Naruto: Cthulhu: Ch. 225

The corridors of Konoha Hospital were abuzz with noise, filled with the chatter of medical staff and anxious families, a stark contrast to the typically serene atmosphere expected in such a place.

In the clamor, one topic dominated every conversation: Tsunade had returned.

"Lady Tsunade is back!"

"Really? Why did Lady Tsunade suddenly return? The last time she came back to the village was six years ago, for an apprentice-related matter."

"Don't you remember? Hinata of the Hyūga clan was injured during a mission a few days ago. No one at Konoha Hospital could treat her, so Jiraiya-sama went to find Lady Tsunade."

"So, Jiraiya-sama managed to locate her?"

"Of course! Right now, Lady Tsunade is in the consultation room, planning surgery for Hinata."

As the hospital staff had said, Tsunade was currently in the consultation room gathering all available information to devise a surgical plan for Hinata.

Jiraiya's initial delay in finding Tsunade had cost valuable time. By the time he successfully persuaded her to return to Konoha to perform the surgery, it was the seventh day, the last window for the optimal surgical period as determined by the doctors.

This left less than a day to prepare for the operation—a tight and high-pressure timeline. Fortunately, Tsunade's vast medical expertise and the detailed research conducted by the Aburame clan on the mysterious insects involved offered some hope.

At this moment, Shino was presenting the clan's findings on the insects to Tsunade.

"These insects are unlike anything our clan has ever encountered. From our dissections, they appear to lack stomachs or any digestive organs, nor do they have excretory systems."

"This leads us to believe that these insects do not require food to survive. Instead, they may rely on an alternative energy source, possibly akin to photosynthesis in plants."

"We also tested the black antennae on their legs and the triangular scales on their wings under light exposure. They indeed generated an energy response."

"So, we tentatively conclude that these insects derive their energy from photosynthesis."

His explanation left everyone in the room astonished. Insects capable of photosynthesis challenged everything Konoha's understanding of biological sciences had presumed to know.

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully after hearing this, pondering briefly before speaking. "So, this means that the insects' invasion of Hinata's brain is not for survival purposes."

"If they lack digestive structures, we don't need to worry about physical damage to brain tissue caused by feeding."

"Exactly," Shizune concurred from beside her.

Shino continued, revealing the next discovery. "The brains of these insects are also unique. They have six lobes, with every two lobes forming a fully functional brain."

"This grants these insects exceptionally high intelligence. I suspect the cone-shaped structures in the forest were constructed by them."

"We also found a metallic needle embedded at the base of the wings near a recess. This may be a type of technology unique to their species, something beyond human understanding."

"However, we still don't know how these insects infiltrate human brains without causing external trauma."

Despite working with only a deceased sample of the insect, the Aburame clan had made significant progress. Their findings provided critical insights into the insects' characteristics for those unable to establish a direct connection to their memory.

Based on this information, Tsunade quickly formulated a surgical plan.

Given the insect's location in Hinata's brain, it had not reached the deeper neural layers and only made contact with the cerebral cortex. This was a reassuring development.

Under typical surgical protocols, a cranial ring incision would suffice to expose the brain and swiftly remove the foreign object. While this procedure posed considerable risk for most medical-nin, Tsunade's years of experience made it a manageable challenge. Even her protégé, Shizune, could perform such a procedure under her guidance.

Compared to the ordeal Anko went through back in the day, this surgery was significantly less stressful than the time Mi-Go completely removed her brain.

However, there were two major concerns this time.

The first was that during the extraction of the insect, the live insect's struggle might cause damage to Hinata's brain.

The second concern was the unexplained method by which the insect had entered a human brain without causing trauma. If, after extraction, the insect immediately burrowed into the brains of the surrounding medical staff, it would lead to further complications.

But there was no time to devise a more comprehensive surgical plan. Tsunade decided the surgery would proceed with Shizune as the lead surgeon, tasked with performing a cranial circular incision to open Hinata's skull.

Tsunade herself would take responsibility for using a chakra scalpel to sever the insect's head at the precise moment the skull cap was removed.

Based on the Aburame clan's dissection of the Shan, the only way to instantly kill it was to completely sever its head.

Although Tsunade's role in the surgery would last only the brief moment when the skull was removed, that instant would be the critical highlight of the entire procedure. 

The power of the chakra scalpel had to be perfectly controlled—too much force would risk cutting into Hinata's brain. Precision and speed were paramount; the insect's head had to be severed with lightning-fast accuracy.

To minimize risk, only Tsunade and Shizune would remain in the operating room to prevent the insect from entering anyone else's brain.

With the surgical plan finalized, preparations began immediately.

Outside the operating room, Hinata's clan members, led by Hiashi, as well as Kurenai and several of Hinata's peers who happened to be in the village, waited anxiously.

Despite his internal worry, Hiashi maintained a composed demeanor befitting the leader of the Hyūga clan. Arms crossed, his face stern, he betrayed no outward sign of anxiety.

The only sound in the hallway was Naruto pacing back and forth, his restless movements irritating Kiba Inuzuka, who couldn't help but share in the tension.

The surgery didn't take long. In less than half an hour, the operating room's red light went out. Shizune emerged, supporting a visibly drained Tsunade.

Hiashi immediately stepped forward to ask about the results, but Shizune was quick to answer.

"The surgery was a success! Now, we just need to wait for her to regain consciousness and for the cranial wound to heal. Her future life should be unaffected."

The announcement brought immense relief to everyone. Medical staff entered the operating room to prepare Hinata for transfer from the operating table.

At that moment, Jiraiya stepped forward to assist Tsunade, taking her from Shizune's arm and supporting the exhausted Hokage.

"Looks like after all these years, you still haven't overcome your hemophobia."

From a slight upward angle, Jiraiya's rugged profile carried an air of masculine charm, causing a faint blush to spread across Tsunade's cheeks.

"Shut up," she muttered in a soft, slightly bashful voice. The atmosphere between them turned subtly tender, prompting Shizune to cover her mouth to stifle a giggle.

But the moment was interrupted by hurried footsteps from the opposite end of the corridor.

"Tsunade-sama! We have more patients with unidentified symptoms!"

"This time, it's Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji!"

The familiar names snapped Naruto and the others out of their brief joy, leaving them startled and concerned once again.

Upon hearing the words from the medical staff, Naruto immediately rushed forward and asked, "What happened to Shikamaru and the others?"

"Their vital signs are very weak, and it seems their bodies have suffered severe trauma, but there are no particularly serious external injuries," the medical staff explained briefly, instantly alarming everyone. This was eerily similar to Hinata's condition—no external wounds despite apparent internal damage.

"Did they come back to the village on their own?" Jiraiya asked.

The medical staff shook their head. "No, they were brought here for treatment by ninjas from Hoshi. Along with them, some genin from Hoshi were also sent, showing symptoms similar to those of Shikamaru and his group."

At this moment, Tsunade removed her arm from Jiraiya's shoulder and said gravely, "It seems it's not yet time for me to rest."

"Indeed," Jiraiya nodded. "Calling you back to the village was definitely the right decision."

Following the medical staff's guidance, Tsunade hurriedly went to examine the patients.

Shikamaru and the others, along with the genin from Hoshi, were placed in a large ward due to their similar symptoms. Beyond the patients lying on the beds, a number of Hoshi ninjas stood solemnly in the hallway and inside the ward, waiting anxiously.

When Tsunade arrived, the more experienced ninjas among them immediately recognized her.

"That's... Lady Tsunade!"

"What? The legendary Sannin? The pinnacle of medical ninjutsu, Lady Tsunade?"

"This is wonderful! Sumaru and the others are saved."

The Hoshi ninjas quickly made way, allowing Tsunade to approach and examine the patients.

She extended her palm, a green glow of medical chakra emanating from it, and began diagnosing everyone. However, the more patients she examined, the deeper her frown became.

Before long, she had finished checking all the patients. She withdrew the chakra from her hand, and Jiraiya immediately stepped forward to ask, "How is it? Is it the same as Hinata's condition?"

Tsunade shook her head, then turned to the Hoshi ninjas and asked in a serious tone, "Can anyone explain what's going on with these people?"

The Hoshi ninjas exchanged bewildered looks, their faces full of confusion. Finally, one ninja with a mustache stepped forward to explain the series of events.

He described how a second star had fallen in their village, followed by the destruction of this second meteorite. Their village leader suspected it was sabotage by ninjas from Kumo.

"So, under Akahoshi's orders, we pursued the Kumo ninjas who had infiltrated the Land of Bears. But when we returned, our village..."

"Our village was gone!"

"Gone?" 

Judging by the terror on the faces of the Hoshi ninjas, this claim was no exaggeration. Yet no one present could imagine how an entire village could simply vanish.

After all, Konoha has never truly experienced pain, nor can it imagine what it feels like for an entire village to be wiped out in an instant.

"The Land of Bears isn't very large, so our search only lasted a day. But when we returned to the village, the Hoshi had been completely obliterated!"

"Although Hoshi was a small village, it was at least a picturesque and peaceful place. But now, it's nothing more than a barren wasteland!"

"All the buildings and facilities have been flattened, all the animals reduced to gray skeletons. The entire area is devoid of any vegetation. The ground is covered in a fine layer of gray dust or ash, and this ash doesn't even scatter in the wind."

"Could it have been a fire?" Jiraiya speculated.

"This was definitely not a fire! A fire couldn't wipe out every single person and plant. It couldn't burn people and animals so thoroughly. And a fire couldn't leave everything so unnaturally uniform!"

"This feeling..."

"This feeling was as though the entire area had been doused with a potent corrosive acid. The entire region, centered around Hoshi, had turned into a massive bald patch, where every living thing had been erased from existence!"

"The scene was utterly terrifying."

The mustached ninja took heavy breaths, revealing just how deeply shaken he had been upon returning to witness such devastation.

After regaining some composure, the ninja continued his account.

"We searched the remnants of Hoshi for survivors, but we found none. All the villagers had been reduced to brittle skeletons that disintegrated at a touch."

"Then we thought of the children who trained in the practice field and rushed there."

"It was there that we found the Konoha ninjas, along with some of our village's genin. Apart from them, there were many human skeletons in the area as well."

"When we discovered the children were still alive, I immediately brought them here."

This ninja knew less than expected, as he had left the village and missed the most critical events. But from what happened to the villagers, it was clear that if he hadn't left, he likely would have shared their fate.

The remaining Hoshi ninjas now hung their heads in despair. What began as a routine mission turned into a nightmare. In just one day, their entire village had been wiped off the map.

Hoshi was small, but it housed five to six hundred people. Overnight, only a dozen remained alive, and the village itself had been reduced to a wasteland. The disparity between before and after was beyond devastating.

At that moment, one of the ninjas knelt before Tsunade and pleaded, "Lady Tsunade, please save the remaining ninja of our village! We're all that's left of Hoshi. If these children are lost, our village will be completely extinct!"

The Hoshi ninja's expression was earnest, but Tsunade's face remained grave.

"I will do everything I can to save them. But their physical condition is extremely poor. This isn't something that can be fixed with just one surgery."

"My chakra sensing revealed that all their internal organs are severely aged. Even though they're genin and likely only in their teens, their organs have the physiological age of someone over sixty."

"With medical chakra to repair the damage, combined with long-term rehabilitation and rest, it may be possible to recover some of their organ function."

"But no matter what, the aging that has already occurred cannot be fully reversed."

"Conservatively speaking, their lifespans will be shortened by at least thirty years."

Hearing this, a woman who had just arrived at the doorway—the one Shikamaru often referred to as the "troublesome woman," his mother, Yoshino, fainted immediately into her husband's arms.