"Go, go, go! Wait in the herb room over there!"
"Don't leave. We'll still need you later."
"Right, we need to draw blood too!"
Chiba's hand froze awkwardly before the door. The corner of his mouth twitched, and even bitterness was no longer enough to describe his expression.
At that moment, he was inside Konoha Hospital, outside the old scholars' research room. He had originally intended to ask about the progress of their research, but he had barely knocked once before that string of voices came from within. Their tones were exceedingly hostile, and Chiba felt that the old scholars did not see him as a person at all, but as some humanoid blood bag.
"Oh..."
Still, though he felt thoroughly miserable, Chiba obediently went to the herb room next door.
After all, those old scholars were obsessed with academia, so their social skills were naturally lacking. Even though they had picked up plenty of interpersonal tricks over years of requesting funding, those skills only applied to requesting funding. In every other respect, they were still exactly as they had always been.
And Chiba did not dislike those straightforward people. He was used to getting along with them and knew their temperaments, so he was not angry, merely somewhat helpless.
What left him helpless was that, judging by the situation, he would once again be unable to learn the results today.
"Hm?"
With that thought, Chiba stepped into the herb room. Yet the moment he entered, the room itself caught his attention.
What was going on?
Had the herb room been expanded? There were two more cabinets?
Drawn in, Chiba's gaze settled on the two herb cabinets, both of which looked quite new, and he unconsciously walked over.
He was quite familiar with this herb room. Back when he