Although they didn't meet often, the members of Minato's squad and Orochimaru's squad had a good relationship.
So, Anko immediately recognized the injured person and exclaimed in surprise.
"Obito?"
In Shisui's mind, an image flashed—Obito, the boy who often helped old ladies cross the street, wore goggles, and didn't seem like a typical Uchiha in many ways.
"This kind of injury…!"
Tsunade's hands glowed with a soft green chakra as she covered Obito's wounds, doing her best to heal him. However, her emotions were complicated.
This level of injury… at this age… It reminded her of Nawaki back then. His wounds had been just as severe.
"Did something go wrong with the mission?"
As the hurried footsteps of Namikaze Minato approached, Orochimaru glanced at the barely-breathing Obito and asked calmly.
"You don't need to worry about Higashi Shibito. I've already dealt with all the Iwagakure ninja, including Higashi Shibito. Obito and his team were ambushed by a group led by Ujihiru, an Iwagakure Jōnin operating within the Land of Fire."
Minato reported the mission outcome in a quiet voice, his expression sorrowful as he looked at Obito, whose body was covered in slugs.
With his experience in injuries and the human body, he knew exactly how severe Obito's condition was. This wasn't something medical ninjutsu alone could heal.
After all, medical ninjutsu is not all-powerful. If the injuries are too severe, even the most skilled medical ninja will be helpless.
As the greatest medical ninja, Tsunade had faced this kind of powerlessness before.
But what if…?
"How is Obito?"
Seeing Tsunade stand up from the ground, Minato Namikaze quickly stepped forward, his tone filled with concern. He had mentally prepared himself for the worst, but he still hoped for a miracle.
"Not great."
Tsunade's words made Minato's heart sink. But in the next moment, her following words brought a glimmer of relief.
"But it's not the worst-case scenario either."
Meeting Minato's expectant gaze, Tsunade explained, "His injuries were treated. Though it didn't have much effect, the treatment method and healing approach were correct."
"Also, did he learn Armor Mode?"
Tsunade's gaze shifted between Orochimaru and Minato.
"The defensive ability provided by Armor Mode made his injuries look severe, but it actually reduced the damage. Otherwise, even with prior treatment, he should be on the verge of death by now."
"It was Kagetsu. I once sought him out for a jutsu I developed for Kakashi, so he taught the Armor Mode technique to Kakashi and the other two. Obito may not be naturally gifted in ninjutsu, but he mastered this technique well." Minato explained.
"Far from enough."
Tsunade neither agreed nor disagreed with Minato's words. As someone involved in the creation of Armor Mode, her understanding of the technique allowed her to judge Obito's mastery level just by assessing his injuries.
"Can he be healed?"
Minato awkwardly smiled, avoiding the topic and asking the question that truly concerned him.
"If this were a year ago, or even a few months ago, I wouldn't have been able to give you a definite answer. But now… at the very least, I can guarantee that this Uchiha brat will survive!"
Tsunade nodded firmly.
"This is great!" Minato Namikaze let out a sigh of relief, finally feeling at ease. He quickly composed himself and said to Orochimaru and Tsunade, "Then I'll leave Obito in your care, Lady Tsunade! I'll go bring Kakashi and Rin back."
Minato didn't ask about the battle here.
Even though the camp had changed, the presence of both Orochimaru and Tsunade, as well as a certain man inside the tent—whose appearance was extremely familiar to him and had sealing tags all over his body—told him everything he needed to know: Iwagakure had been defeated.
Kakashi and Rin were not in great condition either. Worried that something unexpected might happen again, Minato wanted to bring them back to camp for rest and recovery.
As Minato's figure instantly vanished from the tent, Tsunade frowned slightly as she looked at Obito, who was completely pinned down by a massive slug.
"It seems his injuries are giving you quite a headache, Tsunade." Orochimaru chuckled as he noticed the deep furrow in her brow.
"Should we have Kagetsu take a look?" Anko suggested in a low voice. "Back then, when Yahiko was on the verge of death at Hanzo's hands, it was Kagetsu who saved him."
"Are you saying my medical skills are inferior to his?" Tsunade shot Anko a sharp glance.
Anko's face immediately turned bright red. She frantically waved her arms in front of her, creating afterimages as she desperately signaled that she had absolutely no such thought.
"I'm going to borrow your operating room." Tsunade placed her hands on her hips and bluntly demanded from Orochimaru.
"Do as you please. But you'll need to leave a shadow clone here to hold down the fort."
Without looking back, Orochimaru turned and left the tent. After such a fierce battle, he also needed some time to recover.
Summoning Jutsu!
Shisui summoned Nekomata and used its power to open a Garganta, creating a passage for Tsunade and himself to enter.
Before stepping into the Garganta, Tsunade pulled a three-pronged Flying Thunder God kunai from her pouch and shoved it into Anko's hand.
"When Minato returns, tell him I'm in the operating room and not to disturb me."
"Understood!" Holding the kunai tightly, Anko straightened up, her spirit instantly energized as she nodded firmly in response.
Orochimaru's underground base in the Land of Fields.
Kagetsu, who had been drafted as an assistant by Tsunade, immediately recognized the young man lying on the operating table.
"So it's Obito!"
"I'll perform the surgery."
Standing in front of the operating table, Tsunade stated her request, "You and Katsuyu, help me keep him alive."
"Should we replace his damaged parts with White Zetsu's tissue?" Kagetsu suggested. White Zetsu's presence in the base wasn't a secret, and Tsunade naturally knew about him.
"No need for that trouble."
In an instant, Tsunade activated her Hōgyoku Mode, rejecting Kagetsu's proposal.
Under Hōgyoku Mode, her abilities were enhanced to a level far beyond what medical ninjutsu could achieve.
As the healing energy of her Hōgyoku Mode flowed into Obito's severely damaged body, it worked like needle and thread, carefully stitching together his torn and life-draining wounds.
His shattered organs were gradually healed and fused back together before being strengthened.
His twisted bones were realigned, his torn muscles were sewn up, and with the continuous influx of healing energy, color returned to his pale face.
The weakly beating heart inside his chest, barely perceptible before, started growing stronger with each beat.
The ability to restore any organ or injury, regenerate missing tissue, and even enhance the body's state when necessary—
This was Tsunade's Hōgyoku Mode.