Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

Indeed, everything Minato Namikaze had just said came from Reiki. It was all based on a plan laid out by Tsunade herself. However, Minato didn't expect to hear the same arrangements from Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth.

"Understood," Minato replied, nodding before disappearing from the Hokage's office.

---

In Tsunade's courtyard, Minato relayed the details to her.

"Tsunade-sama, Hokage-sama's arrangements align perfectly with what you had prepared. When... when are we going to act?" Minato asked, his tone a mix of nerves and anticipation.

Facing the legendary ninja demon, Uchiha Madara, was no small matter. The thought of such a confrontation excited even the most seasoned ninja.

"Wait," Tsunade said calmly. "We'll act when we have more information. It's best to wait until the ninjas from Kumogakure make contact with Uchiha Madara."

Minato nodded, though his eagerness showed. Tsunade sighed, standing up. "I need to contact other clans to finalize preparations," she said before vanishing.

---

"Reiki, are you planning to join the battle too?" Minato asked cautiously after Tsunade left. "I think you should stay at the rear. If the front lines suffer heavy casualties, the injured will need to be sent to you. That way, we'll have the best chance of preserving lives."

Reiki shook his head with a small smile. "I've never said I was joining the frontline. I chose to be a medical ninja for a reason—because I'm afraid of dying," he replied, his tone light.

Minato chuckled. "True enough. But what do you think about this battle? I can't shake the feeling that something bigger is going on here."

"Honestly, I don't know," Reiki admitted, shrugging. "The information I gave you is accurate, but as for Uchiha Madara's true intentions? Your guess is as good as mine."

---

Late that night, Tsunade returned to her courtyard, visibly exhausted. Reiki immediately moved to her side, helping her relax with a full-body massage. The tension in her muscles eased, and her fatigue quickly dissipated.

"All the clans are prepared to fight," Tsunade said softly. "But the scale of this incident is enormous. If it spirals out of control, have you considered the consequences?"

Reiki nodded calmly. "I have. It's not as bad as it seems. We have enough information to act decisively. Besides, our target won't be Uchiha Madara himself. That simplifies things considerably."

Even with Reiki's reassurances, Tsunade remained hesitant. "If this goes wrong, Konoha could face an unprecedented crisis," she murmured. "Especially with the possibility of Madara's return."

"Teacher," Reiki said with a grin, "you don't need to worry so much. This isn't something we're instigating. It's just a game between Danzo and the Third Hokage. At best, we're just minor players caught in the middle."

Tsunade exhaled deeply. While she no longer held Sarutobi Hiruzen in high regard, she couldn't deny that his decisions carried weight in the current situation.

---

Later, Orochimaru arrived, his appearance unexpected at such an hour.

"Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, her brow furrowing. "Why are you here at this time of night?"

Orochimaru gave a faint smile. "Tsunade, are you worried about sensei?" he asked bluntly.

Tsunade's expression darkened. "Worried? No. What he's done in the past has made me lose all trust and respect for him."

"Ah," Orochimaru said softly, as if pondering her words. "As his former students, we've both seen his decline. To be honest, if it weren't for Reiki's plan, I might have already begun plotting to kill him."

"What?!" Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. Orochimaru spoke of killing Sarutobi Hiruzen as casually as if he were discussing dinner plans.

"Does that surprise you?" Orochimaru continued, unfazed. "The teacher we once respected has changed. If left unchecked, he'll only sink deeper into his schemes. Eventually, he'll be branded a traitor to Konoha and cast out."

Orochimaru's voice dropped, his words heavy. "Rather than letting him meet such an end, I've long considered staging a rebellion—killing him as an enemy of the village. That way, he can die as Hokage, retaining his honor."

Tsunade was stunned by Orochimaru's cold logic. She took a moment to process before asking, "So, now you want him to face Danzo on the battlefield and die there, don't you? To preserve his reputation as the Third Hokage?"

"Exactly," Orochimaru replied, his tone unwavering. "Danzo is prepared. He's even established contact with Sunagakure and the Land of Rain. This battle will go far beyond the scale of a typical ninja war."

A glint of excitement flickered in Orochimaru's eyes. "There will be countless corpses in this conflict, and it will provide the perfect opportunity to achieve our goals. Killing two birds with one stone."

Tsunade fell silent, realizing the gravity of Orochimaru's words. The pieces were falling into place, and the storm that was brewing over Konoha would soon engulf them all.