Villain Character

Tahm swaggered into the daimyo's residence alongside Kakashi, looking so relaxed that even Kakashi couldn't help but admire him. Ordinary ninja would inevitably feel some awe the first time they saw the residence of a great nation's daimyo—the towering tenshukaku and stern guards. This was the imposing might accumulated by the highest nobility over countless years: as the saying went, "Without seeing the grandeur of the imperial palace, how could one know the emperor's majesty?"

Tahm, however, didn't care in the slightest. For one thing, the daimyos in the Naruto world were basically background characters. The principle that political power grew from the barrel of a gun seemed not to apply at all. Tahm couldn't understand how people without any real strength could still place themselves above the Five Great Shinobi Villages. For another, while the castles of the Five Great Nations' daimyos looked magnificent and intimidating to ordinary people, Tahm had visited the even grander Forbidden City in his previous life. At most, this daimyo's residence could make him feel as though he were visiting a tourist attraction.

Led by the guards, Tahm and Kakashi walked for a while. A dignified-looking middle-aged man suddenly approached them from ahead and greeted them warmly: "I am Sakura, an elder of the Land of Wind daimyo's household. I heard that Kakashi of Konoha had come in person, so I came especially to receive you." His attitude was extremely enthusiastic, utterly unlike how he had acted when receiving the Hidden Grass ninja earlier. It seemed that although the daimyo's residence held a transcendent status, they still showed proper respect toward famous powerhouses of the Shinobi World.

Sakura also nodded toward Tahm in greeting, apparently not finding it strange that Kakashi had brought a toad along. "And this is?" he asked. Inwardly, though, he muttered, The previous group of Hidden Grass ninja brought a red-haired little girl to treat the patient, and now Konoha has brought a summoned beast. How strange.

Before Tahm could speak, Kakashi started praising him on his behalf. "This is Sage Tahm from Mount Myoboku. Technically speaking, he's also Lord Jiraiya of the Sannin's junior fellow disciple."

Mount Myoboku, sage, Jiraiya's junior fellow disciple—the combination struck Sakura senseless. His attitude immediately became even more enthusiastic. "Please come with me, both of you."

The three of them walked deeper into the residence. To be safe, Tahm questioned Sakura in detail about the daimyo's son and his condition.

Sakura could only give a bitter smile. "The daimyo's son has always been a free spirit. Earlier, while traveling through various nations and entering the mountains to enjoy the scenery, he shook off his guards on his own and encountered a huge tiger in the mountains. He suffered severe injuries. Famous medical ninja from all five great nations came to examine him, but in the end, they could only keep him alive with medical ninjutsu."

Tahm asked no further questions. Once he knew the boy had merely been injured and wasn't suffering from some negative status like poison, genjutsu, or a curse, he relaxed. As long as the person wasn't dead, his skills could heal him.

At last, they reached an exquisite courtyard. It looked even more luxurious and elegant than the Hyuga residence.

After entering the largest room, Tahm saw a group of servants standing by in fear. A well-dressed, pale, plump middle-aged man with a rather prosperous appearance stood there, watching a cluster of ninja with a look of anxiety and expectation.

"Who are they?" Tahm asked in confusion, pointing at the group of ninja.

"They're the Hidden Grass ninja who came to try treating him earlier," Sakura said awkwardly. He had arranged for the two groups to be in the same place.

Tahm asked doubtfully, "Are the Hidden Grass ninja skilled in medical ninjutsu too? I haven't heard of that." He didn't lower his voice at all, immediately drawing furious glares from the group of Hidden Grass ninja. But when they saw Kakashi's distinctive appearance beside him, they swallowed the harsh words on their tongues.

Tahm wasn't inexperienced and accidentally making himself disliked. He was deliberately provoking them.

He would be more than happy if the Hidden Grass ninja who had arrived first became so enraged that they failed to treat the patient, giving him the chance to accomplish his ten-million-point objective.

Seeing that the few Hidden Grass ninja had wisely chosen to remain silent, Tahm pressed his advantage and stepped forward. "Then I must observe the secret medical ninjutsu passed down by the Hidden Grass Village."

Only after stepping closer did Tahm see what the nearly dead daimyo's son looked like. He couldn't help sucking in a breath of cold air. This man could no longer be described as merely injured. The only intact parts of his body were his head and half his torso; his hands and feet were gone, and even most of his internal organs had disappeared. The fact that he had survived this long could only be attributed to the miraculous medical formation sustaining his life.

The Hidden Grass ninja at the head of the group couldn't take it anymore and retorted, "You are a toad. Do you understand medical ninjutsu too? I am Muto Lan, a Hidden Grass Village elite jonin. May I ask who you are?" His words emphasized that he was, at the very least, an elite jonin—a high-ranking figure in the Shinobi World.

Tahm smiled faintly, carrying the air of a reclusive master revealing his true abilities before the crowd. In a mild tone, he said, "My name is Tahm. I am indeed a toad, and my master is also a toad—the one known as Sage Fukasaku of Mount Myoboku. But my senior fellow disciple isn't a toad. Everyone calls him Jiraiya of the Sannin." Tahm felt exhilarated inside. After transmigrating for so long, he finally had a chance to show off.

The harsh words in Muto's throat were forced down yet again. He roared inwardly, Damn it, this toad has an even greater background than Kakashi.

The daimyo's eyes lit up. His earlier impatience vanished, replaced by polite words. "This Sage Tahm can surely save my son!" It seemed that the reputation of the sacred land, Mount Myoboku, worked everywhere.

Tahm replied calmly, "I have at least a ninety percent chance." He neither fawned nor acted arrogant, showing no sign of being flattered by the daimyo's courtesy. This cold demeanor instead made the daimyo trust him even more.

"Then please step forward and treat him, Sage Tahm." The daimyo looked eager as he directly ignored the Hidden Grass ninja who had arrived first.

"Sage Tahm, aren't you being too overbearing?" Seeing that he was about to be completely ignored, Muto finally lost his temper. "I was clearly here first—"

Seeing Comrade Muto skip the action movie and launch into a melodramatic "I was here first," Tahm felt displeased. Is this guy trying to compete with me for the money?

However, after seeing the daimyo's son's injuries, Tahm wasn't worried that these Hidden Grass ninja truly possessed the skill to take that money from him. Thus, he kept his gaze straight ahead and merely said, "Then please let everyone make the first move. Allow me to witness the methods of the Hidden Grass medical ninja."

Seeing Tahm yield, Muto's expression improved considerably. He gave his companion a hand signal, and the ninja who had come with him brought forward a terrified red-haired little girl.

The daimyo looked displeased when he saw her. The girl had entered with fear written all over her face. At a glance, she was clearly a sheltered commoner who had never seen the world. What ability could she possibly have to treat his son?

Tahm was shocked when he saw the red-haired girl. The moment he laid eyes on her, his favorability system reacted:

Original female supporting character: Karin Uzumaki

Current favorability: 50 (passerby)

This system was his only way to obtain new skills, making it absolutely crucial. But the conditions for Tahm to raise a girl's favorability were already difficult enough, and very few girls could earn the system's recognition. Characters who had appeared in the original story but hadn't received much screen time—such as Miss Ayame from Ichiraku Ramen—couldn't trigger the system's recognition at all.

Tahm's eyes narrowed. Karin Uzumaki—he had actually encountered her here?

He couldn't let this girl slip away so easily.

Wait, why does it feel like all my scenes today are villain roles?

Tahm suddenly recalled the novels he had read in his previous life and came up with an absurd thought. Could Karin be about to use some divine technique to heal the child of a powerful noble, slap this fake master hard in the face, and lead into the usual "Never bully the poor young" plot?