Shocking! Shennong's purpose is actually... asking for recommendation tickets?

9:00 AM, Furuta District, 4th Block.

Hanfu had spent over two hours searching, but he had finally found the Shencao Izakaya.

The izakaya was located at the end of the street, and judging by its exterior decor, it didn't seem like a particularly busy establishment.

Furthermore, the foot traffic on this street was quite mediocre, far less bustling than the commercial district near the Gekko Clan.

In short, Hanfu's first impression of the Shencao Izakaya was that it was remote.

Remote? Could this be the reason Shennong chose to stay here? What kind of shady business is he up to?

Hanfu couldn't figure it out, so he decided to head inside and investigate.

It wasn't lunchtime yet, so the izakaya was very quiet. There was only one waitress, who looked to be in her early twenties, so as soon as Hanfu stepped inside, he was spotted by her sharp eyes.

"Little brother, welcome! Are you dining alone?"

Although Hanfu felt a bit uncomfortable, he forced himself to play the part of a child. "Big sister, may I ask if Lord Shennong lives here?"

"Lord Shennong? Who is that?"

The waitress asked, looking puzzled.

"He's a middle-aged man with a full beard," Hanfu said, carefully observing her expression. Unfortunately, he didn't detect anything unusual.

"Oh, that strange guest! He does stay here. He even drank five bottles of sake during breakfast today," the waitress said with a laugh. "Do you know him, little brother?"

This guy... he really is an actor of award-winning caliber. Drinking five bottles of sake just for breakfast, terrified that people wouldn't know he was staying here for the 'sake'.

However, even if he could fool others, he couldn't fool Hanfu.

"Big sister, I'd like an order of Tempura."

Hanfu didn't answer the waitress's question, instead pulling out a 1,000-yen note and handing it to her.

Tempura was a deep-fried dish made by coating fresh fish, shrimp, and seasonal vegetables in a batter of flour, eggs, and water, then frying them until golden brown. It was very popular with children, and an order of ten pieces cost fifty yen.

"Little brother, please wait a moment. It'll be ready soon."

The waitress gave Hanfu his change and began preparing the ingredients.

Seeing her busy, Hanfu spoke up. "Big sister, that strange guest is Lord Shennong. He's an incredibly skilled doctor. I admire him so much and I'm a huge fan. I came here first thing this morning just to get his autograph!"

"So that's it! What a pity, that Lord Shennong left as soon as he finished his breakfast."

The waitress said with a smile.

"How could this happen? I should have come earlier."

Hanfu looked annoyed, but he was actually feeling a bit suspicious.

Shennong had gone out for a late-night snack with Kamijima Chusei and the others from the medical department last night. Given how enthusiastic those people were, that meal must have lasted until eleven or twelve o'clock!

So, the question was:

Shennong had spent half the night giving on-site instruction and then stayed out eating until midnight, yet he was up so early today. What was he planning to do?

Go to Konoha Hospital to continue his on-site instruction?

That was absolutely impossible!

Even if Shennong were willing, the people from the medical department led by Kamijima Chusei... of course, they would be a hundred or a thousand times willing in their hearts, but as long as they had even a shred of social awareness, they wouldn't let Shennong, a guest, work himself to the bone like that. They would definitely insist that Shennong take half a day off; it was basic etiquette.

Excluding Konoha Hospital, Hanfu truly had no idea what Shennong was up to.

And so, Hanfu continued to fish for information from the young lady.

"Big sister, are there any fun places or anything significant around here?" Hanfu asked. He was firmly convinced that Shennong was staying here because of something nearby!

"Hmm, let me see... I don't think so."

The waitress replied while preparing Tempura.

"Then what is there around here?" Hanfu asked, unwilling to give up.

"Little brother, behind this street is the residential area for civilians. There are no parks and no bustling commercial streets. If you want to have fun, you'll have to go to the center of the village."

The waitress smiled. "It's ready. Here is your Tempura!"

"Oh, thank you."

Hanfu took the paper bag with a hint of disappointment. Looking down, he saw about ten golden-fried pieces of Tempura. A rich aroma of egg, shrimp, and flour wafted up to his nose.

Well, at least he had gained something.

Hanfu used a bamboo skewer to pierce a piece of Tempura and popped it into his mouth. After chewing lightly, the flavor exploded instantly.

Delicious!

Hanfu's eyes lit up.

Just then, the sensitive Hanfu noticed someone peeking at him.

No, strictly speaking, they were peeking at the Tempura in his hand.

Hanfu turned his head toward the entrance of the izakaya and saw a bright green figure flash past the doorway like a startled rabbit.

Hanfu's chewing came to a halt.

What was that?

Hanfu dashed out the door, turning his head to the right, only to see a youth in a green bodysuit sprinting ahead.

"If I can't run ten laps around Furuta District before ten o'clock, I'll do one thousand squats!"

"If I can't finish one thousand squats, I'll do ten thousand jump ropes!"

"This is youth! Ganbatte, ganbatte!!"

The passionate, hot-blooded, and incredibly chuunibyou voice gradually faded into the distance. Hanfu stood there, his brain momentarily short-circuiting.

Might Guy?

Does Guy live around here?

Wait, could Shennong's goal be... the Eight Inner Gates Formation?

Hanfu's pupils constricted.

Just then.

"Doctor Shennong, my house is just ahead. Please, you must let me treat you properly!"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Hanfu, filled with gratitude.

Hanfu slowly turned around and saw the man with the full beard walking over, chatting and laughing with another man wearing a green tight-fitting combat suit.

"Duy, you are too kind. As I said before, my dream is to spread my medical arts throughout the ninja world. If you find them useful, I would be more than happy to pass on all my experience with the Bandage Technique to you."

Shennong smiled kindly.

"Really? Thank you so much, Doctor Shennong!"

Might Duy was incredibly moved.

Hanfu's heart sank. It seemed his guess was correct; Shennong's goal was Might Duy's Eight Inner Gates Formation!

Shennong had deliberately chosen Shencao Izakaya for the real reason that it was close to Might Duy's home. He only needed to master Might Duy's training schedule beforehand to easily manufacture a chance encounter!

The rest was simple. As taijutsu ninjas, the father and son duo had an astronomical daily training volume. To prevent injuries during training, they inevitably had to wrap themselves in bandages to protect their bodies, and Shennong's Bandage Technique was at a perfect level!

Using the perfect-level Bandage Technique as an entry point, Shennong had approached Might Duy without any effort at all!

Old fox!

Hanfu cursed internally while smiling brightly on the outside: "Doctor Shennong! I finally found you!!"

"Hmm?"

Shennong was startled by the high-pitched shriek, his brows twitching uncontrollably, but he quickly regained his composure. He looked at Hanfu with a smile and asked, "Little brother, do you know me?"

"Yes, I've been following you since last night. I admire you so much!"

Hanfu excitedly rushed forward, shoving Might Duy aside. One hand reached for Shennong's clothes, while the other reached for... the brown backpack Shennong carried on his back.

Thanks to book friend Carbon-based Life for the tip and support!