Sakura watched the Third Hokage enter the medical ward. With nothing else to do, she decided to wander around the hospital, seeing if there was any way she could help.
Konoha had just endured a catastrophe, and the hospital was mostly filled with injured ninja. Apart from a few unlucky ones, there weren't many civilian casualties. Thanks to Sakura's intel, Konoha hadn't been caught completely off guard, and although manpower was tight, the Third Hokage had prioritized evacuating the civilians.
Seeing all the wounded shinobi, Sakura decided to pitch in. She hadn't used medical ninjutsu much lately, so this was a good opportunity to practice.
In the hospital lobby, a pale-faced shinobi lay on a makeshift bed. The wound on his arm was bleeding profusely, the blood flowing into a container beside him. Sakura rushed over to check on him. He was already on the verge of death from blood loss, so she immediately began using the Mystical Palm Technique to treat him.
The shinobi saw Sakura healing his wound. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes, however, were filled with an intense emotion.
Seeing his reaction, Sakura's heart filled with the joy of saving a life and being thanked. "You don't need to thank me, sir," she said. "I'm a medical ninja."
At this, the shinobi's eyes widened even further, and he tried to reach out and grasp Sakura's hand. Unfortunately, he was wrapped in so many bandages that he could only wriggle on the temporary bed.
Sakura, witnessing his intense reaction, couldn't help but think, 'Medical ninja really are the most appreciated. Just a little effort, and he's this moved.'
Soon, Sakura had healed the wound on the shinobi's arm. However, probably due to the severe blood loss, the man had fallen unconscious.
Sakura looked at her handiwork with satisfaction and nodded. She was about to look for another injured shinobi when she heard an angry voice from beside her.
"Who did this...?"
Sakura turned around to see a medical ninja, dressed entirely in white, pointing at the shinobi she had just treated.
Sakura recognized him. His name was something like Kusu...shi? He was the one in charge of Hinata during the preliminary exams, and Sakura had spoken with him a few times after the exams ended.
"Ah, Kusu...shi-sensei, I was the one who treated this shinobi," Sakura said, a little confused by Kusushi's furious expression.
Kusushi was known for being a diligent and responsible member of the medical team. He rarely got angry, so she wondered why he was so upset.
When Kusushi heard that it was Sakura, the words he was about to say caught in his throat. "Is she really Tsunade-sama's apprentice?" The question echoed in Kusushi's mind.
From the way Sakura had treated Hinata's injuries back then, it was clear that she was a highly skilled medical ninja. The heart was one of the most vital organs in the body, and to be able to heal it almost completely in such a short time showed that Sakura had exceptional chakra control and refined medical ninjutsu skills. Truly, she was worthy of being Tsunade's disciple. But now, Kusushi wanted to take back those thoughts.
With a complicated expression, Kusushi took a clipboard from the foot of the shinobi's bed and handed it to Sakura.
Seeing the clipboard and Kusushi's constipated look, Sakura had a sinking feeling that she'd messed up. Because the clipboard Kusushi handed her was the patient's chart.
And sure enough, written clearly on the chart under "Symptoms" was: Poisoning.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Sakura hastily apologized to Kusushi.
The bleeding arm was meant to be a way to drain the poison. Because the medical staff were so busy, they had opted for the most basic method of detoxification. Sakura, seeing the bleeding arm, hadn't thought twice before starting treatment, completely forgetting to check the patient's chart.
So, the shinobi's intense stare hadn't been gratitude... it had been fury.
Kusushi waved his hand, looking utterly exhausted. "Just be more careful next time," he said.
"No, let me fix this. I can heal him," Sakura insisted, wanting to make up for her mistake. She carefully examined the shinobi and then used the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to remove the poison.
Sakura had learned all sorts of medical ninjutsu from Tsunade, but simply knowing how to use a technique didn't make one a skilled medical ninja. The jutsu was just a tool; it was the user that mattered.
Kusushi had initially wanted to stop Sakura, but when he saw her perform the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, he fell silent. Only a handful of people in the medical corps had mastered that jutsu.
Kusushi felt like he'd just been kicked by a dog. Seeing Sakura so skillfully using this advanced technique, he couldn't help but think it was a waste of such great talent.
Sakura, ignoring Kusushi's thoughts, was feeling deeply remorseful for her earlier carelessness. Not remorseful that she'd almost made the shinobi pass out from anger, but that she'd nearly tarnished her master's reputation.
It was known by some in Konoha that Sakura was Tsunade's apprentice. Tsunade! Pretty much the entire ninja world knew of her renown. And Sakura had almost publicly disgraced her name, right here in Konoha Hospital.
If Tsunade found out, she'd probably give Sakura some "special training." Just the thought sent shivers down Sakura's spine.
After extracting the poison from the shinobi, Sakura carefully used her chakra to sense for any remaining traces. Once she was certain it was all gone, she stopped the jutsu and said, "All done, Kusushi-sensei."
"Mm. Be more careful next time. You have talent, but don't be so reckless. Medical ninja can't afford to be careless when dealing with patients. Don't waste your gifts," Kusushi lectured.
"Yes, Kusushi-sensei. I was careless," Sakura admitted meekly, hoping that this incident wouldn't reach Tsunade's ears. This was the first time she'd treated an unfamiliar shinobi, and she'd already made a complete mess of it.
"Um, Kusushi-sensei, is there anything else I can help with here?" Sakura asked, hoping to redeem herself.
"Ha... Ha... Hahaha... No, we're fine here. We're quite busy, you see," Kusushi said with a forced smile.
"Kusushi, are you done here? We have another batch of injured coming in, hurry..." Another medical ninja, also dressed in white, approached from a distance.
Sakura recognized him too. It was Hyakusou, the leader of the medical corps, and one of the chief physicians during the preliminary exams.
"Oh, you're Haruno Sakura, I remember you. You're Tsunade-sama's apprentice, right?" Hyakusou said, noticing Sakura. "If you have nothing else to do, come and help treat the injured. Do your part for Konoha..."
"Of course, Hyakusou-bucho," Sakura replied without hesitation.
"Hyakusou-bucho, Haruno Sakura, she..."
"No time to chat! Hurry and follow me..." Hyakusou turned and walked away.
Kusushi, with a helpless look, said to Sakura, "Then you can take care of the injured in the lobby..."
"Yes, Kusushi-sensei. You can count on me. After all, I am Tsunade-sama's disciple," Sakura declared.
Kusushi shook his head as he followed Hyakusou into a medical room.
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