"Hello, everyone. My name is Hyuga Shinki. Nice to meet you all."
A group of ninjas were busy looking for the medical specialist in the crowd. Unable to stand by any longer, Shinki stepped forward and introduced himself.
"Move along, we're looking for the medic. Why is someone from the Hyuga clan here?"
"Wait, what Hyuga clan? Look at his eyes."
Everyone paused, noticing the anomaly. There was no Hyuga member with eyes that looked like Shinki's. They all stared curiously, trying to figure out what was different about him.
At that moment, two jonin wearing standard vests entered the training ground.
One of them, a tall jonin with long black hair, barked, "Quiet!!"
Instantly, the training ground fell silent. The long-haired jonin continued, "My name is Honda. You can call me Captain Honda. I hope we get along well during our time at the border."
"Now, roll call begins."
When it was Shinki's turn, Honda's eyes lingered on him for a moment before nodding and continuing down the list.
As detailed in the records, Shinki was indeed a member of the Hyuga clan. However, due to a rare condition that caused the degeneration of his Byakugan, he had dedicated himself to studying medicine and eventually became a skilled medical ninja.
Once the roll call was complete, Honda motioned with a hand. "Let's move out!"
Led by the two captains, the group left the village and headed for the border. Only the captains knew the exact camp they were assigned to for rotation.
After leaving the village, Sarutobi Mishima, the deputy captain, approached Shinki to build rapport. It was essential to have the camp's only medic on your side. A medical ninja who felt slighted could easily delay or sabotage treatment, a mistake with deadly consequences.
As Tsunade's protégé, Shinki had both medical expertise and the knowledge of poisons.
"Before we left, Tsunade asked me to give you some leeway," Mishima said, attempting to show goodwill.
Tsunade's care for Shinki was well-known. Since they first met, she had always looked out for him, helping him without asking for anything in return.
"If only she had more money," Shinki thought wistfully. "I'd happily rely on her for support."
Shinki replied with a smile, "When we get to the camp, I hope the captains and everyone else will take good care of me. After all, I'm just a medical ninja, not a fighter."
"Don't worry, as long as we're here, nothing will happen to you," one of the ninjas said, thumping his chest.
The belief that medical ninjas were weak in battle was well-entrenched, so Shinki's request was met with enthusiasm. Everyone wanted to be on good terms with the medic. The opportunity to do so had practically been handed to them.
If Tsunade were there, Shinki knew she'd probably give him a playful punch for that line.
Captain Honda handed Shinki two sealing scrolls containing a variety of medical supplies. As the only medic, Shinki was in charge of organizing and safeguarding these resources. This ensured there would be no chaos when emergency treatment was needed.
After two days, the group arrived at their destination without incident.
Standing in the wooden camp, hands behind his back, Shinki gazed up at the overcast sky and the raindrops falling steadily. "This was a mistake. Looks like I'll be idle for a while."
Their camp was stationed near the border of the Land of Rain—a place known for its relentless downpours.
The Land of Rain was infamous for never having three consecutive clear days. It was perpetually soaked and dreary, a place where rain was the most abundant and only resource.
To describe the economic situations of the major villages: Sand Village was so poor that only sand remained, Rock Village lamented its poverty with nothing but barren stones, Mist Village subsisted on dried fish, Cloud Village survived on beef, and Konoha, while better off, was left with little besides food.
But the Land of Rain? It had nothing but rain.
At first, Shinki found the rain somewhat charming, enjoying the view from inside the camp. But after three days of endless downpours, the novelty wore off, and monotony set in.
Thankfully, as a medical ninja, Shinki didn't need to patrol or stand watch. While others had to trudge through the rain, Shinki was free to rest indoors.
"Shinki, I've got a gift for you!"
The patrol leader, Honda's son—also named Honda—came into camp, carrying a wild deer on his shoulders.
"Captain, don't pretend that's for Shinki. We all know you're just craving meat."
"Hahaha, true. The captain's been saying he's starving," one of the ninjas joked.
"Shut up!"
Honda's face flushed as he scolded the group. "Yeah, I'm greedy. Yeah, I'm starving. But guess what? You're not getting any of the barbecue later!"
Despite his mock indignation, Honda had hunted the deer during patrol to treat everyone.
"What are you laughing at? Go clean the deer and get some firewood. Make sure it's dry!"
In the Land of Fire, game was plentiful. Firewood, however, was a different matter. The constant rain left most of the wood damp and difficult to ignite. Dry firewood was stored inside the camp to ensure it was ready when needed.
As a skilled cook and the camp's only medic, Shinki quickly became a favorite among the others.
Looking at the dry firewood, Shinki joked, "Who knew the medical room would turn into the camp kitchen?"
The group burst into laughter.
Despite the complaints, food was a necessity. Even Shinki, who was fed up with bland rations, looked forward to better meals.
Soon, the processed deer was brought into the medical room. Captain Honda himself helped light the fire, while Shinki prepared to grill the venison.
Deputy Captain Sarutobi Mishima seldom joined patrols and usually stayed in the camp. After some observation, Shinki noted that Mishima seemed particularly attentive to the medical room.
Was he guarding him or keeping an eye on him?
Given Mishima's Sarutobi lineage, Shinki leaned towards the former. If it had been someone from the Shimura clan, he would have assumed it was surveillance.
The rich aroma of roasted venison filled the air. Ninjas eagerly waited, setting aside their dry rations.
"Line up, no pushing!" Captain Honda instructed as he took out a clean kunai, slicing up the meat.
A whole hind leg was reserved for Shinki, while the rest was shared among the group.
No one resented the special treatment. Everyone wanted to keep Shinki, their lifeline, content.
After the venison was distributed, most of the group returned to their shelters to eat.
"Captain Mishima, can we talk?" Shinki called out just as Sarutobi Mishima was heading back with his share of the roast.
Mishima paused, then smiled and nodded, accepting the invitation.
"Looks like tomorrow's going to be even colder," Shinki remarked, glancing at the darkening sky.
>>>>>
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