Black hair. Thin frame. Malnourished, almost.
"He doesn't look anything like the rumors about Kumogakure shinobi,"
Shizune thought to herself.
From what she knew, those from the Hidden Cloud were typically built like tanks—arms thicker than most people's thighs…
And always with those signature sausage lips.
"I wonder if he'll grow up to look like that too?"
She studied Keiji closely. His lips were surprisingly normal—thin, even.
"Flashlight,"
Tsunade said.
"Ah—yes, ma'am."
Snapping out of her thoughts, Shizune quickly fished the tool from her ninja pouch and handed it over.
As she looked up again, she realized the Uchiha boy she had been quietly observing was smiling at her.
Shizune's heart skipped a beat. She quickly lowered her gaze.
She knew she'd been caught staring—how embarrassing.
"A smiling Uchiha... now that's rare,"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
Should she say—as expected of someone brought back from outside the village?
So unlike the prideful, aloof Uchiha born and raised in the village.
Honestly, she wouldn't have come at all if the situation hadn't caused such a stir… if the old man hadn't practically forced her to check in on it.
She suffered from hemophobia, after all.
"Because... Lady Tsunade, your eyes are beautiful. Like they're filled with stars,"
Keiji said softly.
"Oh?"
Tsunade's hand subtly clenched into a fist.
If this brat didn't have a decent explanation, she was going to plant one right in his face. Not everyone was someone you could joke around with.
"When you were examining me, I could feel it... your eyes, they held such care and responsibility. Despite your high status, you looked at someone like me—just another ordinary Uchiha—with such attention."
Keiji paused, then continued:
"I've read many old tales... Lady Tsunade must be like the famed doctors who heal the world in those stories, right?"
"Tsunade is one of the Legendary Sannin, and Konoha's most powerful medical ninja. Of course she's a famed healer."
Mikoto, who had been watching nearby, chuckled softly.
Keiji really was still a boy at heart. So pure.
Hearing this, Tsunade relaxed her clenched hand.
So it was a compliment—about her medical skills.
This kid had a silver tongue.
"If I could learn medical ninjutsu like that, I could help others too. I really wish I could be like you, Lady Tsunade,"
Keiji said earnestly.
"Medical-ninja need Yang-natured chakra. If you don't have that, becoming one won't be possible,"
Tsunade said, standing up.
She told Mikoto she'd look into it later—review some material to understand the situation better.
Then she'd send another capable medic-ninja to examine him—Yakushi Nonō.
Shizune followed Tsunade out of the house quickly.
"Keiji, for now, just rest up. We'll handle your school enrollment soon,"
Mikoto added before leaving too.
The once-lively room was now quiet, leaving only Keiji behind.
"Well... I'm not Uzumaki Naruto, blessed with the protagonist's luck."
Keiji shook his head.
Naruto could even persuade Tsunade to return to the village after years away and take up the mantle of Hokage.
So Tsunade's rejection didn't surprise Keiji.
If she had been interested, she would have offered to test his chakra nature on the spot. With her skills, she could do it instantly.
But she didn't.
After all, he was still an Uchiha.
Most of life is disappointment.
Keiji wasn't discouraged though—he thought of Yakushi Nonō.
Tsunade had said she'd send her next time.
If he played his cards right, he might build a connection with her and learn medical ninjutsu.
There were no prominent medic-ninja in the Uchiha clan.
After all, once an Uchiha graduated from the academy, they were almost always funneled directly into the Konoha Military Police.
They only learned the most basic healing techniques—just enough to patch up scrapes.
In peacetime, they played security. In wartime, they were the vanguard. Few ever pursued advanced medical arts.
In fact, Uchiha Madara might have been the most "medically skilled" among them
able to perform emergency eye transplants at a moment's notice.
The reason Keiji cared so much about medical ninjutsu…
was because this world was a glass cannon world.
Even something as powerful as Sasuke's Six Tomoe Rinnegan could be taken out by a mere kunai. If you had a medic-ninja nearby for emergency healing, maybe there'd still be a chance.
In the brutal wars of the future, who could guarantee they wouldn't lose a limb?
Not everyone could survive long enough to get a prosthetic made from Hashirama cells.
Besides, Keiji had already learned a bit of chakra refining on his own. He'd spent most of his limited savings hiring ninjas to test his chakra nature.
The result? He had Yang-natured chakra.
Not everyone did.
Sasuke's official stats didn't list "Yang"; Naruto's didn't list "Yin".
Sure, chakra nature could be developed through training, but it was slow—measured in years.
Those who were born with a particular nature had a clear edge.
Thinking about this, Keiji rose from the tatami mat.
Without realizing it, he'd walked over to the window. He opened it.
Gentle rain drizzled on the courtyard trees, pattering against the leaves in a soothing rhythm.
A chill autumn breeze swept into the room.
Rain always brought cold with it.
Keiji smiled faintly.
"Just a bit of wind and frost, that's all."
As for how to get Yakushi Nonō's attention
He already had a plan.
In the future, she'd be the director of an orphanage. She even rejoined Root—just to keep the orphanage running for the children.
In this vast world, people's desires were endlessly strange.
Some craved power their whole lives. Others saw it as filth and only sought immortality.
Yakushi Nonō's desire?
She liked... children.
...
The Next Day – Ninja Academy
"This is our new classmate, Uchiha Keiji,"
the chūnin instructor announced.
He motioned for Keiji to write his name on the board.
Keiji picked up a piece of white chalk and wrote his name.
Looking down at the class, he recognized several familiar faces—Obito, Kakashi, Rin, Shiranui Genma...
"Your handwriting's beautiful,"
Nohara Rin said, impressed.
"Hey, Rin, I heard that guy came from the Land of Lightning,"
Obito whispered to her.
Those muscle-brained Cloud shinobi... Rin better not be fooled by appearances.
Obito frowned inwardly.
"Please take care of me,"
Keiji gave a gentle smile and, following the teacher's arrangement, took a seat near the window in the back row.
"Alright, class, let's begin,"
the instructor cleared his throat and started the lesson.
Lately, the Uchiha's reputation in the village hadn't been great, but most teachers actually liked teaching Uchiha students.
Why?
Because they were easy to manage.
Normally, transfer students had to take a basic entrance test—mostly simple genjutsu and ninjutsu, a quick chakra control and quantity check.
As long as you passed, you were in.
Keiji was a transfer, but he could easily keep up.
Clan shinobi always received private tutoring.
Soon, it was break time.
"Keiji-kun, I heard you're from the Land of Lightning?"
Rin came over—her seat wasn't far from his.
"That's right,"
he nodded.
"Is it hard to keep up here? You transferred in, didn't you?"
Rin asked curiously.
Before graduating from the academy and receiving a ninja headband—your official license, students couldn't leave the village.
Ninja needed a travel permit to enter or exit Konoha. Only certain special shinobi were exempt.
"Well... I'll do my best,"
Keiji closed one book and opened another. Glancing up at Rin, he asked:
"Nohara Rin-san, would you be willing to teach me Konoha-style ninjutsu?"