After finally squeezing his way out of the crowd, Muzan glanced back at the flood of patients chasing after him.
Terrified, he immediately fled into the director’s office, barely escaping before his overenthusiastic “fans” could tear him apart.
“Your timing couldn’t have been better.” Director Harano had heard the commotion outside.
Rather than scolding Muzan for barging into his office, he calmly picked up a file from his desk and looked at him with unusual seriousness.
“What I’m about to tell you may be a bit disappointing.
Prepare yourself.” Now that Muzan had become a genin, he was already a well-known young doctor at the hospital.
As Sakumo’s son, with talent and ability beyond question, Director Harano had immediately approached the Third Hokage.
Their thoughts aligned perfectly.
They both wanted to recommend Muzan as Tsunade’s apprentice.
They had even deliberately spread rumors around the hospital pairing Tsunade and Muzan together.
Unfortunately, reality didn’t cooperate.
Tsunade simply wasn’t interested in taking on a child as a student.
So the apprenticeship plan had fallen through.
Muzan wasn’t particularly surprised.
From an outsider’s perspective, Tsunade was undoubtedly the ideal teacher for him.
But only he knew the truth.
His path resembled Tsunade’s in the beginning, yet would ultimately diverge toward something much closer to Orochimaru’s.
“So that’s all?
I wasn’t planning on becoming Tsunade-sama’s disciple anyway.” Director Harano froze.
That wasn’t the reaction he’d expected.
And what was with that completely indifferent expression?
“What kind of attitude is that, brat?!
That’s Tsunade-sama you’re talking about!
Show some respect!” Only after lecturing him did Harano reveal his real objective.
Now that Muzan had graduated from the shinobi Academy, he no longer belonged to it.
That old man Kaizen couldn’t compete with the hospital for him anymore.
“The Third Hokage wants you to remain at the hospital and continue studying medical ninjutsu.” He placed two scrolls on the table.
“I managed to get these from the Medical Corps.
Practice them whenever you have time, and I’ll personally help you train.” Director Harano wasn’t someone to underestimate.
Becoming the hospital’s director required more than administrative skill.
His own abilities were at the level of a Tokubetsu jonin.
During wartime, his value exceeded that of many ordinary shinobi.
Not wanting Muzan to underestimate the hospital, he proudly pushed the two scrolls closer.
“See these?
Both are A-rank techniques.
If I didn’t have enough influence, I never would’ve been able to get my hands on them.” The two techniques were Mystical Palm Technique and Healing Resuscitation Regeneration, both advanced forms of healing ninjutsu.
Medical ninjutsu demanded extremely high standards from its practitioners.
Unlike most A-rank techniques, however, these carried virtually no harmful side effects.
Since Tsunade had refused to become Muzan’s teacher, and the Third Hokage wasn’t willing to waste such extraordinary talent, they decided to keep him with the Medical Corps for the time being.
Once his classmates graduated, they could eventually form a squad together and build bonds through shared missions.
“Thank you.
But what I really want is access to the hospital laboratory.” “I knew you’d appreciate these A-rank techni…
Wait.
Did you just say…
the laboratory?” Director Harano was numb.
Why did everything keep going differently than he’d imagined?
Those were A-rank techniques!
Why was the kid more interested in a laboratory?
“If you really want to use it, I can authorize your access.
But there’s a retired legend working there.
Be careful not to offend her.” “A retired legend?
Don’t worry.
I’m only interested in my research.
I won’t bother her.” Although he had no idea who this mysterious legend was, Muzan had no habit of causing trouble.
As long as she left him alone, there’d be no conflict.
After receiving the key, Muzan headed straight for the laboratory.
Ever since the Second Shinobi World War ended, Tsunade had embraced a leisurely lifestyle, and the hospital laboratory had gone largely unused.
Dust coated nearly every surface.
Using Wind Release, he swept the dust across the floor without disturbing the equipment.
Clink…
Clink…
Glass beakers rattled against one another.
Fortunately, the wind skimmed along the ground instead of blasting through the room, leaving the delicate instruments intact.
“Cough!
Which idiot used Wind Release in the lab?!
I just swallowed a mouthful of dust!” A woman clutching a sake bottle staggered to her feet.
With her hazy eyes and drunken appearance, she looked completely out of place in such a meticulous laboratory.
The crest on her clothes made Muzan’s pupils contract.
“Gamble…” His expression turned complicated.
There was no mistake.
This was Konoha’s “Gamble” of the famous trio.
Also known as one of the Legendary Sannin…
Tsunade.
“So it’s Tsunade-sama.” “Hm?
Why do you look familiar…” Still drunk, Tsunade leaned in until her face was only inches from his.
Her ample chest pressed squarely against Muzan’s face as she looked down at him, studying him carefully.
She even lifted his robe before finally recognizing the white-haired boy the Third Hokage had tried to foist onto her.
“Oh, you’re the Hatake kid.
Did you come to find me?
Too bad, I already decided I’m not taking you as my student.” She casually ruffled his white hair.
The heavy smell of alcohol made Muzan uncomfortable.
Stepping away from her hand and finally escaping the mountain-like obstacle blocking his vision.
He saw the dismissive look on her face.
He wasn’t angry in the slightest.
Instead, he answered calmly, “You misunderstand.
I didn’t come here to see you.
In fact, I didn’t even know the ‘retired legend’ using this laboratory was you.
I’m here to conduct experiments.
And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt them.” “This little brat…” Tsunade blinked.
“I just got ignored?” She watched Muzan walk right past her.
His attitude genuinely piqued her curiosity.
Did he really not understand what the name Tsunade meant within Konoha?
Or…
Was he deliberately playing hard to get?
That’s right!
He had to be doing it on purpose.
Curious, she quietly followed behind him, waiting for the moment he’d finally reveal his true intentions.
But as time passed, she realized something unexpected.
Muzan truly didn’t care about her.
He had become completely absorbed in his research.
“Has my reputation declined…
or have I gotten old?” She frowned.
“Kids his age usually dream about becoming Hokage…
or chasing pretty girls.” It wasn’t difficult to catch a woman’s interest.
The real problem was surviving the consequences…
Especially when that woman happened to be a Kage-level shinobi.
Setting her sake bottle aside, Tsunade watched the young boy standing atop a stool.
Despite his age, he carried himself with an intense maturity, completely focused on his work.
She had only ever seen that look in one other person.
Orochimaru.
“Compared to me…
Orochimaru would make a far better teacher for Muzan.” Looks like the old man misjudged this one.
As far as she remembered, Orochimaru didn’t have any disciples.
He was one of the Legendary Sannin, while Muzan was Sakumo’s son.
The pairing certainly wouldn’t diminish Orochimaru’s reputation.
When she had the chance, she’d recommend Muzan to him.
At this point in time, Orochimaru was merely obsessed with scientific research.
He hadn’t yet descended into the ruthless monster he would eventually become.
Combined with his outstanding leadership during the Second Shinobi World War, he had contributed more than any of the other Sannin and was widely considered the strongest candidate for the position of Hokage.
“Hahaha!
I’m a genius!” “That little brat is definitely going to thank me for this!” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Hidden_Quill Thank you so much for reading!