"Tsunade-senpai, if you keep looking at me like that—"
"Jiraiya-senpai has probably already decided where to bury me."
Shinji lifted his eyelids, speaking with a hint of helplessness.
Upon arriving, Shinji had merely mentioned that he had an apprentice Tsunade might like, and she had been scrutinizing him ever since.
Sakura, beside him, sat motionless, her eyes fixed on her nose.
Hearing this, Tsunade pushed Jiraiya away, who was beside her, and sat down casually, completely disregarding her image.
"You brat, what do you mean?"
"Nothing really, I just think you'll like this apprentice, senpai." Shinji spoke warmly, pointing to Sakura beside him.
Sakura, whose name was called, secretly looked up, then lowered her head with a blush.
So big!
She was completely defeated.
Tsunade was speechless upon hearing this and crossed her arms.
The reason she had wanted to take Karin as an apprentice was entirely because of the Uzumaki surname.
Although Karin's own talent was also a factor, not taking her on didn't mean she would take on a new apprentice in Konoha.
"Don't you also know Medical Ninjutsu, you brat? Can't you just teach her yourself?"
Shinji knew Medical Ninjutsu, a fact that even Tsunade admired. He was an almost all-around genius.
Shinji shook his head, knowing his own limitations. "I can't. After all, I'm just a half-baked Medical Ninja."
Seeing that Tsunade remained unmoved, Shinji could only speak again, helplessly, "Sakura has good talent in Medical Ninjutsu. Why don't you get to know her before deciding, senpai?"
"Sakura has only been exposed to Medical Ninjutsu for three days. She mastered and performed it in thirteen hours."
Huh?
Hearing this, Tsunade immediately looked up, and Shizune, who had just brewed and brought tea, was also startled.
"Let me see first." Tsunade gestured to Shizune, then spoke.
A moment later, Shizune, who had stepped out of the reception room, returned, carrying a fish, which she handed to Tsunade.
Tsunade said nothing, her fingers glowing with Chakra as she sliced into the fish's belly. Then she held the fish by its tail, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Sakura.
Sakura didn't hesitate. After all, Shinji had already told her before they came that she had to fight for her own opportunities.
She extended her hands, and the green light of Chakra, unique to Medical Ninjutsu, slowly emanated from them. Placed above the fish in front of her, the fish's wound began to heal slowly in the next instant.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. She admitted that the girl in front of her indeed had a talent for Medical Ninjutsu. After all, judging by the learning time Shinji mentioned, this fluid operation was almost flawless.
As for whether Shinji would lie to her?
Tsunade didn't even consider it. There was no need for such a thing, and if it were true, Tsunade wouldn't acknowledge him as her junior.
After Sakura finished, she withdrew her hands, then subconsciously glanced at Tsunade.
Seeing Tsunade's momentary expression, Sakura couldn't help but let out a breath.
So nervous!
"Good talent. It's extremely rare to have this level of Chakra control at your age."
Tsunade was very satisfied. Sakura indeed had talent. This Chakra control alone was not much worse than Shizune's in the past.
Hearing this, Sakura smiled and immediately bowed excitedly to Tsunade, saying, "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade waved her hand. She looked at Shinji, and held up one finger. "It's not impossible for me to teach her, but I have one condition."
Shinji blinked, and couldn't help but look at Jiraiya.
No way? Is Jiraiya, this invisible rich man, also running out of money?
Thump—
Seeing Shinji immediately turn to look at Jiraiya, Tsunade tapped the table, speechless.
"You brat, if you keep thinking nonsense, I'll beat you!"
Shinji quickly turned back, looking at Tsunade with a serious expression, and said, "Senpai, please tell me what it is."
Tsunade said without even thinking, "I want you to properly train Shizune during this period."
"Eh?"
Shizune, who had been sitting quietly watching the show, was startled into a shocked expression.
She asked, "What do you mean, Tsunade-sama?"
Tsunade gave Shizune a speechless look, then turned to Shinji and said, "I need you to teach Shizune. At least, her ability to defend herself and fight when in danger shouldn't be too bad."
Over the years, she had always taught Shizune. Shizune's Medical Ninjutsu wasn't too bad but she could never learn her own Monstrous Strength or the Strength of a Hundred Seal, which were even more difficult than Medical Ninjutsu.
Shinji thought for a while. He knew what Tsunade was trying to do with this approach. After all, Shizune was assigned to the mission to deal with the Akatsuki.
The few Medical Ninja currently in the village could hardly leave, and Shizune was considered a good Medical Ninja. The subsequent treatment issues for the squad could also be perfectly entrusted to her.
Tsunade had no objection to this. After all, she didn't want Shizune to always stay under her wing. It would be better to let Shizune train while she was still young.
Anyway, with Jiraiya and Shinji in the team this time, nothing would happen to Shizune.
Moreover, Tsunade didn't just want Shizune to be prepared to be protected. She had been teaching Shizune recently.
Unfortunately, for more than ten years, although Tsunade's teaching of Shizune was sporadic, Shizune simply couldn't learn it at all.
Let alone in such a short amount of time now.
So, Tsunade's gaze fell upon Shinji.
Even Jiraiya and the old man had praised Shinji's teaching ability. At least, Shinji's focus seemed more suitable for teaching people.
That's good. Although Shinji would probably agree if she asked him, it would still be better to have an exchange.
Shinji nodded, agreeing, "Hmm, senpai can rest assured. I will do my best to teach her well during this period. Just leave this matter to me."
Tsunade readily agreed with a sweeping gesture of her hand, "No problem, as long as I see results."
Seeing this, Shinji smiled, then gave Sakura a look.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."
Sakura quickly bowed to Tsunade.
Even though Tsunade hadn't explicitly agreed yet, being able to make such a deal with Shinji also meant that Tsunade had no objection to teaching Sakura.
As for taking her as a disciple, that would depend on Sakura's own performance later. At the very least, the concepts of a student and a disciple are not the same.
"Then I'll trouble Shinji-sama." Shizune could only nod in acknowledgment to Shinji.
She had heard about the difficulty of this mission, and as potentially the only Medical Ninja in the team at that time, Shizune also felt that she couldn't fall behind others. At least, she wouldn't cause trouble for her Konoha comrades.
(End of Chapter)
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