Malphegor
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HGBW: Ch. 71
🕑 Added 2025-03-08 01:13:52 +0000 UTC"Don't shout."
"A battle between jonin is naturally intense, and full of danger. How could one possibly avoid getting injured?"
"Let alone the jonin exam—even in the chunin exams, aren't there injuries and deaths every year?"
"You expect an eight-year-old kid to not only defeat a thirty-something-year-old ANBU captain but also achieve a flawless victory without a single injury?"
Just as Hiruzen, overwhelmed by emotion after seeing his son impaled by the Kusanagi Sword, was about to hold Tanaka accountable, Tsunade immediately stepped forward and, with just a few words, shut down his anger completely.
"Injured? Then go get treated."
"You were always against the idea of training medical ninjas. Now that your son is lying there, do you finally understand how important it is to have medical-nin around when injuries occur?"
She went all in, seizing the opportunity to lecture Hiruzen, leaving him with no way to vent his anger.
"Tsunade, the priority right now is not to argue about training medical-nin."
"Right now, saving a life is what matters most."
Jiraiya, understanding that injuries are inevitable in a battle between jonin, quickly stepped in to mediate as the tension between Tsunade and Hiruzen escalated.
"I'm not trying to blame Tanaka. In a ninja battle, blades have no eyes, and injuries are unavoidable."
"As you said, if you're injured, then get treated. You're the best medical-nin in Konoha. I'll leave Shinnosuke in your hands."
Hiruzen, who had been consumed by his emotions, immediately regained his composure. Not only did his expression soften, but the anger in his eyes also completely faded.
From emotional turmoil to regaining clarity, it took him less than three seconds.
"A mere flesh wound, is it really that troublesome?" Tanaka suddenly appeared beside them.
Under Hiruzen's sharp gaze, he reached out and grabbed the hilt of the sword, then swiftly pulled it out of Shinnosuke's body.
Squelch!
Before the blood could even spurt from the wound, Tanaka gathered chakra into his index finger and jabbed a key pressure point on Shinnosuke's back like a sharp blade.
The moment the blood began to ooze, it stopped at a visible speed.
That stopped the bleeding already?
Everyone present was stunned for a moment but quickly understood what had happened.
Every single person standing in the training ground was at least at the level of an elite jonin.
Even without the Byakugan to see inside Shinnosuke's body like Tanaka, they could tell from the situation—where a sword had pierced straight through yet bleeding stopped with a single acupoint strike—that while Shinnosuke's injury looked severe, it was just as Tanaka had said: A mere flesh wound.
Even without the Byakugan to see inside Shinnosuke's body like Tanaka, they could tell from the situation that his injury wasn't fatal. A sword had pierced straight through him, yet the bleeding had stopped with a single acupoint strike.
Despite its severe appearance, the wound was just as Tanaka had described: a mere flesh wound.
At least, for a jonin, it was nothing more than a flesh wound.
"Hehehehe, you've amazed me once again."
"To face an opponent of Shinnosuke's caliber and end the battle with a single strike was remarkable."
"Even more impressive was how your blade pierced through him while avoiding all vital organs. You then masterfully used your chakra, attached to the blade, to strike his acupoints directly."
"This not only inflicted pain, disrupting the ninja's body, but also blocked his chakra flow, preventing him from using jutsu."
Orochimaru gazed deeply at Tanaka, his golden snake-like eyes filled with burning excitement, as if he had found a rare treasure.
"He's already this strong?"
"Maybe among those below Kage-level, he has no equal."
"And even against a Kage, it wouldn't be an unwinnable fight."
Although they had already suspected as much in their hearts, Orochimaru's words confirmed their thoughts as undeniable truth.
This also left the clan leaders present in awe, marveling at what they had witnessed.
Hearing the evaluations from the various clan leaders, Tanaka merely smiled without confirming or denying it.
He didn't quite agree with that statement.
It should be: Unrivaled below Kage-level; against Kage level, at worst, a one-for-one exchange.
This wasn't arrogance, it was a conclusion drawn from experiencing consecutive battles, witnessing the corpses of Hyūga jonin, and defeating the ANBU captain. It solidified his understanding of his own strength.
Unless he encountered an Uchiha with a Mangekyō Sharingan or someone wielding the Wood Release…
For Kage-level opponents without a bloodline limit or those with clear weaknesses, he was fully confident that, even at a cost, he could cut them down.
After all, the Op-Op Fruit was a Devil Fruit with multiple spatial abilities, something that put him leagues ahead in the shinobi world.
Minato, just by mastering the Flying Thunder God and extending it into techniques like Flying Thunder God Slash, Flying Thunder God Second Step, and Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder, was able to dominate the shinobi world.
But Tanaka, who had eaten the Op-Op Fruit, could do everything the Flying Thunder God could, and more.
Other than long-range teleportation, in every other aspect, he was superior. Not only could he perform what Flying Thunder God could, but even things that technique couldn't do—he could.
"You alright, Fox?"
Hiruzen, realizing that his son had indeed suffered only a flesh wound, immediately changed his tone when addressing him.
"Hokage-sama, I'm fine. Even without medical ninjutsu, as long as I bandage the wound and apply medicine, I'll recover in a few days."
Shinnosuke wasn't a medical-nin, nor did he have the Byakugan to see inside his own body. But as the ANBU captain, he was more than capable of assessing his own condition.
After Tanaka sealed his acupoints to stop the bleeding and restored his chakra flow, the only injuries he had left were muscle, skin, and some blood vessels that had been cut by the Kusanagi Sword.
For an ordinary person, this would be a serious injury. But for a ninja of his caliber, this was truly nothing more than a minor flesh wound.
"Tanaka, please forgive my earlier outburst."
"I would also like to express my gratitude for your mercy on Fox."
Hiruzen was a man who could admit his mistakes and move on.
Moments ago, he had nearly exploded with rage, ready to hold Tanaka accountable. But now, not only was his demeanor calm, he even humbled himself to apologize.
"Hokage-sama, you're too kind. My blade is not meant to be turned against Konoha ninjas."
"Even if, due to the jonin exam, we are forced to cross blades for the time being, I would never strike to kill."
Tanaka shook his head.
"Well said!"
