Chapter 264: Next Hokage??!!

Monday

Two days had passed since the ceremony.

Because Tsunade had already assumed office a week earlier, there wasn’t much visible change in Konoha before or after the event. The village continued its steady rhythm—calm on the surface, quietly shifting beneath.

As for new appointments, those decisions would take time.

Jiraiya, true to form, had already left the village again—this time accompanying the Fire Daimyo on his return journey. Tsunade had given him the mission herself, partly out of formality and partly because she knew he wouldn’t stay long anyway.

At 8:30 AM, Kitazawa arrived at Konoha Hospital after breakfast.

“Lord Kitazawa, long time no see!”

“You’re incredible! Your performance on the battlefield completely changed the game!”

“Lord Kitazawa, you’re my inspiration now! I want to follow in your footsteps!”

“You wouldn’t believe it—because of you and Lady Tsunade, half the children I treat think medical ninja are front-line fighters now!”

The last comment came from a nurse who handled pediatric cases, earning a chuckle from the others.

Kitazawa hadn’t expected to be surrounded the moment he stepped inside, but in hindsight, it made sense. This was his first time back since the war with Hidden Mist Village. The doctors and nurses hadn’t seen him for months, and his fame had only grown since then—especially with his new title as Anbu Commander and Tsunade’s close ally.

Just then, Yakushi Nono appeared, her calm voice cutting through the chatter.

“Alright, everyone, don’t crowd him. Kitazawa has work to do at nine. Get ready for the observation.”

She smiled warmly, her tone gentle yet commanding.

At her words, the gathered medical ninja and nurses quickly dispersed, though not without sneaking a few admiring glances back at him.

“Lord Kitazawa, see you later!”

When the hall finally quieted, Nono turned to him with a knowing smile.

“You’re quite the celebrity now.”

Kitazawa sighed lightly. “Sometimes, too much attention can be troublesome.”

“If you visited the hospital more often, they’d get used to you,” Nono teased, then added with a small laugh, “Though I suppose Lady Tsunade and the Anbu don’t leave you much free time anymore.”

She’d already heard from Kabuto about Kitazawa’s new position—Anbu Commander and Vice Principal of the Ninja Academy. Even for a prodigy, that was a lot to juggle.

“I’ll be troubling you today, senpai,” Kitazawa said, handing her a sealed scroll.

Nono’s eyes widened slightly. “Is this… the jutsu for limb regeneration?”

She eagerly unrolled it, scanning the first few lines—and the more she read, the more her calm expression began to crumble into astonishment.

Even for a seasoned medical ninja, the structure and precision of this technique were breathtaking. It was a masterpiece of theory and chakra control—clearly the work of someone who understood both medicine and combat on a profound level.

“This… this is incredible,” she murmured, eyes still on the scroll. “Kitazawa, your achievements in medical ninjutsu may one day rival Lady Tsunade’s.”

Kitazawa smiled modestly. “Then I’d better keep working hard. I still have a long way to go before reaching Lady Tsunade’s level.”

“Even so,” Nono said earnestly, looking up at him, “you already stand far above the rest of us.” She hesitated, then asked, “Are you really allowing all medical ninja to learn this technique?”

Under normal circumstances, an S-rank technique like this would require years of service—or special permission from the Hokage—to even glimpse.

“The true worth of medical ninjutsu,” Kitazawa replied calmly, “is in saving lives. The more people who learn the limb regeneration technique, the more hope Konoha will have.”

Nono studied him for a moment, then smiled softly. “That sentiment alone is worth engraving into the heart of every Medical Ninja.”

“It’s not that exaggerated.”

Kitazawa waved his hand dismissively. “This jutsu for limb regeneration is quite advanced. I’d estimate only Medical Jōnin could manage to learn it.”

“I understand.”

Nonō gently rolled up the scroll and nodded.

“It’s a pity there’s no way to lower the difficulty further,” Kitazawa added with a hint of regret.

Nonō smiled faintly and shook her head. “It’s already a miracle that such a medical ninjutsu exists at all. There’s no need to feel regret over it.”

“By the way,” Kitazawa suddenly mused, “does Konoha have any research on cloning technology?”

“No,” Nonō replied at once. “Cloning involves human experimentation, which is strictly prohibited.”

“Right…” Kitazawa murmured thoughtfully.

Still, his mind was already racing. ’If cloning technology exists anywhere, it would have to be with Orochimaru.’

“You’re not thinking—” Nonō began, then her eyes widened in realization. “Ah, I see. The limb regeneration Ninjutsu would pair perfectly with cloning technology.”

The jutsu’s major flaw was its cost—a shortened lifespan. Forcibly regenerating organs consumed vast amounts of chakra and cellular energy. But with cloning, it wouldn’t be regeneration anymore—it would be replacement, sparing the body’s vitality.

“You might want to bring this up to Lady Tsunade,” Nonō suggested after a moment’s thought.

Konoha had dabbled in human experimentation before—Root being the prime example. But she trusted both Tsunade and Kitazawa wouldn’t walk that same dark path.

“We’ll see,” Kitazawa said casually. He preferred to make use of what was already out there rather than reinvent the wheel. Conducting such research himself would be troublesome, time-consuming, and costly—with no guarantee of surpassing Orochimaru’s results.

After all, that snake had been the Ninja World’s greatest scientific mind.

Kitazawa rubbed his chin. In the original timeline, Orochimaru had maintained contact with Danzo even after defecting. That arm of Danzo’s—the one embedded with Sharingan—was Orochimaru’s work. It was cloned from Uchiha Shin’s tissue.

Shin wasn’t truly an Uchiha; he had taken the name out of obsession with Itachi. His unique physique could accept any transplanted organ, making him Orochimaru’s perfect test subject.

But now, Itachi hadn’t defected yet. So where exactly was Orochimaru now? Still within Akatsuki? Or already hiding in the Sound Village?

Perhaps the answer lay with the former Root agents.

“When will Lady Tsunade arrive?” Nonō asked, glancing at the wall clock.

“Nine o’clock,” Kitazawa replied with a grin. “She’s swamped with Hokage duties, but it’s about time. Let’s head to the operating room first.”

“Alright.”

Nonō stood and added, “Because there’ll be quite the audience, we’ve converted the largest operating room we have.”

Under her guidance, Kitazawa ascended to the rooftop—or more precisely, an open-air operating room.

The place was already crowded. Not just medical ninja, but elite Jōnin from across the village stood waiting. By Tsunade’s order, every available Jōnin had been summoned—Hiashi, Fugaku, Chōza, Kakashi, and others.

They had been whispering among themselves, puzzled by Tsunade’s vague summons.

When Kitazawa appeared, conversations quieted instantly.

“Kitazawa,” Hiashi called, stepping forward. “Do you happen to know why Hokage-sama called us here?”

“To watch a surgery,” Kitazawa replied, smiling faintly.

“A surgery?” Hiashi frowned, bewildered.

What kind of operation required the presence of every clan head and elite Jōnin?

“What sort of surgery could this be?” Chōza asked curiously.

Kitazawa merely said, “Let’s wait for Lady Tsunade to announce it herself.”

The gathered ninja exchanged glances.

On the other side stood Konoha’s medical ninja—among them Sakura and Kabuto.

“What’s with that look?” Kabuto asked, adjusting his glasses as he noticed Sakura’s barely contained excitement.

“I just really want to tell them!” Sakura whispered fiercely, shaking her fists.

She already knew what the surgery was about, but secrecy was strict—no leaks allowed.

“Kitazawa-sensei must have his reasons,” Kabuto said calmly. “Though I haven’t quite figured them out yet.”

Sakura’s eyes gleamed. “Whatever it is, it’s an honor to witness such a medical ninjutsu.”

Kabuto nodded. “Indeed. Since the founding of the Medical Corps, no one’s ever attempted limb regeneration before.”

In the entire Ninja World, not a single similar technique existed.

“And we’ll even get to learn it someday!” Sakura added, her voice brimming with excitement.

Her idol was Tsunade—and now, she was walking right in her footsteps.

“You’ve got great talent, Sakura,” Kabuto admitted. “Learning limb regeneration will just be a matter of time for you.”

Her progress had even surprised him—a rare thing indeed.

The students of the Genius Class kept exceeding his expectations. With prodigies gathering one after another—and Kitazawa potentially rising as the next Hokage—the future of Konoha looked brighter than ever.

“Lady Tsunade has arrived!” Sakura suddenly called out, eyes shining.

“Hokage-sama,” the gathered Jōnin greeted in unison.

“Kitazawa, begin,” Tsunade said simply, giving him a nod.

“Understood. Kosuke-senpai, please.”

Maruboshi Kosuke stepped forward from the crowd.

Only then did Fugaku and the others notice him—and after a brief stunned silence, recognition flashed in their eyes.

A Genin with the strength of an elite Jōnin and a man respected by every Hokage—he was a legend in his own right.

But… he was the patient?

As the realization sank in, the confusion deepened.

Kosuke sat on the operating table, calmly removing his prosthetic leg. Below the knee, his left leg was entirely gone.

Setting the prosthetic aside, he lay back on the table—the air around him tense with anticipation.

“Nonō-senpai,” Kitazawa stepped forward, his voice calm yet firm. “You’ll handle the initial treatment.”

“Understood.”

Nonō raised her hands over Kosuke’s severed leg, her expression composed and professional.

Meanwhile, Kitazawa slipped on his gloves and unfurled a summoning scroll.

He planned to use White Zetsu cells for the surgery. Considering Kosuke’s advanced age, forcing him to expend too much life force could prove fatal—and that would make this public demonstration a complete failure.

Moments later, the chakra in the room began to stir.

Before everyone’s eyes, flesh and muscle started to knit together on Kosuke’s left leg, regenerating slowly and steadily.

“This… this is medical ninjutsu for limb regeneration?” Chōza blurted out, eyes wide.

“How is that possible?” Even the ever-composed Fugaku couldn’t hide his surprise.

For a fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind—if limbs could regenerate, could the Sharingan as well? Many in his clan had lost eyes in battle. If this technique could restore them, it would change everything.

Of course, that was only theory. The Sharingan wasn’t an ordinary organ—it was a kekkei genkai.

Still, the idea lingered.

The other jōnin, however, weren’t thinking about clan politics. Their eyes gleamed with raw hope. With this Ninjutsu, no one would have to live permanently maimed again.

Some thought of their comrades who had lost limbs on missions, and their faces softened with joy and disbelief.

They were finally saved.

Time passed slowly.

After three long hours, the surgery was complete.

Kosuke’s left leg—once nothing but a stump—was now whole again.

“Congratulations, Kosuke-senpai,” Kitazawa said, wiping the sweat from his brow with a faint smile.

“T-Thank you! Thank you so much!” Kosuke’s voice trembled with emotion as he stared at his leg, flexing the newly formed muscles. He could hardly form coherent words.

No one blamed him; every ninja present understood the weight of that moment.

Tsunade proudly announced, “Kitazawa created this medical ninjutsu. Its effect—complete limb regeneration.”

“It really is limb regeneration?” Chōza gasped. “As expected of Hokage-sama’s student!”

“Truly remarkable,” Shibi added. “To create a Ninjutsu that has never existed before… Kitazawa is a genius among geniuses.”

“With this one jutsu, countless lives can be saved!”

“Hokage-sama’s judgment remains unparalleled—she truly knows how to recognize talent.”

“With Hokage-sama and Lord Kitazawa in charge, Konoha’s future is secure!”

The jōnin’s voices filled the rooftop with praise. Some of it was genuine admiration, some simple flattery—after all, Tsunade had just ascended as Hokage, and Kitazawa was her prized disciple.

Tsunade’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.

Her goal had been achieved.

Kitazawa had already earned military merit on the battlefield, and now—by unveiling limb regeneration—his prestige had reached its peak.

If not for her and Jiraiya, he could have easily been chosen as the Fifth Hokage.

He couldn’t take the title now—but someday, he would.

Tsunade was certain of it.

“I should mention,” she added, her tone returning to its usual seriousness, “this jutsu does have a side effect. It consumes a portion of the user’s lifespan.”

“This small price is nothing compared to what it gives!” Chōza said immediately.

Many Akimichi had lost limbs through their clan’s secret techniques. In battle, when they used Partial Multi-Size or Giantification, their limbs often became prime targets.

“Agreed,” Fugaku said firmly. “For a ninja, every mission risks our life. Sacrificing a few years to regain one’s body is a bargain.”

After all, few shinobi lived to see old age.

Tsunade raised her hand, quieting the crowd. “I have two announcements.”

The rooftop fell silent.

“First,” she said, “the hospital will compile a list of every disabled ninja in the village.”

“Yes, Lady Tsunade,” Nonō replied immediately.

“Report anyone you know,” Tsunade instructed, her voice resolute. “No one must be overlooked.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” the others responded in unison. Many already thought of comrades who could finally walk—or fight—again.

“Second,” Tsunade continued, “a Medical Ninja training class will be established. Kitazawa will instruct, and all medical Jōnin will participate. The curriculum will include the limb regeneration Ninjutsu.”

Fugaku and the others exchanged surprised looks.

They had assumed Tsunade and Kitazawa would keep such a technique exclusive. After all, monopolizing it would have cemented their influence—no one would dare oppose those who could literally give back limbs.

But she was sharing it freely.

The gesture was bold, and it spoke volumes.

Tsunade wasn’t Hiruzen Sarutobi. Her leadership was decisive, transparent, and rooted in care for the village.

For the first time in years, the clan heads felt genuine trust in the Hokage.

[Current Mission: Have five Medical Ninja master limb regeneration.]

[Reward: Master-level Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation.]

[Accept?]

Kitazawa’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A new system mission—unexpected, but enticing.

He had already seen the immense power of proficient-level Yang Release; master-level would be another world entirely.

He also had an ongoing mission to modify the forbidden technique: Cellular Activation. With this upgrade, the process could be completed in half the time.

Still, training five medical ninja to this level wouldn’t be easy.

Four names immediately came to mind—Tsunade, Shizune, Nonō, and Kabuto.

He just needed one more.

“The surgery is complete,” Tsunade finally said, breaking his thoughts. “Everyone, return for now. Submit the lists as soon as possible—the hospital will begin scheduling the operations.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama!” the crowd replied, bowing respectfully before dispersing.

But even as the rooftop emptied, whispers spread like wildfire.

By nightfall, the news had swept through the entire village.

Kitazawa—the prodigious student of Tsunade—had created a medical ninjutsu capable of regenerating limbs.

And before long, even beyond Konoha’s borders, the story reached every hidden village.

In a matter of hours, Kitazawa’s name had spread across the Ninja World—hailed as the second greatest medical ninja after Tsunade herself.

——————

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