Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

Seeing the stunned expressions of everyone around him, Reiki couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

It seemed that once again, he had unintentionally shown off, and in doing so, had unintentionally shaken the confidence of the members of the special training camp.

"I know ninjutsu," Reiki began, trying to clear the air. "But what I just demonstrated wasn't my own ninjutsu." He held up a small bead. "This is something Black Zetsu gave me."

With that, Reiki crushed the bead in his hand while shouting, "Fire Release: Explosive Flame Impact!"

Immediately, a terrifying wave of fire erupted, blasting through the already-scorched terrain. The resulting explosion was just as intense as the earlier display of power, leaving everyone stunned.

The special training camp members gawked in disbelief. A small bead capable of such destruction? It felt impossible. However, the instructors seemed relieved, having already recognized these beads. Black Zetsu had approached them earlier to request raw materials for creating these items.

Ai, shaking his head, spoke up, "Could you at least warn us before using something like that? If someone from the special training camp—or even an instructor—had been in the way, they could've been gravely injured, or worse."

Having said his piece, Ai turned and left. "I need to get back to training the Kirigakure team."

The Bubble user also floated away on his signature technique, adding, "I have Cloud Village ninjas waiting for me."

As the camp dispersed, Reiki turned back to Jiraiya, who still appeared shell-shocked. "Now do you understand why I support Lord Orochimaru's decision?"

Jiraiya nodded slowly. "I understand. That chakra... it's on a whole different level. Orochimaru should pursue this, without a doubt."

"But what about Lady Tsunade?" Reiki asked hesitantly.

Jiraiya waved it off with a laugh. "Leave her to me. I'll take the blame. I've been on the receiving end of her punches plenty of times. What's one more?"

Reiki sighed, "If you insist, Jiraiya-sama. Lord Orochimaru, you're free to proceed as planned."

Orochimaru smirked, understanding the game. "Well, if Jiraiya insists, I'll reluctantly continue my research. Though I had truly wanted to focus on mastering Sage Mode..."

Jiraiya chuckled, "Stop pretending to be reluctant! We both know you love this."

With a final laugh, Jiraiya added, "I'll head to Mount Myoboku now. You two better make good progress while I'm gone!" And with that, he disappeared into the distance.

Once Jiraiya was gone, Reiki pulled out a crystal ball, holding it up with a sly grin. "Did you record everything?"

Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Of course. Jiraiya-sama's resilience to beatings is legendary. We'll just shift all the blame onto him if Tsunade gets upset."

Reiki handed over the crystal ball and then set down several bottles of potions. "These are for your recovery, Lord Orochimaru. Each is tailored to your current condition. Use them wisely."

Orochimaru nodded, collecting the potions and heading back to his lab. "It's truly a blessing to have such a skilled medical ninja around," he muttered before disappearing.

Meanwhile, an avatar of Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows in Orochimaru's lab.

"Have you decided to continue with our collaboration?" Black Zetsu asked, his tone impassive.

Orochimaru smirked. "Naturally. Your unique chakra composition makes you the perfect test subject. With your help, I don't need to waste time finding others to experiment on."

Black Zetsu nodded slightly. His body, being a product of Yin-Yang Chakra, allowed him to endure even unstable versions of the technique without harm. By simulating a human body, he provided precise feedback for Orochimaru's research.

"If I had realized your capabilities earlier, my work would've advanced much faster," Orochimaru mused.

With Reiki supplying potions, Black Zetsu as an ideal subject, and Jiraiya volunteering to take the blame for any mishaps, Orochimaru was free to focus entirely on his experiments. Instructor duties could be handled by Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Sakumo in the meantime.

Elsewhere

Reiki decided it was time to leave the special training camp for a while. With Shizune and the others handling medical duties and the trainees on the right track, there wasn't much for him to do. He reasoned that staying might even hinder their growth.

"I'll return in a month or so," he thought to himself. "For now, it's time to explore and see what opportunities are out there."

In the Shadows

Deep in a dark forest, corpses lay scattered across the ground. A figure stood nearby, a scythe dripping with fresh blood.

"It's getting harder to find sacrifices," the hoarse voice grumbled. "The Ninja Alliance has swept up most of the stragglers."

Another voice emerged from the darkness. "Hold off for now. We don't need to antagonize the Ninja Alliance just yet. Wait until the time is right."

A shadowy figure stepped into the faint light, their features obscured but their intent clear.

"Let them grow stronger first... then we'll strike."