The hospital in Konoha was large and bustling. Ryujin Kenichi guessed that the high activity was likely due to the recent end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, with many wounded still being treated.
Stepping inside, the sharp smell of disinfectant hit Kenichi's nose. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was one of those smells he didn't particularly enjoy. Still, it didn't bother him enough to make him leave.
The real problem was figuring out where to find the patient information he needed. After all, Kenichi wasn't even sure if there was cancer in the world of ninjas. He hadn't watched much anime, and while he remembered a few key plot points, the finer details about diseases were beyond him.
Asking someone was another problem. He had once had an acquaintance in the hospital—Tsunade, the legendary medical ninja, and her disciple—but Tsunade had left Konoha after the Second Great Ninja War, so Kenichi didn't know anyone here anymore.
Luckily, after some quick negotiations, Kenichi got the information he was looking for from a medical ninja.
"No cancer? How is that possible?" he asked, a bit shocked. After paying the ninja, he had described the symptoms of a strange disease, but the ninja had never heard of anything like it.
In the world of ninjas, most injuries were either physical, like wounds from battle or internal injuries from chakra use, or damage caused by ninjutsu. Diseases didn't seem to be a common concern. The ninja was also new to the village and suggested Kenichi ask someone more experienced.
After consulting with an older doctor, Kenichi confirmed the absence of cancer in Konoha's records.
"Could it be because of chakra? Or do people in the ninja world not live long enough to discover cancer?" Kenichi muttered to himself as he walked out of the hospital.
His mood was conflicted. In his previous life, cancer had been a terrifyingly incurable disease, usually leading to a slow and painful death. The rich could fight it, but the poor had little choice but to prepare for the worst. But now, in this world of ninjas, it seemed cancer didn't exist—or at least, Kenichi hadn't discovered any cases yet.
Still, Kenichi wasn't convinced. People in this world were still human, despite their enhanced abilities. He couldn't fathom that cancer didn't exist, so maybe chakra somehow suppressed it, or perhaps the medical ninjas hadn't encountered it yet.
"If only Tsunade were here," he sighed. Tsunade, the most powerful medical ninja in Konoha, had dealt with countless illnesses and injuries. If anyone knew about cancer, it would be her.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Oh? Little guy, do you know Tsunade?"
Kenichi looked up in surprise and froze for a moment.
Standing in front of him was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the legendary ninja who had seen it all.
"Third Hokage-sama?!" Kenichi's surprise was evident, as he hadn't expected to meet the Hokage of all people, and certainly not in a place like this.
"Hehe, calm down, young man. Speaking of which, I am your teacher's teacher," Hiruzen said with a warm, yet slightly amused, smile. Despite his age, he carried himself with a calm authority, though he didn't yet seem as frail as he would in his later years.
"I know, Third Hokage-sama. My teacher often spoke highly of you. He said you were an incredibly powerful ninja," Kenichi responded, trying to mask his surprise with an enthusiastic expression. Years of training under Orochimaru had taught him how to control his reactions.
"Haha, you little rascal, your teacher definitely didn't say that about me. He would definitely say I'm just a grumpy old man." Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily, patting Ryujin Kenichi on the shoulder.
Kenichi smiled awkwardly. Orochimaru, his teacher, had indeed said that about Hiruzen Sarutobi, but that was Orochimaru's opinion. Kenichi couldn't bring himself to say it aloud.
"Are you here at the hospital today because you're feeling unwell? I say, ah..." Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, then immediately turned to walk away, leaving Kenichi standing there, momentarily stunned.
Kenichi shook his head and turned to leave, his expression still one of excitement at having met such a high-ranking figure. But it wasn't until he returned home that he allowed himself to drop the facade.
"Something's off." Kenichi frowned, unease settling in. He hadn't expected to meet the Third Hokage at the hospital today, and it seemed strange. Sarutobi was a busy man, especially during such a tense time in Konoha's political landscape, yet he had taken the time to speak with someone as insignificant as Kenichi.
Moreover, this was a time of political upheaval. The Hokage seemed unfazed, almost as if he didn't care about the looming challenges ahead. That in itself seemed odd.
Kenichi checked his clothes, but found nothing unusual. He even burned the part of his clothes that Hiruzen had touched, just to be sure, but his discomfort didn't ease. There was no reason for someone like Sarutobi to target him unless the real target was his teacher, Orochimaru, who held far more influence and power.
"Maybe it was just a test... a way to gauge the waters?" Kenichi wasn't sure, but it felt like there was a chance that this was the Hokage's way of subtly probing him.
When Orochimaru came to find Kenichi, he eagerly relayed the details of his encounter with Hiruzen Sarutobi. His excitement was palpable, his tone reminiscent of a die-hard fan of the Hokage.
Orochimaru, however, remained silent. He studied Kenichi for a moment, then waved him off, signaling that they needed to get moving.
"We're going on a mission," Orochimaru said calmly. "A team of ninjas defected during the war. We need to find them."
Kenichi blinked in surprise. "A mission like that?" He wasn't sure what to make of it. The typical mission for a team of ninjas consisted of three members: a captain and two others. The captain was always at least a Chunin. It seemed unusual for Orochimaru to be taking him, a relatively unseasoned ninja, on such a mission.
"Yes, during the war, a team defected. Our job is to track them down," Orochimaru repeated, his voice cool and detached.
Kenichi was stunned for a moment. Was Orochimaru really planning to take him on a mission like this? He couldn't help but wonder what his teacher had in mind.