Chapter 82: Simple—I'll Become the God of Shinobi
On the fifth day, Yoru finally saw Tsunade again.
"Hey kid, send me back to the border base."
Tsunade came to Yoru's house on her own initiative, and her form of address shifted—from his surname to his given name.
Seeing Tsunade clearly rested and recovered before coming, Yoru's lips curved slightly: "Welcome back, Tsunade-sama."
"I'm not as fragile as you think. After all..." Tsunade's eyes dimmed momentarily before growing resolute again. "People can't come back from the dead. I'll inherit Nawaki's will and help him protect the village Grandfather founded."
"These past few days, I've been thinking about something... Even Nawaki, who inherited Grandfather's bloodline, died from stepping on an explosive tag because he couldn't get timely treatment. So how many people on the battlefield also step on traps or suffer critical injuries fighting enemies, yet die with regrets because no medical ninja was nearby?"
"They wouldn't have to die if just one person who knew medical ninjutsu was there!"
Her brown eyes seemingly ablaze, Tsunade declared in a heavy tone: "I want to change this situation. I want to prevent incidents like Nawaki's from ever happening again."
Hearing this, Yoru already understood.
He couldn't help voicing Tsunade's thought: "Tsunade-sama, you want to assign a medical ninja to every squad?"
"You saw it too?" Tsunade looked at Yoru with delighted eyes, wanting his approval.
Yoru's words threw cold water on her enthusiasm: "Tsunade-sama, your idea is good, but it's not realistic."
"Why not?" A trace of defiance entered Tsunade's gaze.
"If every squad gets assigned a medical ninja, this reform will quickly spread throughout the shinobi world. Their first thought won't be to imitate it—they'll prioritize killing the medical ninja during missions." Yoru struck at the heart of the issue. "Training a medical ninja requires far more investment than training an ordinary genin. Those nations already suffer economic imbalance. They simply don't have the capability to imitate this. Instead, they'd be delighted to see us do it, then take the opportunity to weaken our national power by killing medical ninja."
If not for worrying Tsunade wouldn't understand, Yoru would've shortened it to gaming terms: 'In team fights, I always flank to kill the healer first.'
Tsunade's face paled as she realized the severity.
Medical ninja could be assigned—provided they also possessed the strength to stay alive.
But ninja with both combat capability and medical skills qualified as chunin squad leaders. The investment was too great. How could every squad possibly get one?
Her idea really wasn't realistic.
"Then... can I truly not change this situation?" Tsunade grew despondent again.
"Actually... you could try a different approach."
Yoru's sudden interjection drew Tsunade's attention.
Meeting her gaze directly, Yoru smiled as he voiced his thoughts: "Training large numbers of medical ninja in a short period and assigning one to every squad—that's truly unrealistic. However, Tsunade-sama, your idea is excellent and highly feasible. It just requires time investment."
"I've spent several years at the Ninja Academy and noticed something cruel. Whether from shinobi families like us, civilian families, or clan backgrounds—everyone learns identical material."
Tsunade spoke blankly: "That's the hope Second Grandfather gave children from ordinary families to become shinobi too. Is there... something wrong with that?"
"Of course not. The Second Hokage was truly great." Yoru spoke slowly. "But what the academy teaches is far too limited. Students who take six years to graduate only master the Three Basic Techniques, Body Flicker, Hiding techniques, and methods to break genjutsu."
"In contrast, clan students—some begin learning family jutsu or secret techniques before even entering the academy. They learn their chakra natures early and discover their talents."
"Even with poor aptitude, they know their specializations."
"But academy students only learn the Three Basic Techniques. They have no idea what their talents are or what type of jutsu suits them."
"If Tsunade-sama wants to change the current situation, why not suggest to the Hokage reducing some less important cultural classes, or adding daily specialized elective courses—like genjutsu class, medical class, Body Flicker class, intelligence class, interrogation class, and so on... Let students choose based on their interests."
"After six years of study, even without the aptitude to become medical ninja, they'd all know basic self-treatment methods. Those with talent would naturally become medical ninja after graduation—superior to ordinary genin. In the future, they might even become excellent medical ninja."
"Even now, Tsunade-sama could gather the border base support forces, check which genin have medical ninja aptitude, then create a training program to teach them medical knowledge. Or make a handbook documenting emergency self-aid methods for every shinobi to carry. That might reduce casualties too."
Watching Yoru speak eloquently with such progressive thinking, Tsunade's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"Feasible! Completely feasible!"
Especially hearing those last two suggestions, Tsunade couldn't contain her excitement. She heavily slapped Yoru's shoulder, her eyes full of admiration as she praised sincerely: "Impressive! You've got the makings of a Hokage, kid."
"Actually... there's an even simpler method."
Words similar to before once again captured Tsunade's attention.
Under Tsunade's expectant gaze, Yoru spoke the most arrogant words in the most casual tone: "Once I become the new era's God of Shinobi—suppressing the shinobi world for decades like the First Hokage—there won't be any war or casualties."
If anyone else said such things, Tsunade would definitely label them arrogant.
If not for experiencing the Amegakure infiltration mission together and fighting Hanzo of the Salamander, hearing evaluations of Yoru from both the Slug Sage and Orochimaru separately, she'd think Yoru was talking big and her impression would drop.
But with the Slug Sage's and her companions' endorsements, plus the achievement of injuring the salamander, and mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique at such a young age—a jutsu no one in Konoha had wielded since Second Grandfather...
With all these accomplishments backing him, Yoru saying such words now seemed to radiate dazzling golden light in Tsunade's eyes.
Especially the forward-thinking reform proposals he'd just presented, displaying such wisdom that her own ideas seemed childish in comparison.
This wisdom, paired with his height that didn't match his age, plus his appearance and bearing that completely concealed his actual eleven years—suddenly made Tsunade uncontrollably recall what happened between them in that cave, the firm attitude Yoru displayed before her.
And these past few days—Yoru first transferring paper, then transferring meals to prevent them from falling, so considerate and thoughtful in his silent care.
All these factors combined, ultimately causing that subtle emotion deep in Tsunade's heart—one even she hadn't noticed—to suddenly grow rapidly.
Her heartbeat, just like in the cave, began accelerating beyond her control.
So much so that Tsunade stared blankly at Yoru, looking completely dazed.
At this very moment, the stand hidden behind Yoru—the Bull Warrior—suddenly opened its eyes, raised its axe and swung a conceptual slash, severing the thread of 'fate' brought by the original timeline.
That same old saying...
The Bull Warrior is invincible! (this pertains to chapter 12, lol. basically Cuck warrior iykyk)
"Tsunade-sama, are you alright?"
Only when Yoru's voice reached her ears did Tsunade snap back to awareness.
Watching Yoru lower his head to bring his face close, waving his hand before her eyes, Tsunade's breath caught again.
"I... I'm fine. If you don't have anything else, come back to the border base with me."
Tsunade's gaze suddenly turned evasive, unable to meet Yoru's eyes at all.
The normally straightforward woman inexplicably grew shy.
Looking closely, one could notice her cheeks reddening slightly, as though her temperature had risen.
"I'm ready whenever."
Yoru didn't notice Tsunade's change—after all, they were twelve years apart.
Placing his hand on Tsunade's shoulder, Yoru began sensing distant Flying Thunder God seals, about to perform an ultra-long-range teleport.
Since he stood slightly taller than Tsunade and wasn't wearing his headband, Tsunade suddenly noticed something and interrupted: "Wait..."
Abandoning her earlier shyness, Tsunade boldly lifted Yoru's bangs and stared at his forehead. After confirming she wasn't mistaken, her eyes widened slightly: "You're training the Yin Seal?"
"Tsunade-sama noticed too?"
Yoru also raised his hand to touch his forehead, smiling: "Looks like it's almost complete."
"Just what secrets are you hiding?" Tsunade looked at Yoru with shock. "You're only eleven, yet you've already developed a seal-less jutsu like the Rasengan, mastered Second Grandfather's Flying Thunder God Technique, plus that ultimate technique that injured the salamander, and now the S-rank Yin Seal... With this much ninjutsu talent, are you even human?"
Yoru smiled as he explained: "My chakra reserves are too low, so when Kushina shared the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques with me, I immediately noticed this Yin Seal. Took me a year to nearly complete it—actually pretty slow, since I learned the Flying Thunder God in less than a month."
If not for worrying Tsunade would keep questioning, Yoru would've wanted to tell the truth.
Even so, mastering the Flying Thunder God in less than a month still shocked Tsunade.
Tsunade remained speechless for a long while before finally uttering two words: "Monster."
"If I wasn't strong, I wouldn't have the confidence to say such things."
Yoru's lips curved upward as he teleported away with Tsunade.
After several flashes, they returned to the border base.
When they emerged from the private quarters, they soon encountered Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who'd come after receiving word.
"Tsunade, are you okay?"
Jiraiya, who'd worried about Tsunade these past days, immediately asked.
Orochimaru said nothing, instead looking toward Yoru.
Seeing Yoru nod slightly, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief before feeling some admiration for Tsunade.
To recover this quickly—truly impressive.
Back then, he'd taken a long time to emerge from losing a loved one's shadow.
These past days, he'd often dreamed of Nawaki's corpse too.
After his parents, Orochimaru witnessed another acquaintance's death—and in such a cheap manner—which significantly impacted his psyche.
The Orochimaru who hadn't yet encountered 'the immortal Hashirama cells' didn't develop thoughts about researching immortality techniques.
These past days, though, he had made a decision.
He needed to accelerate Yoru's training.
Not knowing about the Space-Time chakra in Yoru's body—or that its capacity required 'evolution' to break through limitations—Orochimaru wanted to help Yoru rapidly increase his chakra reserves.
Once Yoru's chakra quantity increased, his Dimensional Slash and Flying Thunder God Technique would gain longer endurance, plus the ability to develop even more powerful Space-Time jutsu, similar to that night's ultimate technique.
More Space-Time methods meant Yoru would grow stronger, ultimately becoming an even more impossible existence than the First Hokage.
Then other nations and villages, finding no way to counter him, wouldn't dare start wars.
The shinobi world would naturally achieve peace.
Clearly understanding Space-Time power's strength, Orochimaru didn't believe this era possessed any 'Uchiha Madara' capable of rivaling Yoru.
Once Yoru became the shinobi world's strongest, this world would remain peaceful until he died of old age.
That much time was enough to accomplish reforms even the First Hokage couldn't achieve or didn't have time for.
Yoru naturally didn't know Orochimaru's thoughts, or he'd definitely struggle to hold back laughter.
Under Yoru's influence as a variable, Orochimaru's trajectory—just like the original timeline—had already diverged increasingly far.
"Don't worry, I'm not as fragile as you think."
Watching her two concerned companions, Tsunade revealed a slight smile, then raised her right arm in a bicep flex, declaring spiritedly: "This time, if I don't develop the antidote formula, I won't leave the laboratory!"
After speaking, under Jiraiya's pained gaze, Tsunade walked toward the laboratory.
Orochimaru watched Tsunade's retreating figure, his eyes flashing with respect.
Truly the First Hokage's granddaughter!
Yoru showed slight realization as he watched Tsunade's departing back, his gaze also filled with admiration.
So she hasn't emerged from the shadow after all—for the Land of Fire, for the village the First Hokage founded, and for Nawaki's dream, she forced herself to move forward.
In truth, this outwardly strong woman remained inwardly pained and fragile.
The Tsunade of this period was truly beautiful and powerful, inside and out!
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