Naruto : a hero's journey

"Why are you carrying around a syringe with a painkiller?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Most people don't think to bring medical supplies into battle, let alone calculate doses on the fly."

Satoru, looked up at her calmly. "I figured if something went wrong, I could at least mitigate the damage during the fight. Better to be prepared, right?" he replied, wiping some sweat from his brow.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "That's not something you usually hear from a fighter. Most people don't even know how much dose to give in a situation like that. What makes you so sure you could handle it?"

Satoru gave her a half-smile. "I'm Mitsuki-sensei's student. I'm learning from her, and I want to be a medical nin when I'm older."

Tsunade's expression softened, and a look of understanding crossed her face. "Mitsuki, huh? That explains a lot." She paused for a moment, her eyes studying him carefully.

But then her curiosity resurfaced, and she asked, "If you're training to be a medical nin, why are you so adept at fighting? Medical ninjas usually avoid direct combat. They're non-combatants."

Satoru hesitated, glancing down at the ground. After a moment, he shrugged, his voice quiet. "I don't really have an answer for that… it just feels right, I guess. Like fighting and healing aren't separate for me. I want to be able to protect the people I care about, but also help them when they're hurt."

Tsunade looked at him, her eyes thoughtful. "Fighting and healing… I see." She gave him a small nod. "It's not a typical combination, but maybe that's exactly why you'll be good at it."

"What exactly have you learned so far about medical ninjutsu?" she asked, her curiosity piqued by his unconventional approach.

Satoru, leaning against a nearby tree, gave her a small nod. "I've almost finished the theoretical part of medical theory. Right now, I'm studying poisons, and I learned to use Yin Release a few weeks ago."

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly, her usually stern face showing a flicker of surprise. "You learned Yin Release already? Are you planning to speedrun medical ninjutsu or something?"

Nawaki, sitting beside them and nursing his injuries, glanced up with a grin. "Speedrun? That sounds about right for him."

Tsunade, ignoring Nawaki's remark, folded her arms. "Show me."

Without hesitation, Satoru extended his hand, focusing his chakra. A soft, greenish glow enveloped his palm—a crude, flickering manifestation of Yin Release. The glow danced in the dim light, almost ethereal.

Nawaki's eyes lit up with amazement. "Whoa… that's beautiful."

Tsunade, however, remained analytical. "It looks decent, but your control is still rough," she critiqued, eyeing the inconsistent flow of chakra. "You need to refine it more before you can use it effectively for healing."

Satoru nodded thoughtfully but then asked, "Is there any other practical use for Yin Release besides healing and genjutsu? I've always been curious about that."

Tsunade smiled, pleased by his question. "It's not just for medical purposes or illusions. Yin Release is crucial for a lot of specialized jutsus, especially those used by clans like the Ino-Shika-Cho. Techniques like mind transfer, and shadow possession rely on it."

Satoru raised an eyebrow. "I… It's more versatile than I thought."

Tsunade nodded. "Yin Release taps into the imagination and spiritual energy of the user, turning it into a physical reality. Mastering it will open doors to a lot more than just medical ninjutsu." She paused, looking him over again. "You've got potential, but it'll take more than just rushing through techniques. You need patience and control."

Satoru smiled faintly. "Patience is exactly my strongest trait."

Tsunade chuckled softly. "It's a good thing you have Mitsuki-sensei to rein you in. Just don't overdo it. Rushing can lead to disaster, especially in our line of work."

---

Satoru walked toward the spot where Keiko had agreed to meet after the match. His mind was buzzing with thoughts. But as he reached the area, something felt off.

The place was empty—completely desolate. He frowned, glancing around. "Where is everyone?" he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, he heard a sharp "Boo!" from behind, making him jump. He spun around to see Keiko standing there, grinning mischievously. "Gotcha!" she said, clearly enjoying his startled reaction.

Satoru sighed, shaking his head but smiling back at her. "You always know how to keep me on my toes."

Keiko laughed and held out a small bunch of flowers. "Congratulations on winning! You did great out there."

Satoru took the flowers, feeling warmth rise in his chest. "Thanks, Keiko. Means a lot."

As he held the flowers, something shifted inside him. He felt the moment calling to him, a quiet push in his heart. This was it—he had to ask her.

Clearing his throat, Satoru looked at Keiko with more seriousness than before. "Hey, Keiko... I was wondering... how about we go on a date sometime?"

Her eyes widened for a second before a playful smirk tugged at her lips. "A date, huh? Well..." She paused, pretending to think it over before locking eyes with him again. "Beat Sakumo in your next match, and I'll go out with you."

Satoru was taken aback but quickly recovered, smirking. "You've got a deal." His heart raced at the challenge, and his grin widened, feeling more motivated than ever.

Keiko chuckled and shrugged. "Good luck, Satoru. You'll need it against Sakumo."

The two spent the rest of the day together.

---

Satoru lay in his bed, staring into the dim light that filtered through the window. His thoughts were a whirlwind, spiraling around the upcoming fight with Sakumo.

He wasn't just excited; it was something else—something deeper, more primal. There was a part of him that anticipated the fight not for Keiko's promise, but for the sheer thrill of it. His fingers twitched, and he looked down at his hand, watching it tremble uncontrollably.

'Why am I shaking?' The thought came unbidden. His mind wandered back to who he once was—a boy who never wanted to hurt anyone, a boy who despised the idea of being on the front lines.

He had always imagined himself as a medical-nin, staying behind the scenes and saving lives rather than risking his own. But now, That boy was long gone, and in his place was someone new. Someone… darker.

'When did I change?' he questioned silently, frowning at the trembling hand in front of him.

The thought of facing Sakumo, someone strong, skilled, and respected, sent an unexpected thrill through his body. But it wasn't just the fight he was looking forward to. It was something more disturbing. He wanted to make Sakumo bleed.

The realization hit him like a wave of cold water. He wanted to watch as his rival's blood dripped to the ground, to see the pain in his eyes. It wasn't about victory, not anymore.

It was about something far more dangerous, something violent. The very thought sent a shiver down his spine, but instead of recoiling, he leaned into it. He craved it.

'What is wrong with me?' Satoru's thoughts spiraled further as he grappled with the darkness that seemed to have seeped into his mind. He had never been like this.

He had never wanted to harm anyone—not really. But now, the idea of it—the thrill of combat, the moment of dominance—was intoxicating.

His breath quickened, and he clenched his trembling hand into a fist. What had changed? Was this who he was meant to become? A part of him, deep down, feared that the answer was yes.

'I never wanted this,' he reminded himself, trying to find some anchor to the person he used to be. But even as the thought passed through his mind, he knew it wasn't entirely true.

A part of him did want this—maybe even more than he wanted to admit. There was power in violence, in combat. There was power in making others bleed.

His heart pounded in his chest as he thought about the fight, about the moment Sakumo would be on the defensive, the moment Satoru would gain the upper hand.

He didn't want to kill him, but the idea of making Sakumo hurt, of drawing out that pain, was tantalizing. He was shocked by how much he was looking forward to it, even if it disgusted him at the same time.

He let out a long breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts, but it wasn't working. His mind kept drifting back to that violent fantasy, to the moment his sword might slice through Sakumo's defense, drawing blood.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp sting in his palm. His gaze snapped downward, and to his shock, he saw blood—his own blood. He had bitten down hard into his hand without even realizing it.

A thin stream of red dripped from the wound, and for a moment, Satoru just stared. The pain barely registered, but the sight of the blood captivated him. It wasn't much, just a trickle, but it felt like something symbolic. Something that mirrored what was happening inside him.

'Am I losing myself?' The thought hit him hard, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

'What kind of shinobi wanted this? What kind of person enjoyed the idea of making others bleed? I have always trained to protect, to heal, to be someone others could rely on. Yet now, here I am, imagining my next opponent's blood staining the ground.'

Satoru pressed his thumb against the wound, feeling the warmth of his own blood against his skin. It should have repulsed him. It should have made him recoil.

But instead, it felt familiar—like it belonged there. A terrifying calm washed over him as he realized just how much he had changed.

'Is this what Danzo meant? Is this the path I'm meant to walk?' He closed his eyes, his breathing heavy as he tried to reconcile the two halves of himself—the boy who once dreamed of healing, and the young man who now craved the blood of his opponents.

He didn't have an answer, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that this wasn't something that had happened overnight. It had been a gradual shift, a slow descent into the person he was now.

Satoru opened his eyes, staring at the faint glow of the moon through his window. He didn't want to lose himself to this darker side. But part of him—part of him feared he already had.

Satoru stared at his wound, watching the blood slowly trickle from the small bite mark. 'I need to get this under control,' As he sat there, he thought about what Tsunade had said about his control over Yin Release. Maybe this was an opportunity to practice.

He held out his hand and concentrated, attempting to channel Yin chakra into the wound. he visualized the cells in his skin regenerating. At first, he felt a slight tingle, a sign that the chakra was working. But then, a burning sensation flared up, sharp and hot.

Satoru winced and immediately pulled his chakra back, staring at his palm in confusion. Steam rose faintly from the wound, as if the chakra had done the opposite of what he intended—it had burned the skin instead of healing it.

'What the hell?' he thought, inspecting it. The skin around the wound was irritated, redder than before, with a slight sting.

'Of course it didn't work... I'm nowhere near ready.' He sighed, shaking his head. He wasn't sure what had gone wrong, His thoughts shifted. 'Keiko might have some bandages.'

Satoru got up, his steps quiet as he walked down the hall towards Keiko's room. The idea of bothering her late at night felt awkward, but he knew she'd help him. He knocked softly on the door, waiting for her to respond. Moments later, the door opened, and Keiko stood there, yawning.

Her eyes softened when she saw the wound on his hand. "Satoru? What happened?"

Satoru cleared his throat, "Ah... nothing serious. I was training earlier, got a small cut. Then I tried heating up some water for coffee, but it spilled and hit the wound. Reopened it."

Keiko raised an eyebrow, she didn't press him. Instead, she grabbed a first-aid kit from the nearby shelf and motioned for him to sit down. "You've got to be more careful, you know?" she said, her voice carrying a mix of concern and mild irritation.

Satoru sat as instructed, watching quietly as she tended to his hand. Her touch was gentle, and for a moment, he felt a strange sense of peace wash over him. He should have been listening to her advice, but instead, his mind wandered. Her focused expression as she wrapped his hand, the way her fingers brushed lightly over his skin—it was calming. He felt almost guilty for getting lost in the moment.

"There," she said, tying off the bandage and giving his hand a light pat. "That should hold until tomorrow. Try not to do anything reckless until it heals."

Satoru nodded, "Yeah... I'll be careful."

She gave him a knowing look, as if sensing his distraction, With a small sigh, she smiled at him, and Satoru felt his chest tighten.