Whizzing!
Moments after Saitama and the others had left, several figures landed in the clearing where the battle had taken place.
"Konoha’s ninja has escaped. The intel has definitely been leaked," one of the enemy shinobi muttered grimly, glancing at the two Jōnin corpses on the ground.
"Damn it..." another ninja cursed, his voice trembling. He knelt beside a body partially devoured by insects—barely identifiable by the remnants of its uniform. His eyes were bloodshot, a mix of grief and fury distorting his face.
"That’s... it’s him," he whispered, fists clenching as he stared at what remained of his comrade.
"Enough. Retrieve the bodies—we’re heading back," the squad leader said curtly. "Leaving them here isn’t an option."
"Yes, sir!" The shinobi swiftly unfurled storage scrolls, sealed the corpses with practiced efficiency, and vanished from the scene.
Once again, the forest grew silent. The wind rustled the grass, flowers began to stir with the coming spring—but the scorched earth and bloodstains left behind gave the place a chilling stillness.
---
Konohagakure – War Council Chamber
Boom!
Tsunade slammed her palm on the table, cutting off the murmurs and side discussions.
"The reconnaissance unit has confirmed the enemy’s intel leak," she said, voice steely. "Now we decide how to respond. Speak freely."
Leaning her chin against her hand, Tsunade’s golden eyes scanned the room. Though relaxed in posture, her presence carried a commanding pressure that kept even the elders wary.
"Are we certain there’s only one harbor the enemy is using?" asked Uchiha Tenaki, breaking the silence.
The long conference table fell quiet again as glances were exchanged.
Ahem. Mitokado Homura cleared his throat. "The immediate priority is to confirm that assumption. Is the enemy working from only one constructed harbor, or are there others under development?"
Though old, Homura’s voice remained strong. His sharp gaze flickered with unease behind his spectacles.
"Make no mistake—this is war," Tsunade said firmly, knocking on the table with her knuckles. "Konoha cannot afford hesitation."
She stood up, her cloak bearing the kanji for Gamble fluttering slightly behind her.
"We’ll draft a plan. Every department will contribute. The enemy’s coastal supply lines need thorough investigation—especially areas near the border!"
---
Training Grounds, Edge of the Forest
"Huff... Let’s take a break," Shizune said, lowering the kunai in her hand.
"Alright," Saitama nodded and put down his own kunai. Though he hadn’t used one in a while, the familiarity remained. His grip and technique had not dulled.
He found a random spot and sat down cross-legged. The field wasn’t meant for resting, but he didn’t care much about comfort.
Thunk. Shizune leaned on a nearby wooden post before deciding to sit next to him—roughly half a meter apart.
"What’s your take on things?" she asked casually, referring to his recovery and progress.
"There’s been improvement these past few days," Saitama said honestly, tugging at some blades of grass between his feet. "But until there’s real combat, it’s hard to say. Our current training methods... don’t reflect the battlefield."
"That so? Tsunade-sama says the same," Shizune sighed. "But she still won’t let me take solo missions."
"She’s just looking out for you," Saitama replied, glancing at her. "You’re a medical ninja. If we ever have to rely on you as our frontline, it means Konoha’s already lost too much."
He paused, then added with a smile, "You’re important. She’s lost people before... I don’t think she wants to go through that again."
"...I get it." Shizune nodded and gave Saitama a soft pat on the shoulder.
"Oh, right! Didn’t I promise to teach you medical ninjutsu when you got back? I brought a scroll today!" she exclaimed suddenly, springing to her feet.
Saitama’s eyes lit up slightly. "Really? I’ve always been curious about medical ninjutsu. It’s hard to come by unless you’re in the medical corps."
"I haven’t learned much yet," Shizune admitted, counting on her fingers. "Basic Healing Technique, Blood Clotting Technique... and I’ve been working on the Mystical Palm Technique, but it’s tough. I haven’t mastered it."
"Let’s go with the Healing Technique," Saitama decided. "More useful in battle, and easier to learn. Besides, you haven’t mastered the others yet."
Even though Saitama had good recovery, it was never a bad idea to learn healing.
"Perfect! I brought a scroll. You can study it later. I’ll demonstrate it now."
Shizune was visibly happy—Saitama had been helping her so much lately that she finally felt like she could repay the favor.
"Wait, how should I demonstrate it...? Oh, whatever, I’ll just show you the Healing Technique directly."
Saitama didn’t wait. "Chidori," he murmured, condensing a faint arc of lightning onto his right index finger. He compressed the chakra into a sharp edge and ran it across the back of his left hand, creating a shallow but bleeding cut.
"What the—! Are you insane?!" Shizune gasped, covering her mouth.
"Time for you to demonstrate," Saitama said with a grin, extending his bleeding hand.
"You didn’t have to hurt yourself for that!" she scolded, clearly frustrated.
"Come on. Heal it before it gets worse," he joked, holding out his arm.
"Ugh... You’re impossible," she muttered, but couldn’t suppress a small smile. "Fine. Give me your hand."
She grabbed his hand and rested it gently on her thigh, focusing chakra in her palms.
"Watch closely," she said, her hands glowing with a gentle green aura. "You guide the chakra through a steady flow, then concentrate it at your hands. Keep the rhythm even—it’s not brute force."
Saitama watched silently. As her hand passed over the cut, he felt a cooling sensation, almost like mint spreading through his skin. The wound began knitting itself together right before his eyes.
"I think I got it," he said, impressed.
"This is your first time seeing it. Don’t pretend you understand already!" Shizune huffed, frowning. "You can’t learn medical ninjutsu just by watching it once! I’ll teach you again tomorrow. Ask me if you’re confused."
"Seriously, I get it," Saitama insisted, pulling his hand back.
Shizune finally looked up. "...Show-off."
Visit patreon.com/TEA_QUILL to get 30+ Chapters