Long, jet-black hair, pale complexion, narrow purple markings around the eyes, vertical golden pupils, and an aura of cold detachment.
Standing before Kirito was Orochimaru, one of the Sannin.
"It's been a while, Kirito. I didn't expect you to become a medical ninja so quickly. Quite surprising."
Orochimaru entered the consultation room and greeted Kirito with a raspy voice.
This time, Kirito found Orochimaru's demeanor much more subdued. Unlike their first encounter, Orochimaru's murderous intent was completely concealed, and his mood seemed stable. He now resembled a gloomy, pale-skinned uncle rather than the terrifying scientist who once disregarded and manipulated life.
"It's Master Orochimaru. Are you here for a medical examination?"
Kirito greeted Orochimaru and noted the bloody bandage around Orochimaru's right hand.
"Yes, today I've come to seek Kirito's Palm Immortality Technique."
Orochimaru confirmed as he sat down in front of Kirito, removing the bandage to reveal a deep wound.
Kirito glanced at the wound and recognized it as a fresh injury, likely caused by a Kunai. He couldn't help but think, "This wound is recent; he must have inflicted it himself."
However, Kirito refrained from commenting and treated Orochimaru's wound with utmost seriousness. After disinfecting the wound meticulously, he used the Palm Immortality Technique to facilitate the healing process.
Kirito had been working as a medical ninja for over a month, and with only one hospital in Konoha and a limited number of medical ninja, he was constantly busy. He faced a high volume of patients daily.
With this high-intensity workload, Kirito's use of the Palm Immortality Technique had advanced significantly. His Palm Immortality level had reached 5 on his attribute panel.
Kirito estimated that his proficiency in using the Palm Immortality Technique was now on par with seasoned medical ninja.
Within just one or two minutes, Dashewan's wound was completely healed, leaving no trace of a scar.
"What an impressive Palm Immortality Technique, Kirito. On the battlefield, you'll undoubtedly provide great reassurance to your comrades."
Orochimaru praised Kirito's skill as he inspected his now-healed hand. He seemed genuinely impressed.
"You're flattering me. My medical skills are still far from Tsunade-sama's level. I must continue to work hard and learn in the hospital," Kirito replied, firmly rejecting Orochimaru's subtle suggestions.
Going to the battlefield ? What a joke.
The idea of going to the battlefield at his age was preposterous. In a month, he would turn nine years old. Sending a child of his age into battle would be a grave mistake.
Kirito understood the harsh reality that once he ventured onto the battlefield without Konoha's protection, he would become a target for both external and internal threats. Many would view a young, talented Konoha ninja as a threat to their own interests, and eliminating him would serve their purposes.
If Konoha ever reached a point where it required a child of his age to fight, it would signify the village's impending doom. Kirito was well aware that once he left the protection of Konoha, even with his current Jonin-level abilities, his safety wouldn't be guaranteed.
"The forest conceals the tree," Kirito thought to himself. It was clear that he needed to remain within the safety of Konoha's walls for the time being.
"The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility, Kirito. Sometimes, there are things you can't refuse, and there will be times when people are forced into situations," Orochimaru remarked with a meaningful tone before departing.
Kirito watched Orochimaru leave, his expression clouded and contemplative. He knew that someone as powerful as Orochimaru wouldn't speak without purpose. There was undoubtedly something Orochimaru was alluding to with his words.
"What did he mean by that?" Kirito muttered to himself, his face reflecting uncertainty.
A strong figure like Orochimaru wouldn't speak casually, which meant that he likely possessed knowledge or insight into a situation. Kirito couldn't help but feel that Orochimaru's cryptic message held deeper meaning.
However, Kirito wasn't one to shy away from challenges. He had been quietly building his strength, preparing himself for any potential threats. If his enemies ever came for him, they would need to be prepared to face the consequences.
Kirito's determination remained unwavering. "I will continue to work diligently, accumulating strength for whatever challenges lie ahead," he thought, closing his eyes once more to focus on replenishing his chakra reserves and further enhancing his abilities.
--------
On the other side, in Hokage's office, a fierce debate was going on.
"No, I don't agree with this plan. Amagakure isnt so easy to deal with, and the strength gap between Hattori Masanari and Hanzo is too great. Maybe we just supported him and Hanzo killed him right away. When the time comes, we didn't lose everything, and our resources didn't come from the wind," consultant Koharu said loudly with a stern expression.
The Amegakure split plan, this is the plan that the third generation just gave to the three Hokage consultants, and it was written by Tsunade herself.
The content of the plan is probably to hope that Konoha can support Hattori Masanari, a powerful rain ninja with a different ideology from Hanzo, so that there will be a force close to Konoha within the Land of Rain. Eventually, the Land of Rain will fall into disarray, and there will be no time to attack Konoha.
This plan clearly outlines the various water ninjutsu mastered by Kirito Hakujue's avatar, the rain ninja vest, case analysis, and personal life details, providing a detailed account of whether Masanari Hattori is a powerful water ninja or a pacifist. Tsunade strongly opposes Hanzo's plan to become the sixth major nation by challenging the great powers.
Judging from the content of the plan alone, Hattori Masanari is undoubtedly a very suitable candidate for Konoha's support. If the plan succeeds, Konoha would no longer be under threat, and Hattori Masanari could even become Konoha's ally to counteract other major nations.
However, the current debate is centered around the high risk of supporting Masanari Hattori.
While Hattori Masanari's strength is impressive, and he can hold his own against Sannin-level ninja in the Land of Rain, compared to the three-legged Hanzo, his strength falls short.
Should Hattori Masanari inadvertently provoke Hanzo, he would likely meet his demise.
In the current rain Village, Hanzo wields significant influence and authority.
"Koharu is right, the risk is too high, and now Amegakure is no longer capable of taking action against Konoha. Engaging in such a high-risk investment plan may not be cost-effective for Konoha at this time," Mitokado hamura added, expressing his support for Koharu's stance.
Seeing that both Koharu and Mitokado were firmly against it, the third Hokage, who had initially planned to support Tsunade's proposal, started to have doubts.
But at this moment, Momoka Senju spoke up, saying, "However, if we don't support Masanari Hattori, there's a chance that others will. For example, Sunagakure and Iwagakure, and even Kumogakure and Kirigakure, may seek opportunities to connect with him. We cannot assume that people from other villages won't recognize the value of this individual."
Momoka Senju's words struck the two consultants, Koharu, Mitokado, and the hokage, Hiruzen, like a bolt of lightning. They had not initially considered the possibility of other ninja villages reaching out to Hattori Masanari. However, Momoka Senju's words forced them to reconsider this potential threat.
The three consultants were not oblivious; they quickly recognized the value of Hattori Masanari. If the plan succeeded, it would bring Amegakure closer to Konoha and potentially reduce the threat posed by Hanzo. But now, the risk of other ninja villages establishing contact with Hattori Masanari weighed heavily on their minds.
If other ninja villages successfully established connections with him and secured his cooperation, it would create additional pressure on Konoha. Hanzo's antagonism toward Konoha would continue to loom large.
One Hanzo alone was already a major headache for Konoha, and now, with the potential addition of a strong individual like Hattori Masanari, the combined pressure would be even greater.
Once Hanzo was free to act without the distraction of Amegakure, his aggression toward Konoha would increase significantly. The young Sannin might struggle to contain him.
However, the three consultants were cautious. They could not afford to gamble on the possibility of failure. If the plan didn't work out, they would bear the blame as Konoha's leaders.
Momoka Senju continued, "Indeed, as the Sandaime just mentioned, even if this plan fails, we must show Hattori Masanari Konoha's sincerity, reduce his hostility toward us, and avoid the risk of him joining other ninja villages."
Left and right, this was merely an investment. Compared to the cost of resuming a full-scale war, spending some resources to secure a potential ally was a sound strategic move.
Thus, Koharu, who initially opposed the plan, was forced to accept the reality. "This is reasonable, and we should take action swiftly. Other ninja villages must not be allowed to reach Hattori Masanari before us," she conceded.
Mitokado hamura added, "I agree. We need to act quickly. Before Hattori Masanari returns to Amegakure, we must find an opportunity to contact him. Once he returns to Ame Village, it may become more challenging."
The third Hokage nodded in agreement, recognizing the urgency of the situation. "Then, who should we send to contact Hattori Masanari?"
Consultant Koharu, seeing that everyone was in agreement, posed a crucial question.
"Since this plan was proposed by Tsunade, it is natural for her to contact Hattori Masanari," Momoka suggested, putting forward Tsunade as the ideal candidate.
Tsuna's consultant role suggests that she should take on this responsibility.
However, Koharu immediately opposed the idea. "I disagree. Tsunade just
had an altercation with Masanari Hattori earlier. Having her contact Masahari Hattori now may backfire."
Koharu's reasoning was sound and supported by evidence. The third Hokage and Momoka Senju both had reservations about Tsunade taking on this role, as she had just returned and was about to take charge of the hospital's affairs. Balancing both responsibilities would be a considerable challenge.
Seeing the opposition, the third Hokage hesitated. "There are valid concerns about this. Tsunade has just returned and is about to assume her responsibilities at the hospital. It may be challenging for her to manage both tasks."
As a result, the decision to assign someone else was reached. However, this disappointed Momoka Senju, who had hoped for Tsunade to lead the effort and claim the credit for herself. She begrudgingly accepted the decision, her dissatisfaction evident.
"Then, what about Jiraiya? He is currently in the Land of Rain and has already made contact with Hattori Masanari. His status is also passable, so he shouldn't be ignored," Mitokado hamura suggested, naming her favored candidate.
"That's an excellent suggestion. That rogue is still lingering in the Land of Rain, refusing to leave. This is an excellent opportunity for him to contribute to Konoha in the Land of Rain. Let's have him take on this task," Sandaime supported the idea, eager to utilize Jiraiya's skills.
He had been frustrated with Jiraiya's lack of discipline and refusal to follow orders. Assigning him to this mission would give Sandaime's a valid reason to keep Jiraiya in the Land of Rain for an extended period.
"I agree," Koharu added, accepting the proposal.
While Jiraiya was not her favorite choice, she recognized the advantages of his assignment. Despite his reputation as a womanizer, Jiraiya was an excellent communicator and a peace-loving individual. Entrusting him to establish contact with Hattori Masanari and build a relationship was a sensible decision.
"Okay, let's choose him," Momoka agreed, thinking of Jiraiya, the white-haired boy from Tsunade team.
For Momoka, Jiraiya was an acceptable choice. Jiraiya had no interest in becoming Hokage, and his fondness for Tsunade might lead him to support her as Hokage in the future.
Shortly after the five of them reached a decision, a Herald Eagle flew out of the leaves and headed towards the Land of Rain.
Half a day later, a Konoha Anbu ninja arrived at a well-preserved house in the Land of Rain.
As he approached the door, a man with long, white hair that resembled a waterfall suddenly appeared in front of him – it was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.
Jiraiya looked at the Konoha Anbu ninja who had arrived secretly and sighed, "Didn't I tell the old man that I would come back when the time comes?"
Meanwhile, by the window of the house, three young individuals with different hair colors huddled together, nervously peering through the window at Jiraiya and the Konoha Anbu ninja outside.