**Chapter 18: The Moth Appears!**
After hearing Tsunade's words, Reiki nodded, sat down, and said no more.
"Tch, you're just a medical ninja. You think you can go to the battlefield?" Sarutobi Byakuya scoffed. "Tsunade-sama is indeed powerful, but that's just an example. Other medical ninjas might be killed as soon as the battle begins if they come to the front line."
Sarutobi Byakuya didn't hold back. After all, he was Sarutobi Hiruzen's nephew. When did it become a child's place to discuss battlefield matters? So what if he was Tsunade's disciple? Some people were just foolish.
"A mere medical ninja?" Tsunade shot back, her tone sharp. "You ninjas from the Sarutobi clan are truly brave. On the first day of battle, several of your clan died, and many more were injured. Next, you'll just hide in the back, too scared to go out. You pretend to conserve your strength for a critical moment, but really, you're just cowardly! In this war, besides bringing shame to Konoha, what else have you done?"
Tsunade stood up, scolding him mercilessly. Orochimaru shifted uncomfortably; he had agreed to this meeting, but Tsunade's bluntness was unsettling.
For Konoha's top brass, this kind of behavior was too common. It was an unspoken rule in the ninja world that clan ninjas were more valuable, while ordinary ninjas were considered expendable. There was nothing wrong with that notion, but Tsunade's open criticism felt ominous.
Reiki was taken aback. How could these people be so shameless? Some captains among the defectors pointed fingers at Sarutobi Byakuya as well.
"Tsunade, do you realize you could be held responsible for your words?" Byakuya began to argue. "We, the ninjas of the Sarutobi clan, during this war—"
Tsunade cut him off, turning to Orochimaru with a smile. "I'm leaving now."
She grabbed Reiki and left the camp, not wanting to be part of such a meeting. The more she learned, the more her disgust for the village grew.
"Tsunade, what's wrong?" A figure appeared outside the camp—it was Kato Dan, the ninja who had been pursuing Tsunade lately. He was also the brother of Reiki's junior sister, Kato Shizune.
"It's nothing. Those Sarutobi ninjas are just shameless," Tsunade replied, turning to leave. Kato Dan wanted to say something but ultimately fell silent, lowering his raised hand. A cold glint appeared in his eyes, which Reiki noticed.
In Reiki's view, Tsunade and Kato Dan were supposed to be in a romantic relationship. Why did it feel so off?
With a hint of suspicion, Reiki entered Tsunade's camp. Since he had just arrived, he was temporarily camping with her.
"Reiki, you rest first. Tomorrow, I'll take you to practice more medical ninjutsu to help you master it as soon as possible," Tsunade said, taking a swig from a bottle of wine.
"Teacher, the suggestions I mentioned are feasible. As a medical ninja, your chakra control and physical training are already quite good. It just requires a bit of practice. If you master some self-protection techniques, or train directly to become a powerful ninja like you, equipping two medical ninjas to each brigade could significantly reduce casualties."
Reiki sat down, articulating his thoughts. His suggestions had initially been Tsunade's ideas, but he had voiced them first.
"I agree with your point, but it's not the right time," Tsunade replied, feeling even more disheartened. "Look at the ninjas here—the Sarutobi clan, the Shimura clan, the Mito clan, and the Tenjin clan. The ninjas from these four prominent families make up half of our numbers, and most are just here in name."
Tsunade recalled how the original Senju clan had been decimated due to intelligence failures from the Sarutobi clan. That disaster had led to the clan's decline. She was frustrated that the higher-ups only seemed to care about themselves.
"Ah." Reiki nodded and began to refine his chakra, practicing diligently.
Inside the camp, Orochimaru was facing some dissatisfaction from Mito Nagakaku, a jounin from another dormitory. "Orochimaru, are you really preparing us to participate in the war tomorrow? I have no intention of going."
Mito's demeanor was indifferent. He felt no obligation to fight when he could just wait for the war to end and return home to take over the position arranged by his family.
"Let me make it clear: I won't go, and neither will the ninjas from my family. They're all my direct subordinates," Mito stated, crossing his arms.
Shimura Makino and Sarutobi Byakuya exchanged amused glances, seemingly entertained by Orochimaru's situation. They believed that if Orochimaru wanted to become Hokage, he would need their support, as they represented powerful clans.
"Oh? You're not going? I see," Orochimaru responded, dismissing their words with a wave of his hand as he returned to his tasks. He realized Tsunade was not threatening him but was instead addressing the people in front of her, though they didn't seem to realize it.
Letting them sort out their own issues, he continued his work. Seeing Orochimaru unfazed, the others walked out of the camp with smug expressions. They believed that even if Orochimaru became Hokage, he would be nothing more than a puppet.
Early the next morning, Reiki woke up and immediately began preparing for medical treatment. He wanted to improve his physique and chakra to the level of a special jounin as quickly as possible. Then, he would head to the frontline battlefield to gain experience by fighting alongside the ninjas—that was the best way to learn.
"This little guy..." Tsunade smiled as she watched Reiki rush off. She hadn't expected to gain such a promising apprentice, and it filled her with pride.
"Tsunade-sama, Sunagakure Village has launched another attack. Ninjas have been dispatched to resist, but…" A ninja approached, revealing that the four major families still had not sent any reinforcements and remained huddled in their tents.
Tsunade's temper flared. "It seems Orochimaru has acquiesced to my actions. Then it's time to show them the price of betraying the village." With that, she stood up and vanished in a burst of anger.
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