I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 81 - : I Want You to Oversee the Eastern Front

"The two girls are very impressive, Lord Hokage. Konoha's training methods have improved significantly—there are many things now that we've never seen before."

The daimyo was quite satisfied.

Female ninja had always been at a disadvantage in the shinobi world. Over the years, very few kunoichi had risen to prominence, and battle-ready medical ninja were even rarer.

However...

Both Rin Nohara and Kurenai Yuhi had displayed remarkable combat prowess.

Especially Kurenai.

Even though the daimyo wasn't a shinobi, he could still tell—when Rin was first caught in an illusion, Kurenai could have ended the match right then and there.

After all...

Not many people could survive a punch like that.

"This is all thanks to Kanda Kyoichi. He has a real talent for teaching—Kurenai is his disciple."

"Kanda Kyoichi? He's also a medical ninja?"

"His expertise in medical ninjutsu is second only to Tsunade."

The daimyo narrowed his eyes slightly, glancing toward the stands.

Second only to Tsunade...

That kind of praise was no small feat.

Indeed...

He was a genius, much like the Second Hokage.

A shame...

A man like that could never be brought into his service.

The daimyo sighed inwardly.

But then, his eyes suddenly widened in surprise as he looked toward Kyoichi's section again. "Wait... Is that Tsunade?"

"Yes, she returned to the village recently."

Hiruzen's smile widened.

He knew his own people well—just because Tsunade was back didn't necessarily mean she was staying for good.

However...

That wasn't how the daimyo saw it.

Seeing Tsunade's return, he was thrilled.

Never mind anything else—just her ability to heal a large number of shinobi could shift the tide of battle. Not to mention her powerful medical ninjutsu, strategic prowess, and immense combat strength.

With her back, even if Konoha had to face two great ninja villages at once, they wouldn't be afraid.

This battle was as good as won!

After that, the daimyo lost interest in the rest of the fights.

But then...

The next match showed him what true excitement was.

Shisui vs. Might Guy!

Might Guy opened the First Gate, while Shisui pushed his Body Flicker Technique to the limit. The battlefield was filled with their afterimages, moving at lightning speed.

If Kurenai and Rin's match had been an interesting showcase of combat-ready medical ninja...

Then this was pure close-quarters combat at its finest.

Sword versus taijutsu!

Uchiha-Style kenjutsu, Konoha-style kenjutsu, Wind Release Sword Techniques...

No frills.

Just pure spectacle!

However...

Somehow, the attacks didn't seem all that powerful in the end.

And to the daimyo's astonishment, the seemingly goofy-looking ninja actually won.

He didn't understand.

But...

Hiruzen did.

That kid, Shisui, was definitely holding back again.

Of course...

Even if Shisui had gone all out, he wouldn't have stood a chance against Guy in the Eight Gates state. At this stage, Guy's overall combat ability was undoubtedly higher than Shisui's.

So, the match was arranged this way for a reason.

Both fighters got to showcase their strengths, and Shisui, who wasn't even aiming for a promotion, got exactly what he wanted.

After the Exam

As soon as the third round ended, Kyoichi left immediately.

The outcome had already been decided in the second match—this was just a formality.

...

Later, Kyoichi and Tsunade went to the hospital to check on Hayate Gekkō's condition.

"Your surgery was perfect. He's recovering well—he should be able to move normally in about a week."

"How long until he's as strong as a regular person?"

"That's hard to say."

Tsunade shook her head.

There was no precedent for a Kekkei Genkai-related illness like this, making it impossible to predict the exact recovery timeline.

"We'll need to monitor him regularly, collect data... We might even try periodic toxin removal, to see if we can find a balance between sustaining his Kekkei Genkai and maintaining his health."

Kyoichi spoke while considering the similarities to the Eight Gates and the Breathing Activation Technique. "Those who use the First and Second Gates, as well as the breathing technique, should undergo routine checkups as well."

Hearing this, Tsunade stopped in her tracks.

After thinking for a moment, she nodded. "You're right..."

She had thought even further ahead than Kyoichi.

Routine checkups and data collection wouldn't just ensure the health of shinobi—it could also help refine their techniques in the long run.

They could reduce side effects and lower the difficulty of mastering these techniques.

Regular medical checkups should definitely be implemented!

However...

"You brat, you just keep giving me more work. Afraid I'll leave the village?"

"No way. Haven't you already decided to stay?"

Kyoichi grinned.

Tsunade was momentarily speechless.

This kid...

He'd caught on with just the smallest hint and followed the thread to the truth.

Annoying!

Shizune was also stunned. "Tsunade-sama, we're staying?"

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"You want to keep wandering? Fine by me."

"N-no, I... I'd rather stay in Konoha."

Shizune fidgeted.

Traveling with Tsunade had been unstable and exhausting—not ideal for learning and improving herself.

"For now, we're staying."

...

Hokage's Office

After meeting with the daimyo, Hiruzen had Minato personally teleport him back using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Then, he got straight to work on village affairs.

It wasn't long before a special scroll arrived.

From the hospital.

What could the hospital want?

He unrolled it, scanned the contents, and after a moment of thought, a smile appeared on his face.

Psychological medicine.

Routine medical checkups.

Both excellent initiatives!

Of course...

If it had just been these two proposals, he wouldn't have been this pleased.

What truly delighted him was the names on the proposal—

Tsunade and Kanda Kyoichi.

"Summon Tsunade... No, have Kyoichi come instead."

At first, he wanted to call for Tsunade.

But then...

He reconsidered.

Tsunade was difficult to talk to—better to let Kyoichi handle it.

Kyoichi quickly received the message.

He more or less knew what this was about, and Tsunade wasn't surprised either.

The old man was definitely going to approve!

Arriving at the Hokage's office, Kyoichi found Hiruzen practically beaming with excitement.

"Kyoichi, is Tsunade staying?"

"For now, yes. Psychological medicine and routine checkups need her to oversee them. As for the future... I can't say."

"For now is good enough."

Hiruzen sighed, feeling a little melancholic.

He understood Tsunade's situation—getting her to stay even temporarily and take charge of these projects was already a major success.

He let out a deep breath and placed the scroll on his desk.

"Your proposals are excellent. I'll have the hospital provide full support—especially for psychological medicine. You can request anyone you need, including me."

Hiruzen spoke solemnly.

Psychological issues...

He had never considered them before. But over the years, he had seen too many shinobi unable to perform at their full potential due to mental burdens.

Gosuke was a prime example.

Despite possessing jōnin-level skills, he remained a mere genin.

This wasn't just a loss for him—it was a loss for the village.

And he wasn't the only one.

Kakashi was another case.

"Yes, sir!"

Kyoichi wasn't surprised.

Psychological trauma was incredibly common among shinobi.

Hiruzen thought for a moment, then handed Kyoichi another scroll.

"This came from the body of a Kirigakure jōnin, recovered by the ANBU."

Kyoichi scanned it and narrowed his eyes.

"Lord Hokage, it seems the hardliners in Kirigakure have gained the upper hand. They may take further action against us."

"I agree. Kyoichi, I want you to oversee operations on the Eastern Front."

"Me?"

Kyoichi was taken aback.

He had only been promoted for less than a year, and now they wanted him to take charge...

Would the others accept that?

"With Tsunade and me backing you, you don't need to worry about anything else."

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