Right after Jiraiya finished fighting, Kazuyama was fully focused on gathering Scale Powder.
By now, the pit was filled with paralysis-inducing Scale Powder. His body, however, was shielded by a faint red layer of chakra—a protective barrier Chōmei had created to isolate him from the powder.
"Phew, I'm exhausted."
"This should be enough."
"Next, we just need to let the Scale Powder drift into the sky."
He envisioned the entire forest covered in Scale Powder. Once the Iwa ninja stepped into it, they would either be paralyzed or, in the worst case, die instantly.
"Okay, that's it. Now, I'll use Wind Release to send it all into the air."
"Wind Release! Great Breakthrough!"
Just as Kazuyama finished, a powerful gust of wind began to stir.
At that moment, Jiraiya, having dealt with his enemies, arrived above the pit. His voice suddenly rang out from above.
"Kazuyama! Haven't you finished yet? We're exposed!"
"Huh? What is this?"
"I... I... this…"
As the wind howled, the Scale Powder lifted into the air.
Unfortunately, Jiraiya, standing too close to the pit, was the first to be engulfed by it.
A strong numbing sensation spread through his body, making his tongue go completely numb.
He could barely form words.
"Oh no! Oh dear, Lord Jiraiya, what are you doing here?"
"I told you, I'm making poison!"
Hearing Jiraiya's voice, Kazuyama let out a sigh—not out of concern that Jiraiya would be paralyzed, but that he might realize it wasn't poison and start making unwanted connections. That would be difficult to explain.
"Hey, forget it!"
"Lord Jiraiya, now you know what it means to be killed by your own curiosity?"
"Minato, take Lord Jiraiya and go!"
Minato didn't hesitate. In an instant, he appeared by Jiraiya's side, but the moment he touched him, his arm went numb.
Gritting his teeth, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and teleported both of them several kilometers away.
Sensing their departure, Kazuyama smirked wickedly.
"Well then—Wind Release! Great Breakthrough!"
"Get up!"
Now unbothered by interruptions, he unleashed another powerful Wind Release technique, sending all the Scale Powder soaring into the air.
In an instant, the entire forest was covered in it.
"Chōmei, how long will this Scale Powder last?"
"It should last about one to two days, but the effect will gradually weaken."
"That short?"
"Damn, this Scale Powder was used directly, and now you've blown it all away, diluting it by who knows how many times. How much more effect do you want?"
Kazuyama nodded—one to two days would be enough.
After all, it would harm some people and buy them time.
Once Iwagakure's forces were weakened, the next target would likely be Kumo.
Not his problem.
"By the way, Chōmei, can this Scale Powder be neutralized?"
"You saw it yourself—Jiraiya got a full dose to the face. He's probably completely numb by now."
Chōmei let out a laugh, his tone oddly mischievous.
"Of course, it can be removed. Ever since you were stuck in the hospital bed last time, I've been doing independent research on Scale Powder detoxification. And guess what? I finally perfected it."
"The original Scale Powder couldn't be removed—it had to wear off naturally. But now, there's a method."
"If you use your chakra to follow the same path that condenses Scale Powder, you can generate a fresh batch inside the affected body. This new Scale Powder will engulf the original paralytic powder. However—"
Chōmei's laughter turned even more devious.
"Once the two types of Scale Powder fuse, they trigger an irreversible reaction… diarrhea. Heh."
"Judging by that white-haired guy just now, I'd say he'll need to purge every last bit of paralysis from his system. Meaning, he'll have to consume a lot of Scale Powder… and hit the toilet at least four or five times."
Kazuyama's face instantly darkened.
Damn it, was Chōmei seriously addicted to this kind of nonsense?
How the hell did he come up with a solution like that???
But… what choice did they have now? This was the only way.
Watching the Scale Powder ascend into the sky, Kazuyama activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished from the spot.
Unlike Minato, he was much more cautious, setting down numerous markers along the way to ensure an easy escape route.
After teleporting a few times, he caught up with Minato.
As for Jiraiya?
Well, he was completely paralyzed—his current state was beyond words.
"Minato, are you guys okay?"
The moment Kazuyama asked, he regretted it.
Jiraiya's mouth was wide open, drool dripping uncontrollably—not because he had seen something indecent, but because the paralysis had locked his jaw and numbed his tongue. He was fully conscious, yet not a single part of his body could move.
Minato, on the other hand, held his right hand in a way that looked… very unnatural.
Kazuyama immediately understood—he was paralyzed too.
"What can I even say about you?"
"Did I not warn you? I went to release the poison, yet you still dared to come close."
"The moment I blew it into the air, the first person to get hit was Lord Jiraiya, wasn't it?"
"Forget it, I'll deal with it when we get back to camp."
After all, Scale Powder was a creation of both Kazuyama and Chōmei—they could neutralize it.
The only issue was… the process.
"Kazuyama… you figured out what kind of poison this is, right?"
"Jiraiya-sensei is completely immobilized, and after touching him, I lost all feeling in my right hand."
Minato looked shaken. He had been in battles, had taken lives—
But he had never seen such a potent poison before.
"This is a paralytic toxin I developed on my own. I told you both not to get close until I was finished."
"You two are way too careless."
"It's fine, once we get back to base, I'll figure out a way to get rid of it."
With that, Kazuyama hoisted Jiraiya up and effortlessly threw him over his shoulder.
Minato was left completely stunned.
Jiraiya: I… I'm fucking impressed!!! Put me down! Can't you just walk with me?! Why are you carrying me?!
"Kazuyama, this isn't right…"
But he was met with a cold glare.
"This is an emergency. Carrying him makes me faster."
"I'll take Lord Jiraiya with me. You go on your own."
And with that, the two sprinted toward camp, Jiraiya still slung over Kazuyama's shoulders.
He had no idea how much Kazuyama wanted to use the Flying Thunder God Technique and just teleport back.
But right now, he was carrying Jiraiya, and Minato was running alongside him.
Using the technique too often would raise suspicion.
He had already made a big scene—he couldn't afford to draw even more attention.
Finally, just before nightfall, they arrived at their base.
The stationed ninja were instantly alarmed at the sight of Jiraiya.
"Lord Jiraiya! What happened to you?!"
Kazuyama, still carrying him, shot a sharp glare and calmly stated,
"Find me an empty tent. Lord Jiraiya has been poisoned and needs an antidote immediately."
"There's no need to call the Medical-nin—I'll handle it myself."
With that, he carried Jiraiya straight to the center of the camp.
Who would've thought Jiraiya was seriously considering using the Transformation Technique to turn into someone else?
This is so embarrassing!
As more and more eyes turned toward them, the moment Kazuyama had been waiting for finally arrived—
A voice echoed in his mind.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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