At the outskirts of Sunagakure stood a newly constructed orphanage, built under Sōmi's explicit instructions.
Though its exterior maintained the village's characteristic sandy-yellow tones, the spacious interior was painted with vibrant and playful murals.
Various toys were scattered casually across the clean and tidy courtyard, yet not a single child could be seen playing there.
"Yashamaru..."
"You're doing a good job as the director of this place!"
"These kids seem so full of life!"
Yashamaru, whose delicate features bordered on androgynous, smiled and replied, "I'm just following the orders of the Kazekage."
He crouched down, gently patting the head of a child roughhousing with their peers.
"But this boy, Kimimaro..."
"My medical ninjutsu can't do anything for his condition..."
Yashamaru's chestnut-colored hair swayed slightly as his tone grew somber. He pointed to a child sitting alone on the steps.
"He's an exceptionally well-behaved child, very sensible for his age. He seems to already understand that there's something extraordinary about the power hidden within his body."
"Since he can't control it yet, he isolates himself to avoid hurting the other children..."
"But this power seems to come with severe side effects, almost like a hereditary disease..."
Yashamaru furrowed his brows, his expression filled with helplessness.
Sōmi walked over and looked at the boy, who appeared to be about four years old.
The child wore a robe with cartoonish patterns. His white hair fell to his shoulders, his green eyes sparkled with innocence, and red markings adorned his eyelids and forehead.
Quietly squatting by himself, he used his finger to draw patterns on the ground.
What was astonishing, however, was that the bone of his index finger had pierced through his skin, forming a sharp, blade-like structure.
"Not bad at all!"
Sōmi approached and examined the pattern Kimimaro had drawn—a simple sketch of children playing together.
Though crude, the distinct characteristics of each figure were evident, revealing Kimimaro's deep desire to join in their games.
"Who... are you?"
Kimimaro blinked, quickly retracting the bone from his finger.
"Me? I'm the one who built this house!"
"And I'm also the one who brought you here..."
Sōmi replied casually.
"I see..."
"It's nice here, and having Haku and the others to play with makes me really happy."
"Thank you!"
Kimimaro responded innocently, standing up to bow formally in gratitude.
"Who taught you to do that?"
Sōmi asked curiously, examining the boy.
"The director taught us."
"He said that when someone helps us, we should remember it and always say thank you."
Kimimaro turned his gaze toward Yashamaru, who was surrounded by children.
"Hmm! The director is right."
"I heard that your condition causes sudden and severe pain. Is that true?"
Sōmi asked.
"Yes."
"Sometimes it hurts so much that I wake up in the middle of the night. I was worried about disturbing others, so I even asked the director if I could sleep in a room by myself..."
Kimimaro's mood visibly darkened.
"If you trust me, let me try to treat you."
Sōmi offered.
"Big brother, are you a doctor?"
"The director said that my illness can only be cured by a very skilled doctor, and he's trying his best to find one for me!"
Kimimaro's pure green eyes gazed at Sōmi, filled with a longing for health.
"Of course!"
Sōmi replied lightly, leaving no room for doubt.
In the bustling commercial district.
Thanks to the Third Kazekage's strong support of economic development, the original central street had quietly expanded into several new avenues.
Even the overall size of Sunagakure was steadily increasing. Fortunately, underground water systems had gradually been extended to the area; otherwise, the rapidly growing population would have placed an enormous strain on the village's freshwater resources.
"Hmm?"
"You asked me to take on two students last year, and now you've added Kimimaro to the mix this year."
"Do you think I'm your nanny?!"
In a shaded corner of the district, Pakura stood with her arms crossed, her tone filled with dissatisfaction.
She wore a casual white top paired with a black slit pencil skirt, revealing long, fair legs.
Unlike her usual bun hairstyle, Pakura's dark green hair was now let down, with faint streaks of orange visible amidst the strands.
As the breeze passed, her hair danced in the air, and her slender fingers occasionally tucked stray strands behind her ear, exuding a captivating blend of sensuality and poise.
Sōmi's gaze involuntarily drifted downward. Her long, smooth legs were exposed, save for the upper thighs, which were wrapped in white bandages. The stark contrast of black and white was almost dizzying.
Moving upward, her slender waist seemed impossibly delicate, like a fragile willow branch.
Her ample chest strained against the tight fabric of her white top, as if threatening to burst free from the confines of its buttons.
Finally, his eyes landed on her face—soft cheeks glowing like a serene pond under the sunset, sparkling eyes like the moonlight reflecting off a chilly river. Her beauty was radiant, youthful, and utterly captivating.
On her forehead, a faint green diamond-shaped mark had appeared, and the subtle changes in her skin's texture seemed closely tied to it.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Sōmi reached out and touched Pakura's forehead.
"There are a few small errors in the Yin Seal's formula, Pakura!"
"Did you rush through it toward the end without staying calm?"
Sōmi adopted a serious tone.
"Really?"
"I followed everything in the scroll you gave me. Other than using Shadow Clones for training, I've been progressing step by step."
"Is there any danger?"
Pakura blinked her beautiful eyes, her attention now fully focused. She was quite satisfied with the effects of the Yin Seal and couldn't tolerate any potential flaws in the technique.
Sōmi withdrew his hand, adopting a thoughtful expression. After a moment of deliberation, he spoke.
"There's no major issue..."
"It won't affect you during battle or daily life."
"But I've recently come up with some improvements to this technique. They're minor, but the results will definitely be better than the original."
"You might as well take this opportunity to adjust the sealing formula. It'll also help train your Chakra control, which will greatly benefit your mastery of medical ninjutsu!"
Unexpectedly, Pakura responded with a proud tone.
"I've already learned most of Elder Chiyo's medical ninjutsu!"
"If I release the Chakra stored in the Yin Seal, my healing speed might even surpass Elder Chiyo's!"
Pakura's lips curved into a dazzling smile.
Sōmi's eyes instinctively locked onto her face, entering what could only be described as a "maintenance" phase of admiration.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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