12dz Chapter 521 Dignity
Chapter 521 Dignity
Tsunade was facing a pile of complicated medical scrolls, her brows furrowed. When she saw Sakumo Hatake burst in carrying a blood-covered boy, she was taken aback at first, but then immediately switched into medical ninja mode.
"Put him on the bed!" she commanded in a stern voice.
She placed her hands on Zhang Hai's chest, and green medical chakra flowed into his body like a gentle stream.
As the investigation deepened, Tsunade's expression grew increasingly grave.
"Nonsense!" She abruptly raised her head, glaring at Hatake Sakumo. "This child's body is severely overdrawn to the point of collapse! All his meridians are damaged to varying degrees, and his chakra is almost completely depleted! If we had arrived any later, his path as a ninja would have been completely over!"...
"I sent him on a mission." Sakumo Hatake looked at Zhang Hai, who was lying pale on the hospital bed, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes.
"A mission?" Tsunade's voice rose several octaves instantly. She stared at Sakumo Hatake in disbelief. "How old is he? A newly graduated genin, and you took him on a mission? And you left him half-dead like this?" She took a step forward, almost pointing her finger at Sakumo Hatake and yelling at him.
She could feel a faint, spicy taste, like a mixture of metal and ginger, spreading in her mouth.
She remained silent for a moment, seemingly calming her anger; this action lasted for about half a second.
"You've really gone too far! He must have fought against a Jonin-level opponent, right? Because only by fighting strong opponents can a person's potential be unleashed, so you sent him to his death because you don't care about his life or death at all!"
Sakumo Hatake did not refute, he listened quietly to Tsunade's rebuke, his face expressionless.
He could almost hear a faint, ticking sound, like the turning of clock gears, ringing in his ears.
When Tsunade finally stopped yelling and caught her breath, he slowly opened his mouth, his voice slightly hoarse.
“It’s my responsibility.” He looked at Zhang Hai on the hospital bed, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “As his teacher, I failed in my duty to care for him.” Tsunade looked at his rare, almost apologetic expression, and her anger subsided considerably.
She sighed and turned her attention back to Zhang Hai.
Tsunade stopped talking nonsense, took a deep breath, and focused all her attention on the treatment.
On her hands, a bright green chakra light shone, like two small suns, radiating a warm and vibrant aura.
At the same time, a snow-white slug, no bigger than a palm, crawled out of her sleeve and onto Zhang Hai's body along the bed sheet.
The slug's body also began to emit a soft green light, which shone in harmony with the light in Tsunade's hand, working together to repair the damaged meridians within Zhang Hai's body.
He could feel a slight sensation on his fingertips, like touching cool, damp pebbles.
With this combination of internal and external treatment, Zhang Hai's originally pale face began to regain a sliver of color at a visible speed.
At the boundary between drowsiness and lucidity, Zhang Hai smelled a refreshing fragrance, a scent that was very similar to the faint body fragrance of his mother in his memory.
He groggily opened his eyes, and through his blurry vision, he saw a vague, gentle figure leaning down and looking at him.
He instinctively reached out and, just like when he was a child, hugged the "mother" in front of him tightly, burying his head in her arms and greedily absorbing the long-lost warmth and softness.
A crisp, loud slap jolted Zhang Hai awake.
He flew off the hospital bed like a kite with a broken string, crashed heavily into the wall, and then slid to the ground.
Tsunade stood by the bed, her pretty face flushed red, her chest heaving violently. She pointed at the bewildered Zhang Hai and angrily cursed, "You little pervert! How dare you...!" Zhang Hai covered his burning cheek, his mind racing.
He immediately understood what had happened and how dangerous his situation was.
Ignoring the pain, he scrambled to his feet, his face contorted with immense sorrow and vulnerability. His eyes instantly reddened, and his voice trembled with tears: "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I just... I just mistook you for my mother..." As he spoke, large tears streamed down his face. "My mother... she was also a medical ninja. She sacrificed herself on the battlefield when I was very young... Just now, I smelled the same fragrance as you, and I thought... I thought she had returned..."
Tsunade's anger vanished instantly upon seeing Zhang Hai's heartbroken expression.
A deep sense of guilt and self-reproach welled up within her. Looking at Zhang Hai's swollen cheek, she began to worry that her slap might have been too forceful, potentially affecting the treatment's effectiveness.
She could feel a faint, bitter taste, like a mixture of metal and almonds, spreading in her mouth.
Her tone unconsciously softened: "I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't know...Quick, lie down, I'll continue treating you."
Zhang Hai lowered his head, wiped his "tears" with his sleeve, obediently walked back to the bedside, and lay down.
In the instant he looked up, he caught a glimpse of Sakumo Hatake standing at the door.
He saw his teacher looking at him with an undisguised look of contempt.
Zhang Hai felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that his little tricks couldn't fool this shrewd teacher at all.
He could almost hear a faint crackling sound, like the sound of burning wood, ringing in his ears.
Tsunade's treatment became gentler and more attentive than before.
That warm chakra, like a spring breeze and gentle rain, nourished Zhang Hai's parched body.
He could clearly feel that his injuries were healing at an incredible speed, and even the swollen handprint on his face was quickly disappearing.
As he felt this tenderness and looked at the perfect woman before him, who was beautiful, strong, and kind, a thought uncontrollably arose from the depths of his heart.
He remained silent for a moment, as if gathering his courage; this action lasted for about half a second.
He raised his head, looking at Tsunade with an unprecedentedly serious gaze, and asked, "Lady Tsunade, may I ask if I may pursue you in the future?"