Chapter 32: Orphanage's Peaceful Life
From that day on, Minamikawa Yuu returned to a normal routine as a student at the Ninja Academy.
But starting then, the people around him clearly felt something had changed.
Before his memories awakened, Yuu had been quiet to the point of being dull. He rarely spoke to anyone, and he almost never took the initiative to socialize.
It was understandable. He was an orphan.
For an orphan with no parents to rely on, it was hard to stay bright and cheerful. Someone like Uzumaki Naruto was an exception among exceptions and could not be used as the standard.
The current Yuu, however, carried himself like a completely different person.
Still, the people around him only found it strange for a short while before they stopped caring. He was just an ordinary kid, not some genius from a famous clan. No one would waste time watching him every day.
Yuu understood that as well, so he did not dwell on the change in himself.
A slight shift in personality was nothing. Kids changed quickly.
What mattered was that his talent as a ninja could not suddenly jump too much, or he would inevitably draw attention.
So for the next stretch of time, he stayed restrained. He blended into the crowd like dust caught in sunlight, neither standing out nor falling behind.
One day after class, he did not go home as usual.
Instead, he headed somewhere else.
This was the Konoha Orphanage, where many orphans lived.
"Yuu, you're back!"
"How's life at the Ninja Academy?"
On the way in, many people greeted him.
Yuu answered each of them with a smile.
He had grown up in this orphanage for several years. He was not a stranger here.
Many of the children who had once played with him were still living here.
Most of the kids who stayed in the orphanage had no talent for being ninja. They would remain as students until they turned ten, then leave to find their own way in the world.
For now, though, their lives were steady. Not luxurious, but not miserable either.
As he walked deeper in, Yuu soon arrived at the Director's office.
"Director."
He entered holding a bouquet of fresh flowers and nodded respectfully to the old man inside.
An elderly man sat behind the desk. When he saw Yuu, a warm smile spread across his face.
"Yuu. It really has been a long time."
He was the orphanage's director. To the children who had lived here, he was like a father.
And now, he was nearing the age when he should retire.
Yuu knew that, so he had come specifically to see the old director off.
"How is life at the Ninja Academy? Have you adjusted?"
The old director looked at him with concern.
"Is anyone giving you trouble?"
Yuu answered every question with a smile, showing no impatience.
He knew the old man meant well. He was not prying, only worrying whether Yuu was doing alright.
Not everyone could adapt to the Ninja Academy.
Becoming a ninja was a path to rise in status, but it was also harsh and dangerous.
Many children from the orphanage had chosen that road, yet few ended well.
With those examples in mind, the old director could not help but worry.
"Ah, about that."
Yuu smiled.
"Please don't worry. I'm fine."
"The path to becoming a ninja is difficult, but I can handle it. There's no problem."
"That's good."
The old director let out a breath, then smiled again.
"As expected of a descendant of ninja. You really are more suited to being a ninja than the others."
"A descendant of ninja is still just a person."
Yuu replied softly.
"They don't automatically have more than anyone else. Whether someone is suited to be a ninja depends on talent and will, not birth."
"That's true."
The old director chuckled.
"It's just that compared to the others, you're always the one who puts me most at ease."
He sighed, then grew a little sentimental.
"Time passes too quickly. I still remember when you were only three or four."
"In the blink of an eye, I'm about to leave this place and retire."
He looked at Yuu.
"Before I retire, is there anything you need me to do?"
"I'm old, and I'm not some powerful ninja, but over the years I've gotten to know quite a few people."
"If you run into trouble, I might be able to help."
Yuu thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Actually, there is something I need your help with."
"I want to learn medical ninjutsu."
"Medical ninjutsu?"
Surprise flashed across the old director's face.
"Yes."
Yuu nodded.
"The longer I stay at the Ninja Academy, the more I feel my own limitations."
"Compared to going to the battlefield to kill people, I prefer treating injuries and saving lives."
"So I want to learn medical ninjutsu and enter Konoha Hospital in the future, to become a medical ninja."
Not wanting to kill was only an excuse.
Deep down, Yuu truly did not enjoy killing, but it was not to the point that he could not be a ninja.
He said it because he wanted to avoid the battlefield that was coming.
The atmosphere in the ninja world already felt wrong. War could break out at any time.
When that happened, even if Yuu was not yet an official ninja and was only a student, he would likely be dragged onto the battlefield.
He needed a way to avoid that risk.
And that required a strategy.
Becoming a medical ninja was the most ideal path.
Compared to ordinary ninja, medical ninja held higher status, and their value on the battlefield was greater.
Ordinary ninja had to fight on the front lines.
Most medical ninja only needed to stay in the rear and treat the wounded.
The risk was much lower, while the benefits could be far greater.
Most importantly, medical ninjutsu was also something Yuu excelled at.
During those fifty years of reincarnation, he had not been idle.
Beyond managing state affairs, he had studied and mastered many forms of chakra application.
And among all ninjutsu, the one he had focused on most was medical ninjutsu.
To extend his life and preserve his condition, he had learned it deeply and mastered it thoroughly.
In theory, with his current level, it would not be impossible for him to walk straight into Konoha Hospital and serve as a medical ninja.
But having the skill was one thing.
Showing it openly was another.
.....
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