The person who arrived was well-proportioned and petite, with a slender neck like a crane, thin shoulders, and a delicate waist. Her large, solemn black-and-white nun's uniform concealed her figure and posture but could not hide the gentle elegance of her bearing.
She had a graceful, snow-white oval face, with a pair of large, thin, black round-frame glasses resting on her straight nose. Behind the clean, transparent lenses, her brown-green almond eyes were clear and quiet—like a peaceful harbor.
At the foot of Kikyo Mountain, in Kikyo City, stood Yakushi Nono, the director of Kikyo Orphanage.
It had been mentioned before that Nara Shikadan had a good relationship with a certain "blonde big-sister director." That was her—Yakushi Nono.
"Tsunade-sama."
Yakushi Nono first bowed to Tsunade, who remained silent with her eyes closed, then nodded at Nara Shikadan.
"Shikadan."
"Sister Nono, when did you get back?"
A happy smile bloomed on Nara Shikadan's face.
"Why didn't I hear anything about it?"
"I returned to the orphanage very late last night," Yakushi Nono replied softly. Her gaze was warm, and her smile was equally sincere.
"By the way, Shikadan, congratulations on graduating from the Ninja School."
Tsunade suddenly interjected. "Nono… Yakushi Nono?"
Yakushi Nono's tone grew more concise. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."
Her most obvious identity was that of the director of Kikyo Orphanage.
Her deeper identity: a senior medical ninja from Konoha's Medical Department and emergency response team.
Only the highest ranks of Root knew her true identity: "Root elite," "legendary spy," "wandering shrine maiden."
As Konoha's foremost medical expert and director of the Medical Department, Tsunade could be considered one of Yakushi Nono's direct superiors.
"We just encountered a spy from an enemy village. Most likely, an elite ninja from Iwagakure," Tsunade said, still with her eyes closed, but issuing orders clearly and calmly.
"Send up the medical department's special signal flare. Have the corpse disposal team stationed at Kikyo Castle come immediately to collect the body.
"Notify the Yamanaka clan's analysis team. This Iwagakure jonin used a high-level invisibility technique similar to Transparent Escape. They may find traces of secret techniques on the body—or in his mind.
"Lastly, report to the ANBU and the Hokage's office… no, I'll handle that part myself."
"Yes."
Yakushi Nono nodded. As she took a signal flare from a hidden pocket in her uniform, her gaze briefly swept over Daishi's corpse.
She knew him.
Or rather, it was because of him that she had rushed here in the first place.
As a Root elite, Yakushi Nono had spent years undercover in foreign lands as a "wandering shrine maiden," spying for Root and Konoha. She also brought in funding for the orphanage.
Because of this, she was very familiar with most Iwagakure ninjas—especially the jonin.
Earlier that day, after returning to the village and shopping for the orphanage, Yakushi Nono had run into Jonin Daishi on the streets of Kikyo City. He had sensed her presence.
Had she not used her exceptional anti-tracking skills to lose him, she would've needed to wait patiently for an opportunity to eliminate him.
What she didn't expect was that, after slipping away from Daishi and planning to report his presence, she would detect a powerful battle disturbance outside the city—and then find his body.
The corpse of the spy sent to infiltrate Kikyo Castle.
Bang!
A green flare, specially made by the Konoha Medical Department, lit up the night sky. Under the glow, Yakushi Nono's pale face was serene but resolute.
No matter what... for the children at the orphanage, I must leave Root!
Before long, the ninjas stationed at Kikyo Castle arrived. In fact, they had already been rushing here.
Whether it was Daishi's Earth Dragon Spear, Tsunade's Super Strength, or Nara Shikadan's detonating tags and flash bombs, the fighting had been far too noisy.
Especially during such a sensitive time—any disturbance would cause alarm.
The combat ninjas withdrew. The medical personnel and corpse disposal team stepped in.
The body was swiftly cleaned up and taken away. The strong scent of blood lingering in the air and on the ground was also removed with a special disinfectant spray.
After respectfully bowing to Tsunade, the medical and analysis teams left in haste.
Standing nearby, Nara Shikadan heard Tsunade's barely audible sigh of relief. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Nara Shikadan, no longer supporting her—it really had been exhausting for his small body to carry such a large fat sheep—walked leisurely over to Yakushi Nono.
"Sister Nono, I just had a battle. Want to use the Palm Sage Technique to restore my stamina?"
Before Yakushi Nono could reply, Tsunade grabbed Nara Shikadan mid-step.
He blinked, confused.
Tsunade glared at him: What? I'm Konoha's number one medical ninja! You want someone else to heal you in front of me?
"Tsunade-sama!"
Yakushi Nono immediately stepped forward with concern. "Shikadan, were you hurt in the battle?"
Seeing Shikadan's confusion and Nono's worry, Tsunade's anger evaporated.
A second ago, she was clutching Nara Shikadan like a prize from a claw machine. Now she shoved him forward, straight into Yakushi Nono's arms.
Yakushi Nono's face flushed bright red.
Compared to other boys his age, Nara Shikadan was small and thin. But Yakushi Nono herself was slender and petite, too.
So when she suddenly caught him—
He crashed right into her.
Surrounded by soft curves and sweet fragrance, Nara Shikadan's nose met something soft and springy. The scent of Yakushi Nono filled his senses.
He didn't know whether to berate Tsunade for her rudeness, thank her for her generosity, or marvel at what Yakushi Nono had hidden beneath her holy nun's robes...
"The Palm Sage Technique consumes stamina by accelerating cell division," Tsunade said with a glance at her hands—still stained with a few drops of dried blood. Her body stiffened, but she forced herself to finish.
"If you're really tired, take medicine!"
Yakushi Nono, regaining her composure, inspected Shikadan from head to toe. Seeing no visible injuries, she sighed in relief and handed him a bottle of soldier pills.
"If you really need to, take some medicine."
Nara Shikadan, unsure what had just happened, had a very complicated expression.
He felt as if his full, healthy kidneys had just taken several direct hits.
Ultimately, he declined the medicine and made a different request—to eat at Kikyo Orphanage.
Yakushi Nono agreed readily. It wasn't the first time.
For some reason, Tsunade also asked to come—on the surface, to find a place to clean up before her meeting with the Third Hokage.
Yakushi Nono found it a bit odd. Even stranger was Tsunade's frequent, unnatural stiffness—almost like... some kind of illness.
Could it be... Konoha's top medical ninja, suffering from a strange condition even she couldn't heal?
As a seasoned medical ninja, Yakushi Nono trusted her instincts.
But she didn't voice her suspicion. She buried it deep.
Never actively seek out secrets you shouldn't know. That was an iron rule Yakushi Nono had learned as a spy.
Nara Shikadan pulled out a 1,000-ryō note and handed it to her.
He always paid for meals at the orphanage. He wasn't fond of freeloading.
Yakushi Nono accepted it as usual, apologized to Tsunade, and left to prepare ingredients Shikadan liked. Cooking would take time.
As her presence faded from the area, Tsunade's pale face turned ghostly white, and her body trembled again.
Nara Shikadan sighed and stepped forward.
"Tsunade-sama... the corpse disposal team just cleaned the area. There's no more... smell."
"My hand..."
Tsunade raised her trembling right hand. On her pale skin were several dried, dark-red bloodstains.
"There's still... on my hand..."
Nara Shikadan pinched his thigh hard.
This cowardly, mean-spirited, big fat golden sheep!