Orochimaru

In the heart of Konoha, within the confines of the Konoha Hospital, Kirito diligently attended the medical class. He sat amidst fellow students, focusing intently on the instructor at the podium, absorbing every word, filtering out the superfluous information, and jotting down essential notes in his notebook.

It had been 14 days since he started attending these classes, and he had already adjusted seamlessly to the rhythm of the medical curriculum. With his prodigious learning capacity, he had swiftly caught up with the lecturer's pace.

The medical class syllabus closely resembled that of the ninja school, comprising both practical and theoretical aspects. However, it leaned more toward theoretical subjects, offering minimal practical training.

Medicine was an extensive and profound field, and without a solid theoretical foundation, the practical applications would remain elusive.

Aspiring medical ninja must deeply respect life, for the foundation of their craft lies in the preservation and restoration of life.

The theoretical courses spanned a wide range, encompassing topics such as medical ninja regulations, pharmacology, first aid, human anatomy, biology, toxinology, and cell biology. Among these subjects, Kirito exhibited a particular penchant for pharmacology, human anatomy, and cell biology.

In these classes, he absorbed a wealth of invaluable knowledge that would remain inaccessible elsewhere. Regrettably, many of these subjects contained forbidden lore, and instructors were reticent about divulging this information outside the classroom. To attain such classified knowledge, one needed to ascend to a higher echelon within the medical hierarchy.

Consequently, Kirito had embarked on the path of contributing to Konoha through diligent work at the hospital, gathering experience, and positioning himself favorably within the institution.

The sole practical class was dedicated to the Palm healing Technique, an A-ranked medical ninjutsu of considerable complexity, surpassing even the difficulty of learning the Rasengan.

The Healing palm Technique required the practitioner to harness Yang chakra, exercise precise chakra control, and possess an in-depth understanding of the biological structures within the human body.

Before entering the medical class, Kirito had yet to comprehend the nature of Yang chakra. However, the medical curriculum offered a well-established method to cultivate Yang chakra. Within a week, Kirito had successfully cultivated this essential chakra.

With the required chakra element in hand, Kirito commenced his practice of the Palm Technique.

This endeavor proved to be a formidable challenge. Unlike previous ninjutsu he had learned, such as the Lightning Release, Yin Release, and Water Release techniques, which he mastered within days, the Palm Technique presented a steep learning curve.

Nevertheless, Kirito pressed on diligently.

While the healing palm Technique posed a considerable challenge, Kirito's study of the Art of Spiritualization proceeded smoothly. He grasped this technique with relative ease and proficiency.

In his first attempts at the healing Palm Technique, Kirito struggled to revive the fish. Over a dozen fish perished before he managed to successfully resurrect one, a process that consumed two days.

Yet, reviving a fish marked just the initial phase of mastering the technique. Kirito would need to practice on a myriad of animals—cats, dogs, birds—before he could competently treat human patients. This rigorous training regimen constituted the true essence of mastering the Palm Technique.

This afternoon's practical class featured a white cat afflicted with a leg injury. Kirito's task entailed first cleansing the wound, channeling chakra into the injury to assess its severity, identifying the areas in need of immediate repair, and subsequently initiating the Palm Technique.

Executing the technique required unwavering focus and exceptional chakra control.

After approximately two minutes, Kirito, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead, successfully completed the treatment. He lightly tapped the cat's head with his finger, infused chakra into its body to dispel the Genjutsu that had concealed its surroundings, and restored consciousness to the feline.

The white cat, upon awakening, initially startled upon encountering the unfamiliar Kirito. It promptly stood upright, ready to leap from the bed and escape.

However, as it attempted to leap from the bed, it found its movements arrested.

A sealing circle had manifested beneath the cat, ensnaring it within.

Sealing Technique: one layer seal.

"That's right, you've learned the Healing Palm Technique quite quickly, and I suspect it won't be long before you can perform surgery."

As Kirito engaged in conversation with his fellow medical ninja, a young woman with severe dark circles beneath her eyes, she patted his shoulder and offered her praise.

Humbly, Kirito responded, "You give me too much credit. It's thanks to Miss Ciyun's excellent teaching that I've been able to progress this quickly."

Senju Ciyun, a Konoha medical jounin renowned for her expertise in pharmacology and the top instructor in the medical class. She also held a position as the head of the pharmacy department at the hospital. Senju Ciyun was a formidable and capable ninja, belonging to the elite ranks of the senju clan, just like Tsunade.

Ciyun had been enlisted by Mito to provide guidance to Kirito in the field of medical ninjutsu. She had played a crucial role in helping him rapidly catch up with the medical class's curriculum within a mere ten days, allowing him to even surpass his peers in certain aspects.

"I've told you not to address me as 'teacher'; you should call me 'big sister.' It makes me feel old," Ciyun remarked, ruffling Kirito's hair affectionately.

Ciyun had taken a liking to Kirito. She admired his intelligence, maturity, and remarkable Chakra control. Kirito's medical proficiency at his young age was impressive, and under her guidance, he had made remarkable strides in a short time. Ciyun considered Kirito a potential disciple, and if it weren't for his prior allegiance to Mito, she might have taken him as her own apprentice.

Kirito grumbled as his hair was tousled once more. "I said, you're already 35, not exactly young..."

"What did you say?" Ciyun inquired with a menacing smirk, her sharp ears catching Kirito's words.

"I said, Sister Ciyun, you're incredibly beautiful," Kirito replied with a wry smile.

Ciyun wasn't one to let Kirito off so easily and suggested, "Kirito, the reference room has been neglected for a while now. Since you've finished your assignments swiftly, how about lending a hand to clean it? Those who work diligently get rewarded."

Kirito's expression turned sour as he heard her words, and under Ciyun's seemingly kind smile and the classmates' amused glances, he reluctantly left the classroom.

Yet, as soon as he exited the classroom, his vexed expression transformed into a joyful smile. Kirito had long desired to access the reference room, containing a treasure trove of medical records and materials. However, the hospital was heavily guarded, making it challenging for him, a mere medical class intern, to explore freely. Ironically, Ciyun's actions, seemingly a form of punishment, were indeed a reward in disguise.

"Sister Ciyun, you're truly kind-hearted," Kirito thought gleefully as he briskly made his way to the basement-level reference room.

In no time, he arrived at the stairs leading down to the basement.

At that very moment, a disheveled man with a pale complexion and golden eyes was ascending the stairs. Upon locking eyes with Kirito, an eerie sensation overcame him, as if he were the prey of a venomous serpent.

Suddenly, the scene before Kirito transformed, and a colossal snake materialized before him. The serpent fixed its cold, ruthless eyes on Kirito, a mere human, with a chilling and predatory intent.

Kirito faced the sudden appearance of the giant snake with composure. He quickly formed a seal and uttered softly, "Release."

In an instant, the giant snake vanished, and the illusion dissipated, returning the scene to its normal state. Kirito, now alert, took a few steps back and retrieved a handful of kunai from his ninja pouch, his eyes locked onto the unsettling figure before him.

Orochimaru!

Kirito couldn't believe he had encountered Orochimaru here. He had sensed a strong chakra presence on the stairs, but he hadn't anticipated coming face to face with Orochimaru.

Wasn't Orochimaru supposed to be on the battlefield in the Land of Rain? Had the war between Konoha and the Hidden Rain Village concluded already? And why had Orochimaru used an illusion on him just now?

Kirito's heart raced, and he discreetly activated a sealing technique, ready to retaliate if the man before him made a hostile move.

Orochimaru observed Kirito, who remained on guard, and his eyes revealed a hint of admiration. He admitted to feeling excited and stuck out his long tongue briefly before retracting it.

He hadn't expected that a mere eight-year-old could easily dispel his illusion. Originally, he had intended it as a harmless jest with the young prodigy before him.

Now, he found Kirito to be an intriguing and talented child.

Kirito, however, had to resist the urge to activate his sealing technique and deliver a swift punch to Orochimaru's repulsive face after witnessing the sight of the man's tongue.

"Who are you?" Kirito asked coldly. "Why did you use an illusion on me?"

"Oh, my apologies for that," Orochimaru responded in his hoarse voice, his eerie smile fading. He then opened his mouth, and a snake slithered out, followed by the snake ejecting a scroll covered in mucus.

Taking the scroll, Orochimaru tossed it toward Kirito.

Kirito promptly extended a chakra thread from the acupuncture point on his shoulder, deftly entangling the flying scroll, and then gently placed it in front of himself.

Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed as he watched Kirito use the chakra thread to manipulate the scroll. His eyes betrayed excitement and an unmistakable hint of greed.

"Such a young age, able to freely open chakra points and possess outstanding chakra control," Orochimaru murmured to himself. "This child resembles me when I was young."

Unveiled appreciation and a trace of avarice filled Orochimaru's gaze.

Kirito felt increasingly uncomfortable under Orochimaru's intense scrutiny. Were it not for the presence of several jounin-level chakras nearby, including one that was familiar to him, Senju Ciyun's, he might have made a hasty retreat.

He couldn't tolerate Orochimaru's unsettling gaze any longer.

"I accept your apology," Kirito responded briskly. "My name is Tohsaka Kirito, and I'm here to clean the reference room under the orders of Teacher Senju ciyun. I shall take my leave."

Kirito didn't bother to examine the scroll's contents, holding it with the chakra thread, and coldly declared his departure, swiftly moving away from Orochimaru.

"Tohsaka Kirito, I shall remember your name. If you ever require assistance in the future, do not hesitate to seek me out. My name is Orochimaru."

As Kirito passed by Orochimaru, the latter's hoarse voice whispered in his ears.

Kirito didn't respond, hastening his pace as if fleeing from Orochimaru.

Once Kirito had disappeared down the stairs, Orochimaru slowly withdrew his gaze and turned to face a medical ninja with a stern expression before him.

The person who arrived was Ciyun.

"Orochimaru, don't pay attention to Kirito. He is a disciple of Mito-sama," Ciyun warned Orochimaru with a cold tone.

Ciyun harbored no liking for this Konoha ninja and Tsunade's teammate, especially disliking his contemptuous and sinister golden eyes. Orochimaru was a dangerous individual, and she didn't want him interfering with Kirito's growth.

"So, that's it. It's that kid. I've heard Tsunade mention him before. He is indeed an exceptional child, and he has learned an impressive sealing technique from Mito-sama. No wonder Mito-sama holds him in high regard," Orochimaru said thoughtfully, his voice low and contemplative.

Despite Orochimaru's quiet words, Ciyun had heard them clearly. She had to take precautions and ensure Orochimaru didn't get any ideas about Kirito, whom she considered her baby.

"Kirito will be Tsunade-sama's trusted right-hand man in the future. I advise you not to interfere with his growth," Ciyun cautioned once more.

She needed to ensure Orochimaru didn't have an opportunity to cause trouble, even if she wasn't certain she could defeat him herself.

She would rather Kirito be protected by Mito-sama and Tsunade-sama than risk any involvement with Orochimaru.

"Since he's Tsunade's right-hand man, I won't meddle with him. Farewell," Orochimaru said, glancing at Ciyun with his eerie gaze. He then turned and walked out of the hospital, heading for the exit.

Ciyun watched Orochimaru's retreating figure with a frown, muttering to herself, "Why did this detestable person return at a time like this?"

A few minutes later, Orochimaru exited the hospital, shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight with his hands. When he lowered them, an Anbu ninja wearing a cat mask appeared before him.

"It's from Danzo. He wishes to extend an invitation to you," the Root ninja informed Orochimaru.

"Very well, tell me more," Orochimaru replied, his interest piqued.