"This really is a newly opened shop. I don't remember there being a pharmacy here before," Ino remarked as she examined the building. With mounting curiosity, she turned to Sakura. "Let's go inside, Sakura! I can't wait to see what it's like!"
"Ino, there's no need to rush," Sakura replied with a helpless smile as Ino pulled her arm. Despite their age, Ino's enthusiasm reminded Sakura of their younger days.
As they stepped into the shop, a bell chimed softly, signaling their arrival. Not long after, a strikingly handsome man with a unique air descended the staircase to greet them.
Thanks to his mastery of chakra and genetic enhancements, Yoichi's appearance was unblemished, his youthful visage a reflection of his extended lifespan. He was destined to look unchanged for centuries.
"Sakura, the owner is so handsome!" Ino whispered, stars practically shining in her eyes.
Sakura frowned and lowered her voice. "Ino, you're married."
"I know, I'm just looking," Ino replied with a mischievous grin, winking at her friend.
Sakura sighed inwardly before stepping forward and addressing Yoichi with a polite smile. "Are you the owner? I saw your advertisement in the paper about buying rare herbs."
"Yes, that's correct. Welcome to my shop on its opening day," Yoichi replied warmly, moving behind the counter. "So, who's here to sell their herbs?"
"That would be me." Sakura placed a carefully prepared box on the counter. "It's just a ginseng plant we've had at home. I thought it might be better to sell it."
Yoichi nodded. "No problem. As my first customer, I'll ensure a fair price."
Opening the box, Yoichi carefully inspected the herb. His extensive alchemy experience allowed him to assess it at a glance.
"A thirty-six-year-old ginseng plant, but its preservation leaves much to be desired. Judging by the condition, it's been boxed for about two years and seven months. Thirty thousand ryo—how does that sound?"
"Thirty thousand?" Ino interjected before Sakura could respond, her voice tinged with protest. "That's way too low! Sakura's trying to make ends meet, and this herb is worth more than that!"
Yoichi calmly pushed the box back and replied, "If you think my offer is unfair, you're welcome to inquire elsewhere. But I assure you, the age and condition of this herb justify my price."
"Ino," Sakura quickly intervened, pulling on her friend's arm. "It's fine. The preservation was my mistake. Let's accept his offer."
"Alright, thirty thousand ryo it is," Yoichi said, drafting a receipt. He handed the payment to Sakura before storing the herb.
"If you come across more rare herbs in the future, feel free to bring them here. I'll buy anything valuable."
Sakura, curious, asked, "Are you a medical ninja or an apothecary?"
"Neither," Yoichi replied. "I'm just someone who knows how to refine medicine."
"Could we see the secret remedies you sell?"
"Of course." Yoichi handed them a price list detailing various remedies and their costs.
Both women gasped audibly at the exorbitant prices.
"This must be a mistake," Ino said, her disbelief evident. "Thirty thousand ryo for a single recovery pill? What kind of medicine costs this much?"
"No mistake," Yoichi replied calmly. "You get what you pay for. My secret remedies deliver results. Besides, if they didn't work as advertised, customers could easily ruin my reputation—or my shop."
He elaborated, explaining that his custom soldier pills could restore a jonin's chakra reserves within minutes. Higher-grade pills could double a shinobi's abilities temporarily, without the harmful side effects associated with the Akimichi clan's three-color pills.
Once outside, Ino vented her frustration. "That guy is so full of himself! Who can afford medicine that expensive?"
Sakura shook her head. "Ino, his knowledge and skills are genuine. He accurately identified the age and condition of my herb at a glance. If his remedies are as effective as he claims, they might be worth the price."
Ino paused, considering her friend's words. "What if I bought one of those pills, and it didn't work as promised? I could make him pay double."
Sakura sighed. "And if it does work, you'll have wasted a small fortune on a single dose."
The two women parted ways, each lost in thought.
Inside the Shop
With no other customers arriving, Yoichi returned to his alchemy lab on the second floor.
"I recall a member of Kara, Victor, secretly cultivating a Divine Tree. That tree might yield something valuable," he mused.
Yoichi unsealed two scrolls, releasing a puff of smoke as two bodies materialized in the room—his Kamui clone and Tenseigan clone.
Though sealed and devoid of their spirits, the clones were in perfect condition.
"Spiritual Clone Jutsu!"
Yoichi transferred fragments of his spirit into the two bodies, reanimating them. After a moment, the clones opened their eyes and stood.
"Sealing them for too long makes them sluggish. I'll need to avoid that in the future," Yoichi noted. He handed the clones Potara earrings for additional strength.
"I'll remain hidden in Konoha. Your task is to locate Victor and guide him to cultivate the Divine Tree near the Ryūmyaku in Roran."
The clones nodded, using Kamui to vanish from the shop.
Mount Myōboku
Fukasaku was startled awake by a troubling vision:
In his dream, he saw himself defeated, buried deep underground, his body torn apart by Truth-Seeking Orbs. The entirety of Mount Myōboku lay in ruins, its toads slaughtered.
"Why would I have such a prophecy now? The ninja world is at peace, and Kaguya is gone. Could there still be an unknown threat?"
Unable to decipher the vision, Fukasaku summoned Shima for counsel.
"Bring Naruto or that new summoner… Konohamaru, was it?"
"Understood, Great Toad Sage."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
The evening after dinner was usually a time for family bonding before heading to bed.
Ino emerged from the bathroom, her fair skin glowing. Despite having a six- or seven-year-old son, her appearance and figure remained impeccable. Strangers wouldn't believe she was a mother.
"Sai, today I went with Sakura to a new pharmacy in Konoha. She sold the herbs Sasuke brought back. Do you think Sakura's having financial difficulties?"
Ino, dressed in her nightwear, gracefully settled on the sofa as she addressed her husband, who was engrossed in paperwork.
Sai, without looking up, replied, "Sakura? I'm not sure. As the head of the medical department, she should have a decent salary. It doesn't seem like she's struggling."
Ino frowned. "You're so dense. Sakura's house is under mortgage. She's juggling loan payments, work, and taking care of Sarada's schooling. Do you even know if the village is paying Sasuke?"
"Sasuke's salary?" Sai paused, lifting his head to think before shaking it. "Not sure. Naruto handles Sasuke's affairs. I only help relay information occasionally. I doubt he's being paid."
Ino sighed, leaning back. She considered asking Sai to bring this up with Naruto but quickly realized it would only backfire.
Naruto would likely confront Sakura directly, and her prideful friend would insist she was fine. If Sakura really needed help, she would have sold the herbs to the Nara family, who specialized in medicinal trades.
...
"By the way, Sai, the pharmacy we visited today had some very expensive remedies. They claimed to have incredible effects," Ino said, recounting the shop's offerings and their alleged benefits.
Hearing this, Sai set down his paperwork, his expression turning serious. "If what you're saying is true, the village needs to investigate this pharmacy. Remedies with those effects are exceedingly rare, even in Konoha."
As a former member of Root, Sai was familiar with the intricacies of secret medicines. If the pharmacy's claims were legitimate, it couldn't be the work of a lone individual. There had to be a powerful organization supporting it.
"It's true! The shopkeeper even said they'd refund double the price if the remedies didn't work," Ino said indignantly. "Sakura's planning to report it to Naruto and have the village test the medicines. If they're effective, the village might procure them for dangerous missions. But they're so expensive—even the cheapest costs tens of thousands of ryo!"
Ino grumbled about the exorbitant prices. If they were cheaper, she might have bought some out of curiosity. However, spending tens of thousands of ryo—nearly the payout of an A-rank mission—was no small decision, especially with the decline in high-ranking missions
...
The next morning, after Sarada left for school, Sakura prepared for work.
After making her rounds at the hospital and finding nothing urgent, she headed to the Hokage's office.
"Naruto," she called after knocking twice and entering. She was greeted by the sight of her old friend buried in paperwork, with empty ramen cups from the previous night still on his desk.
"Ugh, Naruto! Clean up after yourself! You're Hokage now—you can't keep living like a slob!"
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "Ahaha, sorry, Sakura. Too much work, and I forgot. What brings you here?"
Sakura explained her visit to the pharmacy, recounting its offerings and the conversation with the shopkeeper. Both Naruto and Shikamaru immediately became serious.
After exchanging a glance, Shikamaru asked, "Sakura, how effective are these remedies?"
"They're too expensive for me to afford. If the village wants to verify their effectiveness, you'll need to purchase some for testing," Sakura admitted.
Naruto leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "If they're as good as advertised, they could reduce the risks of missions. Alright, we'll allocate village funds to buy some. Sakura, we'll leave it to you to analyze their effects."
Just as Naruto was about to continue, he frowned, sensing something. Forming a quick seal, he summoned a toad with a puff of smoke.
"Naruto-sama, I'm Gamakichi's son, Gamajiro. It's an honor to meet you!" the young toad announced.
Naruto smiled warmly. "Ah, Gamakichi has a son now? What brings you here?"
"Father asked me to inform you that Fukasaku-sama wishes to speak with you. Are you available?"
Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "Fukasaku-sama? Did he say what it's about?"
"No, he only said it was important."
Naruto turned to Shikamaru, who shrugged. "I'll handle things here. If it's urgent, you should go."
Naruto grinned. "Thanks, Shikamaru!"
To Gamajiro, he said, "Let your father know to summon me with Reverse Summoning."
With a puff of smoke, Gamajiro disappeared, and Naruto turned back to Sakura. "Sakura, proceed with the plan. I'll leave the testing to you."
Moments later, with another puff of smoke, Naruto vanished, transported to Mount Myōboku.
...
Mount Myōboku
Naruto materialized amidst the familiar sights of Mount Myōboku. Spotting Gamakichi, he waved enthusiastically. "Gamakichi! Long time no see! I can't believe you're a dad now!"
"Of course, you idiot! Toads grow faster than humans. I have four kids now!" Gamakichi replied with a chuckle.
Naruto laughed. "Last time I saw you, you could sit on my head. Guess those days are long gone. So, what does Fukasaku-sama need?"
"I'm not sure. You'd better ask him yourself," Gamakichi said, gesturing toward the elder's dwelling.
Naruto headed inside, where Fukasaku greeted him warmly. "Naruto, it's been a while! I thought you'd be too busy to visit."
"What's the matter, Fukasaku-sama?"
"The Great Toad Sage had a troubling dream and wishes to speak with you," Fukasaku explained, leading Naruto to the sage's chamber.
"Little Naruto," the Great Toad Sage rumbled after being roused from its slumber. "It's been a long time. What news do you bring from the ninja world?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary—just bandits and rogue ninjas. Nothing major," Naruto replied.
The sage furrowed its brow. "I had a strange dream—a prophecy. A being with a tail and scales, a human-like figure, will bring destruction. Even Mount Myōboku will not be spared."
Naruto frowned. "A person with a tail and scales? Sounds like a monster. Are you sure it's human?"
The sage nodded gravely. "It was human, but with these features. This enemy is dangerous and may cause irreversible harm to the ninja world."
Naruto's expression hardened. "I understand, Sage. I'll investigate and have the village look into this immediately."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
You may also Like
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT