Tsunade wasn't expecting the confession at all. She blinked once in surprise, then busted out laughing—"Hahahaha!"
After she finished laughing, she snapped her fingers and gave Anyu a sharp flick on the forehead.
Then she said, "You're just a brat who hasn't even grown up yet, chasing after girls the wrong way. Looks like your injuries are nearly healed. That's it for today's treatment."
With that, Tsunade walked away without looking back, leaving Anyu still dazed and confused.
White Fang took a few steps forward and said coldly, "Serves you right."
Rubbing his sore head, Anyu muttered, "What's wrong with wanting to impress a girl?"
White Fang cut straight to the point: "There's nothing wrong with trying to get close to someone, but doing it with an ulterior motive? That's where you messed up."
"How exactly did I—" Anya started to argue, but under White Fang's piercing gaze, he dropped it.
White Fang said with frustration, "How come you, at such a young age, already have so much scheming going on? Today, Tsunade could've finished healing you, and tomorrow you'd start training again to rediscover that blade sensation. Now look what happened—wasted time and effort."
Well, what White Fang said was true. If he was wrong, he'd admit it. Anya took it to heart—next time, he'd definitely wait till he was fully healed before making a move. This half-assed situation was seriously uncomfortable.
Just then, a medical ninja walked in and said, "Tsunade-sama has ordered that, White Fang-sama, your student's condition has stabilized and he can now be moved to a regular ward."
Guess that's just how women are—quick to hit back.
Moved to the regular ward, Anya felt no sympathy for the injured ninja groaning in pain around him. With nothing better to do, he flopped onto his bed and stared at the fluffy clouds outside. Might as well catch some shut-eye.
Meanwhile, White Fang had already arrived at the Third Hokage's office to complete the mission report.
The Third clearly had full confidence in White Fang—he wasn't surprised at all by the success of the mission.
But White Fang hesitated.
Noticing his unusual behavior, the Third asked, "What's wrong?"
White Fang thought for a moment, then decided to speak honestly: "Actually, all those Suna ninja were killed by Anyu alone. I didn't lift a finger."
"What?" The Third was shocked. "Are you saying you didn't intervene at all from start to finish?"
White Fang nodded. "That's correct."
"How is that possible?" The Third seemed skeptical at first, but seeing White Fang's serious expression—and knowing his personality well—he had no choice but to accept it. Then his tone turned serious. "Tell me exactly what happened during the mission."
After White Fang finished speaking, the Third took time to wrap his head around everything. After a long silence, he sighed and said, "A diamond in the rough. It seems your evaluation of him was spot-on. His potential truly surpasses yours. In that case, your responsibility is even greater now. Guide him well."
White Fang's face grew solemn. "Understood."
After White Fang left, the Third gazed silently toward the hospital where Anyu was staying. In a voice barely audible, he whispered, "I hope he won't become another Madara Uchiha."
Anya opened his eyes after waking up, and suddenly saw a clean-cut male face appear before him.
The man smiled slightly upon seeing Anya regain consciousness. "You're awake. I'm here to treat you."
Anya instinctively responded with a thank you. He wouldn't dare offend a medical ninja at this moment, particularly one who had taken the initiative to heal him. After all, the war had already begun, and medical ninjas were extremely scarce.
Unexpectedly, this ninja's Medical Ninjutsu was remarkably effective. His previously stiff body quickly regained vitality, and even his tired spirit became more energized. How did he manage that?
Anya stared in surprise at this unknown ninja—his long pale blue hair and delicate features looked as feminine as a woman's. Who was he?
Seeing Anya sitting up, the ninja asked, "Feeling better?"
"Much better. Thank you. My name is Anya. What's yours?" Anya couldn't help but ask.
The man smiled and replied, "Hello, Anya. I'm Dan Kato. You can just call me Dan."
Dan Kato? No impression of that name. Such a skilled medical ninja surely would've appeared later on. It's a shame he didn't get the recognition he deserved.
After finishing his introduction, Dan caught a flicker of sorrow in Anya's eyes and asked, "Is something still wrong?"
Anya snapped back to reality and said, "I'm much better now. I can walk. To show my gratitude, let me treat you to a meal."
Dan politely declined with a smile, "No need. I still have many other patients to treat."
Anya wasn't giving up so easily. With an expression clearly insisting on expressing his thanks, he said firmly, "Don't rush. I'll wait for you."
Dan could only nod and say, "Okay."
While waiting, Anya began moving his body around and doing some rehabilitation exercises.
It wasn't until sunset that Dan finally came out of the ward, sweating heavily. It was clear he had been working very hard.
Anya hurried forward to support him and said, "You didn't have to push yourself like that. There are plenty of other medical ninjas in the hospital."
Dan smiled and said, "Everyone's working hard."
What a genuinely kind person. Even though Anya himself wasn't a saint, he still hoped there were more people like this in the world. He quickly said, "Come on, let's grab something to eat to replenish your strength."
Of course, the dining destination was naturally Ichiraku Ramen again. After all, with his current financial situation, he couldn't afford other restaurants anymore. The compensation money left by his parents was nearly depleted. Even if White Fang hadn't pulled him into this mission, he still would've applied for it himself anyway. At this moment, he was even wondering how Naruto managed to grow up alone since childhood—where did he get his money from and how did he survive?
Even though it was already evening, Ichiraku Ramen was still packed with customers. They had to wait in line for quite some time before they were finally served.
Generously, Anya ordered a full-meat ramen set for Dan Kato and a regular bowl for himself. After all, the man had saved his life, so showing some gratitude was necessary.
Dan looked genuinely surprised when he saw the two bowls of ramen. He pointed at Anya's bowl and said, "Let's swap. You're still a kid—you need more meat to grow up strong."
Anya waved her hand casually before slurping a mouthful of noodles. "No need. You've been busy all day — you should take better care of yourself. A bowl of noodles is just enough for me. I couldn't handle any more."
"Alright then." Truth be told, Anya's behavior left a pretty good impression on Dan Kato.
As they ate, the two made small talk. Anya asked offhandedly, as if it had just occurred to her, "By the way, I feel like your Medical Ninjutsu seems different from others'. Your Medical Ninjutsu can even restore my inner energy."
Dan Kato, who had been eating noodles, froze slightly, looking at Anya with some surprise. "Didn't think you were that in tune with your own spirit. Ordinary people usually can't feel it. This might be my unique ability. Ever since childhood, I've been able to sense my own soul, so I've constantly practiced controlling it. During one treatment, I mastered how to use my soul, allowing it to imbue chakra to produce different effects. I used this technique on you just now. I call this jutsu [Spirit Transformation Technique]."
"What?" Anya's heart thumped wildly. There's such a monstrous jutsu in the ninja world? How come I've never heard of it? If that's the case, his soul can be used not only to heal but also to kill. Isn't this the ultimate assassination technique?
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