Otoha had a strange smile on her face as she waited for Kimimaro's decision. This was the threshold for becoming a medical ninja.
The overwhelming amount of theoretical knowledge alone was enough to make many people hesitate.
Of course, Otoha's description was a bit exaggerated.
These 5,000 books covered everything imaginable, encompassing every aspect of medical ninjutsu.
However, no medical ninja could master all medical ninjutsu.
Even Tsunade, revered like a deity among medical ninjas, was no exception.
Most medical ninjas choose to specialize in one field of medical ninjutsu.
The exceptional ones might master several fields, but mastering everything was impossible.
After all, even a genius has limited energy.
The 5,000 books were like a vast ocean, a goal all medical ninjas aspired to.
In the end, however, they could only take a small sip from this ocean.
Kimimaro didn't hesitate at all. He immediately nodded.
"I'll learn."
Others might have many reasons for studying medical ninjutsu, but Kimimaro had only one.
He wanted to survive.
No matter how difficult this path was, he had to walk it.
He had no other choice.
No matter what, he had to try.
Moreover, with his God's Hand, he had a significant advantage over ordinary medical ninjas.
There was no reason not to try.
Seeing Kimimaro's decisiveness, Otoha was a bit surprised.
But more than that, she was pleased.
He might turn out to be a good student.
"It seems your resolve is firm. Well then, you can start learning now," Otoha said, walking to the bookshelf. She pulled out one book from the left and another from the right, quickly gathering 20 books and placing them in front of Kimimaro.
"These 20 books are the introductory materials for medical ninjas. You have one month to finish them all and remember their contents. After that, we can proceed to the next round of learning."
"Alright."
Without wasting words, Kimimaro gathered the books, which were nearly a third of his height, and returned to his room.
"What a decisive little brat. Interesting. Maybe you'll become the next Kabuto," Otoha muttered to herself, feeling both satisfied and a bit expectant.
In his room, Kimimaro opened the first book and began studying.
The books Otoha chose were well-suited to his current level.
They progressed from the basics, making them easy to understand.
"Luckily, although the original owner of this body was imprisoned, he came from a prestigious family, so his basic education wasn't neglected. I've inherited those memories. Otherwise, I'd have to start by learning to read. Still, finishing these books will be quite the task."
Kimimaro let out a bitter smile.
Studying was indeed one of the great challenges of life.
"Right, if I use the power of the Tranquil Card to calm my mind, I should be able to improve my study efficiency significantly."
With that thought, Kimimaro activated the Tranquil Card.
The Tranquil Card turned into a stream of light and merged into his mind.
His previously restless thoughts immediately settled.
He looked at the book in his hands again and found that not only was it easier to understand, but he also remembered everything after reading it once.
"This... the effect of the Tranquil Card is this good?"
Kimimaro was astonished.
The Tranquil Card was practically a cheat code for learning.
Delighted, Kimimaro didn't waste any time. His fingers moved faster and faster, flipping through the pages rapidly.
The sound of pages turning filled the room.
In less than ten minutes, he had reached the last page of the first book.
He closed his eyes and recalled the contents he had just read, feeling that the entire book had been imprinted in his mind.
It wasn't mere rote memorization but an understanding of the material.
Of course, this was due in part to the Tranquil Card, but his own talent was also a key factor.
His soul from his previous life, combined with the original soul of this body, made him far superior to ordinary people. Add the special effects of the Tranquil Card, and it was natural for him to have such miraculous results.
"Who would've thought I'd become a top student one day?"
Kimimaro chuckled softly, his earlier excitement already calming down.
Without wasting time, he picked up another book and continued studying.
In the laboratory, Otoha was busy with her tasks when she suddenly saw Kimimaro walking back, carrying all the books.
Her heart sank. Did he give up already?
It had only been a few hours.
Otoha wasn't angry, just a bit resigned.
As expected, the monotony of medical ninjutsu wasn't something most people could endure.
But what Kimimaro said next left her utterly shocked.
"Senior Otoha, I've finished reading and memorizing these 20 books. Can we move on to the next phase of learning?"
"What did you say?"
For a moment, Otoha wondered if she had misheard.
"You finished them all?"
Kimimaro nodded slightly.
Upon receiving his confirmation, Otoha was still in disbelief.
Finished? In just a few hours?
Even if he had finished, how could he have remembered everything?
"Did you really finish them? And remember them? While these are basic books, they're very important. If your foundation is shaky, learning medical ninjutsu later will be extremely difficult. If you just skimmed through, it won't work."
Seeing that Otoha didn't believe him, Kimimaro handed her one of the books.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'll recite it for you."
Otoha was stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected Kimimaro to be so confident.
Could it be that he really learned everything?
She wasn't unfamiliar with such talent. Two years ago, Kabuto had shown extraordinary ability, finishing these 20 books and fully understanding them in just seven days.
At the time, Otoha had been amazed, but it was still within the realm of possibility.
However, what this boy claimed seemed far more ridiculous.
Less than four hours?
Kimimaro didn't have as many thoughts as Otoha. He simply began to recite.
"Medical ninjutsu originated during the Warring States Period. It wasn't systematic at the time, and each clan had its own healing methods. Among them, the First Hokage's Wood Release was the most powerful. It's said that the First Hokage could heal wounds just by touching them...
The formal establishment of a medical system was thanks to Tsunade of the Leaf Village. She elevated the status of medical ninjas, making them an indispensable part of the village..."
Kimimaro's recitation was smooth and fast, his words flowing like a river.
After listening for ten minutes, Otoha was convinced.
This boy was a genius.
"That's enough."
When Kimimaro began reciting the second book, Otoha stopped his remarkable display.
"Are you some kind of photographic memory genius?"
Otoha quipped, though she was barely able to contain her excitement.
She felt that under her guidance, a genius-level medical ninja might emerge.
"Something like that. So, can we move on to the next phase of learning?"
"Yes. I'll select more books on medical ninjutsu for you. Once you've read 100, we can move on to the next stage. If you have enough time, you can try to finish all 5,000 books."
"I'll do my best."
Originally, Kimimaro hadn't been very confident, but with the support of the Tranquil Card, he was now full of confidence.
Five thousand books might not be an impossible goal after all.
But for now, he would focus on completing his first small goal—100 books.
(End of Chapter)