By the time dusk fell, the two of them finally finished treating patients.
Not because everyone had been healed—but because all those on the brink of death had been treated.
Many others never made it to Tsunade or Hyuga Arin. They died in pain before help could reach them.
The two simply couldn't split themselves further.
Treating a critically injured patient demanded absolute focus. One mistake meant death.
Worse still, many patients showed no obvious external wounds, yet their internal organs had already ruptured. By the time their condition was discovered, they were already dead—leaving Tsunade and Arin no chance to save them.
There were far too many like this. Even with Tsunade using her Strength of a Hundred Seal to share chakra through her summon Katsuyu, she couldn't delay their deaths.
Tsunade's face was filled with grief.
Arin's face also showed pain.
The former was heartbroken as a doctor forced to watch patients die.
The latter was in pain because he'd lost a huge chunk of potential experience.
That level of severe injury was worth at least a thousand experience points each. What a waste—to just die like that.
Tsunade and Arin entered Orochimaru's tent together. Inside was also Hyuga Hikaru, his body still wrapped in bandages.
Both Tsunade and Arin collapsed into chairs, exhausted.
"Treating people is even more tiring than fighting on the battlefield," Arin said,揉揉 his temples.
Healing required total concentration. Both body and mind were pushed to their limits.
"You think being a medical ninja is easy?" Tsunade looked at Arin with a complicated expression.
Being a medical ninja was even harder than being a regular combat ninja.
And yet Arin's performance had already proven that he was a qualified medical ninja.
"I'd still rather go back out and kill Cloud ninja," Arin shrugged.
Honestly, he now wanted to farm Stone ninja and Sand ninja more.
The former dropped Dragon Slayer magic, the latter dropped equipment. With Fire Release alone, he could already dominate most fights.
If he wanted to fuse other chakra natures, all he had to do was apply to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After all, Sarutobi had personally promised that Arin could freely apply for jutsu without going through the merit system.
In a sense, Arin was as orthodox as it got.
First, he wasn't an Uchiha.
Second, he was Orochimaru's disciple—directly tied to the Hokage's lineage.
The Hyuga clan's issues were internal matters and had no real impact on Konoha.
Though every time Konoha's system was discussed, the Uchiha always got dragged out and flogged again. Arin felt that was… maybe a bit unfair.
If nothing else, he could always go fight Kirigakure with the Uchiha. They dropped Devil Fruits, after all.
"Cloud has temporarily retreated. We have no intention of advancing further," Orochimaru said, shattering Arin's pleasant daydream.
"And given their losses, they won't be launching another large-scale assault anytime soon."
As he spoke, Orochimaru couldn't help glancing at Arin. Most of the Cloud Village's losses had been caused by him.
Those losses would cripple Cloud's strength for the remainder of the war. Arin had played a decisive role.
Cloud had only two pillars:
One was the Raikage, gravely injured by Hyuga Masayuki and still not recovered.
The other was B, who had just been driven back by three people working together.
Beyond them, Cloud no longer had elite jōnin-level fighters.
The First Shinobi War had hit Cloud hard, and the new generation simply hadn't reached the same level as their predecessors.
"Hyuga Hikaru will resume command of this front," Tsunade said tiredly. "Hyuga Arin, you'll stay here and handle medical treatment."
"Wait." Arin immediately objected. "You're saying I'm staying here?!"
The three of them were clearly heading to other battlefields—and they weren't taking him along.
Wasn't that a bit much?!
Orochimaru explained, "Konoha really can't spare manpower right now. This front needs a main combatant, and you're the most suitable."
Cloud had retreated, but that didn't mean they could let their guard down.
On this front, Konoha ninja were either injured or dead. If Cloud launched another surprise attack while the three of them were gone, the line could collapse.
No one could guarantee that Cloud wouldn't suddenly lose their minds and attack again. It wouldn't be the first time.
Arin was the best choice to stay behind.
He couldn't single-handedly contend with Cloud's two pillars—but both were injured now and might not appear on the battlefield.
Arin was enough to lead Konoha's forces and withstand Cloud's pressure.
Thinking of something, Orochimaru turned to Hyuga Hikaru.
"If Cloud really does launch a surprise attack, Arin takes full command here."
No way he'd let his own disciple get screwed over by the Hyuga clan.
Jiraiya and Tsunade had no objections.
Anyone with eyes could see that Arin's relationship with the Hyuga clan was… strained.
Hyuga Hikaru remained expressionless and offered no comment.
Arin stared helplessly at the tent ceiling.
It was clear the three of them were determined to leave him here.
If he'd known, he wouldn't have shown such overwhelming combat power.
Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya quietly left the camp, heading off to support other fronts.
Inside the command tent, only Hyuga Hikaru and Hyuga Arin remained.
Hikaru looked calmly at Arin.
Only thirteen years old, yet already possessing the power to sway an entire battlefield.
A new bloodline limit.
The trust of the future Sannin.
If he belonged to any other clan, Arin's future would be limitless.
But he was born into the Hyuga.
The Hyuga were friendly to ordinary members—but to those with exceptional talent, the clan was hell.
"This may be the peak of your glory," Hyuga Hikaru said quietly.
Arin looked at him.
An unremarkable middle-aged man now—but once, a genius known throughout Konoha.
And now? How many people still even remembered the name Hyuga Hikaru?
Arin found himself curious about something.
"What if the main house can't do anything to me?" he asked.
The Hyuga clan had deep roots. At this time, there were still a few old monsters capable of elite jōnin-level strength.
But there was no one comparable to a Kage.
That was the limitation of the Byakugan.
Obsessed with the Byakugan, yet ignorant of how to evolve it, the Hyuga had hit a ceiling at elite jōnin—and never surpassed it.
"Don't forget the Caged Bird," Hyuga Hikaru sighed with deep regret. "That is the fatal weakness of branch family members."
As long as the main house controlled the Caged Bird Seal, no branch member could ever escape the Hyuga clan.
"What if…"
Arin removed his forehead protector, revealing a Caged Bird Seal that had turned completely black.
"…the Caged Bird no longer works on me?"
Hyuga Hikaru's pupils shrank.
Looking at the seal—its color completely changed, its marks greatly faded—he couldn't tell whether it was truly broken.
Was it just altered?
Or was it truly… gone?
Arin stepped closer, a strange smile on his face. He leaned in and softly asked the question that had been weighing on him:
"If I can make your Caged Bird Seal ineffective—
would you dare to rebel against the Hyuga main house?"
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