After hearing the two speak, Reiki fell silent for a moment.
From what they had shared, it seemed that Sarutobi Hiruzen might be reconsidering his stance. Soon, Orochimaru would likely encounter issues. Once Orochimaru started stirring up trouble, the village's situation would only grow more complicated. Orochimaru was notorious for doing anything in the name of scientific research. With his current strength, Reiki couldn't guarantee he could handle him. If Orochimaru decided to pursue Reiki at all costs, it would spell trouble. This was another problem that needed addressing.
Thinking of it all gave Reiki a headache. This crafty village...
"Alright, let's not dwell on this for now."
"I'll prepare any potions that you need to replenish," Reiki said with a smile.
"How many potions do you have left? And are you short on money right now?" Zhisui asked, producing a scroll and pulling out a box filled with money.
"I saved a good amount from missions recently," Zhisui continued, handing Reiki the box.
Nozuki also handed over a bag of money. Even though Reiki was a partner to them, they understood the cost of medicines was high. Although Reiki was known as a workaholic in the medical field and had extra funds from the interrogation department, this work was costly.
"Alright, I've got potions ready for you," Reiki assured them. "Hold onto your money. If you find rare medicinal ingredients, you can buy them yourselves." With that, Reiki lifted the barrier and went to gather potions for them. They accepted the money back without hesitation.
…
Meanwhile, things were far from pleasant on the Root Organization's side. From Danzo to the organization's members, everyone looked grim.
"No surveillance?" Danzo muttered darkly. "Sarutobi Hiruzen, it seems you're fully backing Tsunade..."
Danzo recalled his last conversation with Sarutobi Hiruzen, where he had insisted on having control over Reiki. That was his bottom line. But now, Sarutobi Hiruzen had his son associating with Reiki, even forming a good rapport. It was like throwing Danzo's pride on the ground and stepping on it.
"Sir, what should we do next?" a Root Organization member asked, voicing the discontent of Danzo's loyal confidants. They believed Danzo only wanted what was best for the village, but the Hokage's actions were, in their eyes, disheartening.
"Train. Don't worry about anything else right now," Danzo commanded. "If the Hokage makes any moves, inform me first." With that, he vanished. Danzo had resolved to resist Sarutobi Hiruzen's actions, but these power struggles among the elite had little effect on Reiki. In fact, Reiki felt a sense of relief with fewer eyes on him.
A few days later, as the evening settled in, Reiki returned to his yard after training to find Tsunade seated in his living room. Lately, Tsunade had been more relaxed, with the training schedule now largely running on its own. She didn't need to oversee it constantly, apart from occasional spot checks. She held a stack of documents in her hands, likely containing new information.
"Sensei," Reiki greeted her respectfully as he entered.
"Reiki, take a look," Tsunade said, handing him the file. "This is the latest intelligence on various missions and the village's actions."
Reiki skimmed through the file. After the Second Great Ninja War, all the major villages had begun to recover. With each needing resources to grow, and with funding from the daimyo remaining fixed, the villages took on tasks to secure resources. This often led to conflicts over control of smaller villages, competing for resources, money, and talent. Konoha was no different and had even clashed with other major villages over resource claims.
"So fast?" Reiki murmured. In his view, the Third Great Ninja War was still some time away. Yet, here the villages were, already clashing with smaller ones. If this kept up, inter-village conflicts would escalate, hastening the outbreak of the Third War.
"Sensei, why are you showing me this?" Reiki asked, looking up at Tsunade. She must have a reason for bringing him this document.
"Reiki, what's your view on the current state of the ninja world?" Tsunade asked slowly.
"My view?" Reiki considered. "I just think that if this continues, conflicts will worsen, and war will be inevitable." These were matters beyond his control. He lacked both the strength and influence to intervene, and, truthfully, he didn't want to. Navigating the power plays within the village was already taxing enough; dealing with the entire ninja world would be far worse.
"Yes, it seems every village is acting in its own interests," Tsunade agreed. "And while there's no direct confrontation yet, the smallest misstep could spark conflict." She sighed. War was something Tsunade hated deeply; it had slowly erased the Senju clan from existence.
"Sensei, are you suggesting we push for medical ninjas to be integrated into the combat system as soon as possible?" Reiki finally understood her intention. Tsunade knew she couldn't alter the village's overall direction, but by integrating medical ninjas into the combat system, she could better protect the village's shinobi.
"Yes, that's exactly it," Tsunade said, taking out a separate document stamped with the Hokage's approval.
"It's approved?" Reiki saw the bold word "Approved" written on the document.
"Yes. Everything went smoothly, without any resistance," Tsunade said, pleased. "Now, every combat unit will have a configuration of three combat ninjas and one medical ninja. This will, of course, put a strain on the hospital's staff, so we need to accelerate the training of new medical ninjas," she added, her sense of accomplishment evident.
This approval marked a step toward a safer future for the village's shinobi, a small but impactful victory in the world of constant conflict.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 380 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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