Unknown to everyone, Kaida went to the hospital as usual, but today he didn’t go directly to treat patients.

  "Are Sensei free right now?" Kaida asked Mitsuru’s secretary.

  "Yes, she doesn’t have aings scheduled for quite some time," the secretary replied.

  Kaida nodded and headed to meet his Sensei. Ever since he was scolded for not updating her on his progress, he had made it a point to report every week.

  *Knoock.*

  "e in," Mitsuru said.

  "Good m, Sensei," Kaida said as he ehe office.

  "Good m. What’s going on? You usually report your progress at the end of the day," Mitsuru observed.

  "Sensei, I’ve pleted my one month of practice. I take my certification exam now?" Kaida asked eagerly.

  "Oh! So you’re finally ready for the exam. But let me tell you something: after you get your certificate, you won’t be allowed to treat patients for free like you’ve been doing. Do you still want to take the certification exam? I sense you have another reason for providing free treatment," Mitsuru said, resting her on her hand.

  Kaida was taken aback but then chuckled. Uimating Mitsuru Nara was a mistake he wouldn’t make.

  "You’re right, Sensei. I do have another reason for treating patients for free, but it’s not shady. About a month ago, I noticed the Uchiha 's reputation was uedly deing. I wao help my new a little. Although those rumors won’t affect the Uchiha much, I didn’t want our o be tarnished," Kaida expined.

  "Well, it’s your money; you decide what to do with it. But I o know if you still want to take the certification exam or foproving your 's reputation," Mitsuru said.

  "Before I answer, I want to firm something: will I be prohibited from treating patients for free altogether or just in the hospital?" Kaida inquired.

  "There’s no rule stopping you from treating patients for free, but your as over the past month have made many mediinjas pin to me. They feel it’s redug their patient load and that they’re being vilified for charging fees. I didn’t mind, but once you’re certified, you’ll lose the excuse you’ve been using. If you try to use another ohey might pin to Lord Third. I want to avoid that escation; that’s why I don’t want you treating any more patients for free in the hospital. However, you still treat patients for free outside the hospital—then they won’t have a valid reason to pin," Mitsuru expined.

  "Then I would like to take the certification exam, Sensei," Kaida replied.

  "As you wish. I will arra by tomorrow, so prepare yourself well. If you fail this exam, I won’t sider you my disciple anymore, as my reputation will be on the line," Mitsuru warned.

  "Trust me, Sensei. I’ve prepared hard for this exam. There’s no way I will fail it," Kaida said with a fident smile.

  "Okay, I’ll send someoo inform you about the exam timing. If you don’t have anything else, you go. Also, inform your patients that their free medical service is ending soon," Mitsuru said, returning her focus to her paperwork.

  "Thank you, Sensei," Kaida said before leaving to attend to his patients.

  …

  As Kaida informed the patients leaving his office that he would no longer be able to provide free treatment at the hospital due to his upiification exam, their expressions turned somber for the first time in a month.

  Though the free treatment was ending, Kaida assured them he would keep his fees as loossible. Many patients were disappoio hear that Kaida would stop free services, but they uood there was little they could do.

  Knowing it was the st day for free treatment, more people than usual flocked to Kaida’s office, even those who were mostly healthy. He had to use many shadow es to hahe influx, treating over 500 patients by the end of the day, of whily about 10enuinely ill.

  Afterward, he returned home, deg to take a day of rest and prepare.

  …

  While Kaida was resting at home, an importaing was happening at Konoha Hospital.

  "That damned brat has finally decided to take the certification exam. I ’t even remember how many mediinjas from my department have pined about him," Tetsushi, head of the nursiment, grumbled.

  "While I’d love to see him fail the exam to show Mitsuru the differeween experiend talent, it’s not worth the trouble. Let’s just allow him to get the certificate," Masayuki, head of the general practitioner department, agreed.

  The others in attendance simply nodded, ued iopic.

  …

  That night, Kaida received a notice that his exam was scheduled for 10 AM.

  "I didn’t realize this was such a big deal," Kaida said, looking at the official letter in his hand.

  "Well, if you were a normal mediinja, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. But since you’re the disciple of the chief mediinja of Konoha Hospital, they’re not going to treat this as a routine exam," Shisui expined, uanding the significe of the situation.

  "I didn’t think there was any ce I could fail this test, but acc to this letter, various department heads will be present. This may be more intehan I initially thought," Kaida admitted.

  "Are you scared?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Nope! I’m just excited for tomorrow," Kaida replied with a grin.