Yet the Second Hokage's expression did not change, as if he were not the one injured.
While Ryoichi stood stunned, the Second Hokage stopped, leaned against a tree, and sat down, his breathing slightly heavy. The rapid sprint had clearly taken a toll.
"Young man, are you from a nearby village?" Senju Tobirama asked coolly.
To his surprise, Ryoichi understood and nodded, a little tense. It was only natural; the Second Hokage was not easy to approach—decisive in battle and unmatched in strategy—and Konoha's prosperity owed much to him.
"Heh, no need to be nervous. We dragged you into this. If not for Kumogakure's sneak attack, the fighting wouldn't have reached your villages," Senju Tobirama said, forcing a smile.
Ryoichi roughly placed the timeline: this should be when the Second Hokage went to negotiate peace with the Raikage, only for Kinkaku and Ginkaku to betray them and gravely wound him. It had to be that moment.
This was the late First Shinobi World War.
Damn, did I transmigrate this early? Ryoichi cursed inwardly. Wars were breaking out everywhere; death could come at any time.
"You are Hokage-sama, the Second Hokage, right? Our village is already gone," Ryoichi said, putting on a sorrowful look.
Tobirama wasn't surprised; his appearance was unmistakable. As for Ryoichi's claim, he didn't doubt it—war had indeed razed countless villages.
He was a sensory-type shinobi and sensed no chakra from Ryoichi, marking him as a civilian. As for the sword in Ryoichi's hand, in times like these, many carried blades.
"Then will you join Konohagakure?" Senju Tobirama asked.
Ryoichi was overjoyed. Joining Konoha meant safety. Alone, he could die any day. Konoha had its flaws, but at this point in time it had not sunk that low.
"Can I?" Ryoichi asked, surprised and delighted.
Tobirama smiled, wiped the blood at his chest with one hand, formed a hand seal, and summoned a scroll. Without further motion, countless tadpole-like patterns flowed across it, sealing it. He tossed the scroll to Ryoichi. "Give this to Sarutobi Hiruzen in Konoha, and you can join the village."
Ryoichi caught the scroll, glanced at the Second Hokage, tucked it inside his shirt, and asked, "Then how do I find Konoha?"
Tobirama placed a finger on the ground, closed his eyes, and sensed for a moment. "Run that way. With luck, you'll reach a Konoha outpost. Go, young man. I look forward to the day you join us."
Ryoichi looked toward the indicated direction, nodded—and Tobirama vanished a moment later. Shouts rose behind, and a chilling, ominous aura surged from that way. Ryoichi didn't dare linger and sprinted where the Second Hokage had pointed.
He knew the scroll was likely intelligence—and his letter of introduction. If he reached the Konoha outpost, he'd be fine. If not, then it was just bad luck; the Second Hokage had merely given him a chance.
He didn't mind; it beat wandering alone.
Besides, he had no chakra—maybe he wouldn't be noticed, right?
He was very wrong. At a moment like this, they would rather kill the wrong man than let anyone slip by.
"A civilian. Kill him," whispered a shinobi in the shadows, a Kumogakure forehead protector on his brow.
A kunai flashed from nowhere, aiming straight for Ryoichi's heart. Though he had eaten the Mera Mera no Mi, right now he could only make a tiny flame—completely useless.
Ryoichi didn't even notice the kunai streaking toward him.
Just before impact, a shuriken whirled in from another angle and knocked the kunai aside. Only then did Ryoichi react and glance back.
Damn it, I'm being ambushed! he cursed. He was just a civilian, yet someone wanted him dead. Outrageous.
More kunai shrieked toward him. Terrified, Ryoichi dove and rolled. Blades thudded into the spot he had just occupied.
"Konoha-ryū: Willow!" A young man appeared, wielding a long sword. As he swung, the blade seemed to multiply into countless arcs. While Ryoichi stared, the youth vanished; two screams rang out nearby, and then the swordsman reappeared.
He spared Ryoichi a glance. "This is a battlefield. Civilians should stay out."
Ryoichi didn't know him, but he saw the Konoha forehead protector on his arm and blurted, "You're a Konoha shinobi, right?"
The young man frowned slightly, then nodded.
"I met Hokage-sama, the Second Hokage," Ryoichi said quickly. "He asked me to deliver intelligence to someone named Sarutobi Hiruzen. You're from Konoha—can you take me to him?"
Having an escort from Konoha was undoubtedly safest—far better than running alone.
To prove it, Ryoichi shook the scroll.
In an instant, the young man stood in front of him, startling Ryoichi. Body Flicker Technique, he realized—he couldn't track any movement as a civilian.
After a glance at the scroll, the young man didn't try to take it. He thought for a moment and said, "I'll carry you."
Ryoichi didn't hesitate and hopped onto his back. After the ambush, he knew that, as a civilian, reaching the Konoha camp alone was a fantasy; a random kunai could end him at any second.
He had thought eating the Mera Mera no Mi would give him a way to protect himself, but now he didn't even want to complain. No wonder some people joked the Mera Mera no Mi was so bad even a dog wouldn't eat it.
This Konoha shinobi was fast. Ryoichi didn't know his rank, but from the genjutsu and swordsmanship he had shown, he was clearly no ordinary fighter.