Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

Minato Namikaze's sharp words left both Onoki and the Third Raikage speechless.

What had started as a calculated plan to manipulate the situation had crumbled entirely.

To make matters worse, they now realized that challenging this setup would mean crossing a Konoha they could no longer afford to antagonize.

In the past, disputes over resources between villages often led to open conflict. Regardless of Konoha's strength, they would have simply taken their chances.

But now?

After experiencing Konoha's overwhelming collective power...

After benefiting from the resources Konoha had provided...

After witnessing the step-by-step improvements in the special training camp...

It wasn't so simple anymore. The thought of going back to their former states of mediocrity was unbearable.

As the saying goes: It's easy to move from simplicity to luxury, but nearly impossible to move back from luxury to simplicity.

Yamada Mine, the representative of Moon Shadow Village, broke the tense silence.

"Hokage-sama is correct. It's unreasonable to rely on potions prepared from medicinal materials provided by other villages without contributing ourselves. Our Moon Shadow Village has compensated with other resources—in fact, we delivered 20 kilograms of chakra metal alone."

Moon Shadow Village was composed of ninjas who had fled war, unable to bear the burden of killing any longer. They had crossed paths with Reiki when he and Tsunade negotiated with Amegakure, and since then, the village had maintained a strong relationship with Konoha.

For Yamada Mine, supporting Reiki's stance was a matter of principle. He had no patience for freeloaders.

Takigakure's representative quickly followed suit.

"Our potion contribution has been smaller due to the fewer number of our ninjas at the training camp. However, we provided refined iron and red copper to secure pharmaceutical support," he explained.

These comments left Onoki and the Third Raikage feeling deeply embarrassed. The representatives of smaller, weaker villages had demonstrated a backbone they themselves lacked.

In the past, they might have laughed at these weaker villages. But now, with so many eyes watching, failing to contribute would only disgrace their own villages.

Minato Namikaze took this moment to tighten the net.

"Shall I call back Reiki and Tsunade-sama?" Minato asked calmly. "If you have further opinions, feel free to address them directly."

Onoki sighed heavily, realizing the game was up.

"I was too impulsive and failed to consider everything. As a member of the Ninja Alliance, I've made a mistake. I'll prioritize finding medicinal materials immediately and avoid causing further trouble for others."

With that, Onoki rose and left the room, unwilling to drag the matter out further.

The Third Raikage, seeing Onoki back down, followed suit.

"I'll return to my village and make this a priority as well. Onoki is right—we can't hold back the special training camp."

After the two Kage departed, the other village representatives exchanged understanding nods before dispersing quietly.

Meanwhile, Reiki had already moved on to more pressing matters.

"Brother Reiki, it's the same situation," Shizune reported as she approached him with a notebook.

"No external injuries, but their chakra has been taken away. Furthermore, their consciousness appears to have been affected. This is the sixth person today."

"Chakra stolen?" Reiki frowned.

He immediately began preparing a restorative potion to repair the meridians and reactivate the chakra pathways of the injured. By reigniting their base chakra, he gradually restored their systems.

But as the day progressed, more injured were brought in—21 more, to be exact, bringing the total to 27 victims.

This was no accident. The Ninja Alliance had clearly been targeted.

But by whom? Who possessed such strength and boldness to attack the Alliance directly?

Reiki's thoughts turned to Koizumi, a powerful rogue ninja who had given him trouble in the past. Could it be someone like him?

"Brother Reiki, you should rest," Shizune said softly as she reached for his hand. Exhaustion was evident in her voice. She had spent the entire day assisting him while learning from the peculiar injuries.

But before she could finish her sentence, she fell asleep leaning against him.

"I'm sorry, Shizune," Reiki whispered gently. He carefully carried her inside, laid her down, and ensured she could rest comfortably.

Despite Shizune's insistence, Reiki returned to the resting area to check on the injured.

"Reiki Medical Ninja, we've got things under control here. You should rest," one of the other medical ninjas suggested, seeing his weariness.

"No need," Reiki replied. "I still have energy. I'll double-check."

He activated his domain, a surge of blue and red chakra flowing from his body. In an instant, spectral hands extended outward, covering the area with glowing light.

Reiki's domain scanned not only their physical conditions but also their souls. For half an hour, he meticulously checked every individual.

Finally, he sighed, deactivating his domain.

"No leads. None at all. It's as if their memories were deliberately erased," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

Whoever was behind this wasn't just targeting chakra but also manipulating or erasing the souls of the victims. This was no ordinary attack—it required expertise in a power far rarer than any ninjutsu or taijutsu.

Reiki couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Soul manipulation was an even rarer ability, and only a few individuals in the world were capable of wielding it.

But who?

Who would dare challenge the Ninja Alliance so boldly?