CHAPTER 85 - Medical Jonin

"Mirai-kun, I've already recommended your promotion to Medical Jonin to Lord Hokage. With your performance in the Land of Rivers, I believe it will be approved in the next few days," Kimura said, calling Hyuga Mirai into her office and delivering the good news.

Although the position of Medical Jonin doesn't carry the same prestige or benefits as regular Jonin in terms of status and village rank, Mirai was an exception—he could not be compared to an ordinary Medical Jonin. 

Mirai had become one of Konoha's most outstanding medical ninjas. Even the seasoned Aoki, a Medical Jonin who had been serving for many years, was no match for him in terms of skill. This was well-known in the Land of Rivers, where even Aoki had openly admitted it. 

At this point, Mirai was so skilled that if he were a little older, he could be appointed as the head of Konoha's hospital, or even the deputy director. If he really became the deputy director, his authority would surpass that of a regular Jonin, placing him on par with the heads of several other departments.

Kimura knew that it was a waste to have such an excellent medical ninja constantly deployed on missions. She needed to make sure he was placed in a role where he could truly make an impact.

"Medical Jonin? Thank you for your help, Director Kimura. Do you think my age might be an issue?" Mirai hesitated for a moment before asking, though he was quickly reassured.

"Age is not a problem at all. Your performance on the battlefield in the Land of Rivers speaks for itself. If it weren't for your youth, I would've suggested that you take the position of Medical Director right away," Kimura said, clearly impressed by Mirai's accomplishments.

Mirai had saved numerous Konoha ninjas, cured several types of poison used by Sunagakure, and saved hundreds of lives. If such achievements didn't earn him a promotion to Medical Jonin, the other Medical Jonin in Konoha would feel deeply embarrassed. Those who had fewer accomplishments than him but still held higher positions would struggle with their sense of shame.

"Then, thank you, Director Kimura," Mirai said, smiling and accepting the offer. The higher his position, the more secure his future in Konoha would be.

"You're welcome. Once Lord Hokage finishes his current tasks, he should meet with you within the next few days," Kimura said, glancing at the young Mirai with a satisfied smile. Deep down, she felt a bit regretful. If Tsunade-sama were still here, Konoha's medical system would be the strongest in the shinobi world.

Kimura could see that Mirai might be the one person capable of revitalizing Tsunade, who had been consumed by drinking and gambling. After their interactions, Tsunade seemed to have reduced her vices significantly. When the two argued, Tsunade no longer showed signs of anger. However, Kimura felt they hadn't spent enough time together; otherwise, she was sure Mirai could convince Tsunade to stay in Konoha.

"By the way, Mirai-kun, those of you who just returned may only get a month of rest. The Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning seem to be a bit restless..." Kimura added, offering a reminder.

This wasn't something she should have said, but it had come up during a high-level meeting when Lord Hokage and the others analyzed the situation. 

"I understand, Director Kimura," Mirai said thoughtfully, nodding before leaving her office. 

The Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning had just finished a war, with the Third Raikage's death being a significant blow to the Land of Lightning. The Land of Earth had paid a heavy price to kill the Raikage. Both villages were deeply resentful, but neither could easily make another move. Although the Cloud ninjas were generally more skilled in chakra manipulation than the Rock ninjas, the Cloud Village lacked teamwork, falling short compared to Konoha, or even Sunagakure. 

Thus, both sides were forced to lick their wounds and wait for another opportunity. Konoha's stalemate with Sunagakure could have provided the opening they were looking for. If one side faltered, it might be their time to strike.

After the initial excitement surrounding Orochimaru's arrival, the atmosphere in Konoha returned to its usual calm over the next two days. Sunagakure showed no signs of backing down, despite being pushed back multiple times by Orochimaru. Like a persistent cockroach, Sunagakure was determined to invade the Land of Fire and seize the spoils.

Minato Namikaze had taken on his first mission as the frontline commander after Orochimaru's departure, gaining significant support within the village. With Konoha's growing backing, Sunagakure would likely be in a stalemate at the Fūchō border for a while. Since Sunagakure's supplies were inferior to Konoha's, it wouldn't be long before they would need to negotiate for peace.

This was the conclusion Konoha's high-ranking officials had reached. When Sarutobi Hiruzen gave Minato the orders, Danzo had abruptly left the Hokage building.

Two days later, Kurenai Yuhi and Kiyo Hyuga returned with the reinforcements, prompting Mirai to leave the laboratory to meet his two teammates.

"Kurenai, Kiyo, you're back!" Mirai waved at them from the crowd.

Upon hearing Mirai's voice, Kiyo and Kurenai scanned the area before chuckling and stepping away from their team to approach him. After returning to the village, ninjas were free to leave their teams, though most chose to stay and accept the village's welcome.

"Kurenai..." Asuma waved at her from the team, but Kurenai didn't even hear him. A pitying sigh came from the side as Genma Shiranui patted Asuma's shoulder without saying anything.

"You're in the same team, and yet you managed to come back earlier than us?" Kiyo said with a smile as she approached.

Mirai chuckled. "I had to return a couple of days earlier because of a promotion. And now that you're back, let me treat you both to something nice."

"Promotion?" Kurenai's ruby eyes lit up at the mention, and she immediately asked, "Mirai-kun, you're already a Chūnin, are you going to be promoted to Jonin?"

"Exactly, a Medical Jonin. I should hear back in a couple of days," Mirai replied, smiling proudly. After all, being an 11-year-old Medical Jonin was quite unprecedented in the shinobi world. He had earned this position through his own strength; aside from his family's support in helping him enter the Konoha Hospital, he had no other outside help.

"Mirai-kun, that's amazing!" Kurenai exclaimed, her eyes full of admiration. While they were still far from Jonin, Mirai had already achieved what many of them could only dream of.

Kiyo Hyuga, though more reserved, couldn't help but glance at Mirai from time to time.

Suddenly, Kiyo furrowed her brows and asked, "Are you feeling unwell? You seem to be walking with difficulty."

Mirai paused for a moment in surprise. "You noticed?" he asked. 

(End of Chapter)

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