"Yo... Isn't this... Lady Tsunade...?"
Kazuyama's voice trembled slightly.
Tsunade slowly approached, still smiling.
"Kid, what did you just say?" she asked sweetly. "You found out where I was?"
Her expression darkened.
"So it was you that day, wasn't it?"
Kazuyama's mind flashed back to that moment—blonde hair, oversized breasts—his entire vision had been filled with Tsunade.
But now, facing her wrath, all he could do was back away.
Damn it! This is the same woman who sent Jiraiya to the hospital with one punch… the same woman who shattered Susanoo with a single kick!
Kazuyama glanced at his own skinny frame and trembled.
No, no, no—one punch and I'll die!
"Tsunade, let's talk this out!"
"I'm still here! You can't just hit him!"
Hiruzen quickly stepped between them, raising a hand to stop Tsunade.
"Tsunade, that's enough! He's an important asset to the village!"
Kazuyama's eyes welled with tears. The village hasn't abandoned me!
"You old bastard, get out of my way!" Tsunade snapped. "You have no idea what this brat has done!"
"Don't worry—I'll just give him one punch. Just one!"
Kazuyama and Hiruzen froze.
Anyone else's punch—even Sakumo Hatake's or Danzo Shimura's—would be fine.
But not you, Tsunade!
Hiruzen sighed. "At least tell me what he did first. Right now, Kazuyama is an important asset to the village. Tsunade, you need to think of the bigger picture!"
Tsunade frowned at that, glancing past Hiruzen at Kazuyama with a cold glare.
"Hmph! An important talent?" she scoffed.
"More like a perverted brat who's learned all the wrong things from Jiraiya! Peeping at the women's hot spring at such a young age—"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Or did the old man approve of it?"
Silence.
Hiruzen snapped his head toward Kazuyama, eyes filled with pure shock.
His expression screamed: YOU LITTLE BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU PEEP ON HER?! DO YOU KNOW JIRAIYA ALMOST DIED BACK THEN?!
Kazuyama read every word in Hiruzen's gaze. His brain raced for a way out of this mess, but no matter how hard he thought…
There was no reasonable explanation.
"Shit!"
Suddenly, Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock—so did Tsunade's and the ANBU's.
What were they seeing?
Was that smoke… coming out of Kazuyama's head?!
Yes. At that moment, Kazuyama's entire head had turned red, and wisps of white smoke were rising from him.
"Chōmei! I fucking love you!"
"This Scale Powder is awesome!"
Feeling the sudden surge of chakra within himself, Kazuyama nearly kissed Chōmei's giant face out of sheer excitement.
Chōmei chuckled.
"This Scale Powder won't harm you. I modeled it after Kokuō's Boil Release, but the effect is practically useless."
"It only causes capillaries to burst and releases a bit of gas. I never thought I'd actually have to use it."
"Kazuyama, I swear, when I'm with you, my ideas just keep flowing. I feel like I can still improve my Scale Powder!"
Yes, Kazuyama's condition was entirely Chōmei's doing.
As the Scale Powder spread through his body, Kazuyama suddenly levitated in place—shocking everyone in the room.
"Tsunade! Hurry! Save him!"
Hiruzen was so startled that he dropped his pipe. Rushing forward, he grabbed Kazuyama, but that was a mistake.
Because Kazuyama, ever the master actor, immediately went limp—collapsing like a sack of wet rice.
His face turned deathly pale.
His eyes rolled back into his head, as if performing a Byakugan in real time.
"Hey, hey, hey! Tsunade, hurry! This kid's unconscious!"
Tsunade was briefly stunned but quickly snapped into action, stepping forward to grasp Kazuyama's wrist. She channeled chakra into his body, assessing his condition in an instant.
Her frown deepened.
"You've completely drained your chakra?"
"There are unknown toxins in your system?"
"And that red skin… Burst capillaries. The white smoke must have been from a sudden spike in body temperature caused by the toxins…"
Her expression grew grave.
"Get him to the hospital—NOW!"
Meanwhile, Kazuyama, though barely holding onto consciousness, was very impressed.
Wow, no wonder she's the best healer in the Ninja World. Just by checking my pulse and chakra, she diagnosed everything on the spot.
Hmmm… that touch…
Damn it! Dan Katō is so lucky!
…
Konoha Hospital.
Kazuyama was once again lying in bed, not just resting—but hooked up to an IV.
Due to his symptoms, Tsunade had decisively prescribed a staggering twenty bottles of fluid, including chakra restoration supplements and detoxification agents. Whether it was truly for his recovery or some form of punishment was unclear, but either way, all twenty bottles had to be administered.
To keep some control over the situation, Kazuyama had yet to wake up. Or rather, his body remained unconscious, but his mind? It was very much awake.
At this moment, his hospital room was packed with people.
Pakura stood by the window, while several others surrounded his bed.
"Pakura-sensei, is Kazuyama-sensei okay?"
"Well… just now, one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade, came by. She said his condition is improving."
"Ha! I told you, there's no way Kazuyama-sensei would be in trouble! A few Suna ninja? That's nothing for him!"
Rin Nohara stood next to Pakura, while Obito Uchiha was on the other side of the bed. Kakashi leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
The three of them—Kazuyama's students and subordinates—had come together to visit him, even pooling their money to buy a fruit basket.
Pakura had arrived first. Despite scolding Kazuyama regularly, she cared about him more than anyone.
"Lady Tsunade… my idol," Rin murmured, eyes gleaming with admiration. "She's the greatest medical-nin in the entire ninja world!"
Seeing the look in her eyes, Pakura smiled slightly.
"Then work hard to become the strongest. Motivation is key to improvement. I have high hopes for you, Rin."
Meanwhile, Kazuyama—still pretending to be unconscious—watched the exchange, a small smile forming in his mind.
He had to admit, Pakura had changed a lot. She had truly embraced the role of a teacher.
But his amusement vanished instantly when Tsunade reentered the room.
"Oh? Still not awake, huh? Peeping little brat."
Pakura: Peeping?
The three students: Oh? This sounds like gossip!!!
Kazuyama: Holy shit!!! The devil!!!
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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