In a gloomy underground fortress in the Land of Rivers, a long row of candles cast flickering shadows down a corridor. A long-haired man in a black robe adorned with red clouds extended a pale, slender hand, his fingers gently caressing the flame of a candle. A strange, knowing smile played on his lips.
Rumble...
A tremor ran through the ground, and a section of the wall slid away, revealing a secret chamber. The scene within was bizarre, even for the ninja world. In the center of the room stood an exquisitely crafted crystal coffin. Inside lay half a corpse, preserved so perfectly that its internal organs were clearly visible, like a macabre medical specimen.
A young man in a hooded cloak and glasses stood before the coffin, his eyes filled with an almost feverish intoxication. He was so mesmerized by the "art piece" that he barely noticed the chamber door opening.
"Kabuto," the long-haired man said, his voice a smooth, as he entered. "It seems you're quite taken with my little collection."
"Lord Orochimaru," the young man, Yakushi Kabuto, spun around and bowed his head respectfully. "My apologies, Lord Orochimaru. I was... captivated."
Kabuto knew his master well. Orochimaru was remarkably tolerant of his subordinates' little quirks and transgressions, so long as they completed their tasks. This wasn't kindness, of course.
As a notorious S-rank rogue ninja, Orochimaru viewed his followers as tools—to be used, and if they broke, to be discarded. A useless subordinate became experimental material, a chance to find some new, grotesque utility.
If they were truly, utterly useless, well, perhaps they'd be more useful in their next life.
But if a subordinate was useful...
Orochimaru's magnanimity was boundless. He was as warm and encouraging as a doting parent. It was just his way.
"It's quite alright, Kabuto," Orochimaru said, his voice oozing that particular brand of magnanimity reserved for his most useful tools. He smiled. "I understand your obsession perfectly. After all, this is the first human specimen to ever appear in the ninja world."
"The very first medical ninja, using his own body as a textbook for future generations. We can literally peek inside and see the greatness of his mind, even a thousand years after his death."
He glided closer to the coffin, his own eyes filled with a similar fascination. "Even for me, every time I see this precious collectible, I am simply amazed. It's a masterpiece that has endured for a millennium. How much more so for a medical ninja like yourself? In your eyes, this man's status must be comparable to the Sage of Six Paths."
"Yes," Kabuto agreed, his gaze fixed on the half-corpse. He began to recite the story he'd heard since he was a child, his voice filled with reverence. "Emiya Shirou. The first to create the concept of a medical ninja. The first to establish a system of medical ninjutsu that has lasted a thousand years."
"Legend says his skills were divine. No illness was beyond his cure. His character was noble. He saved more people than the entire population of some countries. And at the end of his life, to break the ninja world's prejudice against surgery and anatomy, he had his friends divide his body into two, creating two human specimens sealed in crystal coffins."
"What a great man," Kabuto breathed, his hand reaching out to trace the intricate patterns on the crystal. He repeated the words the director of his orphanage used to say: "A medical ninja is one who endures the pain the world cannot bear, to save the people who are born into suffering. It's because of his noble definition that ninjas have been willing to protect medical ninjas, even amidst the slaughter of war."
A flicker of shame crossed Kabuto's face. He was skilled in medical ninjutsu, more so than most, but "noble" was hardly the word he'd use to describe himself. The guilt was fleeting, though.
In a world of revenge, killing, and fighting for scraps, even the so-called greatest medical ninja of their time, Princess Tsunade, wouldn't dare call herself noble. What chance did an ordinary medical ninja like him have?
"Speaking of which," Kabuto said, changing the subject, "I never thought Lord Orochimaru would have one of the coffins. Legend says their whereabouts have been unknown for centuries. One of them fell into the hands of the Second Hokage, which led to the first Great Ninja War. Fortunately, the person in that coffin quelled the war."
"Yes, I'm quite curious about the contents of that other coffin myself," Orochimaru mused, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Unfortunately, I was born too late. I could only get my hands on this one. It was sealed in Shikkotsu Forest, with Katsuyu. Later, Katsuyu gave it to Tsunade."
"I see," Kabuto nodded, connecting the dots. The slug sage, Katsuyu, was the summoning beast most skilled in medical arts. It made sense that the first medical ninja would have a contract with her and entrust her with one of his specimens.
He must have instructed her to pass it on to a worthy successor. And who was more worthy than the most powerful medical ninja of their time, Tsunade?
"Lady Tsunade is indeed worthy of such a treasure," Kabuto said, expressing his genuine respect for her skills.
"Heh heh," a mocking smile twisted Orochimaru's lips. "This 'treasure' was no help to Tsunade. It only made her more depressed. For her, this crystal coffin should never have appeared."
"You see, the young Tsunade had met the real Emiya Shirou. She was even taught by him. When you meet someone truly amazing, it's easy to lose your way. And the Tsunade of that time had already lost hers."
Kabuto's eyes widened.
"The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama," Orochimaru continued, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone, "that ninja most skilled in dangerous, forbidden jutsu. Back then, after the final battle between the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha, Hashirama defeated his rival but suffered a life-threatening injury."
"To save his brother, the Second Hokage used a forbidden jutsu called Impure World Reincarnation, and the other half of the remains, to resurrect the greatest medical ninja from a thousand years ago. Tsunade mentioned it more than once, that she'd met him as a child. Perhaps... I saw him too." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, remembering a dark silhouette against a setting sun. "That person... it must have been him."
"That's... incredible," Kabuto's voice was a mix of envy and awe. "To have seen the first medical ninja... what an enviable past."
"Yes," Orochimaru said, a pleased look on his face. "But there's no need to be envious. Because today, we also have a chance to see. Tsunade got this coffin from Katsuyu, but when she left Konoha, she left it behind."
"Before I defected, I made sure to take this precious collectible with me." His fingers traced the patterns on the coffin. "Emiya Shirou... what an amazing man. Even after a thousand years, you can feel the brilliance of his mind. His knowledge is still useful today."
"Could it be..." Kabuto pushed up his glasses, his curiosity piqued. "There are secrets in these patterns?"
"Oh, yes," Orochimaru said, delighted by Kabuto's interest. "Emiya Shirou left behind many fantastic ideas. It's a shame Tsunade never discovered them. I only found the secret when I was planning to dissect the remains myself."
"If you understand the human body well enough, and under light bright enough for surgery, you'll discover a code carved into the patterns. This code is the last will and testament Emiya Shirou left for the medical ninjas of this world."