"This idiot!"
Black Zetsu was beginning to doubt whether entrusting such an important mission to that creature could really succeed.
He tried to console himself.
It's fine! It's fine!
All Rei had to do was gather a little intelligence. Surely even he wouldn't mess that up!
"You don't need to worry about anything else. Just remember that the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi is Uzumaki Kushina!"
Black Zetsu emphasized the point again and again.
What he feared most was that this idiot might mistake the wrong person and end up delivering false information.
Amamiya Rei, however, wasn't listening to a single word Black Zetsu was saying.
There was only one thought in his head right now:
Can the Kyūbi be eaten?
Can I devour half of the Kyūbi?
He really wanted to try it!
And during the Kyūbi's rampage, both Minato and Kushina would be there to restrain the beast.
If he didn't eat it then, when else would he have the chance?
"The Kyūbi's Jinchūriki... Uzumaki Kushina is currently pregnant. When she goes into labor, you must tell me the exact date and place."
Black Zetsu deliberately used the simplest, most straightforward words, afraid that if his phrasing became even a little complicated, this creature might not understand him at all.
Rei instantly retorted, "If I tell you, will you bring me delicious people to eat?"
Eat, eat, eat—does she ever think about anything else?
Cursing the creature in his heart, Black Zetsu still nodded without hesitation. "Exactly."
Rei nodded cheerfully. "Deal."
After all, even if he didn't say anything, that big-mouthed monkey Kakashi would eventually reveal it to Obito at Rin's grave.
If by doing so, Rei could get himself a few extra bites of Obito's flesh, why not?
"This matter must not be known to anyone else."
Before leaving, Black Zetsu reminded him once more.
"Nonsense!"
"Of course I know that!"
"I'm not an idiot!"
Rei rolled his eyes at him.
His act had been played far too well in front of Black Zetsu.
To the point where Black Zetsu now fully believed he was dealing with a simpleton.
Black Zetsu: "..."
I'm more worried you really are an idiot.
Still, with Rei's affirmation, Black Zetsu left with some relief.
The truth was, he wasn't especially reassured—but he had no other choice.
As Rei made his way toward Minato and Kushina's home, his mind began slowly piecing together the events of the Kyūbi's rampage.
In truth, it had been a long time since he last watched Naruto. Most of the details had already faded from his memory. He only remembered that during the Kyūbi's attack, Obito appeared in a cave and stuck a heating pad onto Naruto. As for the specific battles and sequences after that, he had nearly forgotten them all.
Rei was very clear about one thing: in his current state, he had no way to stop the plot from unfolding.
It wasn't as if he could simply run up to Kushina and Minato and warn them that the Kyūbi's rampage would happen.
Nor did he have the ability to prevent Uchiha Obito's actions.
The only thing he could do was eat a little more of Minato, Kushina, and the Kyūbi's meat—then at least help take better care of Naruto afterward.
Beyond that, he was truly powerless.
Having thought it through, Rei returned to Minato and Kushina's home without any psychological burden.
He ate lunch with Kushina, then after a restless nap, headed straight to Konoha Hospital.
It seemed Minato had already notified the hospital in advance.
The moment Rei entered, a woman in a white coat approached him.
She had short, ear-length brown hair, stood quite tall, and carried herself with a brisk, commanding presence.
"You are Amamiya Rei?"
Honma Mei's gaze swept up and down the girl before her as she asked.
Rei nodded under her appraising eyes. "Yes."
"A medical-nin, correct?"
Honma Mei's tone remained flat as she fixed her eyes on Rei's face.
Rei gave a short "Mm."
Seeing that, Honma Mei didn't press further. She simply turned and led Rei through the hospital's first-floor lobby, down the left corridor, and into the first ward on the left.
The moment the door opened, a thick stench of blood rushed out, flooding Rei's nose.
"Try it first."
Honma Mei, as though unaffected by the pungent smell, lifted the heavy yellow drape shielding the operation table inside.
On the table lay a young shinobi, barely older than Rei himself.
His pale face still held traces of boyish youth, but the savage sword wound stretching from his lower leg all the way up his thigh was shocking to behold.
Rei's eyes widened slightly.
Without waiting for Honma Mei to speak, green light immediately flared in his hands.
The speed of the flesh knitting back together was clearly visible.
Seeing this, Honma Mei nodded.
Confirming that Rei truly possessed the ability to heal patients, she could finally entrust the injured in this ward to the girl recommended personally by the Hokage.
Although the Great Ninja War had come to an end with the Fourth Hokage's ascension, scattered conflicts still continued along the borders, impossible to suppress overnight.
As a result, severely wounded shinobi were constantly being sent back.
Yet the number of medical-nin was painfully small, and with Lady Tsunade absent from the village, Konoha was in dire need of more healers.
"Treat them as quickly as possible, but don't push yourself beyond your limit."
Mei reminded him. "This ward is your responsibility. When you're finished here, move on to the next one."
There was no shortage of patients, and medical-nin rarely had the luxury of rest.
Mei couldn't afford to waste time guiding newcomers either—every moment of hers could mean the difference between life and death for another injured shinobi.
"Understood!"
Rei withdrew his focus from the wound and answered her.
Honma Mei gave a small nod, then swiftly left the room.
The large ward, filled with wounded, now had only Amamiya Rei as its lone medical-nin.
Only those in critical condition were entrusted to shinobi healers. Less serious injuries were generally handled by ordinary doctors.
Thus, nearly every patient in Rei's ward was a gravely injured shinobi, most of them lying unconscious.
Rei looked down at the boy on the table, unconscious from blood loss. Then he glanced at the heavy curtains that enclosed each bed, erected to allow medical-nin to treat patients with concentration.
He pressed his lips together... then couldn't help but smile.
This was far too convenient for him!
Rei would happily spend every day in the hospital.
Hospital? No—this was his personal pantry!
Let's start with this sleeping boy, shall we?
Heh... heh... heh...
Rei opened his jaws wide, razor-sharp fangs glinting coldly under the white fluorescent light above.
Slash!
Blood spattered across his cheeks.
It had been far too long since he last tasted flesh. He didn't care about appearances now—a quick wipe and the blood would be gone.
[Ding!]
[Scanning...]
[Scan complete.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: "Yamashiro Aoba Flesh Chunk" x1]
[Parsing...]
[Parse complete.]
[Contained abilities: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, Scattering Thousand Crows Technique, Ninja Art: Mind Reading Technique...]
[Converting...]
[Conversion complete.]
["Yamashiro Aoba Flesh Chunk" x1 = Scattering Thousand Crows Technique + 200 min Sunlight Value + 2000 Chakra]
[Host, please strive to obtain more high‑quality flesh chunks!]
Yamashiro Aoba?
The name sounded vaguely familiar, but Rei didn't think too deeply about it.
After healing most of Aoba's wounds—both from battle and from his own bite—Rei pushed him back out from behind the curtain and brought in the next unconscious, lucky patient.
Hehehehehe...
***