The urgency in Tsunade's command was unmistakable. Upon hearing it, Kyuushin gave Minato a sharp nod, and Minato was out the door in a flash, sprinting towards the Medical Department's camp.
Kyuushin then turned back to his teacher. "What's wrong? Are there heavy casualties on the front line?"
Tsunade shook her head, her expression grim. "The number of injured isn't high, but Orochimaru's message is troubling. He said the Rain shinobi have developed a new toxin, completely different from anything we've encountered. The antitoxins we prepared in advance are completely ineffective."
Hearing this, Kyuushin's brow furrowed. "In that case, are you planning to develop a new antidote?"
"A new antidote must be developed, of course," Tsunade confirmed, "but creating one from scratch isn't something that can be done in a short time. If these poisoned shinobi aren't treated soon, the toxin will seep into their internal organs and bone marrow. Once that happens, it will be truly troublesome."
Her tone was solemn. Toxins were a common and insidious tool of shinobi warfare, and also one of the most difficult to defend against. Once poisoned, a shinobi needed the corresponding antitoxin immediately. If treatment was delayed and the poison reached the vital organs, the effectiveness of any antidote would be drastically reduced. A shinobi with immense fortitude might be able to fight it off, but if the poison was potent enough, its entry into the internal organs was essentially a death sentence.
Kyuushin frowned, a memory surfacing. In the future he knew, Sakura had utilized a specific medical ninjutsu to handle poisons, one that could completely remove toxins even after they had invaded the organs. Had that technique not been invented yet? Thinking back, he couldn't recall Mito ever mentioning such a jutsu during his medical training. It was very likely Tsunade herself created it during this war, perhaps as a counter to Chiyo of the Sand. With Tsunade's current skill, she could surely create it now with just a small push.
With that in mind, Kyuushin offered a prompt. "Is there a type of medical ninjutsu that could absorb the toxins directly from the organs? After all, once a toxin enters the body, it intertwines with the person's system, and the chakra in that area becomes chaotic. That chaos could be used to precisely locate and extract the harmful elements."
"Hmm?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed at Kyuushin's words, and she immediately began to ponder the idea. She had been completely focused on how to quickly formulate a new antidote and hadn't considered a purely ninjutsu-based approach. Kyuushin's suggestion was like a bolt of lightning, illuminating a new path. Once she understood the principle, creating such a ninjutsu would be well within her capabilities.
She stood up abruptly. "You've given me an idea. I'm going to try it now. Go tell Zenbu to take in the patients and do whatever he can to slow the poison's spread. Wait for me to come out before you do anything else." Without another word, she left in a hurry, clearly energized by the new possibility and impatient to begin.
Kyuushin and Nawaki exchanged a look before heading to the Medical Department to relay the situation to Zenbu. The senior medical-nin understood immediately and, without hesitation, led his team to the camp entrance to await the incoming wounded.
Sure enough, in less than five minutes, shadowy figures were seen rushing toward them. As they got closer, Kyuushin saw that it was Orochimaru himself, personally escorting the poisoned shinobi to the logistics camp. There was no time for idle chat. The medical team immediately transferred the patients onto stretchers, and logistics personnel quickly carried them into the medical tents. During the frantic process, Orochimaru naturally asked about Tsunade's absence. After hearing the explanation, he said nothing more. After ensuring the patients were in the care of the medical staff, Orochimaru did not linger and immediately returned to the front line.
Most of the patients were suffering from the effects of the poison. Since Kyuushin had not yet learned the relevant specialized techniques, he couldn't offer much help there. However, some of the shinobi returning from the western front had sustained more conventional wounds, and those were naturally handed over to Kyuushin for treatment.
It wasn't until dawn that a tired Kyuushin finally walked out of the medical tent. Nawaki, ever thoughtful, had prepared hot food for him. Here at the logistics camp, personnel like Kyuushin and his friends performed a variety of odd jobs: transporting supplies, relaying orders, helping the wounded, and sometimes even standing guard. Kyuushin's ability with medical ninjutsu was simply an extra asset.
Specialized shinobi handled tasks like cooking and cleaning. The logistics corps was generally made up of genin, who were more than happy with such assignments. These tasks were similar to D-rank missions back in the village, but during wartime, their rank was often elevated. This meant that even doing laundry or cooking could earn the equivalent of a C-rank mission reward, which was far more generous than what was available in the village. Furthermore, prolonged service in a war could earn a shinobi merit, which was invaluable for future promotions. As a result, these logistics positions were surprisingly sought-after.
Of course, the battlefield was unpredictable. If the front line faltered, these logistics personnel could be called into combat. Every shinobi, even those in the rear, had to be prepared for battle and the possibility of death.
However, the war with the Land of Rain was unlikely to become that severe. Konoha's forces on the front line were more than sufficient to handle the enemy's military strength. Konoha had no intention of wiping out the Land of Rain's forces in one go; pushing a desperate enemy too hard only makes them more dangerous, especially an army like Hanzo's, which was already fighting with desperate conviction. Annihilating them would require committing several times the forces, which was not in Konoha's strategic interests, especially in a war they were forced into. The goal was simply to eliminate a portion of the Rain's vital forces, enough to make Hanzo realize he could gain no advantage and proactively seek peace.
By mid-morning, Tsunade finally emerged from her seclusion. She looked exhausted, but her eyes burned with an intense light. She immediately found Kyuushin.
"Come on. Follow me to the operating room. I'm going to need your help with the treatment."