"Hyuga Mirai is right. Rin should stay in the medical camp," Kakashi spoke up suddenly. His words drew the attention of the others, but Kakashi paid no mind to Obito's furious glare. Instead, he continued, "Rin was promoted to Chunin because of her medical ninjutsu. In terms of combat ability, she's no more than a Genin. And now, all the infiltration teams have been provided with healing seals and equivalent medical supplies, which reduces the role of medical ninjas in these missions."
Obito, seeing Rin's downcast expression, couldn't hold his temper and grabbed Kakashi's sleeve, his anger boiling over. "What are you talking about, Kakashi? Rin's medical abilities are a huge asset to our team!"
Kakashi, calmly stating his opinion, was unfazed despite Obito's outburst. It wasn't so much indifference, but rather that Kakashi had come to follow the ninja code, shaping his words and actions around it. Recently, on the battlefield in the Land of Rivers, Kakashi had shown outstanding enemy engagement skills, which had earned him a swift promotion to Jonin, despite some doubts about the fairness of his rise. Regardless, his abilities were undeniable.
"Enough, Obito. Let go of Kakashi. Remember, this is the strategy tent," Minato said, his expression turning more serious. After Minato spoke, Obito, though displeased with Kakashi, reluctantly released his grip.
"Since Rin has made her decision, we have to trust her," Minato continued, his tone firm yet understanding. "And if I thought Rin wasn't suited for this mission, I, as the team leader, would have made her stay behind."
"Trust in the strength of the team, Kakashi. The ninja code is important, but sometimes, the cooperation between teammates can create incredible power."
After scolding both of them, Minato turned to Miyamura with an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the disturbance. I apologize for the trouble."
Miyamura waved it off, signaling it was no issue. He had heard about Kakashi's actions before, but now, seeing it firsthand, it seemed worse than he had imagined. That simple statement had nearly caused a rift within the team.
Afterwards, Minato and his team left the Grass Village base in haste. Their mission was urgent—destroying Kanabi Bridge as soon as possible would put pressure on the Rock ninjas to end the war sooner. With the Rock ninjas' offensive becoming increasingly difficult to hold back, it was clear that the medical camp might be the first to crumble under the strain, especially considering Hyuga Mirai's repeated requests for more supplies.
Once back at the medical camp, Hyuga Mirai was approached by two medical Chūnin, their expressions slightly respectful. "Hyuga-sama, is the next batch of reinforcements coming soon?"
"There are no reinforcements," Mirai replied, shaking his head. "Battles are erupting everywhere, and the village is under a lot of pressure." He turned to one of the Chūnin. "Have you informed the others of my orders?"
The Chūnin named Sanuki nodded immediately. "I've already notified them. But, Hyuga-sama, why do we need to reserve half of our chakra?"
"As the war with the Rock ninjas intensifies, Miyamura is considering cutting off their supply lines. If successful, the Rock ninjas will lose their supplies and their ability to continue the war. But they still have enough strength to make a last stand. We need to ensure we have enough chakra to handle that when the time comes," Mirai explained briefly.
He didn't have much memory of the Third Shinobi World War, but he knew well how Konoha had fallen from the top position, barely managing to withstand the Cloud ninjas' threat afterward. The toll the village had paid during this war was clear.
Despite the challenges, it hadn't been a total loss for Mirai. He had gained a lot from Konoha. Just last week, after the first batch of medical supplies had been delivered, Konoha urgently placed a second order with the Hyakusa Trade Association. Furthermore, he had learned that Hyakusa didn't just sell medicine—they also dealt in medical tools. After testing them, another order for medical equipment was quickly placed.
Hyakusa had reinvested all their profits into expanding their operations, and in just two months, had become a well-known business in the Land of Fire. Their products were now certified by both the Fire Daimyo and Konoha, making them almost as prestigious as imperial medicine.
With this new recognition, Hyakusa wasn't content with just making money in the Land of Fire. However, their first batch of raw materials had already been used up, and the second batch had only just been secured. As for the third batch, it would take at least two months for the plants to mature, even if 19 had hired workers in the Land of Whirlpool to begin cultivation.
If only they had Wood Release, the growth cycle could be shortened.
Mirai's interest in Orochimaru's Edo Tensei technique stemmed from a desire to use the technique to accelerate the growth of the medicinal plants, with the help of the reanimated body of Senju Hashirama.
With the help of the Edo Tensei body of Senju Hashirama, Hyuga Mirai was confident that within three years, the medicines from the Hyakusa Trade Association would be available in every pharmacy across the shinobi world. This was his goal, and while it seemed like a lofty one, he knew the task wasn't particularly difficult for him.
Two weeks later
A cheer suddenly erupted through the camp. The medical camp, located at the rear, was slower to receive news, but when Sanuki returned after gathering information, his face was beaming with joy.
"The Rock ninja's supply line, Kanabi Bridge, has been destroyed by a team led by Minato-senpai! And Minato-senpai's team also rescued another group of ninjas who were surrounded and killed by the Rock ninjas. They've all returned safely," Sanuki reported.
Hearing this, the medical team understood what the commotion was about. The destruction of the supply line meant that the Rock ninjas would not be able to hold out much longer. Whether they rebuilt Kanabi Bridge or chose another route, it was clear that it would be impossible in such a short time.
It seemed that the Rock ninjas would soon retreat, and the war in the Land of Grass would come to an end.
The medical ninjas couldn't help but recall Hyuga Mirai's earlier words: with their supply lines cut off, the Rock ninjas were likely to make a last-ditch effort.
"Hyuga-sama, what should we do next?" one of the medical ninjas asked.
Mirai remained calm. "Don't overthink it. Keep your chakra at a good level. If we get any injured, we'll treat them as usual."
The other medical ninjas immediately resumed their work. In the time they had spent on the battlefield in the Land of Grass, they had grown accustomed to following Hyuga Mirai's commands without question. In fact, they had begun to develop a sense of complete trust in him.
He was exceptionally talented, his medical skills were superb, and he was gentle with others—everything about him naturally instilled confidence in his subordinates. Even though most of this might have been an act, spending time around someone like Mirai led them to trust every word he said without thinking twice.
Before long, a group of injured ninjas arrived at the camp. To Mirai's surprise, they were all familiar faces.
"Kiyo, Kurenai, how badly are you both hurt?" Mirai asked, pausing for a moment before adding, "Were you part of the group Minato-senpai rescued just now?"
"We were ambushed by the Rock ninjas, but luckily, Minato-senpai arrived just in time," Kurenai replied, wincing as she got closer. "Mirai-kun, do you think I'll be left with scars?"
Kiyo, standing nearby, frowned slightly. "Are you underestimating me, Kurenai? Besides, the scars on my back won't affect my strength, so there's no need to worry."
Mirai glanced at Kurenai, then performed the Shadow Clone Jutsu, sending one of his clones to treat Kiyo.
Both Kurenai and Kiyo had sustained external injuries, but within half an hour, their wounds were almost completely healed. Even Kurenai's back wound had become so superficial that, with some rest, it would fully heal in no time.
"Alright, be more careful next time. You know that in battle, you can't always count on luck," Mirai added, his tone almost like a lecture—a habit he was beginning to form.
He turned to the other two injured ninjas. "What about the rest of you? Kakashi's Sharingan seems to have been successfully implanted, but it's unusual that his eye won't close properly. It's probably a normal reaction after the surgery. Do you want me to check it?"
The four members of Minato's team had returned, but Kakashi's Sharingan was still open, which had become the subject of much discussion. It was the first time the Uchiha clan's Sharingan was openly seen in a non-Uchiha, especially outside the clan.
After hearing Mirai's words, Rin managed a faint smile and said, "Yes, please, Mirai-sama. Could you check Kakashi's left eye? It's been stuck open and won't close."
"Just a simple check for now. To get a detailed assessment, we'll need to go back to Konoha where specialized equipment is available," Mirai said, his curiosity piqued by Kakashi's Sharingan. He had Kakashi lie down on the bed, then used a sensory medical technique to examine his left eye closely.
"Hmm, the transplant was very successful. The surgery went perfectly," Mirai remarked as he finished his examination. Rin, hearing this, couldn't help but feel a little more dejected. 'I should've stayed behind,' she thought.
Mirai, not noticing Rin's melancholic mood, activated his Byakugan and continued, "As for why the Sharingan won't close properly, there are likely two reasons: the difference in chakra and the effects of Obito's body, among other factors."
"With my Byakugan, I can see that the chakra in your left eye is slightly different from your own. And organ transplants need to be tested in multiple ways, such as gene matching, rejection, and so on…"
"For a solution, there are probably two options. The first would be using sealing techniques to cut off the chakra flow to your left eye. This way, the Sharingan will only retain its ability to see normally. The second option isn't clear yet, but I'll tell you after we return to the village."
(End of Chapter)
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