Konoha Hospital.
The lobby was a sea of noise and motion. Patients in hospital gowns, family members accompanying and caring for them, medical staff in white coats—joy and sorrow played across different faces in equal measure, while faint sounds of sobbing drifted through the air… The moment Kyoichi and the others stepped inside, this vivid tableau of human life greeted their eyes.
"So many people…"
Kyoichi raised an eyebrow.
The scene inevitably reminded him of the modern hospitals from his memories of a past life. Compared to those, Konoha Hospital was roughly on the level of a municipal hospital in a fourth- or fifth-tier city. That was not meant as a slight, but as praise. Given the overall productivity of the shinobi world, this already represented the pinnacle of medical standards.
Hospitals in Iwagakure and Kirigakure, on the other hand—
To be honest,
They barely qualified as county hospitals in impoverished regions.
They simply could not be compared to Konoha Hospital.
"Konoha Hospital is bigger than the one in our village,"
Ringo Ameyuri said bluntly.
"Tch! Ameyuri, watch your mouth. Our Kirigakure will surpass Konoha sooner or later."
Momochi Zabuza snapped back at her, his tone distinctly unfriendly. He found her words grating to the ear.
Kyoichi shot the still–very-much-a-kid "Demon" a sidelong glance.
This brat really did seem like an extreme village patriot.
"Zabuza, surpassing Konoha isn't something you accomplish by running your mouth. Taking your temper out on Ameyuri proves nothing. She didn't say anything wrong. If you truly want to surpass Konoha, then prove your resolve with actions, not by venting your anger at your comrades to show how much you love the village."
"..."
Momochi Zabuza pursed his lips, clearly unconvinced by Kyoichi's lecture.
However,
When he saw Kyoichi casually shake his fist, he swallowed whatever retort he had been about to make.
From the journey from Kirigakure to Konoha, to their time at the Konoha embassy, the three of them had done more than just train behind closed doors. They had also sparred repeatedly. Through these bouts, Kyoichi had, time and again, established his authority without a word, using nothing but unshakable victories.
Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, status was theoretically equal. Unless the Mizukage personally appointed a leader, no one had the right to command the others.
But,
Kirigakure's culture revered strength above all else.
Once Kyoichi demonstrated power that clearly surpassed everyone else, that so-called equality naturally collapsed. He smoothly assumed the role of leader. Even Hōzuki Mangetsu, the prodigy of the Hōzuki clan, had no complaints about Kyoichi's leadership.
After all,
Being outmatched in skill left little room for grievances.
Even the senior member, Biwa Jūzō, did not rely on his seniority to order Kyoichi around. On the contrary, whenever something came up, he would consult Kyoichi first. Given that both Hōzuki Mangetsu and Biwa Jūzō behaved this way, no matter how unruly Momochi Zabuza might be, he would not dare to bristle in front of Kyoichi.
As they spoke,
They arrived at the reception desk.
"Sir, may I ask what you need?"
A young nurse who looked only fifteen or sixteen stood behind the desk, smiling as she addressed Kyoichi and the others.
"I'm looking for someone. May I ask where Nohara Rin-san is?"
Kyoichi went straight to the point.
"Nohara Rin… Do you know Rin-san?"
A trace of confusion appeared on the nurse's face. Her eyes flicked quickly to the forehead protectors worn by Kyoichi and the other two, and she began to think. Kiri ninja… Were these members of the Kirigakure delegation? Why would these Kiri ninja be looking for Nohara Rin?
Could they be here to cause trouble?
Should she… call for help?
"Don't worry, we're not here to make trouble."
Seeing that the young nurse's thoughts were practically written all over her face, Kyoichi could not help but smile. "If you're uneasy, we can wait in the lobby. You can help us pass along a message to Rin-san. Just tell her that Koeda Kyoichi is waiting for her in the lobby and would like to meet."
"...All right."
The nurse agreed.
Just passing along a message—
That should not be a problem, right?
"Thank you for the trouble."
Kyoichi nodded to her, then turned and led Ringo Ameyuri and Momochi Zabuza to an empty bench in a corner of the lobby, where they sat down.
From a distance, they watched as the nurse first whispered with her colleagues for a moment, then hurried off toward the stairwell. She went up to the third floor, turned down a corridor, and entered one of the rooms there to find Nohara Rin.
Yes,
Before even entering Konoha Hospital,
Kyoichi had already sensed Nohara Rin's chakra.
However—
This was Konoha's territory. Acting rashly here would be unwise. If any disturbance were to break out, it would only lead to trouble.
Besides, there was no rush.
They were not pressed for time.
So,
Following proper procedure was the best course.
Before long,
Kyoichi sensed Nohara Rin's chakra begin to move. She came downstairs with the nurse. Half a minute later, Rin appeared at the stairwell entrance and, following the nurse's gesture, looked toward Kyoichi and the others seated in the corner of the lobby.
Nohara Rin came to stand before Kyoichi. She was dressed in the standard white attire of Konoha's medical ninja, which gave her a very different impression from when she was on missions.
Even so,
No matter how one looked at it,
Nohara Rin could certainly be called beautiful.
Coupled with her gentle and considerate personality, it was no wonder she had completely captivated Uchiha Obito.
"Koeda-san, may I ask why you wanted to see me?"
She looked directly at Kyoichi, skipping any pleasantries and going straight to the question.
As for Koeda Kyoichi, the man who had once taken her hostage to threaten Obito, Kakashi, and even Minato, she had initially felt deep hatred toward him. Later, after learning that everything Kyoichi had done was to rescue his clansmen, that hatred eased somewhat. This man… was not entirely a heartless beast wearing human skin.
Of course,
That did not mean she had forgiven his actions. Her resentment toward him still remained.
The only reason she had come down to meet him was a sense of responsibility. It had been Team Minato who escorted the Kirigakure delegation into the village. On the off chance that something might happen, she decided to come down and meet him out of caution.
As for the danger her colleagues had mentioned,
She did not feel particularly worried.
Although she had no distinguished bloodline and came from an ordinary civilian family, her talent was good and her luck was not bad. After graduating from the Ninja Academy, she had been assigned to serve under Namikaze Minato, and from that point on, her prospects had soared.
Recently, Kushina had become pregnant.
As Minato's only female disciple and a medical ninja, Rin often went to visit her. Through her conversations with Kushina, she had learned that negotiations between the village and Kirigakure were going smoothly, and that there was a strong chance of an alliance being formed. As such, she was not worried about encountering any danger.
"Back at Shiraishi Port, the agreement Obito and I made… you still remember it, don't you, Rin?"
Kyoichi asked with a smile.
"I already told you, please don't call me by my given name. We're not that close."
Nohara Rin replied coldly, clearly displeased.
"Then, Rin-san?"
Kyoichi readily adjusted his form of address and continued, "Could you help me get in touch with Obito? If he has time, I think we can finally carry out our agreement. If we delay any longer, we might end up leaving Konoha."