Reiki felt the urgency pressing down on him. The current situation in Konoha was tense, and Tsunade's recent push to have medical ninjas join combat missions had stirred up mixed feelings among the village's leadership. While Tsunade herself had no ambitions for the Hokage position, her actions could easily be misinterpreted by those in power.
Konoha's leadership was filled with cunning individuals, and any misstep could be used against them. If something went wrong with the proposal, not only would it damage Tsunade's reputation, but it would also endanger Konoha's ninjas due to the incompetence or inexperience of others. Reiki couldn't afford to wait; immediate action was necessary.
"Whether we're qualified to be medical ninjas or not isn't for you, a kid like you, to decide," Qiu, a seasoned medical Jounin, retorted. "If you think our training is wrong, do you dare to compete? Even with all the combat training and ninjutsu I've practiced lately, I can still outclass you in medical ninjutsu! And if you want, I'll even face you in combat."
Qiu's eyes shone with arrogance. He had previously defeated Reiki in training, so he felt confident that this challenge would end the same way. As for medical ninjutsu, no matter how talented Reiki was, Qiu didn't take an eight-year-old seriously.
"A competition?" Reiki smirked. "If you lose, will you agree to do things my way?"
Qiu raised an eyebrow, surprised but intrigued. "If I lose, I'll follow your lead. But if you lose, you'll handle all my medical duties from now on."
"Agreed," Reiki said without hesitation. He turned to the crowd. "What about the rest of you? Are you in on this bet? If you win, I'll handle your medical duties for a month. If you lose, you'll follow my orders for the same period."
The medical ninjas exchanged glances. Some stepped forward with excitement, while others remained cautious.
"I'm in!" one shouted.
"I don't need you to do my work. I just think you're too cocky!" another added.
"I trust Reiki's judgment. I'll skip the bet and start my tasks now," a few said, taking his words to heart and resuming their medical duties.
With that, the group followed Reiki and Qiu to the advanced ward. Inside were two ninjas who had returned from the same mission, suffering from severe injuries: toxins, internal organ damage, and broken bones. The only thing keeping them alive was the support of the hospital's equipment.
These were not just any patients—they were elite Jounin, and their information was crucial. Their teammate had already died during the mission. Minato had narrowly avoided a worse outcome by bringing Nozuki back to safety, and Reiki had treated her the previous night.
"This…" Qiu hesitated as he took in the scene.
"This is an S-rank medical mission," Reiki said. "Is that an issue for you, Master Qiu?"
Qiu's face tightened. Even for him, this level of injury was a challenge. Typically, such cases required coordinated efforts from multiple medical ninjas. But now, it was just him and Reiki.
"No, I can do it," Qiu said, steeling himself. "But using a Jounin-level mission as a bet—isn't that…"
"I'm starting treatment now," Reiki announced, cutting him off and moving to his patient.
Qiu picked up the task sheet, feeling a weight settle over him. This was serious, far beyond a typical demonstration. Sweat began to form on his brow as he worked.
Reiki, meanwhile, remained calm, moving swiftly through the treatment process. To him, this was straightforward—his training and chakra capacity far exceeded what most could imagine. Still, he paced himself to show the basics and demonstrate to the others that he wasn't just overconfident.
Minutes turned into hours. The onlookers watched in silence, eyes flicking between the two medical ninjas.
"Are they done yet?" murmured one ninja who had come to check on the scene after finishing their own tasks.
"Not yet," came the reply.
Qiu's energy was waning. His chakra reserves were dwindling, and he struggled to maintain his focus. This type of treatment typically required teamwork, but now he was alone. Across the room, Reiki looked composed, almost finished with his patient.
"Focus on the injury in front of you, not the pressure," Reiki said without looking up. "A medical ninja's first task is to stay calm. That's what Sensei always says."
Qiu's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Reiki's patient, whose vitals had stabilized. Reiki had finished his treatment while supporting him, and now he was helping Qiu.
"I… I see now," Qiu whispered. He pushed aside the distraction and concentrated on repairing the patient's bones, while Reiki supported the treatment of the internal organs.
After another hour, they completed the mission. Qiu fell to the floor, exhausted but with a smile of satisfaction. Despite everything, he had managed to complete an S-rank mission with Reiki's help.
"I get it now," Qiu said, looking up at Reiki, who was still standing, barely out of breath. "Thank you, Reiki. I lost."
Reiki's smile was warm. "No, you didn't lose."
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 420 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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