Chapter 60: My Delicate Illness Extraction Technique is a bit... off

"Click~"

Link returned to his home, noticing a letter and a scroll on the table. He glanced at them briefly before using a Clone Jutsu, ready to toss his "head" if something went wrong. Only then did he cautiously approach the table and knock on the window.

Two Anbu stationed on a rooftop opposite his home—protecting him without infringing on his privacy—swiftly entered the room.

Stepping outside, Link let the Anbu check the letter and scroll. After their inspection, they nodded to signal no apparent threats. Only then did he enter the room.

The letter was devoid of sender details, containing just a time and location for a meeting.

When Link opened the scroll, his heart skipped a beat. Inside was an A-rank sealing jutsu he had applied for but had been denied: Five Elements Seal—one of the more powerful sealing techniques.

"So, I've become useful now..."

After a deep breath, Link calmed himself. Whether the scroll came from Orochimaru or Danzo—he strongly suspected one of the two—he couldn't afford to learn the technique or engage with either of them.

He wasn't confident he could outmaneuver such experienced schemers. And what if the scroll was a trap?

"Please deliver this to Lord Third," Link said, suppressing his curiosity as he handed the letter and scroll to the Anbu. His tone was steady.

"Understood." The Anbu accepted the items and disappeared with their partner in a burst of motion.

The gust from their departure made the curtain sway briefly, leaving Link alone in the room once more.

"Click~"

He closed the window, and the shadow he had prepared in the corner of the room melted back into its place beneath him.

"With Earth Release techniques complete, it's time for medical ninjutsu and Summoning: Rashomon..."

Standing at the window, Link worked to calm his thoughts and refocus on his training.

Among the techniques approved by the Third Hokage, he had deliberately delayed learning Delicate Illness Extraction Jutsu because the name alone suggested it was a highly specialized healing jutsu. It seemed intended for removing minor diseases, which didn't sound particularly useful, so he prioritized Earth Release first.

As for Summoning: Rashomon, he suspected it might be overwhelmingly powerful. Given how his Summoning Jutsu could connect to the afterlife, he could only imagine what this technique might summon.

The name Rashomon in Japanese lore referred to a massive, unbreakable gate, later evolving into a metaphor for the boundary between life and death. In the ninja world, it represented unparalleled defense.

"But knowing me... I might summon something straight from the afterlife."

Still, Link decided to delay the Rashomon training. If something went wrong, he wanted more jutsu in his arsenal to handle emergencies.

"Let's focus on Delicate Illness Extraction first," Link muttered, retrieving the scroll.

…

Three Days Later – Training Ground Seven, Morning

"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."

Link placed a rabbit with a small incision back on the ground. Despite its struggles, it grew weaker. He observed the situation with a confused expression.

The training had been successful—the jutsu worked and even mutated—but the effect was unclear.

The original Delicate Illness Extraction Jutsu was a precise detoxification technique used with Chakra Scalpel. It required detecting disturbances in a patient's chakra network, isolating toxins, and carefully extracting them.

The training prerequisites were stringent, requiring high chakra control and sensory abilities. Furthermore, mastery of Chakra Scalpel was necessary to create an exit pathway for the toxins.

While the learning curve was steep, the jutsu was widely used to train chakra control and medical knowledge.

But in Link's hands...

"Where's the chakra going? What did I extract?"

Link looked at the now lifeless rabbit, puzzled. The jutsu had activated successfully, but there was no visible result. He wondered if the technique targeted only viruses or if the mutation had rendered it situationally useless.

"Finding a sick rabbit is harder than finding a patient," he muttered. "I might need a human test subject..."

Before he could dwell on it further, he heard familiar voices.

"Boss!"

Turning, Link saw Iris and Ami walking toward him. Iris's arm was still in a sling, but his cheerful demeanor betrayed no signs of discomfort.

"Good morning," Ami greeted.

"Good morning," Link replied, setting the rabbit aside. "How are your injuries?"

"Completely healed!" Iris flexed his uninjured arm for emphasis.

Link nodded but didn't waste time chatting. He sat on a nearby rock, deep in thought.

Iris and Ami began their own training, leaving him undisturbed.

"I've been observing for two days without any harm. Maybe I should test it on myself."

Finally making up his mind, Link channeled chakra into his hands, carefully activating Delicate Illness Extraction Jutsu on himself.

A strange sensation washed over him as if something intangible was being stripped away. The soreness from training and chakra refinement subsided, replaced by a subtle tingling relief.

Link stood abruptly, his expression a mix of surprise and amazement. With his knowledge of medical ninjutsu, he understood the implications immediately.

The mutated jutsu had repaired his cellular damage from training.