Naruto: Blacksmith

Kuro decided not to fuse the crystals for now.

Itachi would come looking for him soon. He wanted to find a peaceful solution to the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha, and Kuro still hadn't decided whether to help him or not.

It wasn't that he felt pity… well, maybe there was a touch of compassion in it. But more than that, Kuro needed options.

If he chose to cooperate with Itachi, Shisui's Crystal might be key. But there was no point in rushing. For now, the best course of action was to keep a low profile.

With that thought, he stored everything in the system and finally went to sleep.

---

The night passed quickly.

The next day, he woke up with a chill that penetrated to his bones.

He sat up with effort, opened the corner of the curtain, and looked outside.

The freezing wind of late autumn had turned his room into a refrigerator.

"Achuu…!" He sneezed, shaking his head and rubbing his nose with his sleeve.

The hole in the wall had let the cold wind wreak havoc in the room all night.

He was sick, his head spinning, unable to concentrate.

After sneezing again, he washed up, dressed warmly, and headed to the hospital.

Let's get rid of this damn cold first.

It was early, the sky was gray, and the wind still blew cold.

After half an hour of walking slowly and sneezing occasionally, he finally reached Konoha Hospital.

At that hour, the building was calm. The nurses on duty yawned as they moved through the empty hallways.

Kuro approached the reception desk and bowed slightly, "Hello… I have a cold. Could someone see me?"

The nurse on duty, who looked a bit tired, smiled kindly. "The doctor hasn't arrived yet, but there are some medical ninja interns. Would you like them to see you?" she asked apologetically.

An intern…

Kuro thought for a moment and nodded.

After all, a cold couldn't be that difficult to treat, right?

It's just a cold. Even inexperienced medical ninjas could handle it.

After completing the registration, the nurse guided him to Room 9 on the second floor.

Kuro entered, sat on the bed, and waited, still feeling the cold. He wrapped his arms around himself and sneezed again.

"Why did the wall have to break now…?"

Two minutes later, the door opened.

Kuro raised his head, and the moment he saw who it was, his expression hardened for a second before quickly looking down.

It was a boy with silver hair, round glasses, and a kind smile. He was about 150 cm tall and wore Konoha's forehead protector.

Kuro recognized him instantly.

Kabuto Yakushi…his heart skipped a beat.

His face remained calm, but inside, Kuro felt a rising tension. He quickly lowered his head, trying to hide any emotion.

He couldn't let on that he knew him.

Kabuto calmly closed the door and walked toward Kuro with a professional smile.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just a small cold. You'll be fine in no time."

His voice was calm and kind, but the glare from his glasses reflected the light, giving him… an unsettling look.

"Really?" Kuro replied, raising his head and forcing a friendly smile. "Then, please, doctor, do what you must."

Kabuto tilted his head slightly.

For a moment, the reflection in his glasses completely hid his eyes, giving him a mysterious air. Then, as if nothing had happened, the reflection disappeared, and the smile returned.

"Let's take your temperature first," he said, pulling out a thermometer.

Kuro nodded, pretending to relax, but his muscles were tense.

Kabuto examined him carefully. Throughout the process, he maintained his facade as an attentive and professional medic, asking politely whether Kuro felt chills or headaches.

If Kuro hadn't known who he really was, he might have fallen for the act.

Finally, Kabuto put away the thermometer and stethoscope.

"It's fine; it's just a common cold," he said calmly. "Do you prefer medicine or an infusion?"

Kuro thought for a second.

"…An infusion will be fine."

"Perfect. Give me a minute," Kabuto stood up, adjusted his glasses, and left the room, closing the door softly.

Kuro stared at the door where Kabuto had exited, his mind working at full speed.

Meeting him at the hospital…

It was impossible not to be suspicious. Was it just a coincidence, or was there something calculated behind it?

It had to be a bit of both.

After all, he himself hadn't known he'd be sick today, so it was unlikely Kabuto had specifically anticipated his arrival. However, as Orochimaru's spy, the hospital was a logical hiding place.

Here, he could gather information under the guise of being a medical ninja.

After all, a hospital is the best place to observe Konoha's future talents.

Kuro sighed deeply.

If he thought about it carefully, his training over the past few months had attracted attention. Perhaps Kabuto, or even Orochimaru himself, was watching him with interest, evaluating his potential.

As for timing, Kabuto had just returned from Otogakure. He wouldn't leave soon. After all, as a spy, drawing too much attention was dangerous.

"If I keep standing out… that bastard will want to make me his new vessel," he muttered, grimacing. "But that's something I'll deal with in the future. First, he'll have to defeat me."

The door opened softly, pulling him from his thoughts. Kabuto returned, pushing a small stand with two IV bags hanging from it.

"Thanks for waiting."

Kuro glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as Kabuto adjusted the stand.

"Extend your left arm," Kabuto instructed, pulling out the needle. "It might hurt a little."

Kuro nodded silently, extending his arm naturally.

Kabuto firmly held his arm, quickly found the vein, and inserted the needle without hesitation.

Ting

The needle settled in place, and the liquid began to flow.

"All done," Kabuto said with a friendly smile. "If you need anything, just press the button beside your bed."

"Thanks," Kuro replied, not taking his eyes off him.

Whether it was out of nervousness or not, Kabuto adjusted his glasses with a finger and continued.

"By the way, I noticed something interesting when I checked your vitals."

"Hmm?" Kuro narrowed his eyes.

"Your heartbeat is quite strong. It's a sign of vigorous vitality, which doesn't match a simple cold."

"And what does that mean?"

"It might be nothing, but I'd recommend a full checkup. A simple blood test would be enough to rule anything out," Kabuto said, his glasses glinting in a way that hid his true intentions.

A full checkup.

"…"

Kuro lowered his head, letting his bangs block his eyes.

"Do you want to do it?" Kabuto looked at him with a smile.

"There's no need."

Kuro raised his head again, narrowing his eyes and smiling. "It's just a cold. It'll pass soon."

Kabuto paused for a moment.

"I understand…" he replied with a faint tone of disappointment. "If you change your mind, let me know."

He turned calmly and began walking toward the door.

"Wait a moment."

Kabuto stopped abruptly, turning his head with a slightly confused look.

"Yes? Is there something else?"

Kuro gestured with his hand for him to come closer. "Come here."

Kabuto blinked. "Does something hurt?"

"Don't ask so many questions. Just come closer."

Kabuto hesitated for a second, but then smiled again and approached. "Fine, but if you're feeling strange, you should tell me."

"Lower your head a bit," Kuro added.

"Eh?" Kabuto raised an eyebrow. "Why…?"

"Just do it. Trust me."

Although clearly suspicious, Kabuto relented. He lowered his head, letting his silver hair fall forward.

Now!

Kuro quickly reached out and yanked out a strand of his hair.

________

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