After a brief conversation with Asuma, Sarutobi Hiruzen began guiding his son in his training. As Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen's experience in teaching was exceptional—after all, he had mentored the legendary Sannin.
By noon, Sarutobi Biwaku arrived, carrying a tray of pastries.
"Let's take a break and eat something. Don't push yourself too hard all at once," she suggested.
Asuma shook his head, looking eager. "Mom, I'm not hungry or tired. It's rare for Father to have time to come back and guide me, so I want to make the most of it."
Sarutobi Biwaku chuckled, patting him on the head. "Alright, alright, your father is the best… But, dear, is everything okay in the village? You don't usually spend so much time at home."
"The village is fine," Sarutobi Hiruzen reassured her. "I just wanted to come back and spend some time here."
With that, Sarutobi Biwaku left them, and Asuma saw his chance.
"Father, can I go out on a mission? You haven't assigned me a mentor jonin, and I don't have a team yet. I want to become an independent ninja soon."
Sarutobi Hiruzen regarded him fondly. "A mission, is it? Alright, I'll give you a task. And I'll make sure you have a jonin mentor soon. For now, though, you'll handle this task alone. I believe in your capabilities."
Asuma's eyes lit up. "Really? What's the mission?"
"In conjunction with Reiki's duties as a medical ninja, the Interrogation Department has been quite busy lately. You'll help him and participate in some special medical ninja training. I'll need a full report on your performance."
"Cooperate with Reiki?" Asuma looked puzzled. This wasn't the type of mission he had in mind, and the thought of writing a report dampened his enthusiasm. He'd wanted something more action-packed.
"You'll learn more about the village this way, which will help you with future tasks. After this mission, I'll assign you to combat missions," Hiruzen added.
Asuma perked up at this. Encouraged, he quickly devoured the pastries and dashed off.
Watching him go, Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, "Reiki, I hope you'll understand my intentions… And as for Nozuki, it may be time to speak with Minato."
---
At the hospital, Asuma caught up with Reiki.
"What? You're assisting me with my work?" Reiki asked, surprised. As a medical ninja, Reiki occasionally assisted the Interrogation Department, but he couldn't see why he'd need help.
"Yeah, and I also have to write a report on it," Asuma explained. "So, what's your usual routine?"
"Well… follow me. I have a medical mission now," Reiki replied, leading Asuma to a ward with Shizune in tow.
Half an hour later, Asuma stood outside the ward, feeling restless. Reiki had been inside the ward the whole time, treating patients—a task Asuma couldn't contribute to, lacking medical skills.
"Shizune, is the treatment finished?" Asuma asked, holding his notebook.
Shizune shook her head. "It'll take over an hour. Why don't you rest in the office? I'll call you when it's done."
"No, I'll wait," Asuma insisted. This was his first mission, and he wanted to complete it thoroughly.
An hour later, Reiki emerged from the ward.
"Asuma, ready? We're heading to the high-level independent ward to treat another patient this afternoon. This one will take around two hours and seven minutes," Reiki said, a hint of humor in his voice. "Looks like I'm giving you a proper introduction to my daily tasks."
While his medical duties had kept him busy, Reiki's responsibilities with the Interrogation Department had been light lately due to Sarutobi Hiruzen's scrutiny. Today, however, the head of the Interrogation Department, Ikawa Tsuna, had requested his help—probably thanks to Asuma's involvement.
At the Interrogation Department, Ikawa Tsuna greeted them warmly. "Reiki, we're in need of assistance. We have some difficult subjects; a few have already passed out multiple times without yielding any useful information."
Reiki nodded politely. "I'm glad to help."
Asuma, meanwhile, was excited. This was more like it—assisting with interrogations would be a step up from hospital rounds. He followed Reiki eagerly, expecting an intense interrogation session.
But, to his confusion, Reiki simply began treating the prisoners.
After half an hour of watching Reiki perform medical procedures, Asuma couldn't contain himself. "Reiki… what exactly are you doing?"
Reiki glanced over, unfazed. "Treating them, of course. Healthy subjects make for better questioning."
The realization dawned on Asuma, and he stared in bewilderment. "So… the Interrogation Department is basically an extension of the Konoha Hospital?"
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