Okamoto Dousuke returned to his ward, a sense of unease lingering in his mind. He opened the door to see Hatake Sakumo, wearing his Jonin vest, neatly making Kakashi's bed.
"Kakashi, are you leaving already?" Okamoto Dousuke asked.
Kakashi, who was packing his few belongings, replied, "Yeah, I'm being discharged. My arm's been looked at, and it's not a big deal anymore."
"Father, I can handle this," Kakashi said, taking the remaining items from Sakumo.
Hatake Sakumo stood and turned to Okamoto Dousuke. "You're his classmate, correct? You could become a lifelong rival for him, just like the children of the Might Guy family."
"White Fang-sama, you flatter me. I'm Okamoto Dousuke, a classmate of Kakashi's," Dousuke replied respectfully.
Sakumo knelt down, gently touched Okamoto Dousuke's head, and said, "Surpass Kakashi. He needs a worthy opponent to chase after."
"Father, I just didn't quite finish my technique this time," Kakashi said, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
"Let's go, Kakashi," Hatake Sakumo said, standing up and ignoring his son's remark.
As Kakashi reached the door, he turned back to Okamoto Dousuke. "See you around, Dousuke. I'll be waiting for you to graduate."
After seeing the Hatake father and son off, Okamoto Dousuke lay back on his hospital bed, pondering his conversation with Tsunade. It shouldn't be too much trouble. After all, I'm a genius when it comes to studying, he reassured himself.
Konoha, Hokage's Office.
A grand desk with the kanji for "Shadow" emblazoned on its front sat in the center of the room, flanked by towering stacks of unprocessed documents.
The Third Hokage, seated behind the desk, wasn't attending to the paperwork. Instead, his gaze was fixed on a crystal ball resting on the table before him.
Thump!
Without a knock or any warning, the door was kicked open, and Tsunade strode in, her presence commanding.
"Ouch!" The startled Third Hokage shot to his feet, his knee accidentally striking the table. The crystal ball rolled forward with the impact.
"Ah, my scrying orb!" The Third Hokage quickly bent down to catch it, but he was too late. The clear crystal ball tumbled off the edge of the desk.
The Third Hokage only had a fleeting moment to see the last wisp of mist curl from the orb.
Bang! The crystal ball shattered into pieces on the floor.
"Teacher Sarutobi," Tsunade said, stepping over the broken shards.
The Third Hokage looked at the remnants of his scrying orb, a silent sigh escaping him. Next time I use the Telescope Technique, I really should find a cushion.
"Teacher Sarutobi! Are you even listening to me?" Seeing the Third Hokage's distracted state, Tsunade slammed her hand on the desk, her voice booming.
"Yes, yes, I'm listening! I'm old, you know. You have to give me a moment to catch up," the Third Hokage said helplessly, adjusting the Hokage hat on his head with a weary gesture as he looked at his clearly exasperated disciple.
"Teacher Sarutobi, what arrangements have you made for the other students who will be competing against Kakashi in this ninja academy ranking competition?" Tsunade asked, her gaze fixed on her teacher, who seemed somewhat preoccupied.
"Why, do you have any particular suggestions?" The Third Hokage looked up at Tsunade.
"I want to take that child under my wing. I want him to leave the ninja academy and train with me at Konoha Hospital," Tsunade stated firmly.
"I didn't expect that after your proposal was rejected so decisively at the Jonin meeting, you still haven't abandoned this idea. At that time, only Jiraiya and Orochimaru supported you!" The Third Hokage frowned slightly, his eyes studying the determined disciple standing before his desk.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong with my proposal. The urgent need for skilled medical ninjas cannot be ignored. The problem lies with the narrow-mindedness of the ninja clans. I will prove that I am right about this!" Tsunade slammed her hand on the desk, her conviction unwavering.
"Then go ahead and do it," the Third Hokage said, rising and walking over to the window. He looked out at the bustling streets below the Hokage Building, took out his pipe, lit it, inhaled deeply, and then slowly addressed his disciple.
"Okay, Teacher, thank you," Tsunade said, bowing deeply before turning to leave.
Listening to her footsteps fade into the distance, the Third Hokage murmured to himself, the pipe held loosely in his mouth, his gaze drifting towards the Hokage Rock at the edge of Konoha Village. "The growth of new saplings always relies on the nurturing care of the old trees. Go on, Tsunade."
Konoha Hospital.
In his ward, Dousuke Okamoto lay on the bed, boredom creeping in.
What should I do next? If the village holds me accountable for secretly learning advanced ninjutsu, do I become a rogue ninja? Or do I endure whatever consequences and wait for my chance to make a real impact later? And if I were to betray the village, where would I even go? The Akatsuki organization probably hasn't formed yet. If I joined now, maybe I could become one of their founding members... Lost in thought, Okamoto Dousuke tossed and turned restlessly.
Tuk Tuk!
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Okamoto Dousuke sat up and opened it to find the striking figure of Tsunade standing before him.
"Lady Tsunade!" Okamoto Dousuke exclaimed, surprised and unsure what to say.
Tsunade's beautiful eyes scanned Okamoto Dousuke, and then she walked past him, directly to his bed, and sat down. "Okamoto Dousuke," she began, her voice serious, "I've kept your secret about practicing the Mystical Palm Technique to myself. I came here to ask you directly if you would be willing to learn medical ninjutsu from me."
"I... I would be honored to follow Lady Tsunade! I would absolutely love to do that!" Okamoto Dousuke stammered, his excitement making it difficult to form coherent sentences.
"Then you should prepare yourself and come to the hospital to see me directly on Monday. I'll inform your teacher at the academy so you won't need to attend classes for the next few days," Tsunade instructed.
"Okay, Teacher Tsunade!" Okamoto Dousuke replied enthusiastically.
And so, on that day, two Ninja Academy students who were not yet of graduation age left the academy, their paths diverging in unexpected directions.
Okamoto Dousuke, discharged from the hospital in the afternoon, felt a newfound sense of security knowing he had Tsunade as a potential mentor. The daunting shadow of the Third Great Ninja War didn't feel quite as oppressive now.
Walking down the street, Dousuke felt a lightness he hadn't experienced in a while. The sky seemed a brighter shade of blue, the wind carried a gentle caress, and the birdsong was particularly cheerful. Even the leaves rustling on the roadside trees seemed a more vibrant green.
As he continued his stroll, his gaze drifted around, taking in the familiar sights of Konoha. Suddenly, a store that had only existed in his memories from a different life came into view: Ichiraku Ramen. I can't believe Ichiraku Ramen is just around the corner from my house, he thought, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. Drawn by the familiar name, Okamoto Dousuke walked inside.
Perching on a stool at the counter, he ordered, "Boss, a large pork bone ramen to go, please."
"Sure thing, young man! Haven't seen you around here before," the cheerful owner said, his hands moving with practiced speed as he began preparing the noodles.
"I've been so preoccupied lately that I hadn't noticed it. I was drawn in by the delicious smell today," Dousuke replied with a smile.
"Hahaha! Well, you'll have to come by more often then! I'm always experimenting with new recipes to keep things interesting. And this ramen is best enjoyed piping hot, you know!" the owner chuckled.
"I definitely will in the future. Just taking it home with me today," Dousuke answered. The weight of the impending war had always been on his mind, and his limited chakra had made him focus solely on training after school. This commercial street so close to his home, aside from the occasional grocery run, had been largely unexplored. Today, for the first time, he was allowing himself this moment of relaxed exploration.
As he was about to head home, passing by a familiar vegetable stand, the enthusiastic vendor called out, "Dousuke! It's been a while! You haven't seemed this happy in ages. Why didn't you come by yesterday? I even set aside some fresh picks for you!"
"The teacher praised me today, that's why I'm so happy! But I won't be needing any vegetables today, thank you," Okamoto Dousuke told the friendly auntie.
"Ah, Dousuke Okamoto has always been such a bright boy. It's no surprise the teacher is pleased with him! Would you like to have dinner at my place tonight? I'd be happy to cook up something special for you," the vegetable seller offered with a warm smile. Knowing Dousuke lived alone, the surrounding neighbors often looked out for him. Before his recent preoccupation with training, he often shared meals with them. He had become more withdrawn lately to avoid drawing attention to his knowledge and abilities.
"No, thank you so much, Auntie," he replied, declining her kind offer with gratitude. His steps felt lighter than they had in a long time as he continued his walk home.
Finally back at his small house, Okamoto Dousuke carefully unwrapped the steaming Ichiraku Ramen he had bought on the way.
"Well," Okamoto Dousuke exclaimed, taking another large slurp of noodles, "the texture might be a little soft from the walk home, but it tastes surprisingly good!" He continued to devour the ramen with gusto.
After finishing his dinner, under the soft glow of the lamplight, he sat on the tatami mat and went through his usual routine of refining his chakra. Feeling only a slight increase in his reserves, Okamoto Dousuke let out a silent sigh and decided to call it a night.
Today had been a whirlwind of emotions. From Tsunade's initial stern warning in the morning to her unexpected offer to become his mentor in the afternoon, Okamoto Dousuke's heart had been on a rollercoaster. Becoming a disciple of one of the legendary Sannin was a dream for many in Konoha. Especially for someone like him, who knew the devastating Third Great Ninja War was on the horizon, that knowledge had been a heavy burden since his arrival in this world.
But today, that huge weight had finally been lifted.