Ding!
Shizune’s hand jerked.
The soup spoon clinked against the rim of the bowl.
“Tsunade-sama, you knew?” Shizune murmured.
“You have the smell of unfamiliar herbs on you, a mix of bone powder and ice thistle.
That stuff only comes from the Land of Lightning.
The pharmacies in Tanzaku Town don’t stock it.” “And…” Tsunade set down her chopsticks and leaned back in her chair.
“You do realize you weren’t exactly hiding it from me, right?” Under Tsunade’s scrutinizing gaze, Shizune lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously stroking Tonton’s back.
The little pig grunted contentedly.
“He…
Souji-kun did come to see me.” Shizune’s voice was soft but clear.
“At Yamada Pharmacy, number seven on South Street.” “He didn’t insist.
He just explained his condition and his request again, and then he gave me some things.” “Money?” Tsunade scoffed.
“Not just money.” Shizune looked up, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
“He had a whole set of theories about hemophobia…” “No, he called it Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with Specific Situational Trigger-Type Somatic Response Syndrome.” “He said it wasn’t a simple blood phobia, but a protective mis association formed in the brain after extreme trauma, associating the sight of blood with an overwhelming traumatic pain and triggering a physiological rejection response.” “He also mentioned a combined approach integrating exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and medication-assisted desensitization.
It’s only a rough framework, but the therapeutic approach is quite innovative.” Tsunade listened in silence, her fingers tapping lightly on the table.
The cicadas outside seemed to grow louder.
“Go on.” “Also, he promised that during the treatment period, he and his merchant caravan would cover all our room and board expenses.
We can choose the location, any quiet town in or near Tanzaku Town.” Shizune’s pace quickened.
“And regardless of whether the treatment succeeds, he’ll pay 2 million ryo as payment for you and me.” “If we can achieve any symptom relief, he’ll add an extra 500,000 ryo for each major symptom alleviated.” “He really is sincere!” 2 million ryo.
Enough for an ordinary family to live extravagantly for over a decade.
Enough for Tsunade to lose at the gambling tables for a good long while.
“And there’s more…” Shizune took out the glazed medicine bottle from her pouch and set it gently on the table.
“He formulated this pain-relief ointment himself after studying pharmacology.” “I examined it.
The formulation is remarkably ingenious.
It may be more effective for bone pain than the formulas I would have come up with.” Tonton suddenly jumped out of Shizune’s arms, braced his little legs against the table’s edge, sniffed the medicine bottle, and sneezed.
Tsunade stared at the bottle for a long time.
For a moment, the room held only soft breathing and the distant hum of the street outside.
“The hemophobia analysis…” She finally spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse.
“Post-war trauma psychology?
Where did he learn all that?
A twelve-year-old brat?” “He didn’t say, but those ideas don’t sound made up.” Shizune ventured carefully, “Tsunade-sama, I know you’re worried he’s trouble.” “But I can see he just wants to live.
He said his eye technique lets him watch his own body slowly fall apart.
That kind of fear of death…” She didn’t finish, but Tsunade understood.
As a medical ninja, the most painful thing was to clearly foresee death and be powerless to stop it.
That boy was watching his own skeleton gradually break down.
“And…” Shizune added, “He’s willing to be the case study.” Tsunade suddenly laughed, half mocking, half helpless.
“That little brat sure knows how to talk.” “Flattering you, dangling money and a rare case in front of me, and he even understands psychology.
That kid’s unbelievable.” “Shizune!” “Yes.” “You want to treat him?” Tsunade asked gravely.
Shizune didn’t deny it.
She just looked at her earnestly.
“Can I try?” “You don’t have to do it yourself.
Just help me look over my treatment plan whenever I’m unsure, just like when you guided me through my first critically injured patient all those years ago.” Tsunade didn’t answer.
She turned to look out the window.
Under the blazing sun, the rooftops of Tanzaku Town stretched into the distance.
Beyond them, the bare white summit of Mount Tanzaku gleamed harshly in the strong light.
She remembered the blindfolded boy in the alley last night, standing straight, his voice calm, yet with the words “I want to live” written plainly across his face.
Trouble.
And big trouble at that.
A Kaguya clan orphan.
One wrong move could easily create an international diplomatic problem.
But Shizune’s eyes held a light.
That was the gleam a healer gets when facing a challenge.
She hadn’t seen that light in Shizune’s eyes for a long time.
All these years, following her from place to place, cleaning up gambling debts, watching her drown herself in sake, had dulled Shizune’s spirit as well.
And those analyses about psychological trauma…
though she hated to admit it, that brat had poked at a corner she’d refused to touch for years.
“Tonton!” Tsunade suddenly called out.
The pink pig, who was licking a grain of rice off the table, looked up with its little black bean eyes full of confusion.
“What do you think?” Tonton: “Puyo?” Tsunade laughed, reached out, and rubbed the little pig’s head vigorously, nearly knocking him over.
“Fine.” She withdrew her hand, picked up her chopsticks again, grabbed a piece of cold grilled fish, chewed, and swallowed.
“You can take the case.
I won’t get involved.” Shizune’s eyes went wide.
“Tsunade-sama…
I…” “But I have conditions.” Tsunade raised one finger.
“First, the treatment location can’t be too far from me.
I need to be able to keep an eye on him at all times.” “Second, all medications and treatment plans must be reviewed by me.
I won’t do the work, but I need to know what you’re doing.” “Third, tell that brat, pay half of the 2 million ryo upfront and transfer it into my account.
We’ll settle the rest after the treatment.” She looked at Shizune’s instantly brightened face and snorted.
“Don’t get too excited.” “That brat’s bloodline disease is terminal.
Even I’m not sure I can cure it.” “And those psychological theories of his, listen to them if you want, but don’t go thinking you’re some trauma specialist.
I’m not nearly that fragile.” Shizune nodded vigorously, but the corners of her mouth still crept upward.
“Yes!
Thank you, Tsunade-sama.” “Thank me for what?
You’re the one who took the job.” Tsunade bent over her bowl, speaking through mouthfuls of rice.
“Go collect the advance payment this afternoon.” “And tell that brat, since we’re doing this, he’d better cooperate fully.
If I find out he’s playing tricks, or if any unwanted people come knocking…” Her eyes flickered coldly.
“I’ll tear that skeleton of his apart myself.” “I’ll pass that along,” Shizune replied with a smile.