Chapter 5: Improving the Military Ration Pills

Kai wasn't fully aware of what was happening at the ninja academy.

However, a week later, when he went back to submit his report, Tenten mentioned something to him—the academy had organized an exam for both her class and the year below. The Third Hokage had made a statement: anyone who could score full marks and pass the second round would be allowed to graduate early and begin specialized training. But in reality, no one managed to do it—not even Neji.

And so, everything went quiet.

Kai returned to the medical division.

"Sensei, I've finished reading the basics of pharmacology. I'd like to study something more advanced."

"Already?" Kitayama Su was taken aback for a moment.

She looked him over skeptically. "You didn't just skim through it, did you?"

"I memorized it all."

"Big talk," she huffed, "Let me test you."

Kitayama picked up the pharmacology textbook, smiled slightly, set it down, and grabbed another book titled *Medical Fundamentals*. She placed both books on the desk, opened a random page, and began quizzing him on specific points.

Kai thought for a moment and quickly recalled the details. One by one, he answered each question. Kitayama's eyes widened in surprise, and she began jumping around the books, asking questions out of order. Yet, Kai handled it with ease.

After half an hour, she couldn't help but marvel at him. Yet, there was a tinge of regret in her voice.

"If only he could learn ninjutsu… With talent like this, he could become a remarkable medical ninja."

Kitayama thought to herself.

Kai, however, wasn't bothered. Although the light orb had taken away his ability to learn ninjutsu, it had also given him stronger abilities in other areas. And for some reason—perhaps it was just his imagination—the orb seemed to have gotten smaller.

"You're surprisingly calm about it," Kitayama said. "Alright, let me find a more suitable book for you."

She turned and pulled out a book on *Anatomy*. After a moment of thought, she opened a drawer, took out a box, and retrieved a scroll from inside.

"What's this?" Kai asked.

"A formula for making military ration pills. Starting next week, you'll study while experimenting with making these pills."

Kitayama smiled.

Kai was thrilled as he took the scroll and began reading it over. The formula wasn't difficult; he memorized it quickly.

"Thank you, Sensei!"

...

"Even though it's anatomy, it's quite different from what I remember from my previous life," Kai thought after finishing the book.

With three books now under his belt, Kai felt he had a good understanding of medical practice in Konoha. While medicine was used to aid treatment, the majority of healing still relied on medical ninjutsu, and surgical procedures also reflected this reliance. Thus, much of the knowledge and techniques differed from what he had learned in his past life.

As for military ration pills, Kai had some new ideas. The current pills were too generalized. They provided sustenance and restored stamina, all in one pill. While effective, they were overused and expensive—often providing more stamina recovery than necessary.

Kai thought the pills should be more specialized.

He shared his idea with Kitayama, who smiled but didn't seem to take it too seriously. Nevertheless, she encouraged him to experiment and allowed him free access to the books in her office.

For the next three days, Kai delved into texts about military ration pills and pharmacology. By the fourth day, he was ready to enter the lab.

"Hyakuso," Kitayama called.

"Yes, Lady Kitayama? What is it?" Hyakuso asked.

"That child is making military ration pills for the first time. Keep an eye on him. If he runs into any issues, lend him a hand."

"Understood."

Hyakuso glanced over at Kai, who looked about twelve years old. Not too long ago, this wouldn't have been unusual—back during the war, it wasn't rare for twelve-year-olds to be promoted to chunin. But in peacetime, things were different.

"Is this Yagyu Kai?" Hyakuso wondered, moving closer. A moment later, his eyes widened in surprise. "Lady Kitayama," he called.

"What's the matter?" she asked, about to go and assist other students with their medical ninjutsu training. She assumed something was wrong with Kai's progress.

"No, his movements are precise, but the ingredients he's using seem off—like he's altered the formula."

Hyakuso was twenty-six, eight years older than Kitayama. While his medical ninjutsu wasn't as advanced as hers, he was one of the top members of the medical corps, with an intimate understanding of both medical techniques and the making of military ration pills. He could spot even the smallest deviations.

Kitayama frowned. "Is this kid being reckless?"

"His hands are steady, though," Hyakuso added.

Kai's technique was flawless, his motions precise and smooth, but the ingredients he selected didn't quite match the formula.

"Let's go see," Kitayama said with a frown, walking over to Kai.

By the time they reached him, Kai had already finished making a pill and was about to taste it.

"Wait!" Kitayama called out.

"Hmm?" Kai turned to see Kitayama and Hyakuso approaching. He immediately realized their concern. "Sensei, Hyakuso-senpai."

"Did you alter the formula?" Kitayama asked.

"Yes. Since I'm not familiar with the process yet, I decided to reduce the stamina recovery aspect and enhance the satiety and caloric content for now. I want to compare and refine it," Kai explained, sharing his thoughts.

Kitayama frowned. "You're being too reckless!"

"Well, all the ingredients are non-toxic, so I thought I'd test it out first," Kai said. Before Kitayama could protest further, he took a small bite of the pill.

He chewed thoughtfully. "It's not perfect. I think I didn't add enough of these two ingredients."

With that, he returned to his work, adjusting the formula.

Kitayama was left speechless, while Hyakuso, intrigued, picked up the half-eaten pill and took a bite himself. His eyes lit up.

"Lady Kitayama, this pill indeed provides stronger satiety, and it doesn't restore too much stamina in a short period."

"Let me try," Kitayama said, tasting the pill. She closed her eyes, focusing intently. Indeed, the pill's filling effect was enhanced.

"What's the cost?" she asked.

"I replaced two stamina-recovery ingredients with chakra-compressed grains and dried meat. The cost is less than half of the original, but completely removing the stamina recovery isn't ideal. I'll add a bit of the original ingredients back."

Kai explained while continuing to adjust the formula. Before long, he had made another pill.

"This time it should be right!" he said, offering it to Kitayama.

Kitayama carefully took it, breaking it into smaller pieces—she remembered how filling the previous version had been. After tasting it, her eyes widened in surprise.

This version struck a perfect balance between satiety and stamina recovery, noticeably better than the original.

"The cost is about half of the original, and we can develop another version that focuses on rapid stamina recovery with less emphasis on satiety. We could sell that one at a higher price," Kai suggested. "This way, people can save money by choosing the pill that best suits their needs."

Kitayama and Hyakuso exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of shock and admiration.

This wasn't a particularly difficult idea—they could have thought of it themselves. But this child had been studying for only a few days. In just three days, he had not only mastered the process of making the pills but also devised a practical improvement based on real-world needs.

It wasn't hard, yet they hadn't thought of it before.

After a moment of reflection, Kitayama said, "Hyakuso, assist Kai in further developing these ideas. Once it's complete, have Kai write up a report, and you can help revise it."

"Understood!"

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