The cafeteria at Konoha Hospital was spacious and bustling at midday.
Around noon, Maki would usually come here for lunch. Today, Hitomi and Naori were already there.
Over the past four years, the three had grown into capable medical-nin, each excelling in their own specialties. Hitomi, with her Byakugan, was quick and precise in diagnosis, skilled in treating both internal and external injuries, and could detect hidden ailments others missed. Naori specialized in psychological treatment, using genjutsu to stabilize patients' emotions.
Maki, on the other hand, was a jack-of-all-trades—an all-purpose "brick" in the hospital, able to fill in wherever she was needed. She could handle nearly anything, and while Tsunade was stronger in pure medical ninjutsu, Maki's versatility kept her constantly in demand.
Tsunade herself was a powerhouse—her self-developed techniques for treating minor illnesses could cure most conditions with ease. But she was also far more popular with children than Maki; kids who had once been treated by Maki tended to start crying the moment they saw her again.
The four often gathered to discuss medical ninjutsu, sharing techniques, case studies, and even Maki's newly developed medicines—except for her clan's insect-based techniques, which the others couldn't learn. Together, they handled the most difficult diagnoses and cases.
Today, when Maki arrived at their usual table, Naori and Hitomi were already halfway through their meals.
"Busy morning?" Naori asked, brushing her hair back as Maki sat down.
Maki shook her head. "Only two patients. One had a kidney stone—cleared the blockage. The other had a broken leg—reset it."
"I didn't get any patients all morning," Naori said. "But the academy graduation's coming soon. We'll probably get a flood of new genin in here after that."
Hitomi was shoveling down her food at a speed that would make a jōnin sweat, dark circles under her eyes. "Six patients this morning! Six!" she groaned. "I'm gonna die like this! When will this nightmare end? I'm starting to miss my days as a genin picking up garbage!"
"Who told you to be so good with your hands?" Maki teased, sipping her miso soup.
"Between yesterday and today, I've slept four hours total!" Hitomi complained, not slowing her eating. "If this keeps up, I'll drop dead!"
A heavy thud shook the table as a plate was set down. A familiar blonde girl grinned at Maki. "Move over, Bug Girl."
Maki slid aside with a sigh. "What, your ass getting bigger, Princess?"
"Hmph. Don't bother me. I'm starving." Tsunade dug into her food with gusto, her chakra reserves clearly drained from the day's work.
"If you want to bicker, today's your last chance," Maki said casually, popping a piece of tempura into her mouth.
"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
"Our medical-nin training is over," Maki said.
Hitomi froze mid-bite, then her eyes lit up. "Wait—does that mean… our real ninja careers are about to start?"
Maki nodded. "Squad Two's about to begin official missions."
"Yes! Finally, freedom!" Hitomi cheered.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Don't get too excited. Most missions are boring. Guarding merchants, babysitting noble brats, clearing out bandits. Nothing worth bragging about."
"No ninja battles?" Hitomi asked.
"There are," Tsunade said, "but the enemies are weak, the trips are long, and it's honestly less trouble staying here."
Maki smirked. "Didn't someone once get half-killed on a mission? Oh, right—that was Jiraiya and Orochimaru. You ran away that time, didn't you, Tsunade?"
Tsunade's face darkened. "Shut up. Hope you die out there."
"This isn't about me, Princess," Maki said. "By the way, you planning to step up as the Fourth Hokage? The Third's not getting any younger."
"Not happening," Tsunade said flatly. "Anyone else can take it."
"That's not really your choice," Maki replied.
Tsunade scoffed. "Jiraiya's probably wandering the world chasing women, and Orochimaru's doing gods-know-what in secret. How am I supposed to complete missions with that team?"
"Form a team with someone else," Maki suggested.
"No thanks. I'm not dragging dead weight around," Tsunade said. Then she looked at Maki. "How about teaming with you? Just us four—a proper squad."
"Not possible," Maki said. "The future Fourth Hokage can't be in ANBU."
Tsunade blinked. "You're joining ANBU? Why?"
"Because," Maki said, "bugs are used to living in the dark."
"Maki!" Tsunade shouted. "You could've refused Hiruzen's order!"
"Because I owe a debt that needs repaying," Makii replied evenly. "It's not about the Third Hokage. Besides, this is a necessary evil—someone has to do it."
"But—" Tsunade tried to protest.
"It's nothing special," Maki cut in. "You're going to be Hokage. Plenty of people are counting on you."
"Because of me?" Tsunade asked quietly.
At sixteen, Tsunade was no longer naive. She finally understood what the village truly was.
"Don't get sentimental," Maki said. "This is the fate of a ninja."
Silence fell over the table.
Hitomi took small bites of rice, occasionally glancing up at Tsunade's face.
Tsunade's expression shifted between pale and flushed, thoughts clearly weighing on her.
Naori kept her gaze lowered, eating without comment.
Maki, unconcerned with Tsunade's inner turmoil, knew the truth of this world—you survive only if you're strong. And Tsunade was far from fragile.
"Are you full?" Maki asked after a moment.
"Yeah, yeah!" Hitomi nodded quickly, wiping her mouth.
"I'm done," Naori said, setting down her chopsticks and meeting Maki's gaze.
"Then let's go," Maki said.
"Go? Now? What about our work at the hospital?" Tsunade asked in alarm.
"All the hospital work is finished," Maki replied. "And yes—now."
"As for where… to the future."
She started walking. "Don't stand there, Princess Tsunade. Let's go."
Without another word, Naori and Hitomi followed in step behind Maki.
Tsunade stayed behind, watching the three of them disappear down the hall.
Left behind again… Was there really any point in staying here?
"Bastards!" Tsunade slammed her palm onto the dining table. The entire thing collapsed with a crash.
Her colleagues looked on nervously but stayed silent.
Rolling up her sleeves, Tsunade stood, radiating fury.
"Jiraiya—you'd better hope I don't find you!"
She, too, was moving toward her own future.
"First Orochimaru!"
In a small, dimly lit hideout, Orochimaru froze mid-slurp over his instant noodles. A sharp sneeze escaped him, and an ominous chill coiled around his heart.
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