For a medical ninja of Tsunade's caliber, an eye transplant was nothing more than a minor procedure.
Konan observed the entire process from start to finish, and only two words came to mind—quick and smooth.
Remove, insert, connect the nerves.
Before long, the surgery was complete.
"How do you feel?"
Tsunade looked at Kagetsu's left eye socket, now holding a Rinnegan, and asked softly. Transplanting a Rinnegan into a Nara clan member as frail as a medicine jar—it was practically slow suicide.
"I'm fine."
After sensing his body's condition, Kagetsu answered seriously.
The burden was heavy, but not unbearable. Since he had no intention of using the Rinnegan for combat, as long as he didn't overuse its dojutsu, the strain and chakra consumption could be significantly reduced.
Of course, when it came to compatibility, Kagetsu was nowhere near Nagato. In other words, without additional means, simply relying on his natural talent to accommodate and wield the Rinnegan's powers, he was far behind Nagato in both speed and proficiency.
However, for Kagetsu, it was enough to use it as a research tool.
"If you can handle it, do you want to transplant the other one as well?"
In Nagato's left eye socket, a blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun slowly, as if curious about its new abilities. He was still getting used to the power of his new eye.
Even though he had lent out one of his Rinnegan, possessing a Three-Tomoe Sharingan didn't cause a drastic drop in his combat strength.
"No, this is just right."
Kagetsu thought for a moment before shaking his head. Having both Rinnegan would be too much of a burden.
But after assessing his body post-surgery, he determined that handling the long-term strain of a single Rinnegan was manageable.
After the surgery, as she prepared to leave in front of Yahiko and the others, Tsunade suddenly spoke up:
"Let Konan come with me. While the Rinnegan is being returned, I'll teach her as much as I can. How much she learns will be up to her."
"Much appreciated!" Yahiko immediately gave a deep bow. Even if Amegakure couldn't establish a proper medical ninja system in the future, having the chance to learn medical ninjutsu from the famous Tsunade was a huge opportunity for Konan.
It was just like when they had met Jiraiya back then—after three years of his guidance, they had become who they were today.
"You don't need to say that to me! I was forced into this, understand?" Tsunade still held resentment toward Kagetsu for selling her out so decisively.
She even cursed Orochimaru in her heart, the one who had dragged her out of her days of drinking and wasting away.
Watching Konan pack her things and reluctantly bid farewell to Yahiko, Nagato, and their bodyguard Kakuzu, Tsunade suddenly felt a bit moved.
Looking at the three of them, she seemed to see a reflection of herself, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru in their younger days.
"You get along with them pretty well—enough that they're even willing to lend you the Rinnegan without hesitation." Tsunade adjusted her emotions, turned to Kagetsu beside her, and snorted.
As an experienced ninja, she knew very well that Yahiko and Nagato agreeing to lend out one—or even both—Rinnegan eyes had little to do with Amegakure's so-called medical ninja system.
The manpower, resources, and wealth needed to establish such a system were far beyond what a small village like Amegakure could afford.
Even if they invested everything, success wasn't guaranteed. More likely than not, they would just end up benefiting the larger villages instead.
Yahiko and Nagato agreed to lend the Rinnegan because it was Kagetsu who asked. The new Amekage and his comrades had an unexpected level of trust in him.
If it had been someone else—even their supposed master, Jiraiya—it would have been nearly impossible.
Kagetsu did not respond to Tsunade's words.
Tsunade didn't ask any further questions.
After Konan packed her belongings and bid farewell to Yahiko and Nagato, she followed Kagetsu through Garganta, arriving at one of Orochimaru's underground research bases.
Kagetsu handed Konan over to Tsunade before immediately diving into his research on the wooden stake.
With the Rinnegan in his possession, Kagetsu could unmistakably sense a hidden connection between his eyes and the wooden stake.
The stake was a part of the God Tree!
Confirmed!
Through this hidden connection and the immense ocular power of the Rinnegan, his eyes acted like the most precise detection instrument, slowly unraveling the secrets of the wooden stake, layer by layer.
For a fragment of the God Tree, the Rinnegan might be the best tool for analysis. It allowed Kagetsu to see what no other instruments could reveal, perceiving things beyond ordinary means.
At the very least, this enabled him to quickly understand everything about the stake and accelerate the analysis process.
The only drawback was the immense chakra consumption—it was both exhausting and mentally draining. But these were obstacles he could overcome!
Feeling dizzy and overwhelmed, Kagetsu took out a vial of green liquid and drank it. Closing his eyes, he waited for the medicine to ease his fatigue and the throbbing pain in his head.
While Kagetsu remained inside the underground base, completely absorbed in his research, Tsunade frequently took Shizune and Konan to the battlefield. There, she not only fulfilled her duties as a medical ninja but also taught Konan and Shizune medical ninjutsu.
Shizune had been by her side since she was a child. Even though she hadn't received much meticulous guidance, her foundation as a medical ninja was solid.
She had mastered and applied even advanced medical jutsu with proficiency. Under her command, Shizune could even handle complex surgeries and execute them flawlessly.
Although Konan was slightly behind Shizune, her foundation was still strong enough that Tsunade didn't need to waste time reteaching the basics.
In fact, when observing Konan's surgical techniques, Tsunade could even see traces of Shinnō's influence.
However, what Konan was more interested in was the knowledge of medical ninjutsu and tag-making.
Becoming an excellent medical ninja was certainly valuable, but Konan understood that what the Land of Rain needed right now wasn't just a skilled healer.
Instead, it needed a system capable of mass-producing Healing Tags.
Once Tsunade confirmed Konan's determination, she not only guided her in medical ninjutsu training and real-world practice but also involved her in the Healing Tag improvement project that Kagetsu had handed over. Konan became Tsunade's assistant in the research.
During the war, there was never a shortage of injured soldiers. Tsunade, with her vast experience, personally and thoroughly taught Shizune and Konan various methods of treating different kinds of wounds.
Tsunade didn't personally lead any surgeries. Instead, she left them entirely in the hands of Shizune and Konan, only stepping in to provide guidance when needed.
It was as if she still hadn't fully recovered from her hemophobia—something that had been a requirement set by Orochimaru.
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