A few days later, inside the Hokage's office.
"...And that concludes the full report and outcome of this mission."
As the briefing ended, a brief silence settled over the office.
Behind the desk, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, listened quietly to their detailed account. A deeply affectionate smile spread across his face.
"Well done. You both performed exceptionally, far exceeding my expectations," his voice was warm and full of validation. "Based on the nature of this incident, the level of involvement, and the final results, the Mission Evaluation Committee has unanimously decided to officially upgrade this mission to A-rank."
An A-rank mission typically implied that the event itself had touched upon, or could potentially disrupt, regional power balances and security.
Uncovering and thwarting a conspiracy where a border City Lord colluded with a foreign cult to abduct domestic children for sinister purposes absolutely met the criteria for that rank.
"Since the mission is officially complete, take some time to rest," the Third Hokage chuckled. His tone was light, like an elder doting on his juniors, as he gently advised them.
"Especially you, Shinichi. To experience such turbulence on your very first mission is no small feat. Go home, relax, and recover your spirit."
"Yes, sir. Thank you for your concern, Lord Third," Shinichi replied respectfully.
Pausing for a moment, he raised his head. "Lord Third, I am personally very interested in medical ninjutsu. I was wondering if I could request permission to visit Konoha Hospital during my off-duty hours to learn the basics?"
"Oh? Studying medical ninjutsu?" Hiruzen set his pipe down, his interest piqued, the smile on his face growing even warmer. "What brought this on so suddenly, Shinichi?"
"Well, Lord Third," Shinichi's tone was steady, clearly indicating he had thought this through thoroughly.
"There are a few main reasons. First, you previously taught me that my chakra control was still lacking. I've heard that medical ninjutsu requires an exceptionally high degree of microscopic chakra control—perhaps the highest of any ninjutsu branch."
"I figured that by undertaking medical ninjutsu training, I could significantly temper and elevate my chakra control. This would greatly benefit my overall future growth."
He paused slightly before continuing his crystal-clear reasoning. "Second, compared to ninjutsu, I actually invest much more time into taijutsu. My combat style leans heavily toward physical combat. And medicine and taijutsu have fundamentally shared common ground since ancient times."
"Gaining a profound understanding of human anatomy, the meridian system, muscle mechanics, and vital weak points won't just make my own training more scientific and efficient—reducing hidden injuries. It will also allow me to calculate the timing, targeting, and force of my attacks and defenses in actual combat with absolute precision. This would elevate my taijutsu's lethal efficiency to a completely new level."
Finally, he added, "Furthermore, as a shinobi, encountering injuries or teammates in need of rescue during missions is inevitable. Mastering basic medical knowledge could provide an extra layer of security during critical moments, minimizing unnecessary casualties."
After listening to his explanation, the Third Hokage slowly nodded, a smile gracing his lips. "Hmm... since you have the drive and your reasoning is perfectly sound, I have no reason to deny you. Tell you what, I'll put a word in with the Medical Department later. If you have time over the next couple of days, head over there and report in."
"However, Shinichi, medical ninjutsu is incredibly vast and profound. It requires not just talent, but relentless patience and extraordinary meticulousness. Remember to act within your limits. Do not bite off more than you can chew, and ensure you progress step by step."
"Yes, Lord Third!" Shinichi nodded solemnly. "I will keep your teachings in mind and humbly learn from the seniors at the hospital."
---
After the two bowed and exited the room, the Hokage's office returned to its tranquil silence, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi alone.
He picked up the freshly inked mission report from his desk and slowly flipped to the final appendix. There, squad leader Kosuke Maruboshi had handwritten his mission evaluation and teammate assessment.
Exceptional talent, resilient strength; piercing insight, immaculate logic; decisive adaptability, courageous and composed...
In the evaluation, Kosuke's praise for Shinichi was incredibly high. Toward the end, he explicitly emphasized that this was a child possessing a fierce sense of responsibility and profound empathy.
Reading this, the Third Hokage's smile blossomed layer by layer, like a blooming autumn chrysanthemum.
---
Perhaps feeling slightly guilty that Shinichi had been thrust into a rapidly escalating, ultimately A-rank mission immediately after graduating, the Third Hokage decided the young shinobi needed a smoother transition period.
Consequently, over the next two months, the missions assigned to Shinichi and Kosuke were almost exclusively D-rank, keeping them entirely within the confines of the Hidden Leaf.
The farthest they traveled was to a nearby village just outside Konoha, where they helped the locals drive away and eliminate a couple of brown bears that had woken from hibernation and were harassing the settlement.
Outside of missions, Shinichi didn't slack off in the slightest. On one hand, he continued his training under Kosuke.
The veteran shinobi's technique of seamlessly fusing exquisite kenjutsu with practical combat experience benefited Shinichi immensely.
At the same time, while Kosuke was renowned for his Water Style, he also possessed a rock-solid foundation in Fire Style. His guidance similarly elevated Shinichi's mastery over fire-natured chakra.
Nominally, the two were teammates. But in reality, for the vast majority of the time, Kosuke acted more like a dedicated mentor passing down everything he knew.
On the other hand, thanks to the Third Hokage's advanced notice, Shinichi easily gained access to Konoha Hospital and began diving into the professional knowledge of medical shinobi.
While Academy students were taught basic pharmacology and human anatomy, compared to the sheer depth and microscopic precision required of a truly qualified medical ninja, that was nothing more than the absolute basics.
Becoming a certified medical ninja was incredibly difficult. It typically required years of systematic training and grueling practical experience, demanding both exceptionally high talent and mental fortitude.
However, powered by the [Genius] trait and his stack of supporting buffs, Shinichi's learning efficiency wildly surpassed that of ordinary people.
"Heading out, Shinichi?" one afternoon, as he wrapped up his studies at the hospital, a familiar doctor noticed him packing his things and smiled.
"Yes, Senior. See you tomorrow," Shinichi nodded.
Walking down the hallway, a few nurses also smiled and waved at him.
"See you tomorrow, little Shinichi!"
"Stay safe on your way home!"
It was obvious that, despite only being there for two months, he had already built a highly favorable reputation among the staff.
Shinichi replied to each of them politely before walking out of the hospital with steady steps.
Upon returning home, he quickly washed up, walked over to his bed, and flopped straight down onto his back.
He quieted his mind, and his personal interface materialized silently before his eyes.
In his Talent column, one specific trait had recently undergone a transformation:
> [Charm (Green): You possess immense personal charisma. Your words and actions naturally exude approachability and credibility, causing people to subconsciously feel goodwill and agreement toward you. They are also much more susceptible to being influenced by your emotions and attitude.]
This was an upgrade from his original White trait, [Affinity]. Even though he hadn't deliberately chased it, the slow, daily accumulation of positive public perception had eventually solidified into this deeper, more potent trait.
His eyes swept past [Charm] and landed on a newly generated White trait:
> [Basic Medicine (White): You possess excellent memory and comprehension regarding human anatomy and pharmacological knowledge. Your learning and application of medical concepts and basic first-aid techniques are precise and highly efficient.]
This was the direct feedback from his recent studies at the hospital. However, looking at this specific trait, a certain fact was completely confirmed in Shinichi's mind.
Exactly as he had previously hypothesized—
[Basic Medicine] belonged to the sub-category of "Shinobi Class Talents."
Its generation precisely proved that the identity of a "Medical Ninja" was not recognized as an independent "Class" within the interface's underlying logic.
It was treated merely as a specialized branch under the Shinobi system—a derivative application combining a ninja's chakra with a doctor's knowledge. It was absolutely not an independent, supernatural class system with its own complete, ancient lineage.
So, what was?
Shinobi, obviously. They were the undisputed, dominant class of the modern ninja world.
And Swordsman...
Shinichi's thoughts rapidly traced back through the fragments of lore he knew. Various clues from the original storyline indicated that before Kaguya Otsutsuki descended and chakra became widespread...
...this world already teemed with numerous supernatural creatures. Yet, humanity had still managed to establish dominant civilizations and stable nations.
This meant that long before chakra became the mainstream power system, humanity must have possessed other methods capable of rivaling the supernatural.
Samurai, or Swordsmen, were one of them. It was only after chakra—a far more efficient, versatile form of energy—became popularized that they swapped their internal power source for it.
Even in the Land of Iron, which stubbornly clung to samurai traditions, the energy their warriors practically utilized was already chakra.
So, besides the Swordsman class, what else was there?
Shinichi's gaze focused sharply as two specific terms surfaced in his mind:
Priestess!
Monk!