The medic ninja treating the abdominal wound stared in shock.
In this era, medical techniques weren't as advanced as they would be in Naruto and Sasuke's time. Standardized, systematic treatments weren't fully developed yet. People relied heavily on chakra and medicine as default solutions.
"As for the unconsciousness… Captain Takuya, I recall you only carry one dose of adrenaline, right? I suggest using it on your patient first." Kaede said calmly.
"What?! Then what about him?! They're both my comrades! Are we just abandoning one? Damn it…!" The young genin clutched his head in despair, tears streaming.
"Calm down. As medics, we never abandon comrades. You're Tobitake Tonbo, right?"
Under the stunned gazes of the others, Kaede suddenly stomped down hard on the unconscious patient's pelvic bone.
CRACK!
The near-dead man let out a bloodcurdling scream—far more effective than adrenaline.
As for whether shattering the pelvis would cause other complications…
Kaede didn't care. His job was to keep them alive, and with his frail body, he always opted for the most chakra-efficient methods.
Having fulfilled his sacred duty as a medic, Kaede watched with satisfaction as the patient—still half-conscious—instinctively cupped his groin in pain.
"How wonderful. So full of vitality. Another life saved." Kaede moved himself.
Takuya wiped his sweat and smiled. As one of the few who'd worked with Kaede before, he'd grown somewhat accustomed to… unconventional treatments.
"Now both have a chance to survive. But stay alert. We're far from the border, but enemy infiltrations happen often. Sometimes…"
Sometimes, enemies deliberately let wounded shinobi escape—just to lure out Konoha's medics for easy kills.
Eliminating one medic drained Konoha's resources more than killing ten regular ninja. Highest cost-efficiency.
Tonbo glanced at his stabilized comrades, then at Kaede with newfound awe. "Captain Takuya… I can't guarantee safe passage for two critical patients alone. Can you assist?"
"No. We have orders from Aburame Ryoma. Unless Lady Tsunade herself cancels the mission, we must proceed."
Konoha's Medical Corps was still a disorganized mess at this stage.
Takuya and Kaede (who'd only left the village twice) had previously served under Jiraiya in the Ame front.
Last year, the Sannin had faced Hanzo of the Salamander—and though they'd earned their title, they'd also been crushed. Hanzo retreated, ending the Ame-Konoha war, but…
Tsunade and Orochimaru returned to other battlefields. Jiraiya vanished.
No one knew where he went. Some even resented him—what could be more important than war? People are dying every day!
For a top-tier shinobi to pull such a stunt mid-war was unthinkable.
But Kaede knew the truth.
*"Right now, Jiraiya's in Rain Country, teaching 10-year-old Nagato."*
From Jiraiya's perspective, training the Child of Prophecy outweighed any war.
"And Madara… he awakened his Rinnegan during the Second War. Right now, he's probably hiding in the Mountains' Graveyard, scouting for a successor."
Too many future catastrophes were seeded in this era—Nagato, Obito's fall… all traced back to the Second War.
Suddenly, Kaede spoke. "We have orders, yes. But if unforeseen circumstances arise…"
"What circumstances?"
"This is one. A lone genin, ambushed, yet somehow dragged two critically wounded comrades this far? That's suspicious."
Kaede stepped sideways, positioning himself between the team and the forest.
Takuya's expression darkened. "You're right. Stay alert."
Rustle—
"Tch. Figured it out, huh? Doesn't matter. You medics have burned through your chakra, right? Killing you is far more valuable than killing regular shinobi."
Three Kiri-nin emerged, surrounding them.
Infiltration missions were risky, but slaughtering medics? Worth every loss.
"Three medics… Not the Hyuga I hoped for, but not a wasted trip."
The lead Kiri-nin drew a kunai. "Konoha dogs, remember this—your killer is Ao of Kiri. Don't forget it in the Pure Land."
Ao's fingers brushed his forehead protector, his youthful face still smeared with blood. His eyes burned with ambition.
"Him! He killed our squad!" Tonbo snarled.
"Why so angry? You killed one of mine too." Ao sneered from the treetops.
"Ao… This is bad."
The others didn't recognize him. Kiri, isolated on its island, rarely clashed with Konoha. But Kaede knew.
This was Ao—before he stole the Byakugan.
"He claims to be a Kiri jonin, but it could be a bluff." Takuya whispered. "Three enemies, four of us—but no jonin on our side. Stall or flee. Hope backup arrives."
As a chunin with a team of genin, their odds were slim.
But surrender wasn't an option. Kiri wouldn't take prisoners this deep in Fire Country.
A thin mist began creeping through the forest. Takuya spun a kunai between his fingers—then hurled it.
"Fall back!"
Kaede grabbed the two incapacitated patients and hurled them backward—just as an explosive kunai shot toward him.
Takuya's kunai deflected it at the last second. The explosion sent Kaede stumbling, wood shrapnel peppering his clothes.
Ao appeared before them, hands flashing through seals. "You had numbers. Not anymore. Suiton: Water Pellet Barrage!"
Dozens of high-pressure water bullets sprayed forth.
Takuya ripped open his med-kit, bandages unfurling into a makeshift net. Tonbo tried blocking with kunai—but as an average genin, his reflexes failed.
The third water bullet pierced his right shoulder.
Takuya and Tonbo survived. Their third teammate wasn't so lucky.
"Now it's three versus three."
Two Kiri-nin blurred past, their blades leaving gaping wounds in the Konoha medic's neck.
One down in the first exchange.
The two previously wounded patients were now bleeding out again. Without immediate treatment, they'd die soon.
The situation was hopeless—unless backup arrived now.
Ao might act like a clown later in life (fleeing from the Yellow Flash, fleeing from Shisui…), but his survival instincts were impeccable.
Right now, he was certain he could slaughter this squad and escape Fire Country.
"Whether we win or lose, we can't reach the border. Mission failed! I'll hold them off—RUN!" Takuya roared.
"Scatter. Maybe one of you will live." A Kiri-nin taunted.
"Never! Konoha shinobi never abandon comrades!"
Takuya lunged, trying to pin down two enemies. But against his skill level, it was futile.
"We're dead. Even if reinforcements come, it's too late. Damn it! DAMN IT! I got you all killed!" Tonbo punched his own head, hysterical.
Young genin were so emotional.
But really—who wouldn't break after having hope dangled and ripped away?
Ao and Takuya clashed. The other two Kiri-nin charged Tonbo and Kaede. As long as they avoided Chakra Scalpel strikes, victory was assured.
"Stop whining. Run. Split up, like the captain said!"
Kaede didn't hesitate. Ignoring his injuries from the blast, he turned to flee—
—while dragging the two critical patients with him.
His speed was painfully slow.
CRACK!
Takuya, no taijutsu expert, was brutalized by Ao. A kick shattered his ribs, sending him flying, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Kaede… you bastard. Dying and still protecting comrades… Fine. I won't let you down. Doton: Earth-Style Wall!"
With his last strength, Takuya slammed his hands on the ground. A barrier of earth erupted, blocking the Kiri-nin's view.
It wouldn't hold for long. But every second counted.
When Ao shattered the wall with a water jutsu, the Konoha team was gone.
"They can't have gone far. A talentless chunin, two exhausted genin… and one dragging two dying burdens. How stupid." Ao scoffed. "Kisuke, finish them."
Konoha shinobi and their obsession with "comrades". Was it noble idealism? Or just brainwashing to suppress fear and boost morale?
Kiri was different. Under the bloodthirsty Third Mizukage, their village was already descending into the "Bloody Mist"—betrayal, purges, and carnage.
Kaede coughed violently, blood trickling from his lips. Yet he still refused to abandon the two unconscious patients.
Anyone seeing this would praise him as a model of the Will of Fire.
"Caught up yet?"
Kaede showed no surprise. Buying these few minutes was a miracle. "I heard Kiri-nin love toying with prey. Expected you to savor 'beating a major village's ninja' a bit longer."
The Kiri-nin, Kisuke, dropped from the trees ahead. "'Minor village'? Don't underestimate Kiri. And you—a walking corpse even Konoha discarded. Who'd miss you?"
He watched Kaede gently lay the two patients down, sneering. "Idiot. With that body, dragging dead weight… Mission and survival come first! No wonder Ao called you fools."
"I don't know if Takuya survived Ao. But it doesn't matter… Thanks for the extra minute. That's all I needed."
Kaede's bloodied hands were already in a seal. He'd been stockpiling chakra this whole time.
"From the moment I saw Tonbo and these two, something felt off. I've been preparing since then. Fighting you head-on was never an option. And my jutsu… requires setup time. The stronger the target, the longer it takes."
His meager chakra and the patients' decent strength meant extra prep time.
But he'd made it.
"Good. You show proper fear. I'll make it painless—"
Kisuke misread Kaede's words as praise, hurling three senbon.
"No, you misunderstand. Your time's up."
Kaede's palm slammed the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The earth boiled. A black coffin erupted from the soil.
Summoning Jutsu ranged from C-rank to S-rank.
The highest tier included Edo Tensei.
The lowest? Summoning tools from scrolls or wrist seals—like Sasuke's shuriken retrieval against Danzo.
Kaede's summon was C-rank at best. With his pitiful chakra, he couldn't manage higher. Nor did he have any animal contracts.
But his "tool" was… special.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The coffin shielded Kaede, blocking the senbon.
(To be continued...)