Chapter 8: Being a Ninja is Just a Job, Raising Deer is Life! (Please Bookmark and Recommend!)

After a moment of chaos, the small room finally returned to peace.

Tsunade sat contentedly on the bed, while Nonō Yakushi swiftly tidied up the dining table.

Nara Raku was busy gulping down water to calm his nerves.

"Raku, come over, the food's ready," Nonō called, gesturing for Raku to join them. She also bowed slightly towards Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama, I apologize for the simple hospitality."

"Not at all! I'm the one intruding unannounced," Tsunade responded politely, completely different from her earlier demeanor.

After a few pleasantries, the three sat around the small table, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

"I'm digging in!" Nara Raku was the first to start eating, shoving a large bite of food into his mouth. A notification appeared in front of him:

*[Eating... Your "Precision" attribute has slightly increased...]*

‘So I wasn't imagining things earlier! I found a way to increase my Precision stat!’ Raku’s mood soared, and he began eating even faster.

‘It makes sense—eating gives energy to the body!’

Seeing Raku's enthusiasm, Tsunade also took a few bites, her eyes lighting up.

"Nonō! This is delicious! Your cooking skills are amazing!"

"You flatter me, Tsunade-sama, it's just simple home cooking." Nonō smiled warmly as she added more food to Raku's plate. Then she asked, almost casually, "By the way, Tsunade-sama, what was that earlier?"

"I was planning to give Raku a physical check-up." Tsunade took another bite, savoring the flavor, her expression softening.

"He just graduated from the Academy, right? But at 12, he's a bit old for a genin!"

During the warring states period decades ago, children would become ninjas and go to battle very early. After Konoha was founded, this practice improved somewhat—Tsunade herself graduated and became a genin at the age of six.

By Konoha's current standards, students usually graduate from the Academy at nine years old, though some child prodigies graduate even earlier. However, Raku was 12, and he often claimed to be physically weak.

Tsunade was curious to examine his condition—it felt like a way to repay him for his earlier actions.

"I see..." Nonō was quietly relieved, brushing aside the alarming thoughts from earlier.

"Did you find anything, Tsunade-sama?"

Nonō wasn't unaware of Raku's health issues. As a skilled medical-nin herself, she had tried to solve the problem but had no success. Maybe Tsunade, the top medical ninja in Konoha, would discover something new?

"Raku, give me your hand," Tsunade ordered, setting down her chopsticks.

Still engrossed in eating, Raku extended his left hand without hesitation.

Tsunade grabbed his hand and channeled her chakra into him, using her medical techniques to scan his body.

‘As a member of the Nara Clan, Raku's physical condition is far below what's expected for someone his age. It's more like a child who just entered the Academy, around five or six years old!’

The deeper her scan went, the more Tsunade's frown deepened.

‘His chakra reserves are pitifully low. How did he even manage to deal with that enemy jonin earlier? Ah, it must have been the Nara Clan's shadow techniques. Those specialized Yin Release jutsu don’t rely on conventional chakra...’

Tsunade released his hand and fell into thought.

To be honest, Raku's condition wasn’t complicated—it was simply a case of “physical weakness” or “energy deficiency.” Tsunade could come up with a treatment plan easily, but the patient and their environment also had to cooperate.

The most basic requirement was for Raku to stop using ninjutsu to avoid further draining his energy. But that was completely unrealistic!

With the Third Great Ninja War on the horizon, as a newly graduated genin, Raku was bound to be sent to the battlefield. How could he avoid using ninjutsu under those circumstances?

If Raku, with his severely limited chakra, was sent to war, it would be a death sentence...

Tsunade wondered if he could even perform the simplest jutsu, given his condition. Would she have to witness another young boy she knew perish on the battlefield?

Her heart grew heavy.

Raku was still focused on eating, unaware of Tsunade’s thoughts. Nonō, however, had been observing Tsunade’s expressions closely. Seeing the legendary medical ninja frown, Nonō's heart sank.

‘Even Tsunade-sama doesn’t have a solution to Raku’s condition?’

Nonō forced a smile and asked, "Raku, I forgot to ask—what ninja team have you been assigned to?"

"If you're thinking of visiting my team leader, don't worry—there's no need," Raku replied casually. "I haven't been assigned to a specific ninja squad."

"Huh? Why not?" Nonō and Tsunade both looked surprised. Normally, new genin were placed in teams under a jonin or chunin leader to gain experience as quickly as possible.

"It’s simple. Because of my physical condition, the Academy teachers didn’t assign me to a regular squad."

Raku explained calmly between bites, "I’d just be a burden to any team, and my safety couldn’t be guaranteed in a normal squad setting."

Nonō hesitated. "So what are you going to do?"

"I applied to join the Medical Corps," Raku said, putting down his chopsticks and offering Nonō his right hand. "From now on, we’ll be colleagues."

Nonō shook his hand, stunned. "The Medical Corps? But... you don’t know medical ninjutsu..."

"Yeah, with your chakra levels, how could you be a medical ninja?" Tsunade grabbed his left hand again, squeezing it lightly. "Medical ninjutsu requires serious Yang Release chakra!"

"I didn’t join the emergency or autopsy teams," Raku said, pulling his hand free. "I’m in the Veterinary Unit."

"Wait, you’re a vet?" Tsunade blinked. "Oh right, your clan raises deer."

Indeed, the Nara Clan had been raising deer for generations, and they also played a key role in maintaining Konoha’s medical system. For them, being a ninja was just a job—raising deer was life.

Raku’s mother had also been in the Veterinary Unit before retiring, specializing in taking care of the deer. His joining the unit was like carrying on the family tradition.

Nonō felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Among all the divisions in Konoha, the Veterinary Unit was probably the most peaceful—so peaceful that even an elite ninja like her barely knew it existed.

Watching Raku continue to eat, Tsunade tapped her chin thoughtfully. She might’ve just figured out how to fix his health problems.

‘A trainee in the Medical Corps, huh…’

(End of Chapter)