"As I thought, he doesn't realize it?"
Listening to Seiryū's words, Tsunade felt a strange heaviness settle in her heart.
Seiryū lacked accurate awareness of his own symptoms, of his extreme behavior, and how different he was from his usual self.
It was a form of cognitive impairment.
What others saw as abnormal, Seiryū saw as perfectly normal.
This condition was incredibly troublesome.
In all her years as a Medical-nin, this was the first time Tsunade felt so helpless about a case.
It was even more difficult than dealing with her own hemophobia.
This brat really doesn't let anyone rest easy.
Exhaling slowly, Tsunade waved her hand, no longer wanting to pursue the topic.
Instead, she said, "Your performance was... very good. However, try to restrain yourself in the future. Although being a ninja is a profession that requires killing, still..."
"There must be a limit to everything. Killing is a last resort. You must never view killing as something ordinary."
She could only guide him, not force him.
It was better to guide the flow than to block it.
She would try to ease Seiryū's symptoms bit by bit. Even if they could not be completely cured, she would never allow them to worsen.
Tsunade had already come to a conclusion.
If Seiryū's condition continued to worsen, it could lead to extremely severe consequences.
This was also one of the reasons why she had chosen to personally take him on as his Jōnin Instructor—so she could stay close and watch over him.
"You really are acting a bit strange."
Seiryū frowned, feeling Tsunade was being overly sensitive, and curled his lip. "Of course I know killing is a bad thing. How could I possibly view it as something normal?"
"The reason I killed those bandits was because of the mission, wasn't it? And you're the one who gave the order."
In truth, there was another reason.
The System Mission.
Just as Seiryū had charged into the bandit camp, a System notification had sounded in his mind.
New Mission Issued—
[Ding! You have encountered an attack from Rukongai Thugs. How dare mere thugs show disrespect to the Host, the future Sovereign of the Three Realms? This is a grave offense. Please take appropriate measures!]
[Mission Issued: Exterminate the Rukongai Thugs!]
[Mission Reward: Kaidō!]
It was likely because Seiryū belonged to the "Fourth Division Medical Squad."
The reward for this mission was a Kaidō.
Exterminate the Rukongai Thugs.
How to exterminate them?
Naturally, by killing every last one.
Besides, bandits were criminals who disrupted regional stability. Seiryū felt no psychological burden killing them.
In just a few minutes, over a hundred bandits had been wiped out.
Kurenai and Shizune barely had a chance to act before Seiryū had finished everything on his own.
[Ding! Mission complete. Distributing rewards—]
At that moment, what was likely the last bandit breathed his last.
The notification for mission completion rang in Seiryū's head.
The principles and applications of Kaido: Withered Wood Meets Spring poured into his mind.
Seiryū couldn't help but think, Bakudo is Ninjutsu, Bakudō is Sealing Techniques, and Kaidō is Medical Ninjutsu. I'll try to see if I can recreate it when I get back.
In Bleach, the concept of Kaidō was only mentioned briefly.
It was simply known as a Kidō used for healing.
Although this Kaidō didn't have a numbered designation, the name alone suggested it wasn't weak.
He would try to reconstruct it once he returned.
Over here.
Seeing that Seiryū had returned to normal, Kurenai and Shizune also hurried over.
"Seiryū, are you okay?"
With slightly red eyes, Kurenai threw herself at him. Looking up slightly, her delicate face still held traces of worry. "You really scared me just now."
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Seiryū rubbed Kurenai's head and smiled. "Since we've become ninja, killing is inevitable. You need to adapt. Look at me, I've adapted perfectly. No blushing, no heavy breathing."
The two were clearly not on the same page.
"I didn't mean that..."
Kurenai murmured.
She had been afraid that Seiryū wouldn't be able to return to his usual self. That version of him earlier wasn't the real Seiryū.
The Seiryū she knew could be a bit unreliable at times, but he was never scary.
But that Seiryū from just now... was terrifying.
Seiryū looked confused. "Aren't you afraid of killing for the first time?"
Kurenai wanted to explain more, but Tsunade spoke first. "Alright, enough clinging."
Looking at the two hugging, Tsunade didn't think much of it. The bond between these two siblings had always been strong. She said, "Mission complete. Let's return to Konoha."
Although her hemophobia had greatly improved,
the stench of blood still made her uncomfortable. She didn't want to stay in this place a second longer.
Looking over the messy surroundings, Tsunade felt no sympathy for the bandits' deaths.
However, they could not just leave the place as it was. "First, clean up the camp. Unless absolutely necessary, bodies should be buried. This is the final respect for life."
"It's also to prevent the outbreak of plague. Though this place is some distance from Konoha, it is still within the borders of the Land of Fire."
With a serious expression, Tsunade began sharing her experience. "We also need to remove anything that might expose our identities."
"A ninja must be cautious and meticulous when on a mission. You cannot leave behind unnecessary clues. This is to avoid being tracked by enemy village ninja and to minimize risk."
This was her duty as a Jōnin Instructor, and it was based on hard-earned experience.
She had to ensure the Genin under her command understood these lessons.
"Yes!"
The three Genin responded in unison.
They began to clear the bodies from the camp.
With Shadow Clone Jutsu, it only took around ten minutes to bury the more than one hundred corpses on the spot.
They also erased any traces that could expose them as Konoha ninja.
"Let's go."
After confirming there were no oversights, Tsunade prepared to lead the team out.
However, just as they were about to exit the valley, they ran straight into someone.
A man wearing a black robe, with half of his face covered by a black mask, a scratched forehead protector, and pale green eyes.
"Looks like I arrived a step late. This bandit nest has already been cleaned up?"
The man's unusual pupils swept over the four in front of him. His tone was calm.
His gaze paused for a moment on Tsunade and Seiryū. His eyes narrowed slightly, and then he let out a low chuckle. "But it seems I've stumbled upon two valuable prizes."
"One of Konoha's Sannin, Tsunade-hime. And a brat with a five million ryō bounty."
"Looks like an unexpected bonus."
For him, it truly was a pleasant surprise.
The bounty for Tsunade, one of Konoha's Sannin, was not small in the black market.
And then there was this brat with a five million ryō bounty.
Far more profitable than wiping out a hundred bandits.
Upon seeing the man, Tsunade's face immediately darkened, and a hint of vigilance flashed in her eyes as she muttered, "Takigakure rogue ninja, the Immortal Ninja... Kakuzu."
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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