Yinyue's expression changed slightly. This was the first time he had ever seen someone describe kidney deficiency so freshly and elegantly.
Everyone in the cabin felt that this guy was unreliable—probably a fake doctor.
But the next thing the sleazy doctor did made them all shut up.
The middle-aged doctor examined Tamao's wounds. In an instant, his lewd expression vanished, replaced by a serious, focused demeanor. He methodically began unwrapping Tamao's bandages.
At that moment, he looked exactly like the stereotypical medical ninja.
Suddenly—
The doctor froze. He looked around the room and asked,
"Who tied the bowknot on these bandages?"
Everyone was stunned.
Izumi smiled foolishly, revealing her small tiger teeth, and raised her right hand.
"Me!"
"This bandaging method isn't scientific. Never mind—after I finish saving him, I'll teach you some proper bandaging techniques!"
The doctor sighed and continued removing the bandages.
Izumi frowned and lowered her head. She had thought she'd be praised—what was this supposed to be?
Pouting, she said stubbornly,
"I'm not learning!"
"Why? It's free," the doctor shot back, his hands never stopping.
"You're improper!"
"But my technique is proper!"
"I said I won't learn!" Izumi snapped—then instantly regretted it.
Their team really did lack someone with medical knowledge.
After thinking it over—
For the sake of the team, Izumi immediately reconciled with herself and said weakly,
"Alright… alright, I'll learn."
The doctor nodded and focused on the bandages again.
Mikoto wanted to laugh but forced herself not to. Still, she couldn't quite hold it in, so she thought about her deceased husband instead—and her mood sank instantly.
She suddenly felt that this escape journey had started to go wrong in less than two days.
Where did Yinyue even find all these weirdos?
"Hiss—be gentle, that hurts!"
Even Tamao couldn't endure the pain of the bandages separating from his wounds.
"Hah, weren't you acting tough just now?" the doctor sneered. "I've only heard those words from the girls I've treated."
The doctor's hands didn't stop.
Tamao clenched his teeth, enduring the pain, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Ever considered the possibility that they were probably lying to you?"
That hit home.
The doctor froze. His hands stopped. His face fell. The bandages were completely removed.
Ignoring Tamao's trash talk, the doctor carefully examined the young man's exposed wounds. His brows knit tighter and tighter, his expression growing grave as he sucked in a cold breath.
These weren't one or two injuries.
The entire front of his body was a bloody mess—like a slab of steak that had been grilled, minced, and torn apart.
That he was still alive—
"An absolute medical miracle."
The doctor muttered to himself. His face solemn, he gathered pale green medical chakra in his hands and swept it across every one of Tamao's wounds.
Seeing medical ninjutsu chakra, the Uchiha finally relaxed, no longer doubting his credentials.
Even Yinyue felt a hint of anticipation—for the "side-quest reward."
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea—
The doctor stopped his rudimentary medical ninjutsu, shook his head, and smacked his lips.
"Can't be saved. No hope left. Just wait for death."
The fragile hope that had just arisen in everyone's hearts was instantly shattered by those words.
This time, the doctor's expression was calm. He looked straight at Yinyue and explained seriously,
"He was hit by a large-scale Wind Release technique. Judging by your appearance, you're all ninja—you should know how terrifying wind chakra is.
After cutting into the body, wind chakra can even seep into the cells, causing massive cellular destruction around the wounds.
The penetrating damage of powerful wind chakra is comparable to poison.
Ten years ago, at my peak—when my control over medical chakra was at its strongest—I might have been able to treat injuries caused by wind chakra.
Unfortunately—
I don't have that level of skill anymore. I can only treat injuries caused by Fire Release or Water Release chakra."
Nanpū said anxiously,
"There's really no other way?"
The doctor looked at the man who had dragged him here and replied,
"There is—find a medical ninja more skilled than me. Then you could try.
But I can't do it.
Fortunately, his blood qi is strong, and his physique is exceptionally tough.
And you used battlefield folk remedies in time—mainly soldier pills—to stimulate his chakra and resist the lingering damage of wind chakra.
Otherwise—
He should've died yesterday."
Tamao scoffed.
"Joking? I train every day in the hospital—of course my body's strong!"
Nanpū's mouth twitched.
So that's why you thought you could tank Danzō's Wind Release head-on with your body?
Yinyue fell into deep thought.
The doctor ignored Tamao completely, squatted beside him again, and resumed medical ninjutsu—seemingly futile treatment—before looking up at Yinyue.
"All I can do is reduce his pain a little, so when he dies… it won't hurt as much."
Tamao muttered,
"You've got decent medical ethics."
"Didn't you give it your all?" one Uchiha questioned.
Others joined in, voicing their doubts.
The cabin instantly became noisy.
Tap. Tap.
As Yinyue lightly knocked his fingers against the table, the room fell silent. Faces full of sorrow turned toward him.
"How long will it take?" Yinyue asked the doctor.
"Ten minutes," the doctor replied crisply.
Yinyue nodded, then looked at the others and said in a low voice,
"Pack up. We leave in ten minutes."
The Uchiha looked grief-stricken.
If they continued northwest, they would leave the Land of Fire's border. Finding another medical ninja would be nearly impossible.
That meant—
Tamao would truly become the first clan member to die on their escape route.
With so few Uchiha left, losing even one—
Nanpū felt he couldn't bear it.
Tamao's two teammates' eyes welled with tears. They lowered their heads, fists clenched, overwhelmed by despair and helplessness.
"Oh, right—if you want him to die more comfortably, don't carry him on your back!"
"Little girl, come here. I'll show you how to properly bandage a wound!"
"Watch closely—I'll only demonstrate once!"
As the doctor continued giving instructions—
The cabin sank into deathly silence.
The Uchiha looked mournful. Even Mikoto couldn't bear to see tragedy strike the few remaining members of her clan again.
She felt that she should be the one to die instead.
The earlier warmth vanished completely.
Jaeger, who had also been silent for a long time, could clearly feel their helplessness, despair, and sorrow.
He had felt the same way when his family was destroyed.
He understood this feeling.
Fortunately, Jaeger had met Yinyue, who had pointed him toward a way out—telling him to bring his people to Kikyo Mountain.
Early last year, while out chopping firewood as a hunter, Jaeger had met the woman who was now his wife beneath a tree.
In a sense, his happy family—
Was all thanks to Yinyue.
So Jaeger believed he should do something.
Even if it meant betraying his "credit."
Some things were worth doing—even at the cost of one's reputation.
Some things stood above everything else.
"Doctor Nak, do you still remember me?"
Jaeger stepped out of the crowd.
"Some time ago, my wife and I brought our child to see you."
The others looked at him in confusion.
The doctor glanced back at Jaeger, then shook his head.
"Sorry, don't remember. Too many people in Kikyo City come to see me.
And every night I still have to go save those poor women—my memory's not very good."
Jaeger looked awkward, then steeled himself and said,
"Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome."
The bald middle-aged doctor Nak suddenly turned back to look at him.
"Your son… that newborn… did he die?"
For a specialist—
A doctor might not remember faces.
But show him the surgical scar of a hemorrhoid he once operated on, and he'd immediately clap excitedly:
"I did that surgery last year! How was it, kid—satisfied with my technique? Remember to do your Kegels daily!"
Jaeger smiled.
"He didn't die. He's fully recovered now."
Nak's pupils shrank violently. His face trembled slightly.
Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome was one of the diseases most likely to cause newborn death.
It could easily lead to hypoxemia and alveolar collapse, triggering a series of complications.
He couldn't treat that disease.
But he vividly remembered that newborn from some time ago who had suffered from it.
Tamao stabbed again,
"So you really are unlucky."
Jaeger choked, then walked over to Yinyue and explained,
"Captain Yinyue, the evening before last, a woman came to stay at our mountain lodge.
She had blond hair, round glasses, and wore black-and-white robes—she looked like a shrine maiden, or maybe a witch.
She was the one who cured my son.
But…
She warned us not to tell anyone about it."
(End of Chapter 19)