𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐨 [HEAVY EDITING]

𝟑𝟑 | 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞

THE DAY OF THE FINAL EXAM

I'm released the next morning.

I may not be the one competing today, but it sure does feel like it! When I'd woken up, it had been with a start. One of my nurses deliver my breakfast for me for the last time, while the other had gone to my home to pick up a new set of clothing – since, well, the ones I arrived in had to be thrown out. Now, I wear a teal sweater over my bandaged stomach and some black pants with my sandals – something loose and comfy that won't irritate my scars. I'd asked them not to bother with a shirt since I'm completely covered in wrappings; it would just shift them.

I'm still hurting, but I've managed to feign showing it enough that they could discharge me from the hospital. I'll go watch Naruto and Sasuke win their fights, become Chūnin, and then I'll rest at home.

I'm grinning when I exit my room's bathroom, to find my two nurses, Shona and Tomomo waiting for me with smiles on.

"Take care of yourself, Kari," Tomomo says.

"Don't go overboard," Shona reminds me. "You're going to have to take it easy for a little while after this."

"But it was amazing how quickly your body healed." Tomomo shuts her eyes and starts humming in thought. "This kind of medical Ninjutsu wreaks havoc on a person's body, and it's especially harmful for children whose bodies have yet to fully develop. You shouldn't even be awake right now, let alone up and walking and being discharged."

"It's almost as if it's some Jutsu, isn't it?" Shona speculates. She hums at me, too. "Are you sure you don't know any medical Ninjutsu, yourself?"

"I'm... pretty sure," I say, letting out a light laugh. "I would have been using it this whole time if I could!" Especially since every time I breathe, I can feel the aching throughout my entire body.

"Well... there's no point worrying about it now," Tomomo says. "The matches will be starting soon. You should hurry if you don't want to miss all the nobles arriving."

"You know? I heard there's a prince attending the matches today – I had no idea the Land of Snow even had royalty, a family higher than the Daimyō?!"