help but recall the last time he and Hyuga Ritsu had been about to visit Aburame Takuto.
Well, let's see how he's doing now. Okamoto Dousuke continued forward, preparing to knock on the door.
Squeak.
The ward door opened from the inside.
Aburame Takuto, dressed in a striped hospital gown, leaned heavily on a walker with both hands, a kind-looking woman walking slowly beside him.
Aburame Takuto and Okamoto Dousuke at the doorway met each other's gaze.
"Dousuke? What are you doing here?" Aburame Takuto asked, his voice still a little weak.
"I came to see how you were doing," Okamoto Dousuke replied, looking at his teammate who was slowly making his way forward, step by hesitant step.
"Thank you… for still thinking of me," Aburame Takuto said, lowering his head slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.
He slowly moved towards the door with the aid of the walker.
The woman behind Aburame Takuto stepped forward to support him. "Takuto, please, slow down a bit."
Then, turning to Okamoto Dousuke, she said apologetically, "I'm so sorry. Lady Tsunade instructed Takuto to get out of bed and move around more often if he felt up to it."
"It's quite alright, Auntie. I'm also a doctor here at the hospital. Please, allow me. I'll walk with Takuto and we can talk." Okamoto Dousuke stepped forward and gently supported Aburame Takuto.
The two of them began to walk slowly, step by step, out of the corridor.
Watching the two young men slowly moving away, Takuto's mother softly wiped the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes.
"Dousuke… I haven't properly thanked you and Ritsu yet for saving my life. Without you both, I definitely wouldn't have made it through that mission," Aburame Takuto said to Okamoto Dousuke, who was supporting his weight.
"What are you talking about? I was just trying to save myself. Besides, if you hadn't managed to restrain the second Mad Puppeteer, Kugutsu Kyōjin, at the end, I wouldn't have been able to defeat him. And besides, he ultimately chose to end his own life," Okamoto Dousuke said, gently pushing the walker along in front of them.
"Well, regardless, your timely medical treatment saved my legs. If it weren't for what you did back then, I'd likely be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life."
"Even though I might not be able to be a ninja anymore, I feel surprisingly content," Aburame Takuto said, a hint of melancholy in his tone.
"I know you came here to try and cheer me up. Don't worry, I've thought things through clearly. You don't need to be concerned about me. In fact, I'm grateful my name won't be etched on that memorial stone." Aburame Takuto looked up at the sun, his eyes squinting slightly against the bright light.
"I've decided I'm going to open a pet shop in the future. If you ever want to buy a pet, I'll give you one for free," Aburame Takuto said with a small smile.
Looking at Takuto Aburame, whose smile was gradually returning, Dousuke Okamoto couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Okay, come take a walk with me. I'll even give you a chance to tell me all about how things are going with Hyuga Ritsu," Aburame Takuto said, a knowing grin spreading across his face.
"What do you mean?" Okamoto Dousuke asked, feigning innocence.
"Still pretending? Come on, I saw you and Hyuga Ritsu that first time you came to see me and then left. I distinctly remember you holding her hand as you went," Aburame Takuto said, winking playfully at Okamoto Dousuke.
"We're just teammates. Just like the bond between you and me," Okamoto Dousuke whispered, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
"Forget it… I don't believe you…"
"If you don't believe me, then forget about it…"
Amidst the everyday sounds of the hospital, the two friends slowly walked away, their conversation fading into the background noise.