Chiba didn't really know what had happened at the Ninja Academy.
However—
A week later, when he returned to submit his report, Tenten brought it up. That day, the academy had organized a joint exam for both their class and the year below.
The Third Hokage had made a public statement: if anyone could achieve a perfect score and pass the second stage of the test, they would also be allowed to graduate early and begin advanced training.
In reality, no one succeeded.
Not even Neji.
And with that, everything quieted down.
Chiba returned to the Medical Corps classroom.
"Sensei, I've finished reading the introductory pharmacology text. I'd like to move on to something more advanced."
"So soon? "
Tsunade was momentarily stunned.
She looked Chiba up and down, clearly skeptical. "You didn't just skim through it, did you? "
"I've memorized it all."
"What a bold claim. Hmph. Let's put it to the test, then."
She picked up the Pharmacology Basics book, but then smirked and set it aside, grabbing Medical Foundations instead.
Laying both books on the desk, she randomly opened pages from each and began quizzing him on various knowledge points.
Chiba paused for a second, then smoothly answered every question.
She began mixing questions from both books, jumping topics with no pattern—yet Chiba handled it with ease.
Thirty minutes later, Tsunade couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement, though there was a trace of regret in her eyes.
If only he could learn ninjutsu…
With this level of talent, he would undoubtedly have become an exceptional medical ninja.
That thought lingered in her mind.
Chiba, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned. The Light Orb had taken away his ability to use ninjutsu, but in return, it had granted him extraordinary learning and chakra control. And perhaps it was his imagination—but the Light Orb seemed… smaller.
"You're surprisingly well-adjusted," she muttered. "Alright, I'll find a book more suited to your level."
She turned around, pulled out a volume on anatomy, then opened a drawer and retrieved a small scroll box.
"What's this? "Chiba asked.
"A soldier pill recipe. Starting next week, I want you to study the book and try making a batch yourself."
She smiled.
Chiba lit up with excitement and eagerly examined the scroll.
The formula wasn't difficult—he memorized it quickly.
"Thank you, Sensei! "
...
"Even though it's still anatomy, it's definitely different from what I learned in my past life."
Chiba closed the final page.
With three medical texts under his belt, he now had a general understanding of Konoha's medical system.
While medicinal pharmacology was often used as support, most treatment revolved around medical ninjutsu. The surgical procedures and theory also differed significantly from what he knew in his previous life.
But when it came to soldier pills—he had a few new ideas.
Currently, soldier pills were too generalized. They combined hunger suppression and chakra restoration into one pill.
Which sounded great—except they were expensive and overused.
Sometimes a ninja didn't need to rapidly restore chakra. Other times, they needed fast recovery and not a filling meal.
It should be broken down into categories.
Chiba shared his thoughts with Tsunade. While she smiled and didn't take it too seriously, she encouraged him to experiment and even granted him access to all the books in her office.
So, for the next three days, Chiba buried himself in research on soldier pills and pharmacology.
On the fourth day, he stepped into the lab.
"Shizune."
"Yes, Sir Chiba? "
"The kid's making his first soldier pill. Keep an eye on him. If he runs into any trouble, help him out."
"Understood!"
Shizune glanced over.
The boy looked to be about twelve. Very young.
Not unusual a few years ago—back in wartime, even twelve-year-old chunin were common. But in peaceful times, it was different.
So that's Yanagi Chiba?
Shizune curiously walked a little closer, then widened his eyes. "Lady Kitayama? "
"What is it? "
She had been about to assist another student with medical ninjutsu, but Shizune called her back—making her think something had gone wrong.
"It's not that. His technique is flawless, but… the ingredients he's using don't match the standard formula."
Shizune was twenty-six—eight years older than Tsunade. While his medical ninjutsu wasn't on her level, he was one of the top practitioners in the corps. When it came to medical procedures and soldier pills, few could rival his experience.
Tsunade frowned. "He's being reckless again."
"His hands are steady, though."
Shizune praised him.
Every step Chiba took was precise and refined. His technique was flawless—except the ingredients didn't match the prescribed formula.
"Let's take a look."
She walked over with a frown.
Halfway there, Chiba had already finished. He picked up the newly made pill and was about to pop it into his mouth.
"Wait!"
"Hmm?"
Chiba turned around and saw Tsunade and Shizune approaching. He immediately understood.
"Sensei. Senior Shizune."
"You altered the recipe? "
"Yes," Chiba replied. "Since I'm still unfamiliar with the process, I decided to reduce the chakra restoration ingredients and focus on improving the hunger suppression and caloric content. I figured I could tweak from there."
He proceeded to explain his logic.
Tsunade frowned. "That was reckless."
"They're all non-toxic ingredients. I figured a trial wouldn't hurt."
He didn't wait for her to respond and bit into the pill.
After savoring it—
"Hm… not quite there. I think I underused two components."
He immediately began adjusting the formula again.
"You—!"
Tsunade was speechless.
Shizune, on the other hand, picked up the bitten pill, broke off half, and sampled it.
His eyes lit up. "Lady Kitayama, this version does feel more filling—and it doesn't restore large amounts of chakra right away."
"Let me see."
She tasted it, then closed her eyes to carefully sense its effects.
He was right.
It was noticeably better at suppressing hunger.
"What's the cost to make this? "
"I replaced the two high-cost chakra-restoring herbs with chakra-compressed grain and jerky. So the overall cost is less than half the original. But it can't have zero chakra recovery, so I'm thinking of rebalancing a bit…"
Chiba answered quickly as he continued working.
Not long after, a second pill was ready.
This one should be perfect.
"Please try this one."
"Alright."
Tsunade grew serious. She took the pill, split it in half, then again into quarters—just in case. The previous version had been too filling.
She tasted it—her eyes sparkled.
This pill…
The balance between sustenance and chakra recovery was excellent—better than the current standard.
"At half the cost," she muttered. "If we tweak the formula a bit more, we can make a dual-tier system: a basic version for hunger and a premium one for rapid chakra recovery. The latter can be sold at a higher price."
"That way, everyone can spend less overall," Chiba added.
Tsunade and Shizune exchanged a look—both stunned.
It wasn't that the idea was groundbreaking. They could've come up with it themselves.
But—
How long had this kid been studying?
He'd only been exposed to soldier pill production for three days.
And now, not only had he mastered the technique, but he was also proposing practical upgrades—and fully from a user-centered perspective.
It was a simple idea, yet no one else had thought to pursue it.
Tsunade paused in thought, then said,
"Shizune, help Chiba continue the research. Develop a soldier pill with fast chakra recovery but low satiety. Once you're done, Chiba will write the report. You can help review and edit it."
"Yes, ma'am! "