At the Konoha Medical Department, Kushina Uzumaki was undergoing advanced training under Tsunade's guidance.
While Jiraiya's disciple, Minato Namikaze, shone brightly on the path of light, Orochimaru's disciple, Ye Zi, dedicated himself to the shadows, and Tsunade's disciple, Kushina, stepped back to focus on studying medical ninjutsu.
The disciples of the Legendary Sannin were all enhancing themselves in their own ways.
Jiraiya had no interest in becoming Hokage, but he believed Minato would make an excellent one. Thus, he used his influence to pave a bright path for him.
Orochimaru once aspired to be Hokage, but after his experiences over the years, his desire for the position had faded. Now, he was more focused on researching forbidden techniques. However, if the opportunity to become Hokage arose, he would still pursue it due to the many conveniences the title provided.
He threw himself into his research, letting Ye Zi grow and progress on his own. But if Ye Zi faced obstacles, Orochimaru would not stand by idly.
Tsunade, much like Orochimaru, was absorbed in her work, focusing on advancing medical ninjutsu. Her boyfriend, Dan Kato, aspired to become Hokage, and Tsunade aimed to support him by increasing the prevalence and effectiveness of medical ninjas.
If not for Kushina's extraordinary talent and her suitability for medical ninjutsu, Tsunade wouldn't have spent so much time personally training her.
In fact, Tsunade had to admit that during a time when it was crucial to quickly train many medical ninjas, the time spent on Kushina was worthwhile.
As a Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, a member of the Uzumaki clan with powerful life force, remarkable chakra control, and explosive power, Kushina had many traits that aligned perfectly with Tsunade's interests.
Watching Kushina's rapid progress, Tsunade sometimes felt like the older generation was being overtaken by the younger one. Yet, she also took comfort in knowing that Konoha would have more pillars of support beyond herself.
In a dedicated room of the Medical Department, there was a worktable, upon which lay an unconscious black cat.
Kushina's index finger was wrapped in faint green chakra, gently gliding over a wound that stretched across the cat's belly—not too thick, but also not too thin. She moved neither too fast nor too slow.
As her finger passed over, the wound healed visibly, and within ten seconds, it had fully closed.
"Phew," Kushina exhaled softly, withdrawing the chakra from her finger.
"Sensei, how did I do?" Kushina asked proudly, looking at Tsunade.
"Very well done," Tsunade smiled slightly, offering the correct evaluation. With Kushina's chakra control, it was only a matter of time before she became the strongest medical ninja.
"Hehe," Kushina chuckled happily at her master's praise, then gently picked up the black cat, stroked its head softly in apology, and placed it back on the windowsill.
"Sensei, I have a question," Kushina said, returning to the worktable.
"Go ahead," Tsunade responded, looking at her.
"What could cause a young person's hair to start turning white?"
"Hm?" Tsunade, seeing Kushina's serious expression, didn't immediately respond, as the question instantly reminded her of Ye Zi.
"Why do you ask?" Tsunade asked, intrigued.
"Just curious," Kushina quickly averted her gaze, her neck turning slightly red.
"Is that so?" Tsunade teased with a playful chuckle.
"Sensei!" Kushina protested in displeasure.
Tsunade stopped teasing and answered seriously, "Alright, you're asking about Ye Zi's condition, aren't you?"
"Yeah!" Kushina replied quickly.
Tsunade explained softly, "His body is special. One of its characteristics is a strong life force, which allows his wounds to heal quickly. Do you remember the night when Ye Zi was on the verge of death?"
Kushina nodded emphatically. How could she ever forget that night? The sight of Ye Zi, covered in blood and leaning against a tree, was etched deeply into her heart.
"The fast healing of his wounds strengthens his life force, but he's neither from the Senju nor Uzumaki clans. Having such a trait comes with a price," Tsunade continued.
"That's the cost, isn't it?" Kushina asked, her expression tensing.
"Exactly," Tsunade said calmly. "That's just the surface cost. As he continues to develop his powers, his body will accelerate this process, granting him many advantages. But the price is the rapid death of his cells, which will shorten his lifespan."
Kushina listened intently, as if trying to engrave each of Tsunade's words into her mind. She then asked, full of hope, "Is there a way to fix it?"
Tsunade looked at Kushina's hopeful face and nodded slightly, thinking to herself, Ye Zi, you're truly lucky to have someone so concerned about you.
"That's great!" Kushina cheered, then eagerly asked, "What's the method, Sensei?"
Tsunade sighed lightly and raised two fingers. "First, sealing. Second, merging Ye Zi's body with cells from either the Senju or Uzumaki clans. But I can tell you right now, the first method isn't feasible."
"No way would he agree to the first option. After Ye Zi saved Dan, I once considered using the first method to repay him by helping resolve this issue. But in hindsight, it seems rather laughable."
Even though Tsunade had only limited interaction with Ye Zi, she could see his thirst for power. Others had likely noticed this as well.
Kushina suddenly smiled brightly, feeling grateful for her lineage.
The cells of the Uzumaki clan.
Tsunade saw through Kushina's thoughts and said, "The second method is still just a theory. It won't be easy to put into practice."
What Tsunade didn't know was that this theory, meant to help Ye Zi, had already been perfected by someone unknown to her. That person was very young and had potential no less than Kushina's.
Moreover, after numerous failed attempts at integration, this person realized the strength of Ye Zi's cells and deliberately chose to ignore the overwhelming power of Hashirama's cells, leading to a reversal in status—it wasn't about cell fusion anymore, but the cells being devoured one-sidedly.
Such an innovation was something Tsunade herself would never have achieved, as she could never believe that Ye Zi's cells could surpass those of her revered grandfather, Hashirama Senju. This was the result of rigid thinking.
"No matter how hard it is, I will make this theory a reality," Kushina declared confidently.
Tsunade didn't reply. There was one thing she hadn't mentioned: if Ye Zi didn't improve his condition soon, he wouldn't live past thirty—and that was assuming he never sustained a serious injury.
At one time, Tsunade had harbored minimal hostility toward Ye Zi, as a well-established village would never tolerate a powerful clan with a similar system.
Later, she found this thought ridiculous and discarded it. Then, she began to pity Ye Zi. Despite his special body, he had no choice but to endure the price without being able to control it.
If Ye Zi came to her for help, she would assist him. But when she once offered help, he refused, and she gave up the idea. Now, with Kushina involved, perhaps a solution could be found.
Suddenly, Tsunade remembered something.
Wasn't one of the reasons Kushina started learning medical ninjutsu to help Ye Zi?
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