'No bullying or some mob character stepping in? Now that's rare.'
A boy with a loudmouth asking for help, and a little girl also asking for help while patting another girl's head who appeared to be muttering with a lowered head.
Based on their appearance and height, they seemed to be 6 years old and full of energy.
"Hello, I heard you need help. Maybe I can help you with the problems?"
Walking towards the children, Yoichi greeted them with a gentle smile.
"Hiiiiii!...are...are you here to...take us away?! WAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Noticing a muscular man standing before him, like a giant. Sobbing, a girl wailed loudly, earning the attention of the people around them.
'A meek and innocent personality... Understandable for her to think that I am a kidnapper.'
Looking like a towering giant, casting his shadow across the little youngsters.
"Hey! You...you big man! You dare to make Natsumi cry! I will kill you!"
'This one's a fiery attitude... Not bad.'
The boy fiercely retaliated against the terrifying giant as the latter put his hand over the kid's head, stopping the kid from a cute display of punches.
"Natsumi, stop crying now. We will help Uncle Soujiro with the aid of this Uncle!"
"Oh? Little girl, why do you think that?"
Intrigued by the little girl's words, Yoichi crouched down and saw each face of the little troublemaker children.
"Because the uncle only wanted to help up and you can't take us away with all the people around. We will shout loud when that happens!"
A little girl near the two replied with bursts of confidence and a brilliant expression on her little face while looking at Yoichi.
'Even in such a brutal era, there's gotta be the geniuses somewhere. A diamond in the rough, I suppose.'
"Is that true, Uncle?"
"Yes, that's right. I am here to help you. Look at me, I am big but I have a compassionate heart here in the world!"
The little girl, Natsumi, sobbing lately suddenly stopped crying, looking at Yoichi with innocent eyes as Yoichi patted the little girl's head with a wholehearted reply.
"Hmph! What if... What if you are just kidding us and take us away!?"
"Stop it now, Ryoma, or I will report it to Aunt Ryoko!"
The little boy named Ryoma interjected but shivered slightly when the intelligent little girl suddenly brought up the name Ryoko, which seemed to be his mother's name.
"Now, now. Stop squabbling now. We've caused enough trouble in the public. Let's go now and solve the problem, okay?"
Looking at the crowd whispering to each other's ears like buzzing bees around, Yoichi meekly smiled at the masses and carried the kids with ease as he stepped away from the main road.
"What's your name, little ones?"
"M-my name is N-Natsumi, Uncle."
The little innocent youth called Natsumi replied with slight stutters in her words as she clung tightly to Yoichi, feeling the warmth and fuzzy sensation.
"My name's Ryoma. Whoa! I can see a bunch of people here. Look at me, I'm taller now! WHAHAHA!"
The sunny boy named Ryoma happily replied as he sat on Yoichi's thick neck, clasping Yoichi's hair tightly with a cheerful chuckle.
"Stop bothering Uncle, Ryoma!"
"Tch. Boring!"
"My name is Sumiko. I apologize for my friend's behavior. Uncle, what's your name?"
The intelligent one among the three, Sumiko politely said sorry for a certain kid and asked about Uncle's name, interested.
"Yoichi is my given name, Murakami is my surname. Now, where should we go, and what's the problem we're facing here?"
Carrying the kids plus the wooden carrier with ease, Yoichi replied with inquiries about the situation at hand.
"Our house is on the west, near the forest. We are asking for help because my Uncle Soujiro is sick and we don't have the money to buy medicine."
Sumiko answered back with a summary of the emergency as Yoichi strutted slowly to the west side of the town.
"Medicine huh... I don't have the money... But I can heal your uncle!"
The children were silent and sad in the first sentence until Yoichi replied with certainty, giving back hope in the children's eyes.
"...Really? I–is that true, Uncle?"
Natsumi doubted with an innocent expression on her adorable face.
"Yes! So little kids, hang on tightly. We are speeding up!"
Suddenly, Yoichi ran away in a burst while the three kids tightly gripped Yoichi, filled with excitement and joy written on their faces.
"Woohoo!!! HAHA, I'm fast! Uncle, get faster!"
Running amidst all the people, Yoichi, and the kids broke out of the town's central as they went towards the west.
[Unknown person "Ryoma" has been added to the "Naruto Volume" collection.]
[Unknown person "Sumiko" has been added to the "Naruto Volume" collection.]
[Unknown person "Natsumi" has been added to the "Naruto Volume" collection.]
———————————————————
"All of the energy is gone once more," Yoichi muttered.
After recklessly wasting energy for 5 minutes, Yoichi arrived at the place.
The western part of the town looked like a rural countryside with lush grasses and a vast forest, brimming with vitality alongside some wooden cottages nearby as the people were doing not so well.
Putting down the kids, they felt reluctant and longing for the newfound warmth, feelings that the kids never felt from a strange man before.
"Natsumi-chan, can you tell me where your uncle's house is?"
"Um!"
"Uncle Yoichi! Can you carry me once again? Like that once more?!"
"R-y-o-m-a! This is not the time for trivial things! Let's give some help to your parents first before we can play, okay?"
"Tch... That's because he always drinks that stupid and stinky booze! Maybe he deserved it!"
"Ryoma!"
Yoichi asked Natsumi the whereabouts of her house as Ryoma and Sumiko bantered against each other with childish hatred and intensity.
"...Are they always like this?"
"Umu! T-they often with each other since we were kids!"
As the gang roamed, Yoichi curiously mumbled as Natsumi, the silent girl, appeared to be embarrassed and helpless about her friendship.
"I swear, I will report you to Aunt Ryoko!"
"Hehe! Blehhh!"
"MOM! I found someone who can help us!"
After bantering for some time, Ryoma ran inside a house near the forest and shouted as Yoichi and the 2 girls followed him.
"Ryoma! How many times do I have to say there is no need to shout?! Your father is resting right now!"
"Hehehe, sorry Mom!"
"Oh, you kid..."
A gentle older woman berated Ryoma, ruffling his hair, and stood at the door before looking at the "helper" her kid told.
'He's too tall and burly... He looks like a mighty warrior than a medicinal expert to me...'
Scrutinizing the slightly dark skin, tall, and muscular man before her very eyes.
Noticing an unfamiliar figure, Yoichi looked at the older woman who seemed to be Ryoma's mother, and glanced once again at Ryoma.
'This boy inherited some of the good genes.'
"Good morning! I encountered these kids on the main road, looking for help. It appears you need some assistance. May I ask about the Lady of the House's name?"
"...Ah yes! Sorry for these children's behavior, Benefactor. My name is Ryoko and I am the wife of the person needing help. May I know the name of this benefactor?"
"HAHA! Uncle Yoichi will help us! He is awesome, Mom! A while ago, we went faster than a horse Mom!"
Yoichi politely greeted the older woman named Ryoko with a gentle smile on his face as Ryoma interjected, gaining his Mother's and Sumiko's 'caring smile'.
"Murakami Yoichi. I am still in my teenage years, 18 years old. So please, just call me Yoichi-kun."
"... Yoichi-kun, I deeply apologize for my child's naughty attitude... I swear I will teach my son a good lesson."
"No, no. It's fine, Ryoko-san. Children like Ryoma are just like that. No need to be that forceful. I promised the children that I would help them so I will do as much as I can to help your husband."
Having chills about his mother's 'gentle smile', Ryoma went inside the house with the other 2 girls as Yoichi assured Ryoko about the circumstance.
"May we go inside, Ryoko-san? I would like to examine the patient's health."
"... Oh yes yes. Please, go inside the house."
"Thank you for inviting me in."
After the pleasantries, Yoichi went inside the house with curiosity in mind as Ryoko and the kids casually sat down near the patient's side with gratitude and gladness.
'No windows for pretty much good insulation in winter, earthen-packed floors which are high enough so rainwater doesn't go inside, and just one big room with a bonfire in the center.'
A generic-style peasant house from the Heian Period with some logical thinking designed for a comfortable and livable home.
With the people inside staring at him, Yoichi sat down and examined the patient with a serious expression on his face.
Treating somebody must be given serious attention and a calm mind when it comes to much more troublesome diseases of the earlier eras.
As a cosmic being who existed for innumerable eons, Yoichi dabbled in many occupations including odd jobs with absolute mastery and proficiency.
'These symptoms... This is severe!'
TO BE CONTINUED...