At the Senju clan compound.
Inside a traditional Japanese-style mansion, three thoroughly unmotivated salted fish lay sprawled across the corridor floor.
As an aside—Guy had already returned the 200,000 ryō to Baixing. Thanks to their previous S-rank mission, Baixing's little money pouch was now pleasantly stuffed.
"Sigh…"
Nawaki stared lifelessly at the ceiling.
"There've been so few D-rank missions lately."
Baixing complained from the side, "So many Uzumaki ninja suddenly showed up who can actually work. They might as well just roll me to death."
Might Guy, reeking faintly of sweat, said cheerfully, "Good thing we've saved up enough. Even if we don't take missions for a while, we'll still be comfortable."
The three fell silent for a moment.
Baixing pinched his nose and scooted away.
"Guy, you stink! After training, please go home and take a shower before coming to chat!"
Guy scratched his cheek awkwardly. "If I go home, I won't be able to come back out."
"Is having a girlfriend—and married life—still happy, Uncle Guy?" Nawaki asked.
Baixing: "..."
The single dog took ten thousand points of emotional damage.
And you're not dating anyone either, brat! What are you even asking for?!
Baixing's eyes turned dead-fish-flat.
"It's… alright, I guess," Guy said, recalling how Rin would always be holding Kai when he got home, talking endlessly. He stared up at the eaves and sighed softly.
"Rin's been talking a lot more lately. Sometimes after a full day of missions and training, I feel a bit irritated. But I still have to patiently comfort her, so… I can't really get out."
"Irritated? That doesn't sound like you," Baixing glanced at him. Even someone as sunny as Guy had days like that?
Nawaki's face was full of curiosity too.
Guy said helplessly, "What's bothering me is that I've hit a wall with the Eight Gates. I've realized I can only open up to the Fifth Gate, and even then, only for about ten seconds without injuring myself. And I've got a bad feeling—if I open the Sixth or Seventh Gate, my muscles will be damaged instantly."
"..."
Baixing went silent. Honestly, being able to open five gates at all was already impressive. At this point, Guy could almost be compared to a buffed-up Lee.
"It's a shame Orochimaru-sensei isn't around," Nawaki said. "Otherwise, we could ask him."
At that moment, Baixing thought of another ninja in the village who might have time—and who understood the human body well.
Tsunade.
"I'll go to the hospital and ask Nono whether Lady Tsunade has any time."
"Speaking of which, we haven't visited Nono in ages. I wonder how she's doing," Nawaki smacked his lips. Combat-type ninja and support-type ninja had totally different schedules. Even after a long day, combat-types still had to train—there was barely any time to visit people.
"Come to think of it, hasn't Mikoto's mission been going on for a really long time?" Guy said. "When I passed by the Police Force today, I asked them out of curiosity. They just looked at me like I was an idiot and walked away. Do they not know what's going on?"
Baixing: "..."
"Mikoto? The genius Uchiha from my class?" Nawaki said. "Didn't I hear my sister say—"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Baixing coughed violently and sat upright. "Alright, alright. Mikoto has the Uchiha clan taking care of her. No need for us to worry."
"Let's head to Konoha Hospital now!"
"Oh!" ×2
Nawaki sat up straight and raised his hand. Guy, completely clueless, sprang up from the corridor, flashing a bright grin.
"Then let's race! Whoever gets to Konoha Hospital first wins!!"
Nawaki rolled up his sleeves, dead serious. "That'll definitely be me!"
"I won't lose either," Baixing replied calmly—already prepared to trail behind them as the silent, nameless last place.
On the way to the hospital, walls, buildings, and pedestrians on both sides blurred past rapidly.
Baixing's thoughts drifted to half a month ago, when he'd visited Nono during some free time. Back then, he'd overheard Tsunade talking to Nono about Mikoto—and Tsunade had noticed him listening.
—On the battlefield, coordinating perfectly with multiple squads, completing one S-rank mission and two A-rank missions, earning her the nickname "the Nightmare Genius Uchiha" among Iwagakure and Amegakure enemies.
In other words, Mikoto had gone from a clan-designated reserve chūnin to a bona fide Special Jōnin.
Baixing felt that even future Kakashi probably wouldn't be able to break this "youngest jōnin" record.
After all, Special Jōnin were still jōnin.
Soon, Team One arrived at Konoha Hospital, where they found Nono practically collapsing face-first onto a desk in the inpatient lounge. Nearby, another nurse—Inuzuka Umeko—looked just as exhausted.
"You okay, Nono?" Baixing asked.
"I'm fiii—"
Before Nono could finish what was clearly going to be "fine my ass", Baixing cut her off.
"As long as you're fine. We're here to ask if Lady Tsunade has any time."
Umeko, slumped over the desk, tilted her head slightly. The ninja dog beside her stuck out its tongue and gave a quiet "woof."
"Given that even us nurses are half-dead," Umeko said, "do you really think the hospital director, Lady Tsunade, has time?"
"..."
After a moment, Nawaki stated the obvious: "Fair point."
"Being a genin suddenly feels pretty relaxed, huh, Baixing?" Nawaki elbowed him lightly. Ever since that battle, Nawaki had been convinced Baixing was a hidden powerhouse—at least chūnin-level. Otherwise, there was no way he could've defeated Kirigakure chūnin.
Baixing shot him a sideways look. So now you realize being a genin is nice?
Frankly speaking, just look at all the injured ninja outside—most of them were either aspiring chūnin or already chūnin.
—Ninja weren't gods.
They got hurt.
They died.
Take Lady Mito, for example—since that battle, she hadn't left the Senju compound. Even Nawaki hadn't seen her.
Another weakness of ninja: they grow old.
Even the Uzumaki clan's Yin Seal only extended life somewhat, allowing explosive strength in old age—but death still came in the end.
The next Nine-Tails jinchūriki had already been decided. She would enroll in the Ninja Academy's next third-year Class A—part of Minato's generation. She was only seven years old.
Based on a fragment from canon and the girl's awakened Uzumaki talent, Baixing could infer her identity—
—Uzumaki Kaori, future mother of Uzumaki Karin, who would one day wander to Kusagakure.
While chatting with Nono, Nawaki, Guy, and Umeko, Baixing also pondered the future.
He wondered whether Kushina—mother of the Child of Prophecy—had already been killed by Kirigakure ninja. If so, would the "chosen one" vanish with her?
And if Kushina were still alive… where had she gone?
Unable to figure it out, Baixing returned his focus to casual conversation.
After a while, they learned that Nono was so overwhelmed with work that she had no time to practice the Mystical Palm Technique. As a result, she couldn't advance from her current medical post.
Under normal circumstances, she could've been promoted directly to chūnin-level medic, but her work experience was too short and she had almost zero surgical experience. To advance, she needed higher-level medical ninjutsu.
With Nono having no time—and Tsunade even less—there was no chance for Guy to get his body checked.
Team One returned empty-handed to the shady areas of the Senju compound to continue lying around like corpses, careful not to disturb Nono's rare break during work hours.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building.
Fresh off completing an A-rank mission, Jiraiya returned to the village and immediately left again, not even stopping to see Tsunade.
When Hiruzen asked him about it, Jiraiya replied that Mount Myōboku had an urgent matter to report.
Without delay, he used Reverse Summoning, arriving in Mount Myōboku's domain, then made his way into a grand hall—
to meet the Great Toad Sage.
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