**Chapter 5: Chiyo**

Just as his hand made contact, Hattori realized he'd acted impulsively.

With a faint slapping sound, Hattori's palm struck his thigh. And the instant they touched, the chakra scalpel covering his hand took effect—it cleanly sliced through the subcutaneous muscle of his thigh without spilling a single drop of blood.

"Hiss…"

The intense pain made Hattori take a sharp breath, and his face twisted in agony as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Damn it! How could it hurt this much? It's killing me!"

Though he regretted it, Hattori reacted quickly. In less than three seconds, he switched the white chakra in his hand to green.

"Healing Jutsu!"

A soft green light began its work, healing the wound his chakra scalpel had made beneath his skin, while also soothing the pain.

When the healing was done, Hattori finally saw a familiar line of purple text that symbolized experience.

**[EXP +40]**

Seeing this number, Hattori managed a strained smile despite the sweat pouring down his face.

"Heh...finally, it's here! I finally—"

Before he could finish, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, overtaking his entire body.

His vision went black, and his body collapsed uncontrollably to the ground.

As he fell, he saw that his MP bar had turned red. Moments later, amidst the concerned cries of those around him, he lost consciousness.

When he awoke, he found himself lying on a white hospital bed, surrounded by the smell of disinfectant. He was clearly in a hospital.

Looking up at the bright light above him and the darkened window outside, Hattori felt a pang of emotion.

"Is it already dark? I didn't expect to sleep through the entire afternoon…"

"No, you've been asleep for an entire day!"

As soon as Hattori finished speaking, a voice reached his ears.

Turning toward the voice, he saw a woman with her hair in a bun, looking to be about fifty, entering the room.

**[Name: Chiyo]**

**[Level: 70]**

**[HP: 924/926]**

**[MP: 1103/1103]**

**[Specialties: Medical Jutsu, Poison, Puppetry]**

**[Combat Rating: S]**

Chiyo?

Seeing her stats, Hattori's face showed surprise, a reaction Chiyo didn't miss.

She squinted slightly.

"It seems you know who this old woman is, don't you?"

"Uh…"

Hattori froze but quickly regained his composure. He immediately got out of bed and bowed toward Chiyo.

"Yes, I know who you are, Lady Chiyo!"

Hattori knew well of Chiyo's high standing in the Sand Village, so he acted as any normal Sand villager would.

Seeing his behavior, Chiyo's face softened with a slight smile.

"Your family must have told you. Alright, get back in bed."

"Yes, Lady Chiyo!"

Hearing her instruction, Hattori immediately obeyed, lying back down in bed.

"What a good child!"

Chiyo nodded, smiling as she tucked him in and gently patted his head.

"Child, even if you want to help others, you mustn't push yourself too far. Didn't your family tell you that even for a medical ninja, exhausting all your chakra is very dangerous?"

"Uh…"

Her question brought back the image of his red MP bar just before he passed out.

"So, I passed out because my MP was depleted. I'd better be careful in the future and avoid letting my HP and MP drop to zero no matter what!"

Thinking this, he sat up again, bowed toward Chiyo, and asked, "Thank you for the lesson, Lady Chiyo. By the way, have you seen my family?"

While the question seemed rushed, it was carefully thought out by Hattori. He needed to gather crucial information!

He was new here and unfamiliar with the environment. If he slipped up, who knew what consequences might await? Even though this felt like a game, who could say if there were save points? If he died, could he respawn?

If not, it'd be game over for good.

So understanding his situation was both critical and urgent.

Unaware of his thoughts, Chiyo's face softened as she gently patted his head.

"Child, your parents went out on a mission and may not return for some time. Until then, you'll have to live on your own. Understand?"

"…"

As expected, Chiyo wasn't good at lying, and Hattori could see it from her forced smile.

From her words, Hattori drew two conclusions:

First, his "parents" were Sand Village ninja and were likely already gone.

Second, he had no relatives to rely on, a classic "orphan start."

After drawing these conclusions, Hattori felt a mixture of relief and disappointment.

He was relieved that there'd be fewer chances to expose himself and that he could lay low and develop his skills until he was strong enough. But he was also disappointed that he'd be without a support system, making life harder ahead...

Wait a second!

I'm a genius medical ninja!

Hattori suddenly remembered his skills, and everything felt clearer. The bit of gloom in his heart vanished instantly.

"Other orphans struggle because they lack ability. But I'm a transmigrator with special skills, a healer in high demand in every game. How could life possibly be hard?"

Thinking this, Hattori looked at Chiyo, who was watching him with concern, feeling more confident in his thoughts.

"The Sand Village is in a time of war, and orphans are everywhere. As a high-ranking figure, Chiyo wouldn't personally check on every orphan. The only reason she's here must be that she's interested in me because I'm a genius!"

Almost as if to confirm his thought, Chiyo's voice rang in his ears.

"Hattori, you have a real talent for medical jutsu. Would you like to study medical jutsu under me?"

"I'd love to!"

Without hesitation, Hattori nodded, his face serious.

"My mother told me that Lady Chiyo is a hero of the Sand Village, the undying flower of the ninja world. Learning medical jutsu from you is the greatest honor. Please take care of me, Lady Chiyo... no, Teacher Chiyo!"

Chiyo: "…"

**(End of Chapter)**