Chapter 22

When Tsunade returned to the office, she casually picked up the materials left by the previous teacher of the First Experimental Class.

The materials recorded detailed information about more than thirty students in the experimental class, including Byakushi's.

— Byakushi Chiba, excellent in theoretical knowledge, average in ninjutsu and shurikenjutsu.

Even after joining the First Medical Ninja Experimental Class, he only excelled in theory. His practical skills were average, neither bad nor good.

How to describe him?

Solid.

Yes, that's right, solid.

His foundation was very solid, but he was limited by his talent and was too conventional.

His serious personality, limited by his talent, meant that his ultimate achievement could only be a chunin specializing in medical ninjutsu.

There was no need to pay too much attention to him because he would study on his own and was the most diligent and hardworking student in the class.

But if all the effort was invested in him, his mediocre talent would not make him stand out even with elite education.

Therefore, one should not have high expectations for him, but he would not disappoint either.

This was the incisive evaluation of Byakushi by the ANBU medical jounin teacher who left, as recorded in the materials handed over to Tsunade.

Tsunade had thought that Byakushi would have something extraordinary, especially since he had interactions with the Uchiha clan, but now it seemed there was nothing particularly outstanding about him.

It seemed she was overthinking it.

What can a kid do?

The friendship among children is truly pure.

◎

Tsunade's teaching of medical ninjutsu at the Ninja Academy did not cause much of a stir.

After all, she was only responsible for the First Medical Ninja Experimental Class, the only class dedicated to training medical ninjas, and her teaching time was only two hours after school every day.

Tsunade's teaching was far superior to that of the ANBU jounin who left, and even Byakushi benefited greatly from it.

Perhaps in terms of overall medical skills, excluding chakra, Byakushi did not think he was much weaker than Tsunade, but as a medical ninja, he could not avoid dealing with chakra, which was the reason for the significant gap between him and Tsunade.

Ninjas are ninjas, and medical ninjas are also ninjas.

What he needed to learn was not basic knowledge but further expansion and extension in the field of chakra and medical ninjutsu.

This was something he could not achieve through self-study. He could learn medical ninjutsu on his own and use it conventionally, but how to further improve and enhance medical ninjutsu required his own thinking and exploration.

Tsunade's arrival undoubtedly resolved the doubts that had accumulated in Byakushi's mind for many years.

Therefore, Byakushi held Tsunade in high respect.

She was a medical ninja who could be considered an expert in the medical field.

The strongest medical ninja in Konoha was not an exaggeration.

Thus, Byakushi never arrived late or left early for any of Tsunade's classes and listened very attentively.

After class, he would occasionally go to the office to ask Tsunade some difficult questions.

Tsunade naturally taught him willingly, as such a diligent and eager student was rare in the school.

After class, the other students in the experimental class would think of playing or going home, not coming to ask questions.

If it were not for Byakushi's mediocre talent, Tsunade would have considered taking him as a disciple.

Diligent, hardworking, eager to learn, and ask questions—Byakushi was the perfect model of a student.

Unfortunately, taking a disciple was not such a casual matter.

Byakushi called her teacher, but not in the sense of a master-disciple relationship; it was out of respect for a pioneer.

Tsunade could distinguish this.

It was a pity to have such a diligent and eager student.

One could not have high expectations for him, but he would not disappoint—Tsunade felt this evaluation was most fitting for Byakushi.

On this day, after school, Byakushi was the first to arrive at the experimental class, waiting for Tsunade to come for the lesson.

"Classmate, you are..."

When Byakushi entered the classroom, he saw someone had already arrived and was sitting in the chair at the front of the room, which belonged to Tsunade.

Byakushi clearly remembered the appearance and names of all his classmates, but there was no one like the person in front of him.

He was not much older than Byakushi, but he already wore the Konoha ninja headband, indicating he was a fully-fledged ninja.

"My name is Senju Nawaki. Please take care of me."

The person smiled warmly and introduced himself.

Senju? Byakushi's heart skipped a beat.

This was the surname of the First Hokage.

A member of the Senju clan, here to find Tsunade-sensei?

While Byakushi was guessing, he smiled at Nawaki and said, "Byakushi Chiba, please take care of me, Nawaki-senpai."

"I have been paying attention to you."

Nawaki suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"You and Uchiha Ruri have a good relationship, right? She is the most outstanding genius of the Uchiha clan in this generation and the opponent I most want to defeat."

Although he said this, Nawaki showed no arrogance, his smile remained sunny and confident, as if he was certain of his victory.

"Ah, is that so?"

Byakushi was a bit confused.

"Don't worry, it's just a simple sparring match. But I will wait until she graduates and becomes a genin to complete this match. Please tell her for me."

"Okay."

Indeed, the person was not really paying attention to him.

As a genius, Ruri was indeed a bit too conspicuous.

Byakushi was, after all, quite ordinary, and his strength was probably just a bit stronger than this Nawaki-senpai.

Just as Nawaki continued to speak, the classroom door opened again.

The person who entered was Tsunade.

"Sister."

Nawaki immediately rushed into Tsunade's arms like a child who hadn't grown up.

Byakushi witnessed the scene of Nawaki's peak mischief.

He really envied Nawaki-senpai.

He envied even more that Nawaki-senpai had such a loving and broad-hearted sister.

However, Byakushi did not expect that Nawaki was Tsunade's younger brother.

"Tsunade-sensei, good afternoon."

Byakushi walked over, smiled, and bowed to greet her.

"It's you, Byakushi. You always come so early every day."

Tsunade responded to Byakushi and then helplessly pushed Nawaki away from her, scolding him, "Really, Nawaki, you are already a genin, don't always cling to your sister."

"What's the problem? It's been three years since you went to the front lines."

Nawaki started his mischief again.

"Alright, alright, I understand. Now, get out. I'm about to start class here. Where is Orochimaru? How does he discipline you, his disciple?"

Tsunade looked annoyed, her fists cracking.

"This has nothing to do with Orochimaru-sensei. Well, sister, I'll go now. By the way, remember not to secretly drink and get drunk during class, and don't gamble with the students."

"Nawaki, you brat, I am a jounin in the village, how could I do such things!"

Tsunade immediately turned red with anger, almost jumping up, especially in front of her student.

Nawaki, this guy, was becoming more and more disrespectful.

After Nawaki left, Byakushi stood there awkwardly.

"Um... I seem to have heard something serious from Nawaki-senpai. Tsunade-sensei wouldn't do something like that, right?"

"What flower? Don't be so vain, you are just a weed."

"Too harsh."

"Listen carefully, if you dare to spread rumors, my fist will pay you a visit. Got it?"

Tsunade looked at him with a threatening gaze.

"I understand, Tsunade-sensei is excellent, gentle, and kind. She wouldn't drink and get drunk, wouldn't gamble, and wouldn't use violence on students without reason. Without a doubt, Tsunade-sensei is the best jounin in the village, no one else."

Byakushi saw Tsunade's 'kind' expression and nodded in understanding.

Tsunade was satisfied with Byakushi's sensible attitude and retracted her fist.

Byakushi sighed, women are truly terrifying creatures.

If he had dared to say a word against her, his home would have been demolished by Tsunade.

After all, there were terrifying legends about Tsunade at the Konoha bathhouse that had lasted for a long time.

The last person who suffered was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.

However, it was not his home that was demolished, but his entire body, which was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment to save his life.

A powerful female tyrannosaurus.

"Someone as terrifying as Tsunade-sensei must not have a boyfriend, right?"

"What did you say?"

Tsunade's eyes immediately turned frightening.

"No, I mean Tsunade-sensei is so excellent that no man in the village is worthy of you."

Byakushi quickly changed his tone.

"I'm sorry, but I do have a boyfriend, and he is very excellent, a man who will become the Hokage sooner or later."

As she said this, Tsunade's eyes were full of tenderness.

Byakushi felt a bit choked.