The rising morning sun was obscured by the cloudy sky.
Stingy with its light, it failed to illuminate the already worn-out mountain steps.
Inside his tent, having completed his morning training, Toshiro stretched, lifted the tent flap, and set out for his post.
He trained three times each day, dividing the physical training among two shadow clones each session.
Morning, noon, and night—everything was orderly and methodical.
In this desolate place, everything else seemed irrelevant; only strength was truly reliable.
He dared not slack off even for a moment.
Simultaneously, he didn't fear being discovered while practicing Sage Techniques in the camp. First, Jiraiya wasn't around; even if he was, so what if he found out? After all, Toshiro was a member of the Uchiha clan. If news leaked and someone wanted to act against him, they would have to think twice.
Otherwise, what's the point of helping the clan—finding summoning beasts, gathering data, reducing casualties? Wasn't it all for having a big tree to shelter under when crucial moments arrived?
"Toshiro, just the person I needed! Come help me out!"
The moment he stepped into the medical tent, a voice called out to Toshiro.
Turning to look, he recognized a familiar face.
"Oh! Akain! Didn't expect to see you here!"
As he spoke, Toshiro walked over and began assessing Akain's condition.
The person who had called out was Uchiha Akain, the same one who had participated with Toshiro in the "Battle of the Small Forest" back in the Ninja Academy.
Unexpectedly, Akain had also arrived at the main camp.
"I was only recently transferred to the frontlines. I didn't expect you to be so popular here, Toshiro!"
Akain was three or four years older than Toshiro. Being transferred to the battlefield at his age wasn't surprising. The frontlines were desperate for manpower, and Akain was at an age where he could handle the rigors of war. The clan had done well in not sending children under twelve to the frontlines yet.
One older clan ninja had said, "We elders are not all dead yet; how could we let these kids go to war? Otherwise, what's the point of building Konoha?"
Though encouraging, Toshiro knew that as the war dragged on, these principles would eventually be compromised by reality.
Regarding Toshiro's popularity—such a large summoning beast frequently traveled between the village and the camp, often bringing urgently needed supplies. Naturally, he was well-liked.
Moreover, Toshiro was a medical ninja. In this battleground, upsetting a doctor was folly nobody would commit.
"Nothing serious, just a minor treatment will do. Got any tasks coming up?"
Indeed, it was merely a kunai wound on the arm, not even damaging the muscles or bones.
Such external injuries hardly required specialized treatment and would heal in four to five days on their own.
"Yeah! I have a supply escort mission coming up tonight!"
Although Toshiro's help was invaluable, his summoning beast wasn't all-powerful. Supplies like food, metal, and tents still needed regular ninjas for transportation to the main camp.
Due to the large volumes of supplies hauled, the usual mobility of ninjas was compromised, sometimes extending a ten-day mission to over half a month.
Under normal conditions, minor wounds would rely on natural recovery. While medical ninjutsu could expedite healing, it also came at a significant price.
Medical ninjutsu prompted nearby cells to divide rapidly to heal the wound. While this sped up recovery, it consumed a substantial amount of cellular energy.
In extreme cases, it might even draw nutrients from the patient's body to compensate.
Additionally, every cell had a limited number of divisions. Frequent chakra-induced cell division could even accelerate aging.
Given Akain's task tonight, Toshiro said no more and began the treatment.
Completing a hand sign, a gentle green glow emerged from his palms. Carefully maintaining the technique, Toshiro moved his hands close to the wound, methodically healing Uchiha Akain.
Such minor wounds were no challenge for Toshiro, who swiftly finished the treatment.
He reminded, "Akain! Although the wound is almost healed, be cautious in your movements to avoid tearing it again."
Medical ninjutsu was not a cure-all. New tissues weren't as strong as the original ones. One carelessly placed action could reopen the wound.
"Really? I'll be careful! But I feel almost fully recovered now~"
"By the way, Toshiro, do you have any..."
Instead of leaving immediately, Uchiha Akain approached Toshiro with a mysterious look, whispering in his ear.
"Do you have any secret methods to unlock the Sharingan? Could you share them with me..."
He looked at Toshiro with hopeful eyes as if expecting an elixir that would instantly awaken his Sharingan.
He was almost 14, already a Chunin, but had yet to unlock his Sharingan, leaving him anxious.
Most battles were unpredictable; having the clan's Kekkei Genkai would bolster his confidence.
Toshiro rolled his eyes internally and silently griped.
[These guys are really something...]
He had no secret method for unlocking the Sharingan.
From the original work, he knew that unlocking the Sharingan generally involved intense emotional upheaval, often negative.
Without experiences like losing comrades or loved ones, marked by profound emotional turmoil, it was unlikely to happen.