Shizune let out a quiet sigh as she leaned over the stack of charts on her desk. The day had been relentless, with a few nurses calling off sick and a flood of patients requiring attention. Managing the hospital's daily operations while keeping up with her own training under Tsunade had left her drained. Another day of endless tasks.
"Shizune-sama?" The receptionist's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Shizune rubbed her temples. "Yes?"
"There's a boy at the front desk asking about training to become a medical ninja."
Shizune raised an eyebrow. Another one? It wasn't uncommon for academy students to have fantasies about becoming medical ninjas, thinking it was a simple skill they could pick up. They usually didn't realize it required years of discipline, mastery of chakra control, and intricate knowledge of the human body.
Suppressing a sigh, she stood up. "I'll handle it."
As she made her way to the front, she prepared to meet another eager, inexperienced student. But when she arrived, the boy standing at the desk caught her by surprise.
He was young—no more than six or seven—but his appearance and demeanor set him apart. He was dressed neatly in a sleek black jacket with silver trim, fitted pants, and sturdy boots. His black hair was well kept, and his sharp black eyes scanned the room with a calm, collected focus that seemed out of place for someone so young. There was no nervousness, no fidgeting, just a quiet intensity.
Shizune's skepticism flickered. Who is this kid?
Folding her arms, she stepped forward. "Can I help you?"
The boy turned to her, his expression serious but respectful. "Good day," he began, bowing his head slightly. "I've come to learn about medical ninjutsu. I was told I need permission from a supervisor to begin my training."
Shizune raised an eyebrow, surprised by his formality. Most kids his age were either overly eager or hesitant, but this one seemed calm and composed. "You want to learn medical ninjutsu?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "Do you even understand what you're asking? Medical ninjutsu isn't something you can just pick up and practice like ninjutsu. It takes years of control, study, and dedication. Have you even graduated from the academy?"
The boy shook his head, meeting her gaze evenly. "No, I haven't graduated yet."
Shizune crossed her arms, intrigued but still skeptical. "Then why are you here? Shouldn't you be focusing on basic ninjutsu, learning your elemental affinity or something? Medical ninjutsu takes years of intense chakra control."
Haruto's gaze remained steady. "Because medical ninjutsu requires precision, and I've been working on my chakra control. I know it's not something you learn quickly, but I want to start now. I'm willing to put in the work."
Shizune couldn't help the faint chuckle that escaped her lips. He's serious. She'd seen plenty of kids come through the hospital wanting to be medical ninjas, but none with this level of composure.
"Alright," she said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Let's see if you're serious. I'll give you a basic test, but not just any test. You'll need to prove you have both the chakra control and the medical knowledge to even begin." She gestured for him to follow her.
Haruto nodded, his expression calm as he followed her through the hospital hallways. Shizune glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His movements were smooth and deliberate, nothing like the clumsy, overeager kids she was used to dealing with. He's different.
When they reached the training room, Shizune placed a chakra-infused leaf on the tray, but this time she also grabbed a scroll from the shelf. She turned to him, arms folded.
"Medical ninjutsu requires precise control, so let's start with something simple, but with a twist," she said. "You'll need to focus your chakra into this leaf and maintain a steady flow, but I also want you to perform a basic diagnostic technique. You'll need to assess the chakra pathways inside the leaf and identify the disruption points."
Haruto didn't flinch, simply nodding.
Shizune raised an eyebrow. "That's not all. Afterward, you'll take a short written test. It's basic anatomy, but it'll tell me if you even know the fundamentals. Sound good?"
The boy looked unfazed. "I'm ready."
Shizune handed him the leaf. She leaned against the wall, watching him closely. This test was more advanced than anything most academy students could manage. If he could pass it, there might be more to him than met the eye.
Haruto placed his hand over the leaf, his brow furrowing in concentration. Shizune watched as the leaf began to glow softly, the chakra flow surprisingly stable. But that wasn't the hard part—the diagnostic technique would require precision.
For a moment, the chakra wavered, but Haruto quickly corrected it, his eyes narrowing in focus. He moved his hand over the leaf, clearly assessing the chakra pathways. The glow intensified slightly as he pinpointed the disrupted points in the flow.
Shizune's eyes widened slightly. He's doing it.
After a few more moments, Haruto pulled his hand back, the leaf returning to its normal state. He turned to her, calm as ever. "Done."
Shizune blinked, recovering quickly. Impressive. His chakra control was better than most students his age, and his ability to perform the diagnostic technique was… far beyond what she had expected.
"Not bad," she said, though her tone was more impressed than she let on. "But let's see how you do with the written part." She handed him the scroll and motioned to a nearby desk.
Haruto sat down, unfurling the scroll. The questions were simple enough for someone with basic knowledge of anatomy—identifying major organs, understanding the role of chakra in healing, and a few questions about internal injuries. Shizune expected him to struggle, but as she watched, she noticed his expression barely shifted.
He answered the questions methodically, his hand steady as he wrote down his responses. In less than fifteen minutes, he was finished. He stood, walking over to hand her the scroll.
Shizune skimmed through his answers, her skepticism slowly fading. He had answered everything correctly. This kid is good.
She set the scroll down and looked at him. "Well, you've got better control than most kids your age, and you seem to know the basics of anatomy. But this is just the beginning. Medical ninjutsu takes years of training, and it's only going to get harder from here."
Haruto nodded, his black eyes steady. "I understand. I'm ready to continue."
Shizune studied him for a moment longer, trying to gauge whether he truly grasped the road ahead. There's something about him. He wasn't like the other students she had seen. He had a drive, a focus, that was rare for someone his age.
"Alright," she said finally. "I'll give you access to some basic materials, but don't think this means you're special. This is just a start."
Haruto bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Shizune-sama."
As he walked out of the room, Shizune couldn't help but wonder just how far this boy would go.