Ren's heart stirred the moment the opportunity was mentioned.
Ever since arriving in this world, he had already begun planning his future path carefully. Strength was everything in the ninja world. Without power, even survival became a luxury. And among all the people in Konoha, there were very few individuals truly worthy of being called monsters.
Tsunade was one of them.
As the princess of the Senju Clan and the greatest medical ninja of the current era, Tsunade represented far more than simple healing techniques. Her medical knowledge had already surpassed common understanding. The terrifying Monster Strength that could shatter mountains with a single punch, the mysterious Yin Seal capable of storing enormous chakra reserves, and the legendary Strength of a Hundred Technique that granted near-immortality in battle…
Every one of those abilities was a priceless treasure.
To Ren, Tsunade wasn't merely a future teacher.
She was a living arsenal capable of changing his destiny.
If he could get close to her… if he could learn even a portion of her techniques… then his rise in strength would become unstoppable.
Suppressing the excitement hidden deep within his eyes, Ren maintained a calm and respectful expression.
"Thank you for your high regard, Senior Jaci," he said politely.
Then he paused slightly before glancing toward Rin, who was crouched beside a wounded ninja while carefully recording symptoms with absolute concentration.
Even amidst the chaos of the battlefield, she remained focused and meticulous.
Ren continued softly, "Also… Rin has been working extremely hard on her medical studies. Her foundation is very solid. I was wondering… could your recommendation letter include her as well?"
Jaci raised an eyebrow slightly.
Clearly, she hadn't expected Ren to bring up someone else at a time like this.
Most people, when presented with such a rare opportunity, would desperately seize it for themselves without caring about others.
But Ren was different.
He understood something most shinobi overlooked.
In this world, allies were just as important as personal strength.
Jaci followed Ren's gaze toward Rin and observed her quietly for a few moments.
"As for Rin…" Jaci spoke slowly, her tone thoughtful. "She is indeed careful and steady. Her fundamentals are quite solid for someone her age."
She crossed her arms lightly before continuing.
"However, the Advanced Medical Class has an extremely high threshold. The number of available positions is very limited."
Ren didn't interrupt.
He simply waited calmly.
"I can mention her in the recommendation letter," Jaci finally said, "but I cannot guarantee she'll be accepted."
"That's already more than enough," Ren replied with a faint smile.
For him, even an opportunity was valuable.
And for Rin… this might become the turning point that changed her future forever.
Before the conversation could continue further—
Bang!
The tent curtain was suddenly thrown open violently.
Several Konoha shinobi rushed inside carrying three unconscious bodies. Their faces were pale with panic and urgency.
"Lord Hayato!" one of them shouted immediately. "Something's wrong! The Seventh Patrol Squad was ambushed by Sunagakure! They were exposed to poison gas!"
The atmosphere inside the tent instantly froze.
Akiyama Hayato's expression darkened at once.
"…Those damned Sand bastards again."
His fists tightened visibly.
"Recently, they've become far more aggressive. Small infiltration squads keep entering the Land of Fire searching for something, and they kill anyone they encounter."
He turned sharply toward Jaci.
"Lady Jaci, please examine them immediately!"
"Understood."
Jaci moved without hesitation.
"Put them on the beds! Quickly!"
Under her command, the wounded shinobi were carefully laid down for treatment.
Ren instinctively stepped closer, narrowing his eyes as he examined the patients.
The condition of the victims was horrifying.
Their faces carried an unnatural bluish-purple tint. Dark green blood seeped from their wounds while black web-like veins spread across their skin like crawling insects.
The sight alone made Rin's face pale.
Jaci's expression sank heavily.
"…Guitou," she said sharply. "Bring the antidotes. All of them."
"Yes!"
Moments later, several medical kits containing various antidotes were brought over.
Jaci immediately began administering them one after another while everyone watched anxiously.
One breath passed.
Then another.
Then a third.
Nothing happened.
No improvement.
Instead, the wounded shinobi's breathing became weaker.
Jaci's pupils contracted instantly.
"This is bad…"
Her voice became sharp with urgency.
"It's likely a composite toxin. A mixture of neurotoxins and blood toxins working together. Highly aggressive… and unlike anything I've seen before."
She clenched her fists tightly.
"The antidotes we currently have are completely ineffective."
Silence filled the medical tent.
A suffocating silence.
Even the surrounding shinobi felt cold sweat form on their backs.
If this poison spread across the battlefield…
the consequences would be unimaginable.
"They must return to the village immediately," Jaci said decisively. "Only Lady Tsunade can analyze this toxin and create a proper antidote."
Then she turned toward Minato.
"Minato, this is an emergency. Escort them back to Konoha immediately. If more cases appear before we find a cure…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't need to.
Everyone already understood.
It would become a disaster.
"I understand."
Minato Namikaze nodded calmly without hesitation.
Even in a tense situation like this, his expression remained steady and reassuring.
Then he turned toward Ren, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
"The situation is urgent. I'll return using Flying Thunder God."
His voice softened slightly.
"Kakashi, Ren—you two stay here with Obito and Rin. Assist Lady Jaci and continue training nearby, but do not leave the vicinity of the camp."
"As soon as I receive results from Lady Tsunade, I'll return for you."
"…Understood."
Kakashi nodded calmly.
Ren also gave a slight nod, though his thoughts were already racing.
Soon after, the two most critically injured shinobi were prepared for transport.
Minato placed a hand on them calmly.
The next instant—
He vanished completely.
No sound.
No warning.
No chakra fluctuations ordinary people could follow.
Just disappearance.
That was the terrifying speed of Flying Thunder God.
A journey that had taken days on foot…
could be crossed by Minato in mere moments.
Ren couldn't help thinking inwardly—
By tonight, Minato would probably already be back in Konoha, maybe even eating dinner with Kushina while Tsunade analyzed the poison.
The gap between ordinary shinobi and monsters like Minato was simply overwhelming.
With Minato gone, the burden of the medical camp fell entirely onto the remaining personnel.
Ren and Rin quickly returned to assisting the wounded.
Not long after, Jaci called out to Ren directly.
"This patient requires surgery. Assist me."
"Understood."
Ren stepped forward immediately, his expression becoming serious.
This was no longer training.
This was real battlefield medicine.
Every second mattered.
Every mistake could cost a life.
The atmosphere inside the operating section became tense and focused.
Blood.
Chakra scalpels.
Bandages.
Medical chakra.
Everything moved rapidly under Jaci's precise command.
Ren followed carefully while observing every detail.
Across the room, Kakashi leaned silently against a corner with his arms crossed, quietly observing everything with sharp eyes.
As for Obito…
He stood awkwardly for a while before scratching his head helplessly.
"I… uh…"
There was nothing he could contribute.
Medical work wasn't his field at all.
Trying to help would probably make things worse.
"…I'll go train."
Without waiting for a response, Obito turned and hurried outside.
"Obito?"
"I'll be back later!"
Kakashi frowned slightly while watching him leave.
Something about Obito's behavior felt strange.
After a moment of hesitation—
Kakashi quietly followed him.
Time passed slowly.
By evening, the worst of the chaos had finally settled down.
After finishing the preliminary examinations and emergency treatments, Ren and Rin finally had a chance to rest briefly.
Both of them looked exhausted.
But Rin's eyes sparkled brightly with excitement.
"Ren… is it true?"
She leaned slightly closer.
"Senior Jaci is really recommending you to the Advanced Medical Class?"
Ren took a sip of water before smiling faintly.
"Not just me."
Rin blinked in confusion.
"It's for both of us."
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Although Senior Jaci said your acceptance might require more effort," Ren continued calmly, "I don't think it'll be a problem. Your foundation is excellent, and you're very careful during treatment. Those are important qualities for a medical ninja."
Rin stared at him silently for several moments.
Then she clasped her hands tightly against her chest.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
"That's… that's amazing…"
Her voice trembled slightly with emotion.
"Thank you, Ren. If you hadn't spoken up for me, Senior Jaci wouldn't have agreed so easily…"
"It's nothing special," Ren replied casually. "You earned it yourself."
Rin lowered her head slightly while smiling softly.
At that moment—
The tent curtain opened again.
Kakashi and Obito returned together.
Both of them were covered in dust and dirt, clearly having spent hours training outside.
"I'm starving!" Obito complained loudly the moment he entered.
"Then eat," Kakashi replied coldly.
Fortunately, Akiyama Hayato had already arranged dinner for everyone.
Soon, the group gathered around a small table and began eating together.
For a brief moment, the atmosphere relaxed.
The sounds of conversation and complaints replaced the tension of the battlefield.
It almost felt peaceful.
Almost.
That night, after dinner, Ren stepped outside into the open courtyard.
The night air carried a faint chill.
Under the dim lantern light, Ren slowly drew his sword.
Then—
He began practicing the Hatake Sword Style.
Every movement was sharp and controlled.
Each strike sliced through the air cleanly with deadly precision.
He wasn't merely repeating techniques mechanically.
He was refining them.
Adapting them.
Improving them little by little through repetition.
Sweat slowly formed across his forehead.
Only after working up a light sweat did he finally stop and return to his room.
The night passed quietly afterward.
No alarms.
No attacks.
No emergencies.
Early the next morning, the camp became active once more.
Kakashi and Obito went outside to continue training while Ren and Rin followed Jaci during the routine inspection of wounded shinobi.
Compared to yesterday, the atmosphere had improved considerably.
The painful groans were fewer.
Most patients appeared stable.
The worst seemed to have passed.
Then suddenly—
Jaci stopped walking.
Her eyes fixed onto an empty bed.
"…Strange."
She frowned slightly.
"There was someone here last night. I think his name was Fujiwara?"
A nearby Chunin nodded casually.
"Yeah. Maybe he recovered and went outside for a walk."
"…Perhaps."
Jaci nodded slowly.
"Rin, note it down first. Let's continue."
The matter seemed small.
Almost insignificant.
But Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
Something felt wrong.
A poisoned and heavily injured shinobi wouldn't simply disappear without informing anyone.
Not unless—
A thought flashed through Ren's mind instantly.
A spy.
This place was dangerously close to the Land of Wind, and Sunagakure was infamous for infiltration techniques and memory-concealing methods.
Ren had no proof yet.
But his instincts screamed that something was off.
I should report this to Jaci… and ask Hayato to investigate carefully.
If something truly happened—
everyone in the camp could become implicated.
Meanwhile—
At the edge of the camp training grounds—
Kakashi slowly opened his eyes after finishing meditation.
"Obito."
His tone was sharp.
"You're supposed to be training. What are you doing?"
Obito wasn't training at all.
Instead, he was crouched beside a wall, secretly peeking over it.
"Shh—!"
He quickly raised a finger to his lips.
"Kakashi… look over there."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Doesn't that guy look… suspicious?"
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slowly.
"…?"