They're thorns from a poisonous cactus…
You're from the Sand…
You should be familiar with the plant life of your homeland.
It's pitiful.
Kouji…
Please get the bandages ready.
I know, Ameno.
I'm going to extract the poison directly out of him.
Medical Water Style: Water Mosquito!
Are you sure you don't want it?
A Medical Ninja stays on the frontlines
in order to help comrades stay alive.
We're not here to battle.
I'm not a Medical Ninja, so that doesn't include me.
What was that?
Just joking!
I'd never live it down if word got around
that I took a scroll from an injured comrade.
Just hurry and get lost.
Would it have been okay if they weren't comrades?
Did you do a sensory check on the area, Shishio?
I could swear this wave pattern is…
The Place Where I Belong
H-Hey, can we slow down a bit?
See, Sakura? Choji is worried about you.
He's worried about you, Ino.
If you need to rest, just say so.
Anyway, I hope you're right.
About what?
An oasis, what else?!
You're the one who said that even with the scroll,
we'd never make it to the central tower without water!
Come on, guys…
You're to blame for this in the first place!
That brings back memories of the last Chunin Exam!
All right! Let's find some weaklings!
Shut up! That was a tactical withdrawal!
We decided to tread carefully after we collected the scrolls,
and look at the result!
We should've just headed straight for the goal
instead of going with your strategy, Sakura!
What?!
I've been listening to you patiently…
but you agreed to it!
W-Well…
At the time, I thought… it would be easier.
You just drank too much water, Ino!
You bloated blister!
Bloated blister? Is that right?
Well, you'd have to drink a hundred times more than me to fill yours up!
If drinking water is all that it takes, I'd be happy!
Now, now, you two. Get over it.
– Shut up, you fa… – Shut up, you fa…
– It's out! – It's out!
Let's get out of here!
No way! Is this trauma?
Choji!
Mind Transfer…
It's faster than it looks…
I can't do Mind Transfer. Then I'll—!
Super Expansion Jutsu!
Way to go, Choji!
Clobber it just like that!
We did it!
Cha!
You know, tell us if you have a move like that up your sleeve!
For an instant,
you probably have more power than me.
I-I doubt that…
Let me see.
Even if we're Medical Ninja, it's hard to heal your own fist, right?
I can't do anymore…
My head feels like it's boiling!
Yeah… Everyone feels that at first.
But once you overcome it, you will find the true Secret Ninjutsu,
the Bond of the Three Families.
Then even Shikamaru and Choji are…?
No way…
There's no way those two are training this hard.
The recent incident with Sasuke wounded everyone badly…
in both body and in mind.
But because of that, we will grow.
Without a doubt, it will take several years
to master the Secret Ninjutsu, even if you continue training.
However…it's so you can keep up with them…
and in order to protect the Ino-Shika-Cho tradition,
and our clan's tradition…
That's why I must pass on our Secret Ninjutsu to you.
That's why I was really happy when you came
and asked me to train you.
W-Wait a sec…
Did you just say it would take several years to master it?
Hmm?
There's no shortcut to this training.
But I believe that you can see this through…
O-Oh right! I just remembered I have something to do!
I'm not finished talking to you!
In fact, have you forgotten the meaning
behind the Oath of the Piercings?
The oath you took when your Sarutobi Clan mentor
presented those earrings to you?
That you will keep that vow,
and pass on new piercings to the next generation.
You will eventually lead the Yamanaka Clan…
and entrust a new earring to your child who will be born.
Not this story again…
O-Oh, that's right!
Choji's being discharged today!
What? Choji is?
I have to get a present and get things ready, so I have to go!
I-I see. I guess it can't be helped then.
Yeah… See you later.
Several years? You've got to be kidding me!
I just wanted to quickly get stronger and show those guys!
What's the point if it takes so many years?
Sakura!
Ino!
We're celebrating Choji's discharge from the hospital.
Want to join us?
Oh… Choji's well enough to leave?
That's great news!
But I'm sorry!
I'm in the middle of training.
Please congratulate Choji for me!
Huh? Where's Shikamaru?
He's seeing off the people from the Sand.
Thank you for the food!
Only the three of us here to celebrate is pretty lame.
Hey, Asuma Sensei… So does that mean I can eat the rest?
Hey Choji, I heard all about it!
How you were flirting with all of the nurses!
Ino… I'm going to tell you the one truth about men.
There isn't a man alive who doesn't go crazy over nurses!
Right, Asuma Sensei?
Hmm? Y-Yeah, I guess…
What kind of nonsense is that?
Asuma Sensei only has eyes for Kurenai Sensei!
Huh? Is that true?
I'd like three more orders of the special beef filet!
Right now!
Score!
But…
Open wide, Sasuke!
Thank you, Ino. I owe you my life!
That might work…
Why am I feeding you?!
I never refuse food that's offered to me.
That is my Ninja Way!
Another helping please!
Right when you were discharged, you were still skinny.
That sure didn't last long.
With that kind of appetite, I'd say you're back to normal.
When I'm done eating, can you help me train, Asuma Sensei?
Hey! Are you stupid?
You just got better!
Man, everyone's so stuck on training…
How come you're so eager to get back to training, Choji?
For starters, I want to catch up to Shikamaru
who beat me in becoming a chunin.
After all, together we're the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
Do your best too! Okay, Ino?
I don't need you to tell me that.
MOHAWK FISH MARKET
All right!
Don't get too confident because of one or two successes.
You have to become faster and more efficient.
No one waits for treatment on the battlefield.
Yes!
Who's there?
Lady Tsunade!
Please make me your apprentice!
You belong to the Yamanaka Clan…
Sakura was able to revive that in three months.
I'll test you…and see how far you get in three months.
I understand. Please let me try!
This thing?
Usually, the way to resuscitate a creature that has asphyxiated
is to stimulate the heart or brain with chakra.
Octopi generally have one systemic heart and two branchial hearts.
And separate from the brain,
they have eight nervous systems in their arms.
It has many organs vital to resuscitation.
In other words,
it has a lot of parts that need to be taken care of.
Oh…
You can quit if you don't like it!
And you, Sakura! You are completely deficient in the knowledge of healing!
I have to learn…all of this?!
You can quit if you don't like it!
That happens because your chakra control is too rough.
You have to fine-tune your method,
or the octopus would be ripped apart.
Control your chakra more delicately!
Y-Yes!
She's having a hard time.
She's made some mistakes, but in this short time, she's…
– I'll never lose to you! – I'll never lose to you!
MOHAWK FISH MARKET
It's three months today.
Try it, Ino.
Yes!
You did it!
H-Hey, Sakura!
You took too long, and made a lot of pointless errors.
While it took me three months too, I was able to complete it more smoothly.
Shut up!
You broke my concentration since you kept peeking over at me!
What did you say?!
What yourself!
You pass!
What made you start learning Medical Ninjutsu?
Huh?
I wanted to create… a place where I belong.
Naruto…
Naruto kept his promise to me and got beat up.
He acted reckless all because of me…
I was always in the back, following them…
But I'm a member of the team too.
I wanted to walk shoulder to shoulder with them.
So I promised myself…
That from now on, I would.
It's so you can keep up with them…
…and in order to protect the Ino-Shika-Cho tradition,
and our clan's tradition…
That's why I must pass on our Secret Ninjutsu to you.
After all, together we're the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
Do your best too! Okay, Ino?
Team 10 is where I belong.
And…I also want to walk shoulder to shoulder with them.
But…
Without a doubt,
it will take several years to master the Secret Ninjutsu.
Maybe I was running away and taking the easy way out…
Hey, those wounds!
Oh, I guess I hurt it earlier.
– This is nothing. – That's not good!
Ino...
Thanks, Sakura…
I'm going back to the place where I belong…
There. That should do it.
Choji's Expansion Jutsu… It's way more than it used to be.
The size, power, and duration of it…
He's improved so much from before.
Sakura too… Aside from Medical Ninjutsu,
she had that awesome skill up her sleeve.
Both of you have really progressed.
I have to try harder too!
Yup! Let's aim to pass the Chunin Exams and do our best!
Yeah… Making sure we eat is important too.
Here you go!
I never turn down offers of food. I know that's my Ninja Way, but…
What are you talking about?
Once you process it,
that scorpion's toxin becomes medicinal!
Don't tell me that battle… was to gather provisions?!
It's rich in amino acids and perfect for healing.
Come on, let's eat!
Maybe you're the one who's matured the most.
Looks like it's the two women and the fatso from the Hidden Leaf.
The team of Sakura Haruno… Lady Tsunade's apprentice.
That powerful fatso's team? Interesting.
Besides that, this team has two Medical Ninja.
Two Medical Ninja on one team?
Whatever. Let's get going.
Since you don't plan on ambushing them, right?
Found it!
I sense the three chakra I felt when we were traveling.
The enemy is on their way here.
When did you start being able to sense things?
That's amazing!
Right? I wish I could agree,
but in actual combat, it's still difficult for me.
If I have the time to concentrate, I can do it.
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "The Yamanaka Clan: Secret Ninjutsu"
We don't have that kind of time to spare though…
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED THE YAMANAKA CLAN: SECRET NINJUTSU
Tune in again!