Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

Chapter 146 So, be grateful! Remember!

The news spread the next day.

The head of the medical and logistics unit in Konoha's southwestern battlefield, or rather, the acting head for the next period of time, was replaced by a young man.

A ten-year-old boy.

When people heard this news, they had their doubts.

Despite the doubts, no one expressed any dissatisfaction.

Because this young man's name is Shinichi Higashino.

Shinichi Higashino's performance during this period has shown everyone a fact—his mere presence inspires reassurance.

Over the next three days, Shinichi completely dispelled everyone's last remaining doubts with his actions.

Under his management, the entire massive logistics and medical system did not become chaotic or stalled due to the temporary change of commander; on the contrary, it seemed to operate even more smoothly and efficiently.

Some previously overlooked details have been optimized, inter-departmental collaboration has become closer, and resource allocation has become more precise and reasonable.

People gradually felt at ease and even began to feel a strange sense of security.

This young acting manager seemed to be born to handle such complex situations, always able to grasp the key points and always so calm, making people instinctively trust and follow him.

Some people privately sighed, "What can't our talented people do?"

No one could answer that question. All they knew was that Shinichi Higashino was an excessively young genius who seemed to be able to handle anything and do everything perfectly.

Meanwhile, at the Sunagakure headquarters, in the command center.

The fourth-generation Kazekage, Rasa, stood before the huge map on the wall, his gaze fixed intently on it.

Unlike other ninja villages where the Kage typically don't go directly to the battlefield at the beginning of a war, Rasa personally went to the front lines from the very beginning of the war against Konoha.

Firstly, since he had just taken office and his foundation was not yet stable, he needed to establish his prestige on the front lines so that the ninjas of Sunagakure could see their Kazekage leading them in battle.

Secondly, the current strength of Sunagakure's top fighters is rather embarrassing.

Those who can be considered top-tier combatants can be counted on one hand.

Rasa himself, Chiyo, Ebizo, and Yotsuya, who possesses two great bloodline limits, Scorching Release and Swift Release.

-

And then there's Bunpuku, the One-Tailed Jinchuriki who's stationed at the Sunagakure headquarters.

Although Monk Bunpuku disliked fighting, and Sunagakure didn't treat him well, from the day he became a Jinchuriki, his activities were restricted. It was called protection, but in reality, it was imprisonment, something that the Sunagakure high-ranking officials all knew.

But they also knew that this monk, who held no prejudice against others, was a true high monk who never resented Sunagakure because of this. On the contrary, he regarded the village as his home and the villagers of Sunagakure as beings that needed to be protected.

It would be difficult to get him to go directly to the battlefield; his temperament dictates that he will not take the initiative to kill.

But he would agree to stay in Sunagakure and protect the village.

This is enough.

Standing beside the Fourth Kazekage at this moment was not Ebizo, but Chiyo.

Two days ago, this master, renowned throughout the ninja world for his poison and puppetry skills, quietly moved here from the northeastern border of the Land of Wind.

Meanwhile, Ebizo has gone to the Northeast Army Corps to take over the command.

Despite Iwagakure's goodwill, Sunagakure was clearly not entirely at ease, after all, it was too much to believe even half of what that old fox said.

Onoki's greatest skill is to change course with the wind and reap the benefits. His withdrawal at this moment is merely to see Sunagakure and Konoha weaken each other, so that he can turn his guns on them whenever the time is right.

Therefore, some personnel can be appropriately withdrawn, and Chiyo, who has a stronger deterrent effect, can be transferred over, but the defense line on the northeastern border cannot be left empty.

In fact, having Chiyo stationed on the northeastern border was a carefully planned move, clearly signaling a message to the Iwagakure faction.

Although we are at war with Konoha, Elder Chiyo, a master of poison, is still guarding the opposite side. If Iwagakure has any wicked ideas, you'd better think twice. Even if you do attack, you will inevitably suffer heavy losses.

After all, the medical ninjutsu level of Iwagakure is not as good as that of Konoha.

Even with Konoha's most advanced medical system and the best medical ninja in the ninja world, Tsunade, they still had to be extremely careful to deal with Chiyo's poison. How much more so would Iwagakure?

Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and an intelligence officer strode in, handing over a document with both hands.

Luo Sha remained standing in front of the map, his gaze deep and thoughtful, as if he were still pondering something.

Chiyo glanced at him, took the document, unfolded it, and scanned the paper before narrowing her eyes slightly. She said, "Rasa, this is the latest report from the Yekura team. While they were harassing and attacking the area around Konoha's headquarters, they encountered Tsunade and her elite force. After a brief encounter, Yekura and her team withdrew."

After Chiyo finished speaking, she handed the document to Rasa.

Yekura!

Upon hearing this name, Luo Sha remained calm and composed, as if he had only heard the name of an ordinary subordinate, but a shadowy glint flashed deep in his eyes.

Yekura, a genius Jonin from Sunagakure, is only twenty years old this year, frighteningly young.

Once upon a time, this woman, possessing both the Scorching Release and Swift Release bloodline limits and with talent so exceptional that the entire Sand Village looked up to her, was the most dazzling of the new generation in Sand Village before Rasa ascended to the position of Kazekage through Magnet Release and strategic maneuvering.

The most renowned and anticipated genius Jonin.

Although Rasa was also quite strong and prestigious at that time, and was one of the top Jonin in the village, he was not as good as Pakura in terms of reputation, actual battle record and deterrent power.

Even in terms of sheer strength, Luo Sha privately assessed that he wasn't entirely confident of victory.

He was able to eventually become the Kazekage because he demonstrated crucial Magnet Release and leadership skills during the crisis when the Third Kazekage disappeared and the Hidden Cloud Village attacked, which earned him the strong support of Elders Chiyo and Ebizo.

Secondly, there's the problem with Ye Cang herself. This woman is too arrogant. She disdains winning people's hearts, disdains building power, and disdains doing things that she considers beneath her dignity.

Her world seemed to consist only of fighting, becoming stronger, and proving herself with her strength time and time again. She couldn't do things that required weighing pros and cons or being adept at navigating social situations.

When Sunagakure needed unity and a banner that could unite everyone, Pakura could not become that banner.

Chiyo and Ebizo supported him not because he was stronger than Yotsuki, but because he could unite Sunagakure.

But Yekura couldn't do that.

However, before taking this position, Rasa only admired Yekura as a companion and was genuinely happy that the village had such a talented and strong person.

But once he truly sat on the throne of Kazekage, bearing the weight of the entire village's fate and authority, Rasa felt a subtle change in his heart when he looked at Yekura again.

This woman is too dazzling, you could even say she's an eyesore.

It's an eyesore!

The word flashed through his mind, startling even himself, but he quickly suppressed the thought.

As long as I lead the village to victory in this war.

No one can threaten my position as Kazekage anymore.

Thoughts swirled in his mind, but Rasa remained outwardly calm. He accepted the intelligence scroll handed to him by Chiyo with a composed expression, read it for a moment, and then addressed his waiting subordinate: "Send word to Yekura that the plan to continue harassing and attacking the area around Konoha's headquarters remains unchanged. If they encounter Tsunade again, then try to lure her as far away as possible!"

"Yes, sir!"

The subordinate turned and left, the curtain fell, bringing in a gust of cold wind.

Rasa turned to Chiyo and said, "Once Tsunade is lured away, it will be the elder's turn to take action personally."

Chiyo nodded slightly and said, "I understand."

Late that night.

The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, plunging the earth into deep darkness.

Northwest of the Konoha headquarters, a large reconnaissance and assault force of more than 500 ninjas is moving swiftly through the night.

Their mission was to investigate a suspicious area where Sunagakure activities had been frequently observed recently. If they found any enemy activity, they were to annihilate them on the spot. If they encountered a large-scale enemy force, they were to report back immediately.

The team silently traversed the sparse woodland, crossed the dry riverbed, and approached the target area.

However, just as the group entered a depression that appeared to be open but was actually surrounded by rocks and low hills, a strange thing happened!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Countless explosive tags were detonated at the same moment, flames tore through the darkness, and deafening roars shook the night sky!

Immediately afterwards, countless dark figures appeared simultaneously from behind the surrounding rocks, on the low hills, and in the withered grass!

puppet!

Countless puppets surged out like a tidal wave!

They are ferocious in appearance and swift in movement. Some wield poisoned blades, some activate hidden mechanisms and weapons, and some spew out black poisonous smoke from their mouths!

Behind the puppet were hundreds of elite Sunagakure ninja!

They had been waiting there for a long time, forming a tight formation to await the enemy's attack!

"There's an ambush!"

"Form ranks! Defend!"

The commander of Konoha roared, but everything happened too fast and too suddenly!

Chiyo stood on a high slope behind, looking down at the chaotic battlefield below.

"kill."

She uttered a single word softly.

This was a fierce and bloody battle to break through the enemy lines.

The Konoha ninjas, being seasoned veterans, quickly organized an effective resistance after the initial chaos, fighting their way back while simultaneously breaking through enemy lines.

The battle lasted for nearly half an hour.

When the remnants of Konoha finally managed to break through the encirclement, the force that had started with more than 500 men had dwindled to only 300, or even less.

Corpses were everywhere.

There were Konoha ninjas and Sunagakure ninjas, but more often they were Konoha ninjas who were torn apart by puppets, corroded by poison, and could never stand up again.

Those survivors who managed to break through the encirclement were not so lucky. Many of them had pale faces, purple lips, and staggered steps. Some collapsed while running and could not get up again, while others were carried by their companions, panting heavily.

poisoned.

At least two hundred people were cut by the puppets' poisoned blades or corroded by the poisonous smoke in the battle just now. The poison is now spreading in their bodies and eating away at their bodies.

On the high slope, Chiyo looked down at the figures fleeing in disarray, slowly raised her hand, and said, "No need to chase them."

A Sand Village Jonin hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said urgently, "Elder Chiyo! This is the perfect opportunity to annihilate them all!"

"I said there's no need to chase after them."

Chiyo interrupted him, her tone flat.

"They've been poisoned by me; they won't survive."

97

Over the years, she has researched many new types of poisons, and the one she is currently using is one of her proudest creations in recent years.

An extremely complex mixture of toxins!

It is made up of seventeen different toxins in a specific ratio. Each one is not fatal when extracted alone, but when mixed together, they will produce a chain reaction.

She was confident that even if Tsunade herself took action, with a large amount of material available for research, it would still take at least three days to develop the corresponding antidote.

But where is Tsunade now?

According to intelligence, she should be 100 kilometers to the southwest right now, leading her men to track Ye Cang. Even if she received the news immediately and rushed back regardless of everything, it would still take her at least half a day to reach the base camp.

How long can those who escaped after being poisoned survive?

They might not even last a day.

Even if Tsunade rushed back, all she would face were cold corpses.

As for the other medical ninjas of Konoha?

Chiyo's lips curled into a slight smile.

They don't even know the basics of detoxifying toxins.

To quickly produce the corresponding antidote, Konoha would need to be able to accurately analyze the original composition of these seventeen poisons in a very short time, find the corresponding antidotes for each of the seventeen poisons instantly, and then instantly complete the precise formulation.

But how is that possible?

Tsunade couldn't do it.

No one in this world can do that.

Therefore, those who were poisoned were already dead.

It will just take several more hours, maybe a dozen hours, before he truly stops breathing.

However, Chiyo still dared not underestimate Tsunade. What if Tsunade really could create a miracle?

Therefore, she chose a time when Tsunade was not at the headquarters, so that even if Tsunade rushed back, she wouldn't have much time left to create the corresponding antidote.

"Sending them back would only consume a lot of Konoha's medical resources. Their resources, manpower, and energy would all be spent on these people who are destined to die."

Chiyo said calmly, "The people of Konoha will just watch these people die one by one in front of them, trying every possible method, but they will be helpless."

"When they all die in the main camp, in front of their own people, slowly dying in full view of everyone, it will inevitably deal a heavy blow to the morale of Konoha!"

Upon hearing this, the Sand Village ninjas behind Chiyo exchanged glances, then showed expressions of realization and awe.

As expected of Elder Chiyo!

With a single move, he took the lives of nearly five hundred Konoha ninjas. This number is an unbearable loss for Konoha, the leading of the five great ninja villages.

They were just wondering why, when they could have continued the pursuit and expanded their gains, they had let the Konoha side escape.

Now I understand that those who returned alive were more useful than those who died.

Chiyo withdrew her gaze and turned to walk into the darkness.

"withdraw troops."

On the fourth day of Shinichi's tenure as the acting head of the medical and logistics unit.

Early in the morning, before the sky was fully bright, a series of hurried footsteps broke the tranquility of the field hospital.

An extremely fierce encounter occurred when a large reconnaissance and assault force from Konoha, attempting to clear an area infiltrated by Sunagakure, encountered the main force of the puppet army led by Sunagakure elder Chiyo.

After a bloody battle to break through the encirclement, out of more than 500 people, only 300 remained, and more than 200 of them were poisoned.

"Wounded! A large number of wounded! Sent down from the front lines!"

"Quickly! Prepare the stretcher! Notify all available medical ninjas!"

The tent flap was suddenly flung open, and stretchers filed in one after another. Their faces were pale, their lips were purple, some were convulsing, and some had fallen into a deep coma.

-

"It's poison!"

"The Sand Village's puppet army has ambushed us! It's Chiyo! Chiyo is leading the team herself!"

"More than two hundred people! All of them have been poisoned!"

The field hospital was instantly thrown into chaos as medical ninjas swarmed in and began emergency treatment.

Clean the wounds, induce vomiting, and administer basic antidotes in an attempt to stabilize the wounded's vital signs.

But the situation was worse than expected.

The toxins were too complex, and ordinary antidotes were almost ineffective. Some people began to suffer respiratory failure during the treatment, and some suffered cardiac arrest. The tent was filled with urgent shouts and the sounds of equipment clashing.

"Quick! Antidotes! Bring me all the antidotes!"

"No! I've never seen this kind of toxicity before! Standard antidotes are very ineffective!"

"Body temperature is rising rapidly! There are signs of organ failure! Heartbeat is slowing down!"

"It's Chiyo's poison!"

"Several people are already dying!"

Several experienced medical ninjas gathered together, exchanging ideas with grave expressions, while trying to devise various possible antidotes. However, Sunagakure's poison techniques have been passed down for decades, and Chiyo is a master of poison techniques. In such a short time, who could possibly break her poison?

When the message reached the command center, Jiraiya was looking at a map.

"What!?"

He suddenly raised his head, his expression changing drastically.

"They were ambushed by Chiyo's puppet army? They lost over two hundred people? And of those who escaped, over two hundred were poisoned by Chiyo?"

The messenger ninja nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, Lord Jiraiya! Chiyo is leading the team herself! The field hospital is in complete chaos!"

Chiyo.

The name itself implies trouble.

That Sand Village's master of poison techniques and puppetry caused Konoha a great deal of trouble during the Second Shinobi World War. Now she has finally made her move, and with one strike, she has claimed hundreds of lives.

Jiraiya didn't have time to think further and immediately got up and rushed to the field hospital.

At almost the same time, Shinichi was already standing at the entrance of the field hospital.

Upon hearing the news, he immediately dropped everything he was doing and rushed over from his office.

The tent flap was lifted, revealing a scene of chaos. Groans, shouts, and the clanging of instruments mingled together. The wounded on the stretchers were bluish-purple, and some had stopped convulsing and lay there quietly.

Shinichi's gaze swept across the entire tent, and he immediately stepped forward to examine one of the wounded.

A moment later, Jiraiya appeared at the door. He strode in, his gaze falling on the wounded, his brows furrowed.

"How is the situation?"

A medical ninja looked up, his face weary and anxious: "Lord Jiraiya, the toxin is too complex. We...we've tried several treatments, but none of them have been effective. Several people have already succumbed."

Jiraiya fell silent.

Chiyo.

Shinichi squatted down next to a wounded soldier who was severely poisoned, and placed his fingers on the soldier's wrist to check his condition.

A moment later, he stood up, his face still calm, revealing little emotion.

Jiraiya quickly walked to his side and asked in a low voice, "How is it, Shinichi? Did they find anything? Is there any way to help?"

Shinichi looked up and met Jiraiya's gaze, speaking succinctly: "Lord Jiraiya, this is a new type of complex toxin. There is only one way to detoxify it: figure out the original composition of this poison."

Jiraiya frowned: "You mean..."

"6

"By analyzing the formula, as long as we know what materials it is made of and in what proportions they are mixed, we can formulate an antidote specifically for it."

As he spoke, Shinichi picked up a few poisoned needles from the tray beside him. He flicked his finger, and the thick black venom that was originally attached to the needle tips gently fell into the porcelain bowl in front of him.

Jiraiya's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Then you arrange for people to analyze this immediately, and I'll contact Tsunade right away."

'

"It's too late, Lord Jiraiya."

Shinichi shook his head and glanced at the tent.

"They won't be able to hold out until Tsunade returns, and even if she does, there won't be enough time."

Jiraiya fell silent. He looked at those faces, at their bruised and swollen complexions, and at the medical ninjas who were trying various methods in vain, but could only watch helplessly.

"So, there's only one way left."

The boy's voice rang out again, breaking the silence.

Jiraiya suddenly raised his head, his hopeful gaze falling on Shinichi's face. The boy took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

"Let someone test the poison themselves."

To personally test the poison?

Jiraiya was taken aback. Before he could react, he heard Shinichi continue, as if talking to himself: "The person who tests the poison must have excellent medical skills to judge the body's reaction in the first place, excellent physical fitness to withstand the repeated attacks of the toxin, and a keen and insightful ability to distinguish the differences in composition behind each subtle change."

As Jiraiya listened, the unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

The more I heard those conditions, the more familiar they seemed.

The more I listened, the more it sounded like they were talking about the same person.

He was about to say something when the boy looked up at him and smiled slightly.

That smile shone brightly in the dim tent, carrying a reassuring certainty.

"So, I'll do it, Jiraiya-sama."

The moment the words left his mouth, the tent fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone who heard this stopped in their tracks.

The medical ninjas and their assistants, even the wounded who were still groaning, all seemed frozen in place, their gazes fixed on the boy.

Jiraiya stood there stunned. After a moment, he finally reacted, his expression changing drastically, and he blurted out, "Are you crazy?!"

"Lord Jiraiya," Shinichi's voice remained calm, "this is the only way."

"No! It's too dangerous! Shinichi, you can't do that!" Yakushi Nonou hurriedly and anxiously stopped him.

Jiraiya walked straight up and grabbed Shinichi's shoulder, his strength so great it seemed he wanted to pin the stubborn boy to the spot.

"Kid, do you know what you're doing? What if something happens to you!"

He took a deep breath and said, word by word, "Tsunade will kill me!"

"So no! No!"

Jiraiya shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the poisoned wounded in the tent, then over the equally shocked medical ninjas: "There must be other ways! Let's think again, let's think again..."

2

Shinichi's expression remained calm as he spoke, "Lord Jiraiya, this is the only way at the moment. We cannot delay any longer. Every bit of time we waste will result in the death of another Konoha comrade."

As he spoke, he reached out to pick up the porcelain bowl containing the venom on the table.

The liquid in the bowl was as black as ink, and it gleamed eerily in the dim light.

However, at that moment, a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

The force was astonishing.

"Kid!"

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, squeezing out each word slowly and deliberately: "I said! No!"

Shinichi looked at him quietly, and after a moment said, "Lord Jiraiya, are we just going to watch these comrades die like this?"

Jiraiya remained silent for a moment, then spoke: "But that doesn't mean I have to risk your life!"

Shinichi smiled, a remarkably calm smile, and replied, "With my physical condition, even if I were poisoned, I could withstand it for a considerable amount of time, enough to complete the initial toxicity analysis. In addition, I am a medical ninja and know how to slow down the poisoning and protect vital organs. The risks are controllable. I am absolutely confident that I can hold out until Tsunade returns, or even until the key components are identified."

"So, don't worry, Jiraiya-sama, there won't be any risks."

As he spoke, he slowly pulled his hand away from Jiraiya's.

Jiraiya's hand froze in mid-air, no longer grasping. He simply looked at the boy before him, his eyes filled with complex emotions on that still-childish face.

"Tsunade asked you to handle this in her place..." Jiraiya tried to persuade him one last time, his voice low: "You're in charge here now. If something happens to you, who will clean up this mess?"

"Precisely because I am the person in charge here, bearing the lives of all my compatriots on my shoulders, it is I, as the person in charge, who must be the one to test the poison!"

Shinichi responded with a sentence, then turned around and his gaze fell on the woman with short brown hair in the crowd.

"Yakushi Nonou! Hear my command!"

Yakushi Nonou stiffened, instinctively straightening her back: "Yes!"

"If any unforeseen circumstances arise during the upcoming toxicology analysis attempt, rendering me unable to fulfill my duties, then, effective immediately, you, Pharmacist Nonou, will temporarily assume the position of Head of Medical and Logistics for the Southwest Front, exercising all related authority until orders from Tsunade-sensei or higher arrive! This order is effective immediately!"

"collar...."

"life!"

In the end, she uttered that word, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

The tent was eerily quiet. Jiraiya looked at the boy before him with a complex expression, but did not continue to stop him. He knew that Shinichi had already made up his mind, and even if he stopped him now, Shinichi would try it out in private later. Rather than that, it was better to...

At least I can see it now.

Just then, a weak voice came from the direction of the hospital bed.

"Shinichi...

""

It was a middle-aged ninja, his face bluish-purple, his lips dark, and his breathing intermittent, but he still struggled to raise his head and managed to utter a single sentence: "Stop... We don't need you to risk your life... If you die... then so be it..."

His words were broken and intermittent, but every word was clear.

The wounded nearby either nodded with difficulty or expressed the same meaning with their eyes.

When Zhenyi looked at him, his face was full of pain, yet he was still trying to force a smile, as if he were comforting him.

At that moment, the boy smiled.

The smile was light and faint, yet it was like a ray of sunlight shining into the tent filled with the smell of blood and medicine.

"Uncle Nakata".

"Life is so wonderful, it can't just end like that."

After saying that, under the complex gazes of everyone, he raised the bowl of poison and put it in his mouth.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on him.

Jiraiya stared intently at the boy before him, not daring to even breathe.

A moment later, Shinichi opened his eyes again. His eyes were still calm, as if what he had just drunk was not a deadly poison, but just a bowl of water.

He reached out, picked up the paper and pen beside him, paused after a moment, and handed the paper to the Pharmacist Nono.

"Nonou-neechan, take some people to prepare the things upstairs, and be quick."

After a while.

With Shinichi in charge and other medical ninjas assisting, bottles of freshly prepared antidotes were quickly prepared.

The medicine was distributed and poured into the mouths of the poisoned wounded.

Inside the tent, the groans gradually turned into steady breathing, and one by one, those lives that had been struggling on the brink of death were pulled back.

Jiraiya stood aside, silently watching this scene, his heart finally settling back into his stomach.

He let out a long breath, turned to Shinichi, and smiled with relief: "Thank goodness you were here, Shinichi, although it was too risky—"

adventure!?

He stopped mid-sentence, a thought suddenly popping into his head: Tsunade!

What will happen after Tsunade returns?

What would Tsunade do if she knew that this kid had tested the poison on the spot and that she had failed to stop him?

Although the outcome was happy for everyone, but...

Jiraiya's expression changed, and a chill ran down his spine.

"Cough cough."

Jiraiya cleared his throat, his smile stiffening slightly. He patted Shinichi's shoulder, who was wiping his hands, and his speech suddenly quickened: "Um, Shinichi, you did a great job, excellent! Very brave! But I have to get back to headquarters now. There's a ton of stuff to do there: the battle situation needs to be summarized, intelligence needs to be analyzed, and the next steps in the deployment need to be adjusted..."

""

As he spoke, he moved toward the tent entrance.

"If you need anything, just send someone to let me know immediately! I'm keeping a close eye on things!"

No one cared why Jiraiya had suddenly left in such a hurry. All those present knew was that they had survived. Countless gazes were once again cast upon the boy standing in the center, wiping his hands with a damp cloth.

In those gazes, there was gratitude for surviving a disaster, heartfelt admiration, and a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

He just stood there quietly, as if simply by standing there, he radiated a warm light that touched everyone.

Shinichi's face remained expressionless, but he silently took in these glimmers of light.

In fact, the moment he smelled the poison, he had already discerned its complete composition using the [Gourmet] entry and his own medical knowledge.

After discovering the term "gourmet," Shinichi realized that its scope was much broader than he had imagined, and it was not limited to ingredients.

Or rather, many medicinal herbs are food ingredients themselves. For example, ginger can dispel cold, garlic can kill bacteria, and licorice can harmonize various medicines. These things are called medicinal herbs in pharmacies and seasonings in kitchens. In essence, they are the same kind of things, just used in different ways.

Many poisons are essentially just another form of medicine or food. Discussing toxicity without considering dosage is irresponsible. A moderate amount of arsenic can be used as medicine, while an excessive amount of Ganoderma lucidum can be fatal.

For example, mushrooms, which are loved by the locals in a certain region of Southwest China in Shinichi's previous life, can be a delicacy if prepared properly, but a death sentence if not prepared properly.

Poison and medicine often differ only in dosage and proportion. (Poisons made purely of chakra are an exception, but perhaps they are not.)

Whether it's poison or medicine, food or medicinal materials, their effects on the human body follow the same underlying logic.

It is absorbed, transformed, and acts on specific organs or systems, ultimately producing a certain result.

The food critic brought him a deep understanding of what happens when a substance enters the human body.

When his own medical expertise was combined with this term, a wonderful chemical reaction occurred.

He can not only understand the mechanism of action of a drug from a medical perspective, but also perceive the flow path of each component in the body, just like appreciating a dish, to distinguish which organs they act on, and to predict where they will spread next.

Just like a top chef, who can judge the amount of each seasoning and the cooking temperature of each step of a dish simply by smelling and looking at it.

To him, Chiyo's carefully crafted compound toxin was nothing more than a slightly complicated and culinary disaster.

But Shinichi didn't say that.

How can an answer that is too easily obtained be exchanged for overwhelming gratitude and unwavering loyalty?

Saying casually, "I know how to solve this," and then concocting the medicine, would certainly further showcase his image as a medical genius.

But that is completely different from the shock and sense of connection brought about by "risking one's life and sharing life and death with one's compatriots".

The former is a capable person and deserves respect.

The latter is one of our own, someone we can entrust everything to, including our future choices.

What he wanted was to leave the deepest mark on the hearts of these ninjas who had experienced life and death and were pulled back to the human world in despair.

What he wants is a deep-rooted sense of identity, a bond of gratitude in the face of life and death, and the unwavering support of those who will stand behind him no matter what choices he faces in the future.

Through word of mouth, the name Shinichi Higashino was inextricably linked with concepts such as selflessness, absolute reliability, and trustworthiness.

Therefore, he needs to be poisoned.

He needs to demonstrate to everyone the absolute sense of responsibility and sacrifice he would make to save his compatriots.

Look, I'm willing to risk my own life to save you.

I tasted the poison you suffered, endured the pain you endured, and then led you out of your predicament.

From this day forward, your lives will not only belong to yourselves, but will also be inextricably linked to mine, Shinichi Higashino.

So let us be grateful and remember.

In his heart, Shinichi silently spoke to those grateful gazes.

Then, someday in the future, repay me with your trust, your voice, and your choice.

after all...

He raised his eyes, looking at the gradually brightening sky outside the tent, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

I risked my life to save you!

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