Strolling through the hospital corridors, Shinji gazed impassively at the wounded in each room.
Some patients were pale, their eyes vacant; others were wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, and some had lost arms or legs.
The aftermath of a great battle inevitably brought casualties.
No matter how cold-hearted one might be, witnessing such scenes would stir a flicker of compassion.
Shinji's feelings were more complex.
If he had chosen to, his abilities could have prevented the Chunin Exam battle. In a sense, the wounded lying in these rooms were connected to him.
But he knew now wasn't the time for softness or guilt.
The casualties in the hospital seemed severe, but on the scale of the entire shinobi world, they were insignificant.
The Hegemon of Terror had set its sights on the shinobi world, and the Ten-Tails had to be revived. Only then would the shinobi world have a sliver of hope.
Otherwise, it would follow the same fate as the Demon Slayer world, becoming nothing more than a meal for the Hegemon of Terror!
"Shinji?"
A voice from behind suddenly called out to him.
Turning around, Shinji saw it was Kaoru Kusaino, the medical shinobi who had first taught him medical ninjutsu.
"Sensei Kusaino!"
Shinji bowed respectfully.
Holding a stack of files, Kaoru Kusaino skipped pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Got any free time?"
"Yes."
Kaoru Kusaino pointed to a row of rooms ahead. "We're severely short-staffed today. Cover these rooms for now! I'll find someone to relieve you this afternoon!"
"Alright!"
Shinji nodded.
As an intern medical shinobi at Hidden Leaf Hospital, Shinji quickly took over the patients in this wing.
Cleaning wounds, changing dressings, and using medical ninjutsu to accelerate healing—these basic tasks were second nature to Shinji. A workload that would typically require a four-person medical team, he handled effortlessly alone.
When he reached the final room, Shinji found Asuma lying inside.
Despite being heavily injured in the Chunin Exam battle, Asuma was in good spirits, lounging on his bed and flipping through a magazine.
Seeing Shinji, he blinked in surprise. "Uchiha Shinji, didn't you join Anbu and become a team leader?"
Clearly, as the Third Hokage's son and an elite jonin, Asuma had kept up with village news despite being hospitalized.
Shinji placed the medicine on the bedside table. "The hospital's short on staff, so I'm filling in temporarily."
"Oh!" Asuma nodded, sizing Shinji up. "Even Kakashi didn't become an Anbu team leader at your age. Keep it up, kid—the village's future rests on you all!"
Just then, Kurenai, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji entered the room.
Seeing Shinji, they were as surprised as Asuma. Upon learning he was just covering a shift, they pulled him into a chat.
Ino asked, "Shinji, did you really join Anbu?"
Shinji nodded. "Hm."
Choji said, "I'm so jealous of you geniuses!"
Ino sighed. "Yeah! Even Yakumo's been put into special training by the Hokage. We haven't seen her in days!"
Shinji smiled.
He wasn't fully aware of the village leadership's secret post-war arrangements, but he was well-informed about his peers.
After Tsunade became Hokage, Yakumo, as her disciple, saw her status in the village rise further.
Tsunade clearly had high hopes for her, immediately assigning her special training—or rather, a secret mission—after the war.
This mission involved Naruto.
During the Chunin Exam battle, Naruto had been pierced by Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword. But thanks to the Uzumaki clan's resilience and his status as a jinchuriki, what would have been a life-threatening injury for others healed in just a few days.
Considering Naruto was one of the three remaining jinchuriki in the five great shinobi villages, and with the Akatsuki eyeing him, mere protection wasn't enough. Defying opposition, Tsunade secretly sent Naruto to Hidden Cloud Village for a brutal training regimen under Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails jinchuriki.
Yakumo accompanied him, which explained why no one had seen her or Naruto in days.
After a brief chat, Shinji excused himself and left the room.
Watching him go, Kurenai said, "Who would've thought the academy's First Chair would still cover shifts at the hospital after becoming an Anbu team leader?"
Ino asked curiously, "Wasn't Shinji already interning here? With the hospital short-staffed, isn't it normal for him to help out?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "Shinji's status is different now."
Choji asked, "Different how?"
Shikamaru sighed. "He's completely left us in the dust."
Asuma laughed. "Why overthink it? Just train hard, and you can catch up to him!"
Shikamaru said, "Asuma-sensei, you're lying again!"
Asuma scratched his head. "Hahaha, even if you can't catch him, you can still become excellent shinobi!"
Kurenai added, "Don't compare yourselves to others. Some people are born strong, but that doesn't mean effort is meaningless!"
Ino asked, "Asuma-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, just how strong is Shinji now?"
Kurenai shook her head, staying silent.
Asuma pondered for a moment before saying, "His strength has likely surpassed mine, so I don't even know how strong he is now!"
"What?!"
Ino covered her mouth.
She always knew Shinji was strong, but she never imagined he'd surpassed Asuma, an elite jonin—and Asuma himself admitted it!
Leaving Asuma's room, Shinji double-checked that all the patients assigned by Kaoru Kusaino had their dressings changed before heading upstairs.
In the hallway, a figure blocked his path. "Uchiha Shinji?"
Shinji responded, "You're Ringo Ameyuri from Hidden Mist?"
Ringo Ameyuri nodded.
Already ill and further injured in the Chunin Exam battle, she had been receiving treatment at Hidden Leaf Hospital.
Shinji nodded in acknowledgment, preparing to pass by her.
As they brushed past each other, Ringo Ameyuri suddenly said, "Thanks!"
Shinji paused. "No need."
Ringo Ameyuri continued, "You saved my life during the Chunin Exam. I'll definitely repay this debt!"
Saving Ringo Ameyuri and Darui from the Second Hokage's Edo Tensei body had been a spur-of-the-moment act, so Shinji didn't dwell on it. "By the way, Sasuke's room should be on this floor, right? Is he in there?"
Ringo Ameyuri replied, "If you're looking for Uchiha Sasuke, you'll probably need to check the woods behind the hospital!"