Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

"Teacher, I'm ready to leave," Reiki said with a bright smile, standing in front of Tsunade.

Over the past week, Reiki had taken care of various matters in the special training camp, ensuring its smooth operation. With everything stable and progressing well, it was time for him to move on to his next mission—one that involved Kaguya Otsutsuki.

Tsunade, Shizune, and the other medical ninjas from Konoha remained at the camp, giving Reiki peace of mind.

"Very well," Tsunade said with a hint of reluctance. "But remember: prioritize your safety above all else. If the mission becomes too dangerous, abandon it immediately. You're young, talented, and have a bright future ahead. There's no need to take unnecessary risks."

"I understand, Teacher," Reiki replied with a determined nod.

Beside him, Nozuki and Shisui echoed in unison, "We'll be careful too!"

With that, the trio disappeared in a blur.

That night, they arrived in Konoha.

"I need to report to the clan leader first," Shisui said as they entered the village. "There are some things I must discuss with him." Without waiting, he separated from the group.

"What about you?" Reiki turned to Nozuki. "Are you heading home, or do you want to come with me to see the Hokage?"

"I'll come with you," Nozuki said. "At this hour, my brother is probably at home. And speaking of that, are you really planning to visit the Hokage's office so late?"

Reiki scratched his head. "Good point… Let's head to Minato-sama's residence instead."

When they reached Namikaze Minato's home, the lights were on, confirming he was back.

Nozuki knocked on the door and called out, "Brother! Sister-in-law!"

The door opened, and Minato greeted them warmly. "Nozuki! Reiki! Come in. Kushina just finished cooking, and I can't eat all this by myself."

"Lord Hokage," Reiki greeted with a polite bow.

Nozuki sniffed the air, her face lighting up with feigned excitement. "Wow, sister-in-law made something delicious again!"

Before Reiki could respond, Nozuki grabbed his arm and pulled him away. "Actually, Brother, we just remembered we need to find Shisui for something urgent. We'll be back later!"

As the door closed behind them, Minato's smile faded into an expression of quiet despair.

Kushina had been experimenting with new recipes lately, inspired by Reiki's cooking. While her skills were impressive, her adventurous takes on medicinal cuisine often resulted in… less than appetizing dishes.

Minato, ever the devoted husband, dutifully praised every meal, which only encouraged Kushina to push further into her culinary experiments. Tonight's meal had clearly left him weakened.

An hour later, Reiki and Nozuki returned. Minato was slumped over in a chair, unable to move.

"Pfft…" Reiki stifled a laugh as he approached. "Lord Hokage, let me help you."

Placing his hands on Minato's back, Reiki channeled his medical ninjutsu, relieving the strain and improving his digestion.

"Even as Hokage, you shouldn't sit for long periods. Try to stretch and move around more often," Reiki advised with a teasing smile.

"Thanks, Reiki," Minato said weakly, regaining some energy. "But tell me, why are you back in the village? Weren't you at the special training camp?"

"This is about a mission application." Reiki handed him a scroll.

Sighing, Minato opened it, expecting routine paperwork. However, as his eyes scanned the contents, his expression turned serious.

"Just the three of you?" he asked, incredulous.

The scroll detailed the mission to investigate and potentially free Kaguya Otsutsuki. The team consisted only of Reiki, Nozuki, and Shisui—far fewer than Minato felt was adequate for such a monumental task.

"Yes," Reiki confirmed. "I could handle this alone, but Nozuki insisted on joining…"

Before he could finish, Nozuki pinched his side, earning a wince.

"Nozuki, explain why you want to join this mission," Minato said, directing his focus to her.

"I'm his partner," she said confidently. "If I don't go with him, how can I keep up? He's already leaving us behind in strength. If Shisui and I don't stand by him, we'll only fall further behind."

Minato was silent for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I approve, but remember—your safety is the priority. If the mission becomes too dangerous, retreat immediately."

After a bit more conversation, Reiki performed a thorough check-up on Kushina, ensuring the Nine-Tails was still dormant and that her health was stable. Once satisfied, he bid the couple farewell and left the residence.

Walking alone through the streets of Konoha, Reiki spotted a familiar light in the distance.

"Still open at this hour?" he muttered. His curiosity piqued, he approached the source of the light: Ichiraku Ramen.

"Perfect timing," Reiki thought, a smile tugging at his lips. "A bowl of ramen sounds just right before a big mission."