Treating Illness

Land of Crafts, Hidden Crafts Village.

In order to relocate to the Land of Flame as quickly as possible, the ninjas of the Hidden Crafts Village began bustling about early in the morning. Moving an entire village required a great deal of tedious preparation. Moreover, most of the Hidden Crafts Village's residents were blacksmiths, and they needed to transport large quantities of forging equipment and tools. They could not simply leave at a moment's notice like the Blood Pool and the Taketori Clan had.

During this time, Yan Hong quietly recovered his condition. Although he had not suffered any physical injuries in his battle with Shuiwu a few days ago, he had consumed far too much ocular power. Even though three days had passed since that battle, his eyes still ached faintly. He could no longer even see things a hundred meters away clearly!

Yan Hong estimated that if he used Susanoo's power two more times at most, his eyes would go completely blind.

There were only two ways to solve Mangekyo Sharingan blindness. One was to transplant another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan from a close relative, and the other was to transplant Hashirama's cells.

Yan Hong could not do the former. His two older brothers had cared deeply for him since childhood, and he truly could not bring himself to trade their eyes for his own sight. Likewise, Madara and Izuna had never considered using Yan Hong's eyes to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

All three brothers knew of this method, yet none of them had ever brought it up!

As for the latter, though Yan Hong did not want to admit it, he knew that the eyes of all three brothers were likely at the point of burning out. Even combined, the three of them were no match for Hashirama alone, let alone extracting cells from his body.

Shuiwu came to Yan Hong's mind again. If his guess was correct, Shuiwu's Blood Release was the only way to break this deadlock!

"We have to catch him! If it comes down to it, I'll call Big Brother over!"

Just as Yan Hong was considering how to sneak into the Water Country and seize someone, there was a knock at his door. When he opened it, he found Shentai, the Hidden Crafts Village's new leader, standing outside. He was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties.

"Lord Yan Hong, we have more or less finished packing. We can leave at any time."

"It is indeed time to go." Yan Hong thought for a moment. "I still have a mission to complete, but I'll send people to escort you back to the Flame Hidden Village. Once you arrive, someone will arrange accommodations for you."

"Understood." Unlike Qingming, Shentai was far more tactful and immediately agreed.

Yan Hong nodded. He then found Chikuma and had him send half the clan to escort the people of the Hidden Crafts Village back to the Flame Hidden Village, while he himself continued toward their next target—the Medicine Hidden Village.

The Medicine Hidden Village was located in a small unnamed country near the Land of Fields. The entire ninja village had fewer than fifty people. Rather than a village, it was more like an organization. As its name suggested, everyone there was skilled in medicine.

In this era, the system of medical ninjas had not yet been established, so the death rate among ninjas on the battlefield was extremely high. After most injured ninjas were carried off the field, someone would casually bandage them up, and then it was up to their luck whether they survived.

Though the people of the Medicine Hidden Village did not know the Medical Ninjutsu of later generations, the medicines they concocted could achieve the effects of Medical Ninjutsu, sometimes even better.

However, they were eccentric. Everyone in the village lived on a mountain. Anyone seeking medicine had to visit in person, while they themselves never left the mountain. It was not as though no organizations had tried to recruit them, but all were rejected. They could neither be bribed nor coerced. They did not seek wealth, nor did they fear death. Even when threatened with force, they would simply close their eyes, utterly resigned to dying.

Over time, other organizations gave up, but Yan Hong had always wanted to give it another try.

The Medicine Hidden Village was not far from the Hidden Crafts Village. After traveling for a little over a day, Yan Hong and his group arrived at the foot of a mountain. From afar, they saw a group of people lined up to climb it, every face carrying a trace of urgency.

"Boss, what's going on here?" Chikuma looked at the people in line in confusion and suggested, "Should we just kill our way up?"

Yan Hong ignored the brute's remark. He walked to the end of the line, patted the shoulder of the young man standing last, and asked, "Brother, what are you all lining up here for?"

The young man was dressed like a farmer. Seeing someone ask, he replied in confusion, "Eh? Aren't you here to seek medicine too?"

"Seek medicine?"

"That's right. We're all villagers from nearby, here to ask the doctors of the Medicine Hidden Village for medicine. I suffered some internal injuries while hunting last time, and they haven't healed after several days. I had no other choice but to come here. But for some reason, it seems like the Medicine Hidden Village suddenly has far fewer people. The lines are so long every day. I don't even know whether it'll be my turn today."

Yan Hong frowned. "You said the Medicine Hidden Village has lost a lot of people. When did that happen?"

The young man thought for a moment. "About a month ago, I think."

Damn! Could someone have gotten to them first?

Yan Hong's expression turned somewhat grave. But since they were already here, he had to ask about the situation. So he had several members of the Taketori Clan line up at the back of the queue as well.

Chikuma was somewhat impatient. "Boss, we're not here to see a doctor. Why do we have to line up?"

"Because they need it." Yan Hong pointed to the people waiting ahead. "Their lives and deaths have nothing to do with me, but sometimes, you still have to hold on to a little human kindness."

???

Chikuma scratched his head. Though he did not understand, he obediently followed Yan Hong to the end of the line.

And so, as the queue slowly advanced, they waited from daytime until sunset before finally reaching the village entrance.

Two tables had been set up simply before the village gate. Two people sat behind them, one responsible for examining patients and the other for taking money and handing out medicine. Behind them, more than ten people moved back and forth through the village, gathering and preparing medicine.

After being examined, those whose turn had come waited nearby for their medicine. It felt rather like an outpatient clinic in the modern world.

"Next!"

The one examining patients was a white-haired old man. After skillfully checking the young man's condition, he gestured for him to wait off to the side for his medicine, then called for the next person without even lifting his head.

Yan Hong stepped forward and sat before the old man. He said calmly, "Hello, I'm not here to see a doctor, but I would like to speak with your village chief."

The old man waved a hand. "If you're not here to see a doctor, go home. What is there to talk to me about?"

Yan Hong froze. "Hm? You're the village chief?"

"You don't even know I'm the village chief, and you say you came to talk to me? Go on, get out of here. Don't delay my patients."

The old man immediately waved Yan Hong away. But when he looked up at Yan Hong, he suddenly said in surprise, "Eh? Your eyes are nearly blind, yet you say you're not here to see a doctor?"

"Hah?" Yan Hong's entire body jolted. He then forcibly calmed himself, though his voice still trembled slightly.

"Sir, can you treat this illness?"