Kiichiro crouched down and placed his right hand firmly on Itakura Kou's forehead. Instantly, his expression shifted.
Itakura Kou's forehead wasn't just burning hot; there was a mysterious power actively interfering with the Chakra inside Kiichiro's own body.
Kiichiro felt as if his internal Chakra had turned into a group of unruly children, running wild and entirely out of control.
Although it hadn't reached the point where he couldn't use Ninjutsu, the chaotic sensation still made Kiichiro feel deeply uncomfortable.
Is this some kind of Kekkei Genkai? Kiichiro withdrew his hand, quickly resuming his arrogant expression. He internally decided he absolutely had to take this Itakura Kou back with him. At the same time, he glanced back toward Kito.
"Are you very familiar with this guy? Why are you sticking your neck out to help him?"
Kito stole a fearful glance at Kiichiro and quickly lowered his head.
"I've... I've spoken a few words with Kou. I don't know if that counts as being familiar, but I was worried his illness would worsen. I just hoped someone would take him for treatment."
"Heh," Kiichiro sneered. "Seeing how ugly your face is, you must be loathed by everyone. Now that a handsome guy is willing to talk to you, you must be very moved. You've probably started seeing him as a reliable companion."
Kiichiro had just imagined a whole tragic backstory on the spot. But as soon as he said it, he saw Kito stammering, completely unable to form a coherent denial.
"It seems I guessed right! Don't worry, I'm a very kind person. I won't separate you two."
No longer teasing Kito, Kiichiro directly purchased the four children: Kito, Itakura Kou, Junya, and Fuka.
Junya and Fuka were a boy and a girl. According to Kiichiro's quiet observations, the two of them had remained exceptionally calm throughout the entire ordeal. Their mental fortitude was likely much better than the others, who were trembling with anxiety.
I hope my luck is good, Kiichiro thought. Hopefully, out of these four, I can train at least one reliable assistant.
Of course, as his wealth steadily increased, Kiichiro could continue to recruit and train personnel. Even if these four didn't perform well as ninjas, it wouldn't matter. They could simply be sent to help Mikuri Tomokazu manage the rapidly expanding business.
Having Mikuri Tomokazu take the four children home, Kiichiro left once again to continue his shopping spree.
"Hehehe, don't be afraid. Although the Young Master's personality is a bit flighty, he is actually very gentle inside. You will feel it soon."
Mikuri Tomokazu drove the carriage, warmly comforting the children behind him. He felt genuinely happy in his heart.
The Young Master had no playmates since he was a child. He spent all his time training his body and studying swordsmanship. To this day, he didn't even have a single friend; he was truly too lonely.
The four children in the carriage were still very uneasy. Except for Itakura Kou, who was lying unconscious, the others huddled in the corners with their arms around their knees. They were filled with trepidation, mixed with a tiny bit of expectation for the unknown future.
Upon arriving at the manor, Mikuri Tomokazu immediately found a doctor to treat Itakura Kou. The other three washed up, changed into clean clothes, and ate a sumptuous dinner. Their hearts finally settled down, and they fell into a deep, sweet sleep.
The next day, Kiichiro used the Transformation Jutsu to turn into the likeness of a tall, red-haired youth—Hanamichi Sakuragi. Then, with his hands casually stuffed in his pockets, he walked into a towering building: Higashino Bookstore.
Kiichiro looked around. There were no books at all in the lobby. Instead, there were several stern ninja guards standing watch, looking quite formidable.
"Dear guest, what kind of books do you need to purchase?"
A staff member spotted Kiichiro and proactively came over to inquire.
Kiichiro asked directly, "I want books related to medical care. Do you have any?"
Kyosuke and Chisuke, although they had learned some medical knowledge, were not professional medical personnel by any stretch. The knowledge they possessed was solely for battlefield first aid, not for conducting intricate biological research.
Therefore, Kiichiro could only buy books to study the science by himself.
Hearing Kiichiro's request, the staff member became overjoyed. Medical texts were notoriously expensive; if he could sell a few, his commission would be massive.
"Guest, please follow me!"
Knowing a big spender had arrived, Kiichiro was invited into a secure, private room.
Kiichiro noticed Sealing Jutsu formulas carved into the walls inside and outside the room. He didn't know if the Higashino Bookstore owner had set them up himself or hired skilled ninjas to do it.
Inside the room, the staff member produced a thick book catalog, which densely listed over a hundred types of medical texts.
Treating injuries, curing diseases, preparing medicine, scientific research, introductions to medical equipment—the categories were incredibly complete.
Aside from the absolute top-secret jutsu of the various hidden villages, it could be said they had everything.
Seeing such a vast quantity, Kiichiro's eyelids twitched.
My God, I didn't expect that after transmigrating to another world, I'd still have to study hard and continue taking tests!
Scanning the prices listed beside the books, Kiichiro's heart almost stopped beating.
Each one was more expensive than the last! They were priced to an absolutely absurd degree!
Sure enough, knowledge is wealth! My old teachers didn't lie to me!
Before walking in, Kiichiro had felt like a wealthy tycoon. But facing this single catalog, Kiichiro felt like a destitute beggar.
I really want them all!
Wiping away his metaphorical drool, Kiichiro could only pick the titles he needed the absolute most.
"I want these few: 'Cell Extraction and Cultivation Techniques', 'Encyclopedia of Cell Extraction Machinery', 'Theoretical Research on Cell Mutation', and 'Research on Human Cell Diseases'. Just these four."
Kiichiro bought the four heavy books, spending almost all the money he had on him. Yet, he still asked the staff member, "Hey, do you have Ninjutsu books here?"
The staff member, having just made a small fortune from Kiichiro's transaction, whispered with a conspiratorial smile, "Sorry, we have a strict agreement with the Cloud Ninja not to sell Ninjutsu scrolls directly. However, I know of an underground auction house that should have exactly what you need."
Heh, Kiichiro thought. If even a minor character like you knows about this 'underground' auction house, then it's not very underground at all.
Presumably, this auction house was also a front for the bookstore owner, specifically set up to handle shady, black-market business.
There were countless Rogue Ninjas in the Ninja World. As long as there was money to be made, most Rogue Ninjas had no psychological burden about selling their former village's intelligence or Ninjutsu for cold, hard cash.
Selling to enemy ninja villages was selling, and selling to wealthy merchants was also selling. Higashino Bookstore was filthy rich; they had undoubtedly acquired quite a lot of good stuff.
Of course, Kiichiro was currently a pauper again. Even if he went to the auction house now, he couldn't afford a single scroll. He had to go back and continue grinding for money.
"Sigh, what's the next big market trend?" Kiichiro muttered to himself. "Ever since making a fortune from the grain business, the feeling of making money slowly is just too painful."
Returning to the manor, Mikuri Tomokazu walked over happily and reported the current situation of the four children. Kiichiro couldn't help but press his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Another incredibly troublesome matter. How to raise children, how to train them effectively, and how to guarantee their absolute loyalty—Kiichiro had precisely zero experience in any of this.
Should I act like the villains in movies and TV shows? Treat them cruelly, making them fight wild beasts and kill each other from a young age?But that's the classic method used by big villains. The subordinates trained that way are always lured away by the righteous protagonist, delivering a fatal backstab at the most critical moment. It doesn't seem very safe.
Maybe I should learn from the righteous characters instead. Let me think about who has taken disciples... Jiraiya? He was killed by his own disciple.
Speaking of Jiraiya, it seems being a teacher in the Naruto world is a high-risk profession. The Third Hokage and Jiraiya are prime examples. They put in all their heart and soul, only to teach such 'good' disciples who end up murdering them.
That night, Kiichiro had a terrible nightmare.
He dreamed that Kito and the other three had discovered his cosmic secrets and goals, and had come to assassinate him in his sleep.
"Sorry, Kiichiro-sensei, the Ninja World doesn't need a new Ōtsutsuki!"
"We will always love you!"
The four treacherous disciples said they loved Kiichiro while striking him ruthlessly. Four blades and eight holes, every single strike was fatal, turning Kiichiro into a human pincushion.