Shennong

Having settled the matter of forming a team, Hyuga Kagami looked through the mission list again while Itachi stood properly to one side, quietly waiting for Kagami to choose a mission.

When he turned to the second page of the mission list, a name suddenly caught Kagami's attention.

"Shennong!? Who is that? He's got some nerve calling himself that!" Kagami grumbled inwardly before carefully examining the mission.

The mission was simple: escort a physician named Shennong to the Land of Rice Fields, which bordered the Land of Fire.

Staring at the mission description, Kagami frowned slightly. For some reason, it felt strangely familiar.

Before long, he finally remembered.

In his hazy memories, there had indeed been a surviving Sky Ninja posing as a physician, traveling through various countries. While building up his reputation, he had also waited for opportunities to steal the secret forbidden techniques of different ninja villages. That man seemed to have been called "Shennong." Later, he had apparently even created an artificial Tailed Beast called "Zero-Tails," causing quite a stir.

Could it be him?

After pondering it for a moment, Kagami decided that whether it was him or not, he would take this mission.

After completing the procedures for accepting the mission, Kagami and Itachi soon met the client.

After closely examining the man called Shennong before him, Kagami had his answer. Whether it was his appearance or the way he dressed, the man largely matched the Shennong from Kagami's memories of his previous life.

Without a doubt, this fellow was a surviving Sky Ninja and the future creator of Zero-Tails.

Having understood the other man's identity, Kagami calmly introduced himself. "My name is Hyuga Kagami. I'm a Konoha Chunin and the captain leading the team assigned to your request. This is my teammate, Uchiha Itachi. He's a Konoha Genin."

Shennong, who was just over thirty, behaved very politely and bowed. "Then I'll be relying on you two this time."

"We'll certainly do our best. But before we set out, I need to understand a few things." After a pause, Kagami asked, "You raised this mission to B-rank. You must have your reasons, right? Tell me, who is your enemy?"

Shennong looked somewhat uneasy and coughed twice. "They're not really enemies. It's just a small misunderstanding. When I was traveling in Kumogakure before, there happened to be a theft in their village. So they suspected I was involved. But you know, I'm only an ordinary physician. How could I possibly have anything to do with that sort of thing?"

As if I'd believe that! Kagami inwardly sneered, then reconsidered. This guy must be quite skilled at stealing!

A place like Kumogakure was difficult even for Konoha's high-ranking spies to infiltrate. Stealing intelligence, ninjutsu, forbidden techniques, and the like was even harder. Yet this unremarkable Shennong had managed to steal something from Kumogakure—and more remarkably, he had gotten away unscathed. That was truly surprising.

Thinking that this man might prove useful in the future, Kagami did not expose him. After making some preparations, the group of three set off for the Land of Rice Fields.

The moment they left the village, Kagami witnessed Itachi's meticulousness. Whether it was choosing their route or selecting camping sites, everything was orderly and beyond reproach.

Along the way, Itachi would even correct errors and omissions on the map he carried with him from time to time. At camp, he would record the day's journey and occasionally write down some reflections.

It could be said that Itachi's presence spared Kagami a great deal of trouble.

Kagami was naturally not idle either. Using the Tenseigan's unparalleled perception, he constantly observed Itachi and Shennong, training his own powers of observation and prediction through changes in their expressions and the movement of their muscles.

The perceptive Itachi quickly noticed this, but he assumed Kagami was merely assessing whether he was a qualified Genin, so he did not resist.

Shennong had undoubtedly noticed as well, but he did his best to conceal it, pretending to know nothing as he cheerfully chatted all day about amusing incidents from his travels.

After several weeks of traveling and stopping along the way, the group finally reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.

Seeing that it was getting late, Kagami instructed, "Itachi, find a suitable campsite. We'll rest well tonight and cross the border tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Itachi answered properly, then leaped into a tree to search for a suitable campsite.

Shennong, standing nearby, smiled. "Kagami-kun and Itachi-kun truly are worthy descendants of prominent clans!"

Waving a hand, Kagami said indifferently, "Your surname isn't important. In the Ninja World, strength is what ultimately matters."

Shennong continued smiling. "During my travels, I've met quite a few ninja, but there are very few as outstanding as you two. Before long, I imagine your names will spread throughout the Ninja World."

Knowing exactly what kind of person Shennong was, Kagami paid no attention to his flattery and shifted the topic to medicine.

There was no denying that this Shennong possessed considerable medical expertise. In particular, his bandaging techniques, knowledge of the body's meridians, and understanding of herbal medicine far surpassed those of ordinary physicians.

That was one of the reasons he could pose as a physician and travel through various countries. Otherwise, he would have been arrested as a spy long ago.

After finding a campsite with a wide-open view, the three ate their rations while discussing the human body's meridians. Naturally, Shennong did most of the explaining while Kagami and Itachi listened and learned.

The body's meridians were no mystery to Kagami, who had been born into the Hyuga Clan. However, the meridian knowledge taught within his clan served the Gentle Fist, while Shennong's knowledge served medicine. Different fields, different approaches, and different perspectives collided, giving Kagami a deeper understanding of the body's meridians.

Itachi listened attentively as well. Before long, he had filled several pages of his little notebook with notes and sketches.

The body's meridians were not unfamiliar to the Uchiha Clan, who possessed the Sharingan. However, the Uchiha Clan had no medical inheritance related to the meridians, making Shennong's knowledge especially valuable.

Shennong explained everything with great dedication, but he naturally had his own motives. In his eyes, Kagami and Itachi, two children of Konoha's great clans, were well worth befriending. If he could establish personal ties with them, he would gain two more sources of support for his activities in Konoha.

As they chatted, Kagami suddenly asked, "By the way, what exactly did Kumogakure lose? Why are they so determined to trouble a physician like you?"

"How would I know? I have absolutely nothing to do with that!" Shennong gave an awkward laugh, then explained, "If not for an epidemic breaking out in a village in the Land of Rice Fields, and an old friend from that village sending word to beg me to make the trip, I truly wouldn't want to be running around everywhere at a time like this."

Knowing he would not get any useful information out of Shennong, Kagami said, "All right, that's enough for today. Get some rest. We still have a long journey tomorrow."

Upon hearing that, Itachi quickly used wire and bells to set several warning tripwires around the campsite. Then he leaped into a tree and settled down on a branch with a good view to rest.

Watching Itachi skillfully lay the traps, Kagami sighed inwardly. The Uchiha Clan really knows how to use ninja tools. At such a young age, Itachi already sets traps like a seasoned hand.