Chapter 8: Initiating Auto-Mode

Chapter 8: Initiating Auto-Mode

A week later, early morning, at the Hyuga household, in the courtyard.

Hinata Hyuga, dressed in a thick training outfit, stood barefoot on the small stones, training with ten-pound iron rings attached to her wrists and ankles. Her movements were precise, every strike of her Gentle Fist executed with great care.

A week ago, she had sparred with Neji Hyuga, and though she hadn't been hit, she had spent some time resting in bed afterward. The lingering muscle strains and soreness had persisted until now. So, this morning's session was less about training and more about rehabilitation.

"Make way! Make way!"

"Lord Hiashi! Lord Hiashi!"

"There's been an emergency!"

Suddenly, frantic voices broke the silence. A group of figures in ninja uniforms rushed through the hallway, hurriedly carrying a blood-soaked stretcher.

"What's going on? Quick! Bring him to the dojo!" 

Hiashi Hyuga, who had come out to investigate the commotion, initially asked in confusion. But when he saw the weakened, blood-covered figure on the stretcher, his expression immediately changed. He rushed ahead to lead the way toward the dojo.

"Yes, Lord Hiashi."

The group moved with urgency, and Hinata, narrowing her eyes, observed them with a curious expression.

"I should check it out," she suddenly decided. She removed the iron rings from her wrists and ankles and followed them.

Inside the Hyuga dojo, a crowd had gathered.

Hyuga Ao, the family's medical ninja, had already been called over and was crouched in front of the injured man, assessing his condition.

"Lord Hiashi... He may not make it. I don't have the skills to save him."

After a long pause, Hyuga Ao raised his head to look at Hiashi, his face heavy with grief.

Though injuries were common in missions, the possibility of losing a comrade weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

"Lord Hiashi…" The injured man trembled, weakly extending his hand towards Hiashi, as if he had something to say. His breath was faint, and his face was deathly pale.

Seeing this, Hiashi hurried to his side, kneeling down to listen closely.

"Danzo Shimura…" 

The man's trembling voice barely whispered the name, loud enough only for the two of them to hear.

Hiashi's eyes widened in shock, his expression growing tense. Although he had anticipated something like this, hearing it directly still made it hard to believe.

Was it related to what had happened recently? A few days ago, Hyuga Ao had reported some disturbing information upon his return—there were suspicions about Danzo's actions. But who could have guessed that the situation would escalate to this point?

The room fell into a heavy silence.

"Can I help?" A sudden voice broke through, accompanied by Hinata's figure standing at the dojo's entrance.

All the Hyuga ninjas turned to look at her, a collective sense of unease settling in their hearts.

Lady Hinata, she's still too innocent… Unfortunately, this situation isn't something that can be fixed so easily. Hyuga Zang's injuries were far too severe, beyond the capabilities of even experienced medical ninjas. How could she possibly help?

"I might be able to save him," Hinata said again, her tone confident. The lively gleam in her eyes and the genuine smile on her face made her seem serious, not joking.

Is this something to be happy about? Yet, she didn't seem to be joking...

Hiashi's expression remained cold as he calmly addressed Hinata. "Stand down."

"I'm telling you, I can save him!" Hinata wasn't intimidated, raising her voice.

"Medical protocol detected. Estimated recovery: 70% within one week."

A terminal message appeared before her, clearly outlining the treatment plan, the necessary medication, techniques, and methods to handle any emergencies.

"..."

The room was enveloped in silence. Hiashi's face darkened, partly because of his connection to the injured Hyuga Zang, and partly because Hinata dared to defy him. Although Hinata had been surpassing expectations recently, it wasn't a reason for her to challenge his authority.

But... what if she could actually save him?

If it were possible, Hiashi didn't want Hyuga Zang to die.

"You may try," Hiashi's tone softened slightly.

As the tension in the room eased, many Hyuga clan members quietly breathed a sigh of relief. But Hiashi remained silent, unsure of how to handle the situation. Hyuga Zang's death seemed inevitable. Even the skilled medical ninja, Hyuga Ao, couldn't heal him. What could this young girl do?

Hearing his words, Hinata exhaled in relief and quickly moved forward.

"Data updated. Treatment plan optimized. Ready to proceed with healing. Begin now?"

Crouching beside the injured man, Hinata assessed his wounds. With the new data, the plan had been further refined.

Hinata frowned, muttering to herself, "Severe blood loss… Although the bleeding has stopped, the internal injuries are still critical. Performing surgery would be extremely difficult, with a high risk of complications. At this rate, he'll last no more than an hour…"

Her words cast a somber mood over the dojo. Even Hyuga Ao looked at her in shock. Although he had been aware of the gravity of the situation, he hadn't dared to announce it so bluntly. Moreover, her diagnosis was incredibly accurate—something even he had only recently confirmed.

He realized that, despite his skills, he was completely unable to save Hyuga Zang. Even with the Byakugan activated, the challenge before him was insurmountable.

But what about Hinata? She had only been here a few minutes, yet she had already made such precise assessments!

"Um... Sorry, could you explain how the Chakra Scalpel is formed?" Hinata suddenly scratched her head, awkwardly laughing as she asked Hyuga Ao.

"..." Hyuga Ao was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "I understand the theory, but I can't use it… If you're going to perform surgery, we'd need to bring someone else."

"Oh, right, I have a medical book with me." 

Suddenly, he pulled out a small book from his waist and handed it to her.

Hinata blinked, then took the book from his hands.

"Scanning in progress…"

"Database updated. Verification successful."

"Conversion complete. Auto-mode ready for activation."

"Success rate of procedure: 100%."

"Activate auto-mode?"

"Yes."