Being a medical ninja wasn't just about knowing medical jutsu. The supplies they needed were vastly different from combat ninjas.
Taiichi brought Minato to his home and opened his supply cabinet. First, the standard combat gear he always carried.
Then came the medical supplies: anti-inflammatories, painkillers, antiseptics, trauma medicine, surgical tools (scalpels, scissors, tweezers), bandages, alcohol, soldier pills, antidotes, and various herbs.
He sealed a massive pile of items into a storage scroll.
"Taiichi, do medical ninjas always carry this much?" Minato asked curiously. This was ten times what he carried.
"I don't know!" Taiichi looked blank. "It's my first mission as a medical ninja. Better safe than sorry!"
Minato laughed. "Right! Better safe than sorry!"
They rushed to the Konoha gate, where the other two members were waiting.
"Taiichi, glad to have you on the team."
Sakumo Hatake greeted him warmly, without any arrogance. But anyone underestimating him would pay in blood.
Taiichi noticed Sakumo's aura had sharpened since their last meeting. To a fellow swordsman, he felt like an unsheathed blade.
"It's my honor, Sakumo-senpai. You've become even stronger."
Sakumo looked surprised, then nodded approvingly at the tanto on Taiichi's back. "Let me introduce our teammate."
He stepped aside to reveal a Hyuga. "This is Hizashi Hyuga, Jonin. He is crucial for this mission."
Hizashi nodded politely, curiosity in his white eyes. He clearly didn't know Taiichi.
"Hizashi, this is Taiichi Matsushita, our medical ninja. Don't underestimate him; his skills saved my life on the last mission."
Taiichi bowed politely. Hizashi Hyuga, father of Neji, destined for tragedy. But now, he was young, barely in his early twenties.
"Mission rank S. Objective: Intercept and eliminate the Sand envoy," Sakumo announced, unrolling the mission scroll. "I am the captain."
"We move out immediately. Details on the way."
They left Konoha, traveling toward the Land of Rain.
They ran for eleven hours, stopping only briefly for water and food. By 8 PM, they camped in a defensible spot.
December nights were cold. They gathered around a fire.
"Sakumo-senpai, can you give us the details now?" Minato asked.
Sakumo drew a map on the ground. "We cross the Land of Rain to the border of Wind and Bird. We resupply at Outpost 4 tomorrow morning."
He pointed to the junction of Rain, Bird, and Wind. "Then we cross Rain in one go, avoiding all detection. Anyone who sees us..."
He looked at Taiichi.
"I understand. No witnesses. Konoha cannot be implicated," Taiichi confirmed firmly.
Sakumo nodded, satisfied.
He unrolled another scroll—the Sand defense map. "From here, we scout according to this map. One, to verify its authenticity. Two, to learn the terrain for assassination and extraction."
"Intel is limited. We only know the alliance date. Target identity, guards, route... all unknown. We have to be prepared for anything."
Taiichi understood the stakes. If the Sand-Stone alliance succeeded, Konoha would face increased pressure on multiple fronts. The leaders wanted to prevent another multi-front war.
"Just the four of us?" Hizashi worried.
"An ANBU squad went ahead for recon on the envoy. We are the strike team."
At least they weren't completely blind.
They rested in shifts.
By December 6th, they reached the tri-border area. The real mission began.
Sakumo pointed at a Sand outpost on the map. "Hizashi, it's up to you. Verify the outpost matches the map from a distance."
Hizashi nodded. Recon was easy with the Byakugan. Range: 5km. Safe distance.
Before they moved, Taiichi stopped them. He poured six peanut-sized pills from a bottle.
"Sand uses poison. These are my special antidote pills. Twice as effective as standard issue. Even if they can't cure the poison, they suppress it for an hour without affecting combat ability. Two for each of you."
Sakumo sniffed one. A pungent odor hit him, making him cough. Then a cooling sensation cleared his mind.
"Hey, don't—" Taiichi tried to warn him, but it was too late.
Watching Sakumo cough and tear up, Taiichi said innocently, "The smell is strong. Don't chew; just swallow. Trust me, you don't want to taste it."
Minato and Hizashi shivered and carefully stored their pills.
"Taiichi... that's potent!" Sakumo wiped his tears. "Next time, give the warning first."
"Ah... haha." Taiichi looked away guiltily.
The mood lightened. They moved out in a triangle formation, protecting Hizashi.
With the Byakugan, they avoided patrols easily. At 3km from the outpost, Hizashi activated his eyes. Veins bulged around his temples.
"Two squads inside. Based on patrols, likely a company stationed here."
He scanned the surroundings. "Traps at 10 and 2 o'clock. A Sand patrol approaching from the rear, 4km out."
Taiichi reached for his sword. Minato stopped him with a shake of his head.
"We verified the outpost. Move to the next one," Sakumo ordered, ignoring the patrol.
"Avoid combat if possible. If we fight, it must be instant kills," Minato whispered to Taiichi.
"Hizashi, keep the Byakugan active if you can. We have 16 outposts to check. Time is tight."
"I'll try. But I can only maintain it for 30 minutes with 15-minute breaks without affecting combat readiness," Hizashi said apologetically.
Sakumo frowned but accepted it. Overworking the scout was dangerous.
"Um..." Taiichi pulled out another bottle. "Try this!"
"Special soldier pills. Added herbs, special processing. Three times the effect of normal pills, fast acting, rapid chakra recovery."
"Taiichi, are you Doraemon? What else do you have?" Minato joked.
"That's it! Made them recently. Requires Yang Release, so shelf life is short. Use them now."
Then he shouted, "AND DON'T CHEW!"
Hizashi paused mid-motion, then swallowed the pill whole.
Even without touching his tongue, the smell hit his nose. A sensation stronger than wasabi shot up his spine. His face scrunched up.
But then, warmth spread from his stomach. Chakra and stamina recovered rapidly.
"This is effective!" Hizashi was shocked.
"Max 6 per day. Any more reduces effect and hurts the body."
The others stared at Taiichi. Hand them over.
Taiichi sighed and gave them each a bottle. "Use sparingly. I'm out of ingredients."
With Hizashi fully powered, their speed increased drastically.
Until the morning of the 9th. At the last outpost, an accident happened.
Prolonged Byakugan use strained Hizashi's mind, causing a momentary lapse in vigilance.