Naruto: The Medical God

The roaring inferno cast an eerie glow against the night sky, the flames twisting and writhing like living creatures. The heat was suffocating, waves of scorching air rolling outward, forcing the arriving shinobi to shield their faces.

Leading the group, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, narrowed his eyes at the scene before him. His sharp gaze locked onto the monstrous, half-serpent, half-tiger form thrashing within the flames, its tortured screams slicing through the air like a dying beast's final wails.

The Anbu operatives' eyes widened at the sight of the grotesque, burning creature within the flames. One of them, his mask bearing the symbol of a hawk, instinctively took a step back.

"W-what is that?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

The others remained silent, but their tense postures spoke volumes. They had witnessed countless horrors in their line of work, but this… this was something else.

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, his sharp mind racing.

"A serpent-like human, twisted and unnatural… Is this his doing, perhaps? Has he begun to move again?"

His fingers twitched slightly, ready to weave signs at a moment's notice. If he was involved, then things could be far more dangerous than they appeared.

But before his thoughts could continue, a voice—calm and steady—cut through the heavy air.

"Lord Third..."

The flames shifted. Not violently, not as if disturbed by the wind, but rather… as if they acknowledged something. As if they allowed passage.

A lone figure emerged, stepping out of the inferno with an almost casual grace. The flames curled around him but did not harm him, parting as though granting him safe passage.

The man had a strong, well-built frame, his brown hair slightly tousled, yet somehow still composed. His sharp features were accentuated by the flickering light, his calm, unreadable expression betraying no exhaustion despite the intensity of the battle that had just taken place. His clothes were scorched at the edges, but he stood tall, unaffected by the embers that still danced in the air.

He stopped a few steps away from them, his black eyes locking onto the Hokage. Then, with a respectful nod, he spoke.

"You're quite late…"

Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he raised his sword. The polished steel gleamed with residual heat as he swung it towards the towering flames.

Fwoosh!

As if answering his command, the inferno obeyed.

The roaring blaze that had consumed the battlefield vanished in an instant, snuffed out like a candle's flame. The once-overwhelming heat dissipated, leaving only embers drifting lazily in the night air.

And with it—so too did the screams cease.

Where there was once agonized howling, now lay only silence.

On the charred grass, Mizuki's burnt, broken body was sprawled motionless, unrecognizable from the monstrous form he had taken mere moments ago.

The gathered Anbu, despite their usual stoic nature, exchanged glances. There was no suspicion in their eyes, no wariness—only deep respect. This man was no stranger to them. Though many of them had never fought by his side, they had all heard the tales.

Konoha's Ashen Blade.

A legend among shinobi. A warrior whose flames had once burned through the darkest nights of war.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, held his gaze for a moment before stepping forward. His aged hand came to rest firmly on the man's shoulder.

"Hiroshi… you've done well," he said, his voice laced with both gratitude and recognition. A small, approving smile graced his lips.

But it did not last.

The weight of the situation was still heavy in the air, and the uncertainty of what had just transpired loomed over them all. The Hokage's smile faded, replaced by a grave expression as his grip on Hiroshi's shoulder tightened slightly.

"But now…" Hiruzen continued, his tone carrying the full weight of his authority. "I need you to tell me everything you know about this situation."

His gaze flickered momentarily toward the scorched, lifeless remains of the monstrous being that had once been human—though its identity was still unknown to him.

"Lord Hokage, he is—"

Before Hiroshi could finish his sentence, a loud voice broke through the night.

"Hey, old man!"

The Anbu immediately tensed, but Hiruzen's expression shifted—not from alarm, but from surprise. He turned just in time to see Naruto sprinting toward them, his orange jacket catching the flickering light of the dying embers.

Shin followed closely behind, his pace measured. Unlike Naruto, his gaze wasn't on the Hokage—it was locked onto Mizuki's charred remains. This was his first time seeing someone dead.

"How is Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked as he skidded to a stop, his voice worried.

A faint smile appeared on Hiruzen's face as he looked at Naruto.

"He's fine," the Hokage reassured him. "The medical-nin are tending to his injuries as we speak."

"Phew," Naruto exhaled in relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing.

Before he could say anything else, a firm yet gentle hand settled on his shoulder. Naruto blinked and looked up to see Hiroshi standing beside him, a rare smile gracing the man's otherwise composed features.

Then, turning to the Hokage, Hiroshi took a step forward and gave a slight bow.

"Lord Third," he said, his voice steady yet resolute. "I request for Uzumaki Naruto to be officially promoted to the rank of Genin."

For a moment, silence gripped the clearing.

The Anbu exchanged glances, their disciplined composure momentarily shaken by the unexpected declaration.

The Ashen Blade... the man who nearly lost himself after his wife's death to the Nine-Tailed Beast... wants its jinchūriki promoted to Genin?

And Shin—who had been quiet until now—felt his thoughts grind to a halt.

Father… he wants Naruto promoted? But… didn't he hate him to the core? What happened?!

Naruto, still processing the words, pointed at himself. "W-wait… what?!"

Hiruzen, in contrast to the shock around him, simply let his smile widen. His wise, knowing eyes studied Hiroshi for a long moment before he finally nodded.

"Tell me, Hiroshi," he said, amusement threading his voice. "Why do you make this request?"

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How was this chapter? I rewrote it because it didn't feel right. I've re-read all of my novel and I have seemed to somehow have forgotten that Hiroshi started to like Naruto when he first arrived at the forest.

Also, I am trying to give a reason to Shin knowing about Naruto being the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, since, well, he is not supposed to know. Some of you guys called me out because I said somewhere in chapter 18 that the new generation were told or knew about Naruto's condition, when in reality it's the exaxt opposite, so Shin shouldn't have know as well, but I thought that they knew it, so sorry to you guys for having been rude when I replied to you. I am trying to make up!

Be sure to check out my original novel Hyperborea!