Chapter 143: Minato Namikaze: How Many Floors Does a Bag of Rice Have to Be Carried Up?
"Yes. Let's plan this properly." Kenichi nodded to himself. "First, find Naruto. Then kill Shinno. Finally, leave Konoha with my junior sister. Perfect."
It really was a good plan.
The only problem was that Konoha was huge. Naruto and his junior sister would not be easy to locate. Shinno, on the other hand, was famous, which made him much easier to find.
As for Naruto, Kenichi did have an idea.
Naruto was ostracized and disliked by everyone. If that was true, then maybe the fastest way to find him was to ask around for the "demon fox." Someone would surely know, right?
Then Kenichi paused, expression turning strange.
"No… if it's really that easy to find, doesn't that just prove Konoha's handling of Naruto is unbelievably absurd?"
He fell into thought for a moment, but still decided to try. It cost him nothing to test.
As Kenichi walked through Konoha's streets, the dark clouds overhead grew heavier and heavier, as if the storm was gathering its strength. Civilians and shinobi alike quickened their steps. Laundry needed to be brought in. Windows needed to be shut. Even shinobi did not enjoy watching freshly washed clothes get soaked.
"Master Shinno? He's seeing patients at the hospital today!"
Shinno's name carried real weight. Kenichi only needed to grab a random passerby to get the information he wanted.
He had to admit, the man had nerves, openly practicing medicine inside Konoha's hospital. Still, with a reputation like his, it was not surprising.
Kenichi tried his luck with the second question, without much hope.
"I've been away on a mission for a while. Could you tell me where that fox demon who wreaked havoc on the village is living now?"
To his surprise, he actually got an answer.
"I get it, I really do!" The passerby's face twisted with disgust. "But that thing is a fox spirit. Get too close and you'll invite bad luck!"
Kenichi's lips twitched.
He glanced toward the Hokage Building beneath the gloomy sky. It stood tall and solemn, noble even under the storm clouds.
But what were the people inside doing?
Weren't they trying to hide Naruto's existence? Weren't they trying to conceal the truth of the Nine Tails jinchuriki?
So their method of concealment was to let Naruto be hated by the entire village as a demon fox?
Kenichi could not understand it. The shock sat heavy in his chest.
When he followed the directions and finally found Naruto's home, his senses sharpened.
"There are still shinobi posted here."
Two of them, hidden nearby, watching and protecting Naruto.
Then the scene turned even uglier.
"Fox spirit! Die!"
A middle aged woman with bloodshot eyes staggered forward, screaming as she tried to throw rotten eggs. A shinobi passing by intercepted her immediately and dragged her away.
Kenichi sat at a nearby stall, calmly eating tricolor dango as if he were watching someone else's nightmare.
He could not help wondering what the Fourth Hokage would think if he saw this.
Would Minato regret using the Flying Thunder God Technique to move the Tailed Beast Ball away, if this was the result?
Kenichi could almost hear it in his head.
Minato Namikaze: Time to make the shinobi world feel pain. Let the Fifth Shinobi World War begin in Konoha.
"Third Hokage… you really are a complicated man." Kenichi swallowed the dango in his mouth and took a sip of water.
The Third Hokage clearly had some goodwill toward Naruto.
But not much.
And Kenichi was certain of something else too. If Naruto ever showed signs of losing control and unleashing the Nine Tails, the Third Hokage would not hesitate to strike first.
Kenichi did want to go see Naruto now.
But this was not the right time.
There were too many shinobi watching. And if he approached, given how highly Konoha valued Naruto, he would be swarmed immediately.
Worse, the Third Hokage might even be using that spying technique to observe Naruto at this very moment.
So after watching the woman get hauled away, Kenichi bought another skewer of tricolor dango and left, heading straight for Konoha Hospital.
"That's a high level of vigilance," Kenichi thought as he walked.
He could sense a shinobi tailing him, but he did not react. He kept his pace steady and went directly to the hospital.
The shadow behind him withdrew as well, without alerting him.
If Kenichi had not been in Sage Mode, he might not have noticed at all.
Konoha Hospital was packed. Even shinobi caught fevers and headaches, and injuries were part of life. But today's crowd was ridiculous. The line stretched outside the building.
After asking around, Kenichi learned why.
They were all here for Shinno.
"Is Shinno really that incredible?" Kenichi was genuinely surprised.
He had assumed Shinno was the type of swindler who used medical ninjutsu to fake miracles and trick people into worshiping him.
But this reputation was too big to be fake.
"Of course he's incredible!" A man in front of him in line snapped, clearly offended. "Doctor Shinno is a master of herbal medicine and his skills are terrifyingly good. Some people even say he's almost on Lady Tsunade's level!"
Kenichi smiled awkwardly. "I was careless with my words."
He truly had not expected Shinno to play his role so flawlessly. The man acted like a saint, looked like a saint, and had the skill to match. It was absurd.
Then again, devotion to your work really was a basic qualification for a villain.
Kenichi looked at the endless line and sighed.
"With this many people, there's no chance I'm waiting my turn."
So he simply walked in from the side.
Today might be Shinno's day to "treat patients," but the hospital was still operating normally. Kenichi slipping inside did not draw attention, as long as he did not try to cut the line.
If he did, the shinobi waiting outside would definitely teach him what the consequences of cutting in line looked like in the shinobi world.
The moment Kenichi entered, he saw where the line ended, a large room. He leaned slightly to look inside. Several people nearby watched him warily, afraid this shinobi was about to barge in.
Kenichi had no intention of cutting. He was only confirming which one of them was Shinno.
It took him seconds.
A man with a gentle face, wearing strange clothes, sat calmly treating patients. The doctors around him wore white coats, and some even wore Konoha forehead protectors.
Only that kind looking man wore neither.
"That has to be him."
Kenichi's lips curved faintly as he raised his voice.
"Doctor Shinno?"
The man looked up, confusion flickering in his eyes, but no hostility.
He did not know what happened at the aerial base.
That made sense. Getting into Konoha was not easy. Those who escaped would not be able to slip in casually either. The village's barrier looked permissive, but if you were not strong enough, forcing your way in was a fantasy.
Good news.
"Excuse me," Shinno said kindly, still smiling. "Patient, please wait in line."
"I don't want to wait in line." Kenichi stepped forward, brushing past the people beside him and walking straight into the room.
"You…" A jonin nearby immediately flared with anger.
Even if something urgent happened, it should be reported to the medical department first. Was this man blind to the comrades waiting behind him? Could he not see that a jonin was guarding this place?
But before the jonin could finish, his body slammed into the wall. He spat a mouthful of blood and slid down, stunned.
"Watch your mouth," Kenichi said calmly, not even looking back.
He kept walking.
A doctor shot to his feet, face tense, signaling for someone outside to go call for help.
This intruder had sent a jonin flying with a casual strike.
He was monstrously strong.
"What are you doing, shinobi?" the doctor demanded, legs shaking but posture firm as he tried to stand between Kenichi and Shinno.
"It's nothing," Kenichi replied, eyes locked on Shinno. "I'm just here to kill someone."
Shinno's expression turned more frightened, like an ordinary doctor faced with a madman.
"This is the village!" the doctor shouted, voice stiff with fear. "Are you trying to betray Konoha?"
Kenichi paused.
The doctor's heart lifted slightly. If he could stall just a little longer, reinforcements would arrive.
Then Kenichi smiled apologetically.
"Betray the village? Ah… sorry."
The doctor exhaled, a trace of relief slipping through. "Good. If you understand, then leave now!"
Kenichi reached up, removed his forehead protector, and calmly took out a kunai.
He dragged the blade across the Konoha symbol.
A deep scratch carved through it.
Then he put the forehead protector back on, the slashed mark displayed clearly.
"I'm sorry," Kenichi said, smile still there. "I almost forgot about that detail. Thanks for the reminder."
The doctor froze, hand half raised, then lowered it again as Kenichi's gaze swept over him.
Kenichi moved closer, stopping before Shinno.
"Shinno, come with me. I need your help with something related to Ancor Vantian."
For the first time, Shinno's eyes flashed cold and sharp.
Then, in the same breath, he forced his face back into terrified trembling, as if he were nothing but a helpless healer.
Kenichi noticed the movement behind him.
Several figures were already rushing in.
The Uchiha, Konoha's police force, had arrived. ANBU would likely follow.
Kenichi wanted ANBU to show up.
Otherwise, how was he supposed to ask about his junior sister's location?
Konoha was too big. Searching street by street would be a waste of time. It was better to ask professionals who dealt in information and detention.
Kenichi let out a low laugh, amused and dangerous.
"Keep acting," he said. "Pretending will get you killed."
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