Chapter 287: Drawing Attention
Not everyone possessed Tsunade's kind of talent.
In Konoha—or rather, in the ninja world—most medical-nin lacked significant combat ability.
Medical ninjutsu required precise and delicate chakra control, as well as years of dedicated training. On top of that, it required extensive medical knowledge.
Most people simply couldn't learn medical ninjutsu while also mastering a wide range of combat techniques.
Even Tsunade herself could only specialize in medical ninjutsu and the taijutsu-based Strength Enhancement Technique. She couldn't match Jiraiya or Orochimaru in ninjutsu mastery.
If a genius like her had limits, then the average medical ninja's limitations were self-evident. Choosing the path of a medical-nin inherently meant giving up raw combat power.
Having such individuals join battle teams would only drag them down. Instead of losing one comrade, entire teams could be wiped out.
The Third Hokage understood Tsunade's desire to assign medical-nin to squads, but this was wartime—it simply wasn't feasible.
"Old—" Tsunade glared furiously, ready to curse.
Just then, the Lightning Release clone—Sakumo —stood and said, "I actually believe placing a medical-nin in squads lacking battlefield experience is a good idea."
Everyone turned to look at him. Tsunade, surprised, stared at the handsome man she hadn't seen in years—never expecting him to agree with her.
Sakumo… Hiruzen looked over too, realizing he had to take this man's opinion seriously, especially in such a critical moment.
Sakumo continued, "These kids won't be sent to the frontlines to fight head-on. Their missions will focus on sabotaging enemy supply lines or key facilities while we engage the main forces. Am I right, Lord Hokage?"
Hiruzen nodded. "That's correct. They won't be on the frontlines."
Sakumo smiled. "Then most of the enemies they'll face will also be kids with little real battle experience."
"If both sides are weak and rely mostly on taijutsu, then the combat disadvantage of having a medical-nin becomes negligible."
"In fact, the team with a medic will be more likely to survive."
After this logical breakdown, many others nodded in agreement. In fights where skill was low and strength was balanced, having a medical-nin could become a key advantage—just as the Sannin had always supported each other in their own battles.
Sakumo looked up at Hiruzen and said, "So I support Princess Tsunade's proposal—to place a medical-nin in these genin squads."
Hatake Sakumo…
Seeing the man who had once been a rival for the Hokage's seat now standing to support Tsunade's idea, Hiruzen fell silent.
Had it been anyone else, he would have rejected it outright, even if the logic made some sense.
But medics were already in short supply. Frontline hospitals were overwhelmed. Assigning more to field teams would further strain resources.
Still, since it was Sakumo supporting it, Hiruzen had to consider it seriously.
Konoha needed strong figures like Sakumo back on the battlefield if they wanted to stabilize things. Without him, the village truly would be in danger.
Compared to Hiruzen's measured consideration, Homura Mitokado showed no such restraint. He stated bluntly that medical-nin were too few and should be kept at medical camps to care for the wounded.
Sakumo didn't even glance at Homura—his gaze never left Hiruzen.
Feeling the pressure from him, Hiruzen sighed and said, "Fine. Each genin squad with members under twelve will be assigned a medical-nin capable of basic emergency care."
"Hiruzen…" Homura and Koharu tried to speak up again, but Hiruzen waved them down. His decision was made.
If compromising on this helped ensure Sakumo would return to the battlefield, then it was worth it.
After that, Hiruzen moved on to personnel assignments for deployment in two days.
All jōnin present would rotate out to the front lines. Fewer than five would remain in the village for day-to-day duties.
Some jōnin worried about the safety of the village.
But Hiruzen assured them there would be no problems—he, the strongest Hokage in history, would protect the village.
Everyone believed him—believed in his strength.
Only the Lightning Release clone—Sakumo —and Fire Release clone—Fugaku—knew where that confidence came from.
At that very moment, hidden in the Sarutobi Clan compound, a secret force of 200 elite ninja stood ready. Of those, at least 40 had chakra levels equivalent to jōnin. Some might even have mastered the Eight Gates Technique—but no one could say for sure.
With that hidden force, plus the residual strength of other clans in the village, Hiruzen had every reason to be confident.
"Sakumo, I'm assigning you to the Sand front."
Of Konoha's four active battlefronts, none were more critical than the one facing Sunagakure.
For reasons unknown, Sunagakure had deployed nearly all of its forces to the Land of Rivers. They'd even pushed the warfront into the Land of Fire itself—making it the most dangerous front of all.
This crisis stemmed not just from Sunagakure's aggression, but from the fact that no one on Konoha's side could stop that woman with Scorch Release—Pakura .
With Orochimaru locked in battle against Sasori of the Red Sand, no one had been able to counter Pakura .
Her high-temperature heat beams and superheated energy blades ignored all defenses. Combined with her speed, she cut down enemies like weeds. Over a dozen Konoha jōnin had already died to her flames.
To stabilize that front, someone had to stop her.
And Hiruzen believed only one man could do it—Hatake Sakumo, the Sakumo of Konoha, who had once earned his reputation atop a mountain of Sunagakure corpses during the Second Ninja War.
Sakumo nodded. "I will not disappoint, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen was pleased with Sakumo's response, smiling faintly. With him on the battlefield, the Sand front would be secured.
He continued distributing assignments.
Once everyone had been assigned, they noticed there was one person who hadn't been given any orders.
That was Fire Release clone—Uchiha Fugaku.
From start to finish, Hiruzen hadn't given Fugaku a single task. It seemed like he had only invited him to listen in.
Only after the meeting was adjourned did Hiruzen quietly ask Fugaku to stay behind for a private conversation.
No one found this strange. Fugaku wasn't just a jōnin—he was head of the Uchiha Clan, and his status was different.
"Wait, Brother Sakumo!"
As Sakumo stepped outside, Tsunade caught up to him.
"Is something the matter, Princess Tsunade?"
He turned with a faint smile, his eyes calmly watching the woman before him—Konoha's legendary busty kunoichi, now in her prime. He was curious why she had chased after him.
Bathed in moonlight, Sakumo 's snow-white hair and handsome, composed face, with eyes as deep as the stars, made Tsunade's heart skip a beat.
"Just… just call me Tsunade. Don't call me Princess."
A rare blush crept across her cheeks as she corrected him—something completely out of character for her. It seemed she suddenly disliked being called "Princess."
Once upon a time, she had loved the title.
But then again, Sakumo wasn't just powerful and silver-haired—he was strikingly handsome.
No wonder he had fathered someone as good-looking as Kakashi.
Tsunade treating him differently wasn't strange at all.
Noticing the blush on her face and the hint of shyness in her voice, Sakumo sensed something in that moment. A flash of amusement flickered in his eyes as he followed her lead and asked, "So, Tsunade—what did you need from me?"
(END CHAPTER)
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