Uchiha Madara Passed By

Konoha Year 47, summer.

The Third Shinobi World War had already been raging for four months.

Konoha Hospital.

"Hey, errand boy! Come clear out the trash!"

At the shout from inside the operating room, a tiny figure sprinted in on his short little legs.

[Ding: Phrase System binding successful. Beginner's gift pack issued!]

Perhaps his fingers had touched the blood on a cotton ball, but Qian Yun suddenly awakened a system.

He froze for a moment, then pretended nothing had happened and left the operating room.

Hallway.

Opening the system interface, Qian Yun decisively clicked on the beginner's gift pack.

[Soul Growth Talent]

The phrase glimmered with a faint purple light.

He grinned foolishly.

He clicked Fuse.

In an instant, soul fluctuations appeared in the hallway, startling Qian Yun.

If someone found out, wouldn't they drag him onto an operating table and slice him up for research?

Qian Yun was about to leave the hallway when Biwa Miko and Hundred Herbs poked their heads out of the operating room.

The teenage Hundred Herbs asked, "Errand boy, what did you just do?"

Forcing himself to stay calm, Qian Yun pointed suspiciously toward the stairwell ahead.

"I don't know if I was seeing things, but I think a black shadow flashed by just now!"

Qian Yun turned to leave after saying that, but Biwako from inside the operating room called out to him.

"Don't move!"

Qian Yun stopped, fine beads of sweat instantly appearing on the tip of his nose.

They found out already?

It hasn't even been a minute!

The shinobi world is too damn hard to survive in!

If anyone says transmigrators are all chosen ones again, I'll kick him to death.

It had been a whole three years, and even getting enough to eat had been a problem!

Where was the showing off, face-slapping, and sweeping aside of all obstacles?

Whatever Biwako did, ANBU operatives soon arrived to investigate.

That was not all. Hiruzen Sarutobi himself came afterward.

After a round of investigation, the group found nothing unusual.

Biwako apologized awkwardly.

Hundred Herbs said right to their faces that he had been overly suspicious and that it had nothing to do with Lady Biwako.

The young man was good at handling people. His initiative in taking the blame earned him the goodwill of the Hokage and the Hokage's wife.

Hiruzen Sarutobi removed the pipe from his mouth and looked at Qian Yun with a genial smile.

"Young man, clearing medical waste with your bare hands is not a good habit. It would be bad if you caught a virus!

Even if you don't catch a virus, getting hemorrhoids is quite unpleasant!

Wouldn't you agree?

Hahahaha..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was clearly trying to ease the awkward atmosphere while finding a scapegoat for his wife. He started laughing before he had even finished.

Qian Yun inwardly cursed, If I could get gloves, would I be clearing trash with my bare hands?

Everyone chuckled along.

Qian Yun thought that since it was only a small matter, what was wrong with taking the blame?

Maybe he would gain their favor and never have to worry about food and drink again!

"Hokage Grandpa is right!

If you get hemorrhoids, you have to burn them off with a pipe bowl. It hurts, it hurts so much!

Next time I see—"

Hahahaha...

Everyone burst out laughing, cutting Qian Yun off before he could even take the blame.

After laughing, Hiruzen Sarutobi vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, showing no intention of chatting with Qian Yun.

Important people always seemed busy.

Atop Hokage Rock.

The aged Uchiha Madara frowned. "What a strange boy. He could actually sense this old man passing by!"

Black Zetsu said, "There was a powerful soul fluctuation in that instant. He seems to be a descendant of the Kato Clan!"

"White Zetsu, stay behind. Kill every Konoha boy who resembles the Hokage Rock beneath your feet!"

"Yes!"

After the aged Uchiha Madara spoke, his body dissolved into a phantom and scattered away. White Zetsu slowly merged into the ground.

Hokage's office.

Koharu Utatane spoke expressionlessly. "Once the various departments begin laying people off, the clans will inevitably become resentful!

My Utatane Clan can keep them under control, but I don't know whether the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan will cause trouble!"

After speaking, she shot Homura Mitokado a look. The old man immediately adjusted his glasses.

"The troublesome part is Root. They are monitoring the four major shinobi villages, and quite a few operatives have already died, yet no compensation has been paid!

Without Root's support, this war will truly be difficult to win!

And there's Orochimaru. His research funding has always been insufficient!"

As the two advisors went back and forth, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew increasingly grim.

"Layoffs! Start with Konoha Hospital. I'll speak to Biwako myself!

Dismiss every errand worker in the other departments as well. Otherwise, the shinobi fighting on the front lines will have no supplies. You know the consequences!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi made the final decision. Though the two advisors looked displeased, they could only carry it out.

Two hours later, Konoha Hospital.

"Errand boy, this is your salary for the month. Don't come back starting tomorrow!"

After Hundred Herbs spoke, he handed over a thin envelope. Qian Yun felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

How had sucking up and taking the blame cost him his iron rice bowl?

"Um, Lord Hundred Herbs, I'm actually a very diligent worker!

Please reconsider. I promise—"

"Get lost! You've been doing odd jobs for a year and still can't even learn the Mystical Palm Technique. What right do you have to stay at Konoha Hospital?"

"Lord Hundred Herbs, don't you love me anymore?

When we came to the hospital to do odd jobs together, how did you promise Lady Biwako?

You said you would take good care of me!"

Qian Yun was not someone who liked to pester others, but without the guaranteed income from Konoha Hospital, he would truly have trouble finding food.

Hundred Herbs roared, "You can't even clean properly! You leave blood everywhere every time!"

"I can change!" Qian Yun blurted out.

"You can't even use the most basic sealing technique, and you can't even clean wounds!

You can't do anything. Do you expect Konoha to support you like some young master?"

Qian Yun's heart turned ice-cold. "Can I give up my salary and just work here for food?

Lord Hundred Herbs, you know that if I leave Konoha Hospital, I'll starve to death!"

"You... you eat too much. The other medical shinobi all have complaints!"

After roaring that, Hundred Herbs turned away. He told himself he had to be ruthless, or he would be the one getting laid off.

There had been three people doing odd jobs in the same batch. Biwa Miko had her aunt protecting her; even if they laid off official medical shinobi, they would never dismiss her.

Qian Yun sighed, took the envelope, and turned to leave. His retreating figure looked exceptionally bleak.

As he passed an emergency room, he saw Biwa Miko using the Mystical Palm Technique to treat someone's injuries.

Qian Yun suddenly realized that he could sense the flow of other people's chakra.

Though it was somewhat blurry.

Is this the power of a god-tier phrase?

"Lady Miko, can you teach me how to use the Mystical Palm Technique?"

Biwa Miko frowned, then forced a smile.

"Mm, I can, Qian Yun."

Biwa Miko explained it to him, then lowered her head and continued treating the wounded.

Qian Yun tried it. The medical chakra he released was pitifully weak, nowhere near enough to repair a wound.

He wanted to ask Biwa Miko for more guidance, but her brows were tightly furrowed, and she even clicked her tongue.

He lowered his head and walked out.

Konoha Village had become somewhat desolate recently. Countless shinobi had been sent out to stop Hidden Mist shinobi from landing in the Land of Fire.

There were fewer people in the village, yet ingredient prices kept rising, sometimes changing by the day.

Qian Yun squeezed the thin envelope in his hand. The salary inside was definitely less than a thousand ryo.

In theory, it would not last him a week.

Though he was deeply unwilling, Qian Yun still headed toward Ingredient Street.

He had no choice but to rummage through trash bins again, or he would starve to death at home like the body's original owner.

He was lucky today. He found several large beef bones in a butcher shop's trash bin, their meat and skin picked completely clean.

Then he found a large handful of rotten vegetable leaves in a greengrocer's trash bin. Only then did Qian Yun return home, satisfied.