Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

Seeing Otsutsuki Hagoromo's calm and composed demeanor, Reiki stood frozen for a moment, then abruptly exclaimed:

"I reject!"

His refusal came without hesitation, catching the Sage of Six Paths completely off guard.

Reiki, after all, was a medical ninja with simple ambitions—to heal injuries and grow stronger at his own pace. He had no interest in taking on world-saving responsibilities. All he needed was to follow the natural progression of events, treating strong allies and honing his abilities.

When Otsutsuki Isshiki finally decided to make his move, Reiki planned to easily overpower him.

As for Otsutsuki Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and the rest? Reiki wasn't even slightly concerned. These so-called threats couldn't even eliminate Boruto. Why should he lose sleep over them?

Although his ultimate goal aligned with Hagoromo's—protecting the ninja world—Reiki detested being manipulated into someone else's plans.

"Reject!?"

Hagoromo was visibly startled. "Reiki, do you even know what you're saying? Didn't you come to me precisely to gain this knowledge and help guide the ninja world?"

Reiki crossed his arms, his expression resolute.

"Why should I agree? My original plan was simple: take my time, fish for opportunities, and grow stronger. The reason I came to you was purely to understand the situation. There's no imminent threat, and Ishiki isn't going to march into Konoha anytime soon. So, for now, I'm perfectly safe. As for the ninja world?"

Reiki shrugged dramatically. "I'm no messiah. The ninja world can figure things out without me."

Hagoromo's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Seriously, old man. You think I'm going to sign up for a lifetime of suffering just because you asked nicely? Naruto and Sasuke were your chosen ones, and even they were fighting each other at the end. You gave them Yin-Yang Release for free, and now you expect me to carry this burden? No thanks!"

The more Reiki thought about it, the angrier he became. Why should he play along with this scheme?

"Otsutsuki Hagoromo," Reiki said, his voice rising, "come and fight me!"

Before Hagoromo could respond, Reiki unleashed his power. Though in a soul state, his strength was undiminished. The surrounding space distorted as a massive shadow loomed behind him, manifesting red and blue hands radiating godlike energy.

"What the—!?" Hagoromo exclaimed. "Wait, wait! There's no need to fight!"

Sensing Reiki's power, Hagoromo hastily raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I can compensate you! Think of it as an SSS-level mission. Does that sound fair?"

Reiki paused, his expression skeptical.

"An SSS-level mission?"

"Yes," Hagoromo confirmed, his voice tinged with desperation. "I promise you won't leave empty-handed. As compensation, I'll offer you a unique reward."

Reiki's anger ebbed slightly, replaced by curiosity. "Alright. Let's hear it. But if I don't like the reward, I'll take you down right here."

Hagoromo nodded and stepped forward. He raised his hand, releasing a burst of energy that coalesced into a glowing symbol in Reiki's palm.

"This is Yin-Yang Release," Hagoromo explained. "With this, you can reshape reality itself. However, it does have limits—overuse will cause it to dissipate."

Reiki glanced at the symbol, unimpressed.

"Nope. I don't want some temporary, half-baked power," Reiki said, shaking his hand as if to discard the mark.

Hagoromo sighed. "Fine, I'll include the method for mastering Yin-Yang Release permanently. Additionally, I've left special tools scattered across the ninja world. I'll share their locations and how to use them."

Now intrigued, Reiki's annoyance began to fade.

"How to practice Yin-Yang Release?" he mused. "Now that's more like it. Fine, I'll take on your mission—on one condition. Don't rush me, and don't pull any tricks like leaving seals or marks on me. If I catch anything shady, I'll abandon the mission, no refunds."

"Fair enough," Hagoromo agreed reluctantly.

"Good," Reiki said, gathering the resources Hagoromo offered.

Just as Reiki was organizing the rewards, Hagoromo spoke again.

"One more thing. I'll remove the seals I left on your soul."

Reiki froze.

"What seals!?" he demanded, glaring at the Sage. "You sneaky old man! How dare you mess with me like that!"

Hagoromo scratched his head sheepishly.

"I, uh, may have left a few marks while we were talking. You wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't brought it up."

Furious, Reiki folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently as Hagoromo began undoing the seals.

It took Hagoromo considerable effort to remove 58 seals, leaving Reiki speechless.

"You're unbelievable," Reiki muttered, rubbing his temples.

"Alright, they're all gone now," Hagoromo said, his voice tinged with embarrassment. "And if you find even one more, I'll give you everything I have for free."

Reiki glared suspiciously at the items Hagoromo had handed over, holding up the star-shaped mark.

"This better not have any hidden tricks," Reiki warned.

Hagoromo's previously confident demeanor faltered. For once, he had no words.

In the end, Reiki accepted the task begrudgingly, determined to do things his way. If anyone thought they could manipulate him without consequences, they were sorely mistaken.