Naruto: The Medical Ninja

Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Okay, Sherlock

As Ryu was talking to Mikasa, Dr. Yuki entered the room. ”Ryu, how are you feeling today?” she asked, placing a cool hand on his forehead.

”Much better; thank you, Mother Yuki. The food was delicious, and Mikasa kept me great company,” said Ryu.

Mikasa beamed at the praise, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

”I’m so glad to hear that. Just remember to take it easy and get plenty of rest,” replied Dr. Yuki with a smile.

”Of course, Mother Yuki,” Ryu said. After a brief moment of comfortable silence, Mikasa broke the quiet by speaking up.

”Thank you, Mother Yuki, for taking such good care of us,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude. ”You’re always there for all of us.”

Dr. Yuki’s smile softened. ”It’s my pleasure,” she replied, gently patting the girl’s head. ”You all deserve better.”

”It was fun talking to you, Ryu! I’ll leave now. Get well soon!” Mikasa said as she left the room.

There was another moment of quiet before Dr. Yuki addressed Ryu again. ”Speaking of getting better, I think it might be a good idea to move you to a private room for a while away from those kids,” she said. ”Moving you to a private room will provide a quieter environment for better monitoring of your progress, prevent disruptions from the rowdy kids, and create a more conducive space for your recovery.”

Ryu felt relieved after Dr. Yuki suggested moving him to a private room. The shared room with its constant bustle had been tiring, and the prospect of a quieter space was appealing. ”Thank you, Dr. Yuki. You’re a lifesaver,” he said with a genuine smile.

Dr. Yuki said, ”I will ask Hiroto to move you to a room near my office.”

”Understood. Thank you, Mother Yuki,” replied Ryu with an innocent smile.

”Enough with the flattery. Do not get out of bed just yet; you still need to rest,” said Dr. Yuki with a hint of tough love.

As Dr. Yuki left, Ryu couldn’t help but feel a mix of gratitude and curiosity. Her care was evident, but there was something more to her—a depth of character—that intrigued him. He wondered about her past, her reasons for running the orphanage, and what knowledge she might possess that could aid him in this new world.

Soon after, Hiroto, the caretaker, arrived to help Ryu move into his new private room. As Hiroto assisted him, the world shimmered. Ryu’s unusual powers surged to life once more, revealing a brief, crystalline heads-up display of data superimposed over the caretaker.

”Whoa,” Ryu marvelled, his mind ablaze with excitement. ”It’s as if I have my own personal heads-up display.”

A faint outline, like shimmering lines, briefly traced Hiroto’s form, revealing hidden details in textual format. Ryu’s eyes widened in astonishment as the text flashed

[Item: Red Lipstick Smudge (Right Collar)]

[Item: Single Long Strand of Hair (Left Shoulder)]

[Aroma Profile: Hotaru-san’s Signature Soap/Perfume]

The extraordinary sight disappeared quickly, leaving Ryu puzzled. [Eidetic Memory] had already recorded that information, and [Parallel Thinking] and [Fast Thinking] had processed the data instantly.

Inside Ryu, his mind whirled with the implications of this power. A mischievous grin spread across Ryu’s face as he contemplated the possibilities. He decided to take advantage of the situation.

”Mr. Hiroto,” Ryu began innocently, ”I don’t like the books you gave me earlier. I want books from Dr. Yuki’s library.”

Determined to explore further, he requested access to the private library of Mother Yuki, the head of the orphanage, from Caretaker Hiroto. He had previously given him a children’s book, but he was not happy with it, so he requested access to the orphanage head’s private library.

His request met an immediate denial, with Hiroto’s firm voice explaining that the books were inappropriate for someone of Ryu’s age. ”Kid, those books are strictly for adults. Stick to the book I provided,” he insisted.

Ryu’s mind raced, weighing the ethical implications of what he was about to do. The adult part of him, Ken, knew that blackmail was wrong. But the thirst for knowledge—the need to understand this new world and grow stronger—overrode his hesitation.

”Okay, Sherlock, time to put those deduction skills to work,” Ryu muttered to himself.

Then he said, ”If you’re not going to give me the books, I might have to tell everyone about you and Ms. Hotaru being lovebirds.”

Hiroto’s eyes widened in shock. ”What are you talking about, kid?”

Ryu then pointed to the lipstick smudge on the caretaker’s clothes and said, ”You should be careful with the lipstick marks on your shirt, mister,” his words dripping with subtle accusation and a hint of satisfaction, like a seasoned detective revelling in the subtle reveal of a crucial piece of evidence.

The caretaker was shocked. He did not know what to say. Finally, he decided to deny everything and said, ”What are you talking about, kid? I have no idea how that got there,” he stammered, his voice betraying his growing panic.

Ryu’s eyes gleamed with mischief as he said, ”Yes, even the smallest details can reveal everything. Like that lipstick smudge on your shirt. Unless you’ve taken up wearing makeup, Mr. Hiroto? Bold choice, I must say.”

The caregiver’s face turned pale.

”I... I have no idea how that got there,” he stammered, his voice betraying his growing panic.

”And let’s not forget about that long hair on your shoulder,” Ryu continued, pointing at a solitary strand. ”Last time I checked, your hair was pretty short. Unless you’re trying out hair extensions? Very fashion-forward of you.”

The caretaker, Hiroto, said, ”I have no idea how that got there,” again imparting ignorance.

Despite feeling guilty about blackmailing, Ryu’s thirst for valuable knowledge drove him forward. He reminded himself that in this world, information could be the difference between life and death.

”And here’s the kicker, Mr. Hiroto,” Ryu said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. ”You and Ms. Hotaru smell exactly the same. Either you swing the other way and are using her perfume, or you are having a good time together. Which one is it?”

The caretaker went silent for a moment, trying to come up with an excuse. He had revealed his secret. But something about Ryu’s playful demeanor disarmed him.

Ryu then said, ”I am going to tell everybody that you like to wear lady perfume, and that is the same one Ms. Hotaru wears.”

Hiroto’s expression shifted from embarrassment to resignation. He looked at Ryu with a mixture of awe and wariness. ”You’re a sharp one, aren’t you?” he said, his voice low. ”Too sharp for your own good, maybe.”

”I prefer to think of myself as observant,” Ryu replied with a grin. ”So, about those books...”

The caretaker finally relented to granting Ryu access to the private library. ”Okay, fine. But you need to follow some rules and promise you won’t tell anyone.”

”I know you will agree to it; do not worry, I will not tell anyone,” Ryu remarked.

With a sharp retort, Hiroto said, ”Kid, I did not agree; I was made to agree.”

”I swear, Mr. Hiroto, your secret is safe with me,” Ryu said with a solemn nod. ”Thank you for trusting me with the books; I’ll handle them carefully.”

Ryu whispered to himself, his voice tinged with a newfound confidence, ”Mission successful. This ability... I like it.”

Suddenly, he felt a surge of power. A swirling vortex of information appeared to replace the room around him. The digital interface, fueled by [Hyperphantasia], exploded into view. Floating text and symbols danced before his eyes, each one seemingly containing vast amounts of knowledge he had in his previous life. Medical and engineering topics he was thinking about appeared on the virtual screen in front of him.

The vision faded as quickly as it had appeared, returning Ryu to his room. He blinked, pondering if the vision was just the beginning of his powers, leaving him to wonder what other abilities lay undiscovered within him.

”Whoa,” Ryu whispered, his eyes wide with wonder. ”This is... incredible. It’s like I’m plugged into the matrix or something. What’s next? Dodging bullets in slow motion? Maybe I’ll start seeing people’s power levels just like in DBZ.”

As he waited for Hiroto to return with the books, Ryu closed his eyes, focusing on the strange energy he felt coursing through him. Was this chakra, a form of energy in some belief systems, or something entirely different? Thoughts of various possibilities raced through Ryu’s mind. The power of observation could be a formidable tool when combined with his unique ability to see hidden details.

”One step at a time,” he repeated to himself, focusing on learning, growing stronger, and kindness. With a determined and focused mindset, he settled in.

Amused, Ryu chuckled to himself while waiting. He thought, ”If this whole ’reincarnated in another world’ thing doesn’t work out, I could always start a detective agency. Ryu Holmes: The Supernatural Detective has a nice ring to it.”