"Lady Tsunade, please... Please take action and treat my child!"
The man kneeling before Tsunade was Moonlight Yimu uncle to Moonlight Hayate.
Jingyi recognized him instantly. Yimu was known among the village's jōnin, although not particularly famous outside Konoha. Since Hayate's father, Moonlight Ken, passed away in an accident years ago, Yimu had taken care of Hayate like his own.
"It's you, Yimu."
Tsunade sighed.
The Moonlight Clan was a small but respected family known mainly for their kenjutsu and assassination techniques. Though they didn't possess a Kekkei Genkai, they had developed specialized sword techniques over generations, including the "Dance of the Crescent Moon."
Hayate had always been a genius with the sword... if only his body had kept up.
"Lady Tsunade, my nephew Hayate has been sick since childhood. No one in the village can help anymore. You're our last hope!"
Moonlight Yimu's voice was hoarse, worn thin from desperation.
Tsunade hesitated.
Her reputation as the best medical ninja in the world aside, she still suffered from hemophobia the trauma from losing her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Dan haunted her, leaving her unable to perform surgeries.
Jingyii frowned.
He knew Hayate's condition chronic, untreatable by normal means. It was an unusual lung disease, possibly worsened by his overuse of chakra-intensive techniques. Despite being only 23, Hayate looked far older, thin, pale, and constantly coughing.
This was one of the main reasons Hayate couldn't defend himself against Baki's ambush during the Chūnin Exams. His body simply couldn't keep up.
"It's worth a look, right, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune tried to mediate.
Tsunade scowled at her, but Jingyi joined in with a nod.
"Fine, but no promises."
Yimu breathed out in relief.
Konoha's medics had long given up,if Tsunade refused too, there would be no hope left.
The Moonlight Clan compound was modest but filled with signs of their swordsmanship heritage. Students were practicing basic forms; only a few had advanced beyond fundamentals. And Hayate though still the most talented was visibly the weakest in terms of physical vitality.
"Uncle Yimu... Teacher Jingyi!"
Hayate perked up when he saw them, his dull eyes brightening slightly.
"You have a good bond with your students," Tsunade muttered.
Jingyi smiled faintly. "I taught him briefly during the academy days."
Hayate looked at Tsunade blankly.
He had never met her. She had left Konoha before he was born. But the massive kanji for "Gambling" on her clothes gave him a hint.
He bowed stiffly. "Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade sighed. The world really did know her bad habits by now.
"Sit down," she instructed.
After examining Hayate carefully, Tsunade's face darkened.
"His lung condition is serious. I can heal the immediate damage to his lungs, but... the deeper issue is that his body can't handle the strain of his sword techniques. His chakra circulatory system is under constant stress, and using the Dance of the Crescent Moon exacerbates it."
Moonlight Yimu froze.
"Are you saying... he shouldn't use it anymore?"
Tsunade nodded. "If he wants to live, he must drastically reduce his usage of high-level kenjutsu that strain his chakra. Otherwise, his body will collapse sooner or later."
Hayate clenched his fists.
"Are you saying I can't fight anymore...?"
"No," Jingyi interrupted. "Swordsmanship isn't just about flashy techniques like the Dance of the Crescent Moon. Konoha swordsmanship is your clan's foundation not relying purely on chakra."
Hayate was stunned.
He had always placed the Moonlight Clan's techniques above everything else, but he realized now that his reliance on them blinded him.
After a long pause, he whispered, "Then I'll focus on pure swordsmanship."
Tsunade nodded approvingly. "That's your best path forward."
"Lady Tsunade... will you operate on me?" Hayate asked.
Tsunade closed her eyes, then glanced at Jingyi with a sly smile.
"No. Your teacher will assist. I... have some issues performing surgeries directly. But with me supervising, it will be safe."
Hayate didn't hesitate. "Yes, I trust him!"
Yimu bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade, Teacher Jingyi."
Jingyi wanted to protest, but seeing Tsunade's calculating expression, he sighed.
What could he say?
This was her way of slowly regaining confidence too.
And truthfully...
When he saw the trust in Hayate's eyes, he couldn't refuse.