"Fine then. Since you're so confident, I'll take you to see for yourself."
"I'll show you just how cruel the real Shinobi World can be!"
Asuma tossed his cigarette butt and gestured for Kurenai and Takumi to follow him.
About ten minutes later, the group stopped outside a complex of buildings.
Seeing this place, Kurenai's brow furrowed slightly.
"Hey, Asuma, what are you planning to show him?"
She practically knew the answer before Asuma even replied.
He was going to take him to see Konoha's Medical Division!
This was a place where the wounded were brought in at all hours, some with terrible injuries, missing limbs and worse!
It was a place saturated with the aura of pain and death!
Asuma put on a stern, serious face, "To become a worthy Shinobi, one must first understand what kind of situations they might face!"
"In the Shinobi World, injury is commonplace. Without the resolve to face death, you will never succeed!"
As he spoke, Asuma was the first to step through the Medical Division's entrance.
He then looked back at Takumi and jerked his head.
A signal for him to enter as well.
Takumi's expression remained placid as he followed Asuma inside. Kurenai stayed close to his side, constantly watching for any change in him.
They reached a treatment room.
Here, they saw several Shinobi who were missing arms or legs.
"See? This is the state Shinobi end up in after getting hurt. Hands, feet, even heads... anything can be lost."
"On missions outside the village, getting injured is normal."
"These ones who made it back are actually fortunate. Plenty die out there, their bodies never recovered."
Asuma wore a look of satisfaction.
He was sure that seeing this must have shaken Takumi to his core!
'A brat like him was a sheltered flower, overprotected, never having witnessed the harsh reality beyond the village walls.'
'A scene like this, especially the sight and sounds of grievously wounded men and women in agony...'
'It must have been a massive psychological blow for him.'
'He was probably even having second thoughts about being a Shinobi now!'
However...
"It is truly heartbreaking to see. It seems one must be exceptionally careful while on missions outside the village."
Takumi looked at the wounded, his face solemn.
"????"
This reaction left not just Asuma, but even Kurenai momentarily dumbfounded!
'What was this?'
'He wasn't frightened in the slightest?'
'Not only was he unafraid, his response was unnervingly calm!'
"W-well..." Asuma began, but just then an emergency stretcher rushed past them.
"Make way!"
A single glance was enough to make Asuma's scalp crawl.
It was a Shinobi injured by an explosive tag, their body a bloody ruin, skin shredded, the entire stretcher sheet drenched in red!
Even Kurenai found the sight gruesome, shutting her eyes against the discomfort.
"Hey, kid. Look at this."
Asuma fought down his own revulsion, forcing a calm tone.
If even he was affected by this casualty, Takumi would absolutely be terrified seeing it!
Takumi hurried over.
After looking at the patient on the stretcher, he paused for a brief moment.
"Hah, the kid should be cracking now, right?"
"His knees must be buckling from fear!"
Yet.
Contrary to all expectations, upon seeing this walking 'mass of blood', Takumi showed no fear. Instead, he immediately reached out and laid his hands on the patient!
"What are you all doing! There's an artery here still bleeding!"
"He'll die from blood loss!"
Takumi pressed down on the patient's arm with his bare hand, snatched a roll of bandages with the other, and began wrapping furiously.
Torrents of blood poured out, coating his hands and splattering across his face in vivid crimson.
After a minute of frantic effort, the bleeding was stanched.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
"If you hadn't pointed it out, we might have missed it!"
A group of medics bowed repeatedly, expressing their gratitude to Takumi.
Takumi himself simply looked relieved.
He casually wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist and urged them, "Never mind me! Hurry and treat him! He can still be saved!"
Takumi walked back, letting out a long, slow breath.
Staring at Takumi, drenched from head to toe in blood, both Kurenai and Asuma's minds went blank.
Especially Asuma!
'Who am I? Where am I? What just happened!?'
This was supposed to be about intimidating Takumi, showing him a bloody spectacle to rattle his nerves.
Instead…
Not only was Takumi unfazed…
He ran over and saved a man!
'What kid in Konoha could endure a sight like that?'
Forget kids, many seasoned Shinobi would find their resolve crumbling after witnessing such gore.
At best, legs turning to jelly, vomiting uncontrollably.
At worst, scarred for life, even leaving the Shinobi path altogether!
"Uh... well..." Seeing their stunned faces, Takumi then adopted a look of sudden understanding.
He glanced at his bloodied hands and apologized, "My apologies. This state of mine must have startled you."
'Damn...'
Hearing that felt like a stinging slap across Asuma's face!
He set out to scare Takumi!
And Takumi thought he was the one who got scared!
"Let's get you cleaned up."
Kurenai took Takumi's arm and led him toward the washroom.
A few minutes later, most of the blood was washed from Takumi.
"Had enough?" Kurenai asked Asuma, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
'Trying to frighten Takumi, were you?'
'Look who ended up startled!'
'This is what you call being hoist by your own petard.'
As for Asuma, he looked thoroughly deflated.
All his earlier bravado had vanished.
Asuma gave a silent nod.
Kurenai patted Takumi's shoulder. "Alright, let's head out."
Takumi nodded, but his business here wasn't finished.
He walked solemnly into the main ward, faced the Shinobi with missing limbs and IV drips, and bowed deeply.
"Senpais! Thank you for showing me the harsh truths of the Shinobi World!"
"Though I cannot restore your lost hands and feet, I swear I will strive to ensure such tragedies do not happen again!"
"I will dedicate my entire life to creating a Shinobi World free from war! I will use everything within my power to protect the families and the future generations of all you senpais!"
"Thank you!"
With those words.
Takumi turned and ran out of the Medical Division without a backward glance.
The wounded Shinobi were first struck dumb with shock, then murmurs broke out, followed by a wave of deep emotion, with many breaking down into tears!
"This... this boy!"
"His words... this is the first time anyone has ever spoken to me like that!"
"After all I sacrificed for Konoha, no youngster ever came to see us. This boy is the first!"
"What's his name?"
"Takumi."
"I had lost the will to go on, but Takumi's words... they make me feel it was all worth it!"
"I've been questioning what I fought for. Now I see it clearly. I fought to protect people like Takumi within this village!"
"Thank you, young Takumi!"
"Thank you!"
Witnessing this incredibly stirring and heartfelt scene, the doctors, the nurses, Kurenai within Konoha's Medical Division...
All were deeply moved.
And their hearts swelled with fervor!
'This boy... I truly... misjudged him!'
Kurenai clenched her fists, deeply touched, her heart filled with contempt for her own shallow prejudice and soaring respect for Takumi!
'Words like that, ideals that lofty...'
'How many in Konoha could claim to possess them?'
She suddenly understood why Ayame was so drawn to Takumi.
A man like this, who wouldn't love him?
If it were her, she'd be just as captivated...
---
FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER