"Lee, as long as Senju Haruto-sama is here, you will definitely shine again!"
Guy's excitement overflowed without restraint, as though Haruto merely blowing a breath of air would be enough to restore Rock Lee completely.
And truthfully, Guy wasn't the only one who thought so. Both Naruto and Sakura shared the same belief.
If there was anyone in this world who deserved the title of "God of the Shinobi World," then without a doubt—it was Senju Haruto.
"Silence."
Casting a quick glance at the overexcited group, Haruto spoke softly, yet his words carried weight.
"This is a hospital. Don't speak so loudly."
Then, without sparing their reactions another thought, he gestured with his hand, signaling everyone to move aside and not to get in his way.
Guy's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, clamping his mouth tightly shut. The entire way here he had been filled with anticipation and excitement, but now that the moment of truth had arrived, his heart was gripped with nerves.
He was terrified—terrified that from Haruto's lips, he would hear words that would shatter all hope.
Lee wasn't just his student. He was his beloved disciple.
And more importantly…
Lee was one of the rarest kinds of geniuses—the genius born from effort itself.
"Haruto… sama…"
Lee spoke weakly, his voice trembling as he slowly raised his gaze. A faint glimmer of life returned to his eyes.
He didn't know who this man before him truly was, but judging by the reaction of his beloved teacher, Lee understood that Senju Haruto was someone extraordinary.
A nervous tension filled him. He tried to sit up, but Haruto immediately pressed him back down.
"You don't need to move."
Without a moment's hesitation, Haruto lifted Lee's blanket and released a fine blade of wind from his fingertip, slicing through the sleeve of Lee's hospital gown with precision.
He already knew Lee's condition well enough.
During his battle with Gaara, Lee had been caught by the sand and crushed—the bone fragments driven deep into his nerves.
With the current level of medical ninjutsu, it was utterly impossible to heal.
Not only that—even Karin's unique Uzumaki healing ability had no way to treat him.
Because Lee's problem wasn't just the injury itself, but the bone fragments embedded within his nerves.
Even Tsunade herself had only a fifty percent chance at best.
And if the surgery failed, the cost would be Lee's life.
Guy, Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Lee all held their breath in that instant. The pounding of their hearts grew louder, each beat heavy with suspense as they awaited Haruto's judgment.
For Guy and Lee especially, the mixture of hope and dread was unbearable.
"The shattered bone fragments have already penetrated into Lee's nerves. The damage… is very severe."
Haruto concluded his preliminary examination and relayed the results calmly.
"What about Karin…?"
Kakashi hesitated slightly before speaking her name.
He had experienced Karin's ability personally—it was nothing short of miraculous.
But out of principle, he always reminded himself: Karin was a person, not a medical tool. Even so, in this situation, he couldn't help but wonder if her ability might succeed where others failed.
Haruto, however, shook his head without the slightest hesitation.
"Lee's greatest issue isn't the injury itself—it's the embedded fragments. Karin's ability can heal wounds, yes, but if the fragments remain…"
"Every time Lee uses taijutsu, those shards pressing on his nerves will cause further damage. In the worst case…"
"He could be paralyzed for life."
Haruto cast Lee a sideways glance, stating the harsh truth without softening the blow.
The very word paralyzed made Guy's face go deathly pale in an instant.
"Haruto-sama… isn't there any other way?" Guy asked desperately, noticing how Lee's eyes were dimming, losing their spark.
"There is a way." Haruto paused in thought, then continued, "The only option now is surgery—extracting the fragments directly from Lee's body."
"But this surgery is extremely difficult. With the current level of medical knowledge… the chance of failure is one hundred percent."
"What did you say?"
Guy and Lee both froze in shock.
A one hundred percent failure rate—that was no different from declaring it impossible!
Just as Guy was about to explode in frustration and demand whether Haruto was a fraud, Kakashi immediately held him back.
"Calm yourself, Guy. Haruto said with the current level of medical knowledge." Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he turned to Haruto.
"If you were to perform the surgery yourself, what would the success rate be?"
"If I were to do it…"
Haruto furrowed his brow, inhaling sharply through his teeth.
"Kakashi, I don't know how you see me, but I am not a god. Yes, I possess medical knowledge and some techniques… but I am still human. And as long as one is human, there is always the risk of failure."
His gaze shifted firmly onto Lee.
"If the surgery fails, you will die. Lee—are you still willing to gamble on that chance?"
"Though your injuries are severe, you could still choose another path. You could live—just not as a shinobi."
Haruto's words weren't meant to discourage Lee out of fear.
He wanted to test his resolve.
"Lee…"
Guy stepped forward, about to reassure his student and urge him not to take unnecessary risks.
But Kakashi blocked him with a hand.
"Guy. This decision… must be Lee's."
Kakashi's expression was firm. He knew Guy too well—knew how much Lee meant to him.
But precisely because of that, Guy needed to let Lee make this choice himself.
If the surgery succeeded, it would be wonderful. But failure was still possible.
If Lee chose to retreat out of fear of death, no one could fault him for it.
Yet to Team 7's surprise, Lee didn't hesitate even for a moment.
He clenched his fists tight, nodded firmly, and spoke in a voice brimming with unwavering resolve:
"I will do it. Even if there's only a one percent chance of success—I will do it. Haruto-sama, please prepare the surgery. No matter what, I must become a shinobi!"
Lee's expression was solemn, his determination unshakable.
"Lee…"
Watching his beloved disciple, Guy's eyes filled with tears of emotion.
This—this was the true essence of youth!
"But… Haruto, how much confidence do you actually have?" Kakashi's throat tightened as he asked.
Though he admired Lee's courage and decision, the risks of surgery still weighed heavily on his mind.
As soon as Kakashi asked, Guy, Lee, Naruto, and Sakura all turned their eyes toward Haruto, waiting breathlessly for his answer.
Even if Lee himself wasn't afraid, they needed to know the truth.
"As for the success rate…"
Haruto's brows drew together.
"Since I've never performed this type of surgery before, I can't say for sure. At most… the success rate might only be 99.9%."
Guy: "???"
Kakashi: "???"
Naruto: "???"
Sakura: "???"
Lee: "???"