We continue to make our way back to Konoha.
“So what did you get Shizune?” Anko says with a smile on her face.
“I… don’t know. What can you tell me Yami?”
“Asclepius, god of medicine and healing… maybe try healing something and find out?”
Shizune decisively makes a 3 cm cut in her hand before using her Mystic Palm Technique to he
al it back.
The cut heals back in only a few seconds, leaving back pristine skin in its place.Tsunade comments having stared at the process.
“That was about twice as fast as it should have been.”
“No Tsunade-sama, it wasn’t just the cut I healed… as I was sensing the cells to divide to take the spot I could sense the healthy cells were also slightly injured.”
“All the cells were injured?” Tsunade asks.
“Very slightly yes, every cell besides the news ones I created feels slightly injured as I check them…”
If she’s healing what I’m thinking it might just be absurd…
“Try comparing the injuries on your cells to ours Shizune.” I suggest.
Shizune proceeded to heal all of us for a few seconds before sharing her conclusions.
“Tsunade has no injuries whatsoever to heal, Anko has the most after me with others having similar amounts and Yami a bit less.”
“It’s what I thought Shizune. You are healing aging itself, the microscopic damage our cells suffer as they replicate and get slightly worn down from the usage of oxygen as well as the fatigue our cells get from dividing.”
“Wow.” “Amazing” Sakura and Ino react.
“Truly worthy of the name Asclepius, the god killed out of fear he’d prevent death altogether…” I say.
“We need to keep this in absolute secret… there would be no lack of people looking to kidnap, hypnotize, bribe, blackmail or use any other method they can if it can avert their death.” Tsunade says.
“We should give Shizune a couple samples of our blood for study.” Anko says.
I see no reason to object. Shizune gathers from each of us several small vials of blood intent on studying how our bloodlines have been changing.
"And what did you get Yami?" Shizune asks.
"I seem to have gotten immunity to illnesses and poisons, very useful"
After several hours of traveling, we finally say our goodbyes to Shizune and Tsunade.Tsunade enthusiastically comes up to me for a kiss before leaving while I have to chase down Shizune for her goodbye kiss. They’re staying over in a nearby town only a couple of hours away from Konoha at ninja travel speed where they will wait for Hinata and Sakura to return to them tomorrow.
Several hours later, around noon, we finally reached Konohagakure and headed to the administrative center to make our report.After waiting outside for 30min we’re allowed inside the Hokage’s office.
“Ino and Team Anko, welcome back. How are you Yami?”
Hiruzen’s old face smiles in my direction, having already noticed how I seemed healthy.
“Tsunade’s skills remain unrivaled in the world, I owe her my life.”
Sakura struggles to contain her laughter.Hiruzen ignores the breach in decor and continues.
“Very good news, and about the other matter?
Hiruzen’s retirement plan… will have to wait a bit.
“Tsunade left us a message to deliver, containing her answer.”
Anko answers and pulls out a sealed letter from an inner pocket in her jacket before handing it over to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen takes the letter and slowly reads through the letter. It seems fairly long.As he finishes reading he looks at us, thinking for a minute before finally answering.
“I’m pleased Tsunade is willing to return after so long.”
Hiruzen nods, content with the news that Tsunade is willing to return to the village after so long and possibly take over the mantle of fifth in the future.
He then turns his head and stares at Hinata and Sakura.
“Congratulations Sakura, Hinata… Tsunade is a great teacher, make good use of this opportunity.”
“Thank you Hokage-sama” Hinata answers.
Then Hiruzen faces me.
“Yami-kun… good luck… I agree with the proposal Anko, take over the necessary paperwork and you may begin tomorrow. ”
Anko smiles wide.
“Thank you Hokage-same, I’m sure all my students will not disappoint.”
“I’m sure they will all impress us. Make sure to return in a couple of months for the Chunin exams.”
With that, we said our farewells to the third Hokage and split up.
Sakura and Hinata went back to their family to inform them of their absence until the exams.
For the rest of the day I went searching for a new house to live in with the help of Ino and Anko.
The requirements were simple, isolated and with as large of a bed and bath as possible.
I end up settling for a decently large mansion near the outskirts of Konoha.It was huge, with a dozen bedrooms, several bathrooms, a huge outdoor pool area sadly reliant on jutsu to fill, several courtyards, study and common rooms and a large kitchen.
Even with the funds I got from Tsunade and from selling Hidan’s finger, there were only two reasons I managed to afford the down payment on it.First, this land used to be the Uchiha compound.Second I got a big discount for being a lone ninja since if I died before paying for the whole house or having a family to inherit it, the real estate company would just get it back…
Although Sasuke still owns several plots around as the last Uchiha, most of the land returned to the Hokage and was promptly remodeled and put for sale, though common people are understandably a bit afraid of living in such cursed land fearing ghosts or the return of Itachi.
I put in an order for a much larger bed for the main bedroom since I predict queen size to not be large enough in the future.
Anko said goodbye, having business to take care of and leaving me alone with Ino to christen the house and especially the existing bed over the entire night.