Chapter 99

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Kyomu was feeling the bitterness, but those confounded by his antics in recent days, found secret amusement in his discomfort.

Finally, Captain Kyomu is getting a taste of his own medicine!

Lady Tsunade's superhuman strength is not easily countered.

Kyomu knew all too well how hard it was to face her; his arms still ached, and his calves trembled slightly.

However, after proceeding a bit further, Tsunade halted again.

This time, Kyomu learned his lesson and quickly backed away to a safe distance, preemptively speaking up, "Lady Tsunade, I've been here all along."

"You take the lead," Tsunade commanded with a frown, turning her gaze to Ren, "You're called..."

"Hyuga Ren."

"Mhm, you lead the way," Tsunade adjusted the team's arrangement, but her curiosity was piqued, "Kyomu, what exactly is going on with you?"

"Lady Tsunade, for certain reasons, there's a problem with my body. My presence tends to fade, making me undetectable to others unintentionally."

"Is that so?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "It's a waste you're not utilizing this for assassination missions."

"I'd like to, but the poison mists in the Land of Rivers have blocked my path."

"That's simple," Tsunade confidently assured, her chest heaving, "With me here, there's no poison made by Chiyo that can't be cured."

Talking about this, Tsunade smirked, "She's been bested by me more than once. It seems she still hasn't learned her lesson."

As Tsunade started to chat, the journey became more relaxed.

With Ren around, many potential dangers were non-existent, which allowed Tsunade to be at ease.

Moreover, Tsunade made an observation.

"Keeping a conversation going stabilizes your presence?"

At the forefront, Kyomu nodded, "Indeed, to avoid another punch, I must keep talking, hoping Lady Tsunade won't find it annoying."

"Ha, kid, how did you find the strength of my punch earlier?"

"Overwhelmingly strong."

Tsunade quickened her steps to catch up with Kyomu, "But you managed to withstand it, right?"

As they talked, Tsunade placed her hand on Kyomu's shoulder, emitting a glowing green chakra from her palm, indicative of her medical ninjutsu.

The chakra circulated through Kyomu's body, and Tsunade's eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Good lad, you've got a strong constitution!"

That was to be expected.

Kyomu was quite satisfied with his current physical condition, solidly built with various passive skills supporting him.

He believed that as his body matured, even if future passive skills were underwhelming, his physical condition would still see significant improvements.

"Tell me, how do you train?" Tsunade initiated the conversation, "You don't have any special kekkei genkai, yet your physical strength is extraordinary."

"It might be due to Uncle Duy's medicinal meals," Kyomu attributed his improvements to Duy, "After consuming them, my body feels warm, and my physique steadily improves."

"Duy?" Tsunade searched her memory, and after a moment, she recalled, "Might Duy?"

"Yes, Uncle Duy," Kyomu indicated towards Guy, "Guy is Uncle Duy's son. His physical condition is only stronger than mine, not weaker."

Tsunade's interest was piqued further, and she extended her hand to assess Guy's physical strength using her medical ninjutsu.

"Significantly weaker than yours," Tsunade withdrew her hand, "But among those I've seen of your age, there are hardly any who possess such physical strength."

"Lady Tsunade must be one of them," Kyomu joined in.

"Of course," Tsunade replied as if it was obvious, "You should know my status. If I were weaker than you or Guy, that wouldn't make sense."

Kyomu nodded, ready to speak, when Tsunade redirected the conversation.

"Discuss Duy's medicinal meals with me."

"Is like this, Lady Tsunade..."

Kyomu succinctly shared his experiences, focusing on Duy's preparation of the medicinal meals, which captivated Tsunade even more.

"Such medicinal meals exist that can strengthen the foundation without harming it, allowing the body to continuously grow stronger?" Tsunade contemplated, "I overlooked this in the past."

Soon, Tsunade raised a point, "But the benefits of such meals to the body must be limited, right?"

"Indeed," Kyomu nodded, "Uncle Duy's medicinal meals aren't as effective for me anymore."

Tsunade nodded, "That makes sense. If it could provide endless improvement, that would be incredible."

Then, Tsunade realized another aspect, "Creating such meals, what was Duy aiming for? To become a chef?"

Since Tsunade inquired, Kyomu had already made plans, "No, it was to lay the groundwork for a type of ninjutsu."

"What kind of ninjutsu?" Tsunade's interest intensified, "If convenient, I'd like to hear more."

"Uncle Duy developed a type of ninjutsu specifically for those unable to practice ninjutsu,"

Kyomu didn't delve into details but briefly explained the Eight Gates' principles.

"This is reckless!" Tsunade's expression changed after hearing, "How can a human body endure such violent chakra..."

Suddenly, she glanced back at Guy, then at Kyomu, "I understand now, have both of you practiced the Eight Gates?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Kyomu and Guy answered in unison.

"I must witness this myself." Tsunade raised her fist, "My superhuman strength punch is also a form of ninjutsu, perhaps there are aspects we can learn from each other."

Kyomu was pleased; he hadn't anticipated Tsunade's deep interest in the Eight Gates.

After all, Tsunade is renowned throughout the ninja world for her medical ninjutsu, superhuman strength punch, and summoning jutsu.

This demonstrates that Tsunade's enthusiasm for physical ninjutsu is significant.

"If Lady Tsunade is interested, I believe Uncle Duy would be thrilled to discuss it with you, possibly even to identify any shortcomings."

"Hmm, I'll speak to Duy when we return." Tsunade knew Duy; they were classmates in their youth, though not close friends, just acquaintances.

But for Tsunade, with her status, that connection was sufficient.

As for the secrets of the Eight Gates?

No need to worry there. The Eight Gates are a culmination of extensive physical conditioning and training, often taking decades to master. For those naturally inclined towards ninjutsu, abandoning their innate skills for such rigorous physical disciplines seems implausible.

Tsunade might be an exception, but she has carved her own niche. She might draw insights from the Eight Gates, but it's highly unlikely she would forsake her renowned superhuman strength to exclusively pursue it.

Therefore, upon reflection, the real beneficiaries seem to be Duy, Guy, and Kyomu.

With Tsunade's vast medical knowledge and her intricate understanding of human anatomy, she provides insights that Duy, an outsider to medical ninjutsu, couldn't. Tsunade is renowned as the only medic ninja capable of reconnecting severed chakra pathways, highlighting her unparalleled expertise in the field.

The essence of the Eight Gates lies in releasing the body's chakra points to unleash raw power, aligning closely with Tsunade's medical philosophy.

With Tsunade's involvement, Duy could significantly advance the Eight Gates technique, potentially unlocking these gates permanently and enhancing their efficacy.

However, these are merely Kyomu's speculations. The actual outcomes will depend on Tsunade and Duy's discussions.

Meanwhile, Kyomu seized the opportunity to learn from Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade, could you explain the principles behind your Superhuman Strength?"

Tsunade hesitated, considering her audience, before offering a simplified explanation to Kyomu.

She revealed only a fraction of the technique's foundation, far from divulging her secret. Tsunade wouldn't easily share her signature abilities.

The partial disclosure was similar to understanding the Cloud Village's Lightning Release Chakra Mode in principle but lacking the specifics for replication.

Kyomu was not dissatisfied with this.

Establishing a rapport with Tsunade, he saw no reason to worry about the future of their interactions.

Engaging in occasional conversations with Tsunade, the group took nearly two hours to approach the Land of Rivers' poison mist.

Confronted with the poison mist, Tsunade frowned, "Chiyo has gone too far this time... even more so than before."

After collecting some samples, Tsunade noted, "Chiyo has certainly posed a challenge. To mix such potent poisons without compromising their effectiveness... she has put considerable thought into this."

Kyomu and the others remained silent, watching over Tsunade as she worked on the poison mist samples.

After three hours, Tsunade wiped her forehead, stretched, and signaled it was time to head back.

---

Back at the Hidden Leaf camp, Tsunade secluded herself to work on countering Chiyo's poison.

Kyomu's life slowly returned to its routine. He informed Duy of Tsunade's interest in the Eight Gates, preparing him for a potential collaboration.

Duy, far from being displeased, was eager for the opportunity. The prospect of Tsunade's involvement was a welcome development, especially given her caliber.

On the other hand, the Sand Village faced greater urgency.

In the Kazekage's office, Rasa was troubled, not just by Ebizo's condition but also by the unpredictable factor that was Kyomu.

Based on the intelligence and scarce historical records, Rasa and the Sand Village's leadership found themselves in a challenging position.

"Chiyo, what are your thoughts? You're in command of the frontline," Rasa addressed Chiyo.

Chiyo appeared worn, her distress not solely from Ebizo's situation. She shared her perspective.

"Kazekage, I still favor deploying Ichibi," Chiyo's eyes gleamed with resolve, "I'm uncertain of Kyomu's capabilities with that forbidden technique, but if he has even one more use, and he times it perfectly, we could suffer immense losses.

Ichibi represents our best countermeasure against Kyomu's move.

We needn't deploy Ichibi directly into battle but must demonstrate our willingness to employ the Tailed Beast, sending a clear message to the Leaf that if Kyomu is fielded, we'll respond with Ichibi!"

Rasa's frown deepened, "Chiyo, aren't we overestimating Kyomu?

How can he compare to a Tailed Beast?

If we deploy Ichibi, the Leaf might counter with Kurama..."

Chiyo cut him off, "Kazekage, you're overthinking. Kurama is the Leaf's trump card. If they reveal it early in the conflict, they'd be inviting a concerted attack from all sides!"

Her point was valid.

Tailed Beasts serve as nuclear deterrence; deploying one signals a last resort, attracting concentrated enemy attacks.

The Sand's situation is distinct from the Leaf's; they're inherently weaker, making the use of a Tailed Beast a viable tactic. Furthermore, they're not fighting alone.

"Indeed," Rasa nodded, "Let's proceed as you suggest.

However, we must also urge the Stone, Cloud, and Mist villages to enter the fray sooner rather than later. We're still under considerable pressure."

"We've already made contact," Chiyo reported, frustration evident, "Their responses are tepid at best, clearly hoping we'll deplete the Leaf's resources, making their eventual involvement easier."

"Then let's threaten to withdraw from the conflict," Rasa proposed, a cold smirk on his face, "That should motivate them to act."

Chiyo understood Rasa's strategy but worried he might actually follow through.

"Kazekage, new intelligence: Tsunade has arrived at the front.

The Leaf's strategic intentions are clear—they seek a swift resolution.

And with Tsunade's presence, the poison mist I deployed will likely not last long. We must prepare accordingly."

Rasa felt overwhelmed, realizing the conflict had escalated beyond his expectations in just over a month.

Determined, yet unwilling to concede, Rasa resolved, "Chiyo, prepare for another offensive. Even at great cost, we must eliminate Aragami Kyomu!

Moreover, we must inflict significant damage on the Leaf's ninja forces, regardless of our losses!"

Rasa understood that continuously draining the Leaf's resources, even at a greater cost to themselves, would eventually prompt the other Great Ninja Villages to join the fray against the Leaf.

When that time comes, their forces could afford to breathe easier.

"Understood, Kazekage."

Chiyo accepted the order, relieved that Rasa intended to continue the fight.

Given the personal losses she and Rasa had endured, settling scores with the Leaf, particularly Kyomu, became a priority.

After Chiyo left to prepare for the renewed offensive, Rasa pondered whether he should personally join the front lines.

"With Ebizo unable to fight, he can manage the village's affairs, freeing me from worrying about any matters."

Deciding, Rasa followed Chiyo out, determined to lead his forces against the Leaf, aiming to cement his legacy.

(End of Chapter)