Chapter 49: Yakushi Nono's Shock
If any other medical staff had seen the way Yakushi Nono was speaking to Seiji—as if she were coaxing a child—they would have been utterly stunned.
Nono may have seemed gentle and soft-spoken, but in action, she was ruthless, no different from the coldest ANBU operative.
She took Seiji along to conduct a test, and he readily followed her.
After a series of evaluations, Yakushi Nono finally confirmed that Seiji possessed an affinity for Yang Release.
"Then from now on, you'll study medical ninjutsu under me," she said.
She had given him her word—and Yakushi Nono always kept her promises.
Besides, in these final days before she left, taking in one last pure and untainted child didn't seem so bad.
To her, children were blank slates—untainted by the filth of the world.
After years of working for Root and witnessing countless acts of deceit, cruelty, and corruption, Yakushi Nono had grown weary of it all.
She also knew full well how the Uchiha were being marginalized and buried within the shadows of Konoha.
Especially her superior—Danzo Shimura—the head of Root, whose hatred for the Uchiha had morphed into blatant discrimination.
He was always muttering criticisms of the clan, quoting their late mentor, Tobirama Senju.
So many children like Seiji were born into a kind of original sin—judged not for who they were, but for the Uchiha name they carried.
But there was nothing Nono could do about that.
Her plan was simple: to eventually leave Konoha and live out her life running an orphanage in the outside world.
"Understood, Master Nono!"
Seiji responded immediately, calling her "teacher" without hesitation.
He looked up at her with bright, eager eyes.
Nono, dressed in her pristine white lab coat, had a gentle yet dignified air about her.
Compared to the black, nun-like robes she wore in the original timeline, she now looked more like a benevolent doctor devoted to healing the world.
She couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you. Let's start you off with a basic D-rank healing jutsu."
She led Seiji to her office and started searching through her scrolls.
Before long, she pulled out a pale scroll and handed it to him.
"This is the Simple Wound Healing. It's used to treat minor skin wounds."
Seiji opened it and saw that it was filled with detailed instructions.
"When using medical ninjutsu, precise chakra control is essential. You also need the ability to sustain chakra over extended periods. It's a skill that takes hard work and patience to master."
"Yes, Master Nono! I'll study it diligently and repay you one day!"
His earnest words made Nono smile.
A fresh Genin talking about repaying her—it was honestly kind of adorable.
He really did feel like someone raised in the Land of Lightning—pure, sincere, and unpolished.
If an adult had said something like that, Nono would've just found it greasy and insincere.
"It's enough that you have the heart for it," she said warmly.
She then grabbed a clear glass, poured coffee and milk into it, and stirred it until it became a muddy mix.
"This is your first real lesson as a medical ninja—use chakra to separate these two liquids."
Kids' interest came and went fast, after all.
This exercise would test how serious Seiji's interest in medical ninjutsu truly was—and give her a glimpse of his talent.
Seiji placed both hands on the glass and began gathering chakra, focusing it into the meridians of his palms. He attempted to manipulate the mixture through the glass using his chakra.
Watching his serious expression, Yakushi Nono reminded him:
"Though they're both liquids, coffee and milk have different densities. You can separate them. This is the most basic of medical ninja skills. In fact, it's the core principle behind the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, which is more complex and will learn after I think you are ready. If you can't master this step, becoming a medical ninja will be far from easy."
She spoke as she observed Seiji closely, analyzing every movement and reaction.
She was already prepared to guide Seiji for a long period—this exercise wasn't easy. Typically, a Genin would need at least several hours just to grasp the basics.
For those with poor talent, it might take days—or even months.
The Delicate Illness Extraction Technique was a B-rank vital skill for extracting toxins from the body. Whether struck by a poisoned weapon or bitten by a venomous creature during a mission, this technique could mean the difference between life and death.
If you couldn't master this, becoming a medical ninja would be nearly impossible.
Having a natural Yang Release affinity simply meant Seiji would have a much easier time learning medical ninjutsu than someone without it. It saved him the years of effort usually required to acquire and refine the Yang nature transformation.
But at the end of the day, mastery of medical ninjutsu depended on one's ability to control chakra with precise delicacy.
That was why medical ninjutsu was far more difficult than other ninja techniques—and why medical ninjas were so rare.
Seiji listened to Yakushi Nono's explanation as he focused intently on separating the mixed liquid with his chakra.
Thanks to his "Genius Scholar (Green)" trait, his learning speed was boosted by 20%.
And with the "Master of Basics (Green)" trait, Seiji didn't just have more chakra—he also had solid control over basic techniques like Clone Jutsu, Tree Climbing, and Water Walking.
Within just a few dozen seconds—and before Nono had even finished explaining—Seiji's hands began to tremble slightly. But the mixture in the glass started to shift.
The once muddy blend of coffee and milk began to separate—two distinct colors slowly drifting apart.
The murky liquid gradually cleared. The coffee rose to the top, and the white milk sank to the bottom. The separation was clean and precise.
"Impossible…"
She blinked, almost thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.
Yakushi Nono instinctively leaned in closer, her lab coat tightening slightly across her chest.
She had personally guided many students through this exercise before.
Even those considered gifted in medical ninjutsu usually failed their first attempt—or at best managed to create a vague line between the substances.
Yet this kid—who had just become a Genin—had achieved a near-perfect separation in under a minute.
Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but no words came out.
Countless thoughts raced through her mind. For a brief moment, she even wondered if Seiji had secretly practiced this technique beforehand.
But his focused, slightly childish expression told her this was clearly his first time attempting such a task.
And if he were faking, there was no way he could fool her.
Seiji looked up at her and said:
"Master Nono, I did it!"
"Mm."
Yakushi Nono gave a small nod.
In that moment, a spark of resolve ignited within her—a desire to personally nurture this child.
Maybe before she left Konoha, she could leave behind a legacy—something meaningful.
After all, every medical ninja was a rare and precious asset.
Training just one was no small feat.
If it were easy, the three-man cells would have long since been required to include one medical ninja each.