Naruto : Konoha Light

After the surgery, Mochi's mother stood outside the operating room, expressing her gratitude profusely.

"Morikawa-sama, Tsunade-sama, I truly can't thank you enough!"

Morikawa teased with a smile, "You probably still have one more person to thank."

Hearing this, Mochi's mother quickly realized and turned to another figure.

"Little Dr. Shimizu, thank you so much!"

Shimizu's small face tensed up, but he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising.

"This is... the first time someone has called me a doctor."

Seeing this, everyone around smiled warmly. The usually steady and reliable Shimizu looked like nothing more than a child in this moment.

Mochi turned her big round eyes toward Shimizu, filled with... appetite!

"Big Brother, can I have dreams like that again in the future?"

"Of course! As long as you learn illusion techniques, you can create whatever dreams you want for yourself."

"Yay! Then I want to eat glutinous rice balls, tricolor dumplings, red bean..."

"Wait, Mom, don't pull me away!"

"You little glutton! Even after all that, the only thing in your dreams is food? If you eat too many sweets, you'll get too fat to walk!"

"I don't care! Being too fat to walk is still better than starving!"

As mother and daughter playfully bickered while walking away, the people around them smiled at this warm and lively scene.

Suddenly, Shimizu raised his head and asked,

"Tsunade-sama, did our Leaf Village win the last war?"

Although she didn't understand why he suddenly asked this, Tsunade sighed with sympathy.

"In war, is there ever a true victor?"

Shimizu bit his lower lip. "I was just thinking... if even the villagers of our Leaf Village live such hard lives, then what about the smaller countries caught in the war? Life must be even harder for them."

Tsunade fell into sudden silence, recalling the memories of the three little children she had once tried to save in the Rain Village.

"...But, thinking like this," she looked at Shimizu absentmindedly, "really reminds me of someone else from long ago."

"Can studying medicine really save the world?"Shimizu whispered to himself in confusion, then looked up with determination.

"Tsunade-sama, will you teach me?"

Tsunade was startled and remained silent for a moment before responding,

"Why me?"

"Because you're the greatest medical ninja in our Leaf Village!" Shimizu answered naturally.

"The greatest medical ninja?" Tsunade chuckled self-deprecatingly and then, seeing the anticipation in his eyes, shook her head.

"I have no plans to take on a disciple."

"Tsunade-sama, you..." Morikawa looked anxious, ready to persuade her.

"It's okay, Elder Sister Morikawa." Shimizu was a little disappointed but quickly regained his energy.

"I guess I'm just not outstanding enough yet for Tsunade-sama to accept me as a student."

With that, he turned and walked away, shouting loudly,

"Tsunade-sama, I won't give up!"

Watching his figure disappear into the distance, Tsunade seemed lost in thought.

"You really remind me of him... Nawaki."

Suddenly, she was dragged back to a nightmare—blood, endless blood. Tsunade shuddered in fear.

"Blood... so much blood..." she murmured. Then she snapped back to reality, realizing something she had overlooked before.

"Even though I didn't perform the surgery myself, I didn't avoid it either. And yet... why didn't I feel that same fear and despair as before?

Was I affected by his conviction?"

Elsewhere, Shimizu returned to the lounge, feeling a little helpless.

"As expected, of Tsunade she closed her heart. If I want to overcome this challenge, I'll have to take another approach."

Despite this, Shimizu was not discouraged. He believed that things of true value were never obtained easily.

"If it were too simple, I might not cherish it as much."

With that thought, a small smile appeared on his face.

"Looks like it's time to spread some rumors... Don't disappoint me, school leaders!"

A week later, at the Ninja Academy, in a quiet and secluded corner.

The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by mocking laughter.

"Is that all you've got? You're really weak!"

"Don't think just because you've learned a Clone Technique that you're a real ninja. You're still far from it!"

"Yeah! If you want to challenge us, at least show us a D-rank jutsu!"

"D-rank jutsu? You guys really underestimate the strength of me!"

A group of students, dressed like delinquent bullies, surrounded a younger student in the middle.

The boy furrowed his brows and spoke firmly,

"Enough. I don't have time to waste with you."

"Oh? You don't have time?" One of the bullies squatted down and smirked.

"By the look on your face, you're not convinced, huh?"

A few timid students who had been knocked to the ground glared at them in defiance.

"Being unconvinced is useless. In the ninja world, strength is everything!" The smirking bully patted his racket, laughing.

"Time to teach you guys a lesson! Shouldn't you 'repay' us for all the help we've given you?"

The boy clenched his fists in anger.

"I won't give you a single cent!"

The bullies didn't get angry at his resistance. Instead, they just grinned.

"That's fine. If you don't want to give it today, we'll just ask again tomorrow... and the day after that."

"You!"

"No need to get so worked up. After all, we seniors are your best big brothers, aren't we?"

Hearing that, several of the younger students hesitated in fear.

"Yang, just give them the money," one of them whispered.

"Yeah... It's not like it's the first time."

Seeing his companions cower, Yang could only clench his teeth in humiliation.

"...Fine."

The bullies burst into laughter.

"That was boring. He gave in too easily!"

"I thought we were gonna see a real fight today."

Hearing their mockery, Yang suddenly shouted,

"You guys only dare to bully us! If you're so tough, why don't you pick on a first-year from the strong clans?!"

The bullies' expressions stiffened. Yang continued shouting,

"What's the big deal about the Uchiha Clan? None of you would dare stand up to Sarutobi clan!"

At the mention of that name, the leader of the bullies—who had been smirking—suddenly turned cold.

"What did you say?" he asked darkly.

"Did I stutter?" Yang straightened his neck and yelled even louder.

"It's all over the academy! Everyone's saying that when an Uchiha stands before Sarutobi clan, they don't even have the guts to speak!"