Chapter 53: Ripples

Bonus Chapter

-------

Bach led Orochimaru and the team to a small town just outside Konoha Village, where the caravan of goods was waiting. There were four or five large carts loaded with various goods, and accompanying them were several hired hands and five or six warriors tasked with guarding the goods.

These warriors were Bach's personal guards, responsible for his safety during his travels. Orochimaru quickly assessed the situation and could tell that the warriors weren't anything special. They were ordinary samurai, clearly lacking the ability to wield chakra. In this world, there were two types of samurai: those who could use chakra and those who couldn't. A samurai capable of using chakra was exponentially stronger than one who couldn't, and these men in front of him were definitely the latter.

Facing such a low-level challenge, Orochimaru had no interest in involving himself. It was far beneath him. However, Jiraiya was a different story. His excitement was palpable, and the prospect of showing off his strength seemed to energize him.

With Bach watching in surprise, Jiraiya single-handedly took on all six warriors. His sheer enthusiasm and reckless bravado were enough to carry him through the skirmish. In no time, the guards were lying on the ground, defeated and humiliated, while Jiraiya stood over them with a proud grin plastered across his face.

"How was that, huh? Didn't I tell you, uncle? I wasn't exaggerating!" Jiraiya boasted, arms crossed, his chest puffed out in pride. It was clear he was reveling in the moment.

Bach, who had been skeptical of the young ninja earlier, nodded rapidly, his doubt turning to astonishment. "Incredible! I never would have believed it... Such power at such a young age! Truly deserving of being Hokage's disciples!"

Bach's amazement only grew as he looked at his defeated guards, who had been beaten so decisively. Now, with his fears eased, he fully accepted that the mission was in good hands.

Jiraiya, meanwhile, was basking in the praise, completely oblivious to the fact that Orochimaru remained unimpressed. Orochimaru had already shifted his attention to the mission scroll, checking their destination: the Land of Rice Fields.

The Land of Rice Fields, was a place that held special significance in Orochimaru's mind. In the original timeline, it was the very place where he would eventually establish the Sound Village, his personal stronghold after defecting from Konoha.

Reflecting on his past life, Orochimaru couldn't help but wonder how his fate would unfold now that everything had changed. In the original story, he had gone down a dark path, leading him to join and then betray the Akatsuki, ultimately forming his own village of rogue ninja. But now, with his current knowledge and new circumstances, he wasn't sure what the future held.

Still, Orochimaru wasn't one to dwell on what-ifs. There would be time to decide his fate later. For now, the only thing that mattered was the task at hand.

With Bach now fully on board, the team finally set off toward the Land of Rice Fields. Traveling from Konoha Village to their destination would take about three days if they were moving at full ninja speed. However, given the presence of the caravan and ordinary civilians in the group, the journey would take twice as long around ten days to two weeks.

---

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, the village was buzzing with excitement over a new development. Rumors had started to spread among the villagers and ninja alike.

"Hey, have you heard the news?" one shinobi asked another as they walked through the streets of Konoha.

"Heard what?" his friend replied.

"They say the village has developed a new type of recovery potion!"

"Recovery potion? You mean like the blood increasing pills?"

"No, no, it's something completely different!"

"Then, is it for restoring chakra? Chakra pills, maybe?"

"No, it's not for chakra. It's for healing injuries and fast, too!"

"Healing injuries? Come on, that sounds too good to be true," his friend said skeptically.

"I'm telling you, it's the real deal! Word is, it heals wounds in under three minutes. As long as you're not injured in the brain or heart, you'll recover almost instantly!"

"Three minutes? That's impossible. You're messing with me."

"I swear, it's true! You'll see in a couple of days when they make the official announcement."

As these conversations took place in the streets, many villagers remained skeptical. The idea of a potion that could heal severe wounds in just a few minutes sounded like an exaggeration too good to be real. But while the rumors spread, most people didn't fully believe it until the village authorities themselves made an official announcement five days later.

---

When the announcement finally came, it sent shockwaves throughout Konoha.

From the highest ranks of the ninja to the lowest, the news spread like wildfire:

"The village has developed a new type of recovery potion capable of quickly healing severe injuries! If needed, you can purchase it at Konoha Hospital."

Each team captain received the same orders and passed them down to their respective teams. As soon as the announcement was made, Konoha erupted into excitement.

"No way… Is this for real?" one ninja asked, wide-eyed.

"It's unbelievable!"

"I have to get my hands on one of those potions!"

"I'm going too! I don't care what it costs!"

"What? Sixty thousand ryo per dose? That's outrageous!"

"Outrageous or not, I'm buying it. A potion that can heal in minutes is worth every penny!"

Despite the steep price of sixty thousand ryo per dose, demand for the new recovery potion was through the roof. In a world where missions were life-and-death matters, having access to a potion that could quickly heal life-threatening injuries was nothing short of revolutionary. For many ninja, the cost didn't matter being able to recover from serious wounds in the middle of battle was a game-changer.

In just a few days, Konoha went from skepticism to outright frenzy. The new recovery potion was the talk of the village, and every ninja in Konoha was scrambling to get their hands on it.

This breakthrough wasn't just a victory for Konoha's medical researchers; it was a monumental leap in the village's military capabilities. Having this potion available on the battlefield would give Konoha's shinobi a massive edge in future conflicts.

The entire village was brimming with excitement, and the effects of this development would soon ripple across the entire ninja world…