The tent arranged for Kaede was located in the back area of the camp.
"That boy is... Hatake Kaede, right? Has he already become a Jōnin?"
Some ninjas noticed that Kaede had settled into a separate small tent and couldn't help but voice their surprise.
This was the front line of the Land Wind, where there were many ninjas. The setup was entirely different from the camps in the Land of Grass. Even Chūnin didn't qualify to stay in their own tents here.
Kaede, previously famous as a genius in Konoha, was well-known to many. However, most people remembered that he had only recently passed the Chūnin exams, so it seemed impossible for him to have risen to the rank of Jōnin so quickly. If he were a Jōnin, he would not have been assigned a private tent.
"It's probably unlikely, right?"
A ninja next to him said, still surprised, "Maybe he's a Special Jōnin..."
This explanation seemed reasonable.
Though both Jōnin and Special Jōnin enjoyed almost the same privileges, there was a clear difference. A Jōnin had no deficiencies in any field, possessed leadership abilities, and could lead and command large groups of ninjas.
On the other hand, Special Jōnin typically consisted of Chūnin with specific skills, such as sensory abilities or interrogation techniques.
Since Kaede was a genius, it was plausible that he had unique abilities like decoding codes or sensory skills. In wartime, it's not too surprising that he would quickly be promoted to Special Jōnin.
"Yeah," the ninja who spoke first nodded.
He was just a Chūnin. If Kaede were truly a Jōnin, it would mean he outranked him and could even be his superior during their next mission. This would require him to follow Kaede's orders.
That would be hard to accept. After all, a young Jōnin leader was hard to trust, and there would undoubtedly be significant doubts about his judgment. But if Kaede were just a Special Jōnin, it wouldn't be his problem. They would likely belong to different divisions and only cooperate without interfering with each other.
…
Inside the tent.
Kaede had tidied up briefly before lying down to rest. He stayed asleep until just before evening, waking up and rubbing his eyes before stepping out of the tent to fetch water.
The camp had makeshift wells scattered in several areas. Kaede had studied the layout of the camp, so he quickly identified the nearest well and headed in that direction.
"Huh? Kaede?!"
Just as Kaede was drawing water, a surprised voice called out to him.
The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. Turning slightly, he was a little surprised. "Oh, it's Shizune. What are you doing here?"
Shizune was supposed to be training with Tsunade, so seeing her here at the camp meant that Tsunade was likely nearby as well. This surprised Kaede.
"I came with Lady Tsunade. I'm practicing medical ninjutsu here," Shizune said as she jogged over with a water bottle.
Kaede filled his own water bottle, then poured some into Shizune's, tilting his head as he asked, "Lady Tsunade is here too? Isn't her condition..."
"Although she can't fight, she's still able to teach medical ninjas, though she can't directly handle blood. She can only guide by listening to symptoms," Shizune explained, but then paused and looked at Kaede in surprise. "How do you know about Lady Tsunade's condition?"
Tsunade's fear of blood wasn't exactly a secret, but it was known to very few people, just her closest students and a handful of elite Jōnin. Kaede shouldn't have known about it.
Kaede shrugged, "My father mentioned it before."
Tsunade's fear of blood had occurred during the end of the Second Great Ninja War. Since White Fang knew about it, it was logical for him to be the one to have mentioned it. Orochimaru also knew, so blaming White Fang would be the most fitting.
Shizune nodded as if recalling something. "I heard some things about White Fang from Tsunade because of you. Now it makes sense," she sighed. "Lady Tsunade's condition is still worrying. She can't treat some of the severely injured patients herself. If she could, her medical skills would heal them much faster."
Kaede handed the filled water bottle to Shizune and thought for a moment. "Where is Lady Tsunade? I'd like to visit her."
Fear of blood was essentially a psychological condition.
In his previous life, Kaede specialized in psychological therapy, and he had studied hypnosis techniques and other methods, all of which were essentially psychological guidance, very different from the illusions used in this world.
He had once treated Kakashi, and the effects had been noticeable.
Tsunade's condition could also be addressed.
Shizune was surprised by his request but nodded. "Lady Tsunade is resting in her tent. I'm helping her fetch water. Just follow me."
"Wait a moment."
Kaede vanished in an instant, and within seconds, he returned to Shizune's side, having already stored the water bottle back in his tent.
They crossed through a large area of tents and quickly arrived in front of a larger one.
Shizune entered with the water bottle and said, "Lady Tsunade, I brought the water."
"Put it over there," Tsunade's tired voice responded.
Due to her fear of blood, Tsunade's ability to treat injuries had been greatly restricted. Normally, she could easily heal patients, but now it took much more of her energy.
She had come to this battlefield for two reasons: first, Sarutobi Hiruzen had repeatedly asked her to come, and she couldn't refuse; second, she was here to teach Shizune medical ninjutsu.
Medical skills were something that required practice as much as theory, and the battlefield was the perfect place to hone those skills. Patients were constantly arriving, so Shizune's medical abilities would improve quickly here.
"By the way, Lady Tsunade, Kaede wants to visit you."
"Kaede? That little brat? Isn't he with Orochimaru?"
Tsunade tilted her head, unsure of why Kaede would come to see her. However, she was curious about the young genius, so she grabbed her clothes and casually draped them over herself. "Let him in."
"Greetings, Lady Tsunade."
Kaede entered the tent, smiling politely. "We've met before, but I didn't have the chance to greet you properly. I heard you were here, so I thought I'd come by. Orochimaru-sensei often praises your medical skills."
Tsunade looked Kaede up and down.
Hmm.
His attitude is good.
"No need for formalities… You're Orochimaru's student, and also the son of Hatake Sakumo. I feel partly responsible for what happened to him. If I had been in the village at the time..."
Tsunade's voice carried a hint of regret.
Hatake Sakumo was older than the three of them and had made a name for himself before they did. Both Orochimaru and Tsunade had worked with him on missions and had received some care from him. When Sakumo passed away, Tsunade had been gambling in a small town in the Fire Country, and by the time she heard the news, it was too late to do anything.
"It's my father's stubbornness," Kaede shook his head. "Even if you had been in the village, Lady Tsunade, I don't think it would have made a difference."
"By the way, Lady Tsunade, I heard you've been having some trouble lately... When my father passed away, Kakashi was in a bad state too. I helped him with some soothing methods, and I'd like to try them with you..."
Tsunade froze for a moment, then laughed softly. "You want to treat me?"
If anyone else had said that, she probably would have kicked them out by now. But Kaede was young, and she felt a little guilty toward him, especially since she had brought up White Fang's death herself.
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