Chapter 42: Preparing to Do Something Secret!
This is bad!
Out of the hundreds of candidates in the second exam, less than a hundred survived.
It's tragic! Absolutely tragic! Almost none survived.
The casualties were so severe because the surveillance was destroyed, causing the three major ninja villages to lose control over the exam site.
If it weren't for the timely intervention of the examiners and the Konoha Anbu, it wouldn't be surprising if no one survived.
From all indications, Konoha has been severely infiltrated.
Otherwise, the enemy wouldn't have been able to sneak into the Forest of Death and know the locations of the surveillance lines.
These are things even Konoha's own ninjas don't know.
With such a serious leak, it's no wonder there's been a massive internal investigation in the village these past few days.
"And also..."
Uchiha Mei seemed hesitant to speak.
"Your two teammates, Yamakawa Koji, was stabbed in the chest while protecting you, injuring his heart, and Kakashi was also seriously injured!"
A voice from the doorway finished Uchiha Mei's sentence.
Uchiha Shota! His strong presence at the door was overwhelmingly imposing.
"What!!"
Uchiha Takashi was completely unprepared for the news about his two teammates.
But before he could get up, he was pushed back onto the bed.
Uchiha Shota easily restrained Uchiha Takashi with one hand, advising, "What you need to do now is recover and perform well in the upcoming third exam. We'll talk about everything else later!"
The reminder was necessary because Uchiha Takashi's displayed abilities were attracting more and more attention.
Without sufficient status and strength, even being an Uchiha might not protect him.
Unless he never leaves the clan grounds, he will eventually have to face these challenges alone.
"I... understand!"
Countless thoughts flashed through Uchiha Takashi's mind, but he eventually nodded slowly.
"The third exam won't start for more than half a month!" Uchiha Shota released his grip and walked out with Uchiha Mei, but stopped at the door, "You... must not let Mei down!"
Hearing the last sentence, Uchiha Takashi was completely puzzled.
What did it mean not to let Mei down?
How had he wronged his 'White Thigh'? Slander, complete slander.
Tap, tap!
As Uchiha Takashi mentally refuted, hurried footsteps echoed at the door.
Looking up, he saw a figure rushing in.
Wearing a white short-sleeved martial arts uniform, a black leather belt around the waist, and loose hakama pants.
Beneath the smooth, shoulder-length hair was a delicate and charming face, with white eyes full of concern looking towards the hospital bed.
"Uchiha Takashi-kun, you're finally awake!"
The beautiful girl, seeing Uchiha Takashi awake, spoke with extreme excitement.
Hyuga Aotsuki!
One could say she fully lived up to her 'princess' status from the Hyuga clan.
Not only was she beautiful, but also wealthy and generous.
The first time they met, her bruised face and bloodstained body were a mess.
But once her injuries healed and she changed into clean clothes... well, her looks and figure were truly top-notch.
But seriously, is she twelve?
Hyuga Aotsuki was the same age as Uchiha Takashi, but in some aspects, she was 'exceptionally gifted,' far surpassing Uchiha Mei's 'flat' figure.
However, people in the ninja world mature quickly, so such growth isn't surprising.
"Why are you here...?"
Seeing her intact right leg and the lilies in her hand, Uchiha Takashi didn't understand why she was there.
"I heard you were seriously injured in the Forest of Death and have been worried, so I've been visiting you every day!"
Chapter 42: Preparing to Do Something Secret!
Hinata Aotsuki slowly walked to the bedside, skillfully replacing the flowers in the vase. Having someone change the flowers for you isn't too bad... or so he thought, but it was anything but! Only now did Uchiha Takashi understand what Uchiha Shota meant when he said, "Don't let Mei down."
What a huge misunderstanding!
He and Hinata Aotsuki were as pure as a blank sheet of paper.
"Is that so? Aotsuki, do you know how Koji and Kakashi are doing?"
Uchiha Takashi inquired about their situation.
Although his injuries had fully healed, the aftereffects of having his chakra drained and the soldier pills left his body feeling numb and weak.
No wonder Uchiha Shota had insisted he stay in bed to recover; he was in no condition to be active.
"I know..."
Hinata Aotsuki softly explained the situation of the two from Team Three.
Uchiha Takashi's expression grew increasingly grim.
Kakashi was doing relatively well.
Despite his severe injuries, medical ninjutsu had almost completely healed him, and he had already been discharged from the hospital.
Only Yamakawa Koji, whose heart was injured, was not so fortunate. Even though he had narrowly escaped death, he would no longer be able to continue as a ninja.
Any intense heartbeat could endanger his life.
"How could this happen..."
Uchiha Takashi muttered to himself.
He understood how devastating this was for Yamakawa Koji.
As the last hope of the Yamakawa clan, he had made "revitalizing the clan" his dream.
"But that's what being a ninja is, isn't it?"
Hinata Aotsuki consoled him with a somber expression.
She was in a similar situation.
Having lost a leg, she could no longer continue as a ninja. Her future was like a caged bird, and a crippled one at that.
"Yes, that's what being a ninja is!"
Uchiha Takashi repeated bitterly.
The cruelty of being a ninja lies in this.
Facing constant danger, with no pension or safety net if crippled or retired, the number of ninja suicides was not small.
The heart!
Such a crucial organ, and healing it was impossible with the current capabilities of Konoha Hospital.
If Tsunade, the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu, were to intervene, there might be hope, but for anyone else, it was a lost cause.
The more Uchiha Takashi learned about medical ninjutsu, the more he realized its limitations.
That's why he didn't specialize in it but instead used medical ninjutsu to pursue a "biotechnology route."
The heart! It's the most intricate part of the human body.
Even before crossing over, it wasn't guaranteed that related injuries could be fully healed.
But this isn't the world before crossing over; it's a ninja world with chakra and natural energy.
With resurrection and aliens, heart problems should be manageable.
"So, are you willing to accept this fate?"
Uchiha Takashi asked the despondent girl, almost on impulse.
Faced with his question, Hinata Aotsuki remained silent, her eyes flickering with a faint yet intense flame, which quickly vanished.
At the same time, Uchiha Takashi realized how her legs appeared intact.
Transformation Jutsu! As long as her chakra lasted, she could maintain a normal appearance, but once depleted, her leg would revert to its crippled state.
She likely preferred to keep her pitiful state visible to amuse the main family, reducing the harm she suffered.
But because she was visiting him in the hospital, she used the Transformation Jutsu.
If it had been before the Forest of Death exam, Uchiha Takashi might not have done anything.
But now, he had new ideas, and he took her hand... preparing to do something that must remain secret.
(End of Chapter)
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