A flood of memories about medical ninjutsu poured into Yamanaka Shinno's mind.
Mystical Palm Technique, Yin Healing Wound Destruction, Delicate Illness Extraction, Mitotic Regeneration, Chakra Scalpel—one after another, these techniques were swiftly assimilated.
He had already become highly proficient in medical Water Release techniques when he obtained [Water Release Mastery], but now, he was reviewing them once again.
"The Chakra Scalpel... it feels more precise than Medical Water Style: Water Praying Mantis."
Shinno clapped his hands together, skipping the tedious hand seals.
A thin, pale-blue chakra blade formed at his fingertips—a razor-sharp, near-microscopic edge. With a mere thought, he altered its length and shape fluidly.
Unlike the cutting force of Medical Water Release: Water Praying Mantis, the Chakra Scalpel wasn't meant for slicing through external surfaces. Instead, its precision allowed a skilled medical-nin to bypass the skin entirely and directly target muscles, nerves, and internal organs.
Of course, a technique this absurdly powerful wasn't without its limitations.
The further the scalpel extended from the user's body, the greater the chakra control required.
In the original series, Kabuto Yakushi had used this move to sever Tsunade's right arm and leg muscles, preventing her from using her monstrous strength. However, due to his own chakra control limits, his blade was too short to reach her heart and deal a fatal blow in one strike.
"Maybe... it was just the fat getting in the way?"
Shinno glanced at the scalpel in his hand, which had extended to nearly twenty centimeters.
Then, his gaze shifted, calculating Tsunade's... dimensions.
Then, a second of sympathy for Kabuto.
It wasn't his fault—his technique was solid. The problem was that his target was built like a tank. No one would have had an easy time against that.
Shinno's [Zero Frame Startup] had significantly boosted his chakra control, making him one of the most precise chakra manipulators in the ninja world. Even though [Medicated Milk] was only a green trait, his mastery over the Chakra Scalpel was still leagues ahead of 99% of Konoha's medical-nin.
And yet, even he could only extend his scalpel to twenty centimeters.
In the chaos of battle, it would be even shorter.
Sure, it would work fine against the likes of young Sakura, Kurotsuchi, Karin, or Karui...
But against naturally gifted monsters like Tsunade, Samui, or Mei Terumi?
Yeah, no. Better pick a different jutsu.
"Slight chance of a minor positive reaction? What kind of reaction?"
Shinno read through the detailed description of the trait, then dispersed the scalpel in his hand.
Clapping his hands together again, he activated one of the most commonly used medical techniques—the Mystical Palm Technique.
The moment the soft green chakra touched his skin, Shinno sucked in a sharp breath and jerked his hand away.
It was like stepping into an air-conditioned room in the middle of a scorching summer—every pore on his body tingled from the sudden chill.
He glanced at the fine goosebumps forming along his arm.
Then, after a brief hesitation, he pressed his palm back onto his skin.
This time, instead of the icy shock...
It felt like soaking in a hot spring.
No, better than that—pure bliss. His body relaxed, his mind became more alert, and he felt an invigorating rush of energy.
Was this a ninjutsu-based stimulant?
"Seems effective... huh? Wait, it's getting stronger over time? That's a bit weir—"
Shinno's entire body jolted, and he immediately pulled his hand away.
He stared down at his palm, still coated in the vibrant green glow of the A-rank medical technique.
His face twisted in disbelief.
Did he... just touch something unholy?!
"System! Are you absolutely sure the 'medicated' part of this trait is legit?!"
His expression flickered between confusion, horror, and the resigned acceptance of a man who had seen too much.
Unless absolutely necessary, he was never using this technique on anyone else.
This wasn't just healing—it was reputation-ruining.
If he hadn't already used up his trait removal chance, he would've ripped this thing off immediately.
With a mix of exhaustion and silent despair, Shinno wiped a hand down his face and dragged himself to bed.
The Next Morning – 11:00 AM
Shinno and Musai exited the Raikage's office, the latter having officially completed his retirement from active ninja duty.
In Kumogakure, a village that revered strength, very few shinobi ever chose to retire unless they were suffering from severe injuries or incurable conditions.
As a result, the retirement process here was far simpler than in Konoha, where it involved multiple approvals, repeated evaluations, and even personal persuasion attempts.
8:30 AM—submit retirement application.
9:00 AM—Third Raikage signs off with a single word: Approved.
9:30 AM—return forehead protector, erase active duty records. Done.
With plenty of time left in the day, Shinno and Musai used the opportunity to lease a plot of land on the eastern outskirts of the village.
It wasn't prime real estate—just a barren stretch of flat land. But it was affordable, conveniently located, and perfect for their plans.
Since they only signed a two-year lease, Musai's lifetime savings from nearly thirty years of shinobi service barely took a hit.
The rest of the money?
More than enough to build housing, buy feed, and purchase cattle and piglets for their farm.
Any lingering regrets Musai had about leaving behind his ninja career vanished the moment he received the lease contract.
From now on, he wasn't a ninja.
He was a business owner.
Chunin? Jonin? They could work for him now.
"Once the farm is up and running, I'm gonna post a bunch of D-rank missions and make my old teammates come work for me!"
Musai clutched the lease contract with a ridiculous grin on his face.
Meanwhile, Shinno's gaze drifted toward a passing figure on the street—a seemingly unremarkable woman who "accidentally" dropped her book.
That was the emergency signal from their original mission briefing.
It meant the situation in Kumogakure had reached a critical level.
"Go say goodbye to your teammates."
Shinno smacked Musai on the back of the head, gesturing toward the two half-grown brats waving at him from the street corner.
"Heh—thanks, Pops! I'll skip lunch today then!"
Musai laughed, jogging over to his friends.
Shinno sighed with feigned exasperation, then disappeared in a blur of movement.
As he moved, he discreetly formed a single-hand seal, masking the chakra fluctuation within his teleportation technique.
Given his current mastery over Yin Release, only a specialized sensor actively tracking him would have noticed.
Shinno's voice echoed in Yakushi Nono's mind.
"During last night's high-level meeting, Kumogakure officially decided to declare war on Kirigakure. Our mission is complete. Also, this morning, the village began a full-scale internal security sweep to root out all spies."
"My cover won't hold under scrutiny—I need to escape. Are you coming?"
Her voice was unnervingly calm.
A seasoned spy like Nono knew that panic was a death sentence.
"You realize the village is locked down, right? You sure you can get out?"
"Seventy percent chance."
"Seventy? That's as good as zero."
Nono's eyelid twitched.
Did he have any idea how dangerous this was? Most spies, in this situation, would be dead already. The fact that she even had a plan at all was impressive.
"Do you mind taking a nap?" Shinno asked.
"How confident are you in getting out safely?"
"One hundred percent."
"...Next time you try to trick a woman, lower the number a bit. Makes it more believable. Also—clean yourself up. You look like a slob."
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on (258 chapters in total.)
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