"Yo... isn't this... Tsunade-sama...?"
Gekko Chizan's voice was trembling.
Tsunade walked toward him slowly, smiling sweetly.
"Kid, what did you just say?"
"You found my whereabouts?"
"Looks like it was you that day, wasn't it?"
That day, all Gekko Chizan could see in front of him was blonde hair and overwhelming curves, but now, facing Tsunade's questioning, he could only keep stepping back.
Damn, this was the terrifying woman who had once punched Jiraiya into the hospital.
Also the one who kicked through Susanoo in a single strike.
If he took one hit from her...
Gekko Chizan lowered his head and looked at his small, thin body, and suddenly shuddered.
Nope. Absolutely not. He couldn't take a single punch. That'd be lethal!
"Tsunade, let's talk this out!"
"I'm still here! You're not allowed to use violence!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen hurried forward to block Tsunade. He was extremely fond of this disciple and had to protect him no matter what.
This action brought tears to Gekko Chizan's eyes!
The organization hadn't abandoned him!
"You damn old man! Get out of my way!"
"You have no idea what this brat did!"
"Don't worry, I'll only punch once! Just one punch!"
When Gekko Chizan and Sarutobi Hiruzen heard "just one punch," they were both stunned.
If it were someone else's punch—be it Hatake Sakumo or Shimura Danzō—that would be acceptable!
No! Anyone in the entire Konoha could throw that punch—anyone but you, Tsunade!
"Then tell me what he did."
"Right now, Chizan is a vital talent for the village!"
"Tsunade, think about the big picture!"
Tsunade frowned slightly at his words and looked past Sarutobi Hiruzen at Gekko Chizan, speaking coldly:
"Hmph! A vital talent?"
"Probably learned all the wrong things from Jiraiya! Peeking at the women's hot springs at such a young age?"
"Or are you telling me, old man, that you approved of this?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen abruptly turned his head to glare at Gekko Chizan, his eyes filled with shock.
A voice from beyond the scene practically screamed out of the dialogue box: You little bastard! Of all people to spy on, why did you choose her!!!
Don't you know Jiraiya nearly got beaten to death back in the day?!
Gekko Chizan read the message in Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze, and his brain spun like crazy, trying to come up with a way to escape Tsunade's wrath.
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse.
"Holy crap!"
Suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes widened, and so did Tsunade's and the ANBU's.
What did they just see?
Smoke rising from the top of Gekko Chizan's head???
Yes, at this moment, Gekko Chizan's face had turned completely red, with wisps of white smoke drifting up from his scalp.
"Chōmei! I freakin' love you!"
"This scale powder is amazing!"
Feeling chakra suddenly surging within him, Gekko Chizan almost planted a kiss on Chōmei's big face!
Chōmei grinned at Gekko Chizan.
"This scale powder won't harm you. I modeled it after the Boil Release used by King Mu, though it's not really effective."
"It just ruptures some capillaries and releases a little gas. Didn't expect it'd actually be useful today."
"Chizan, being with you keeps the ideas flowing. I feel like I can even improve my scale powder further!"
Yes, the current state of Gekko Chizan was entirely Chōmei's doing.
With the scale powder in his body, Gekko Chizan had pulled off a dramatic on-the-spot ascension!
Stunning all four people present.
"Tsunade! Quick! Help him!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was so scared he dropped his pipe and quickly supported Gekko Chizan. But as soon as he touched him, Gekko Chizan fully demonstrated his Oscar-worthy acting skills.
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen touched him, Gekko Chizan's whole body went limp like mud, his face instantly turned deathly pale.
His eyes rolled back—he literally gave a live performance of "White Eyes."
"Hey hey hey! Tsunade! Quick!"
"This kid's passed out!"
Even Tsunade was thrown off for a moment. She hurried over and grabbed Gekko Chizan's wrist, pouring chakra into him to assess his condition.
That assessment was no joke—damn, this was scary.
"His chakra's completely drained?"
"And there's some unidentified... toxin inside?"
"As for the flushed face, probably ruptured capillaries. That white smoke earlier—must've been a rapid spike in body temperature from the toxin..."
"Quick! Get him to the hospital!"
Gekko Chizan: Wow. As expected of the top medical ninja in the shinobi world. One touch, one chakra pulse, and she immediately deduced every symptom.
Hmm... this sensation...
Damn it! Kato Dan was one lucky bastard!!!
...
Konoha Hospital.
Gekko Chizan was once again lying in bed, hooked up to... no, rather, being hooked into IVs.
Due to his symptoms, Tsunade decisively prescribed a total of 20 IV bags: some for nutrition, some for chakra recovery, some for detox...
No one knew whether it was genuinely for his good or just punishment, but all 20 bags had to go into him...
To keep up the act, Gekko Chizan had remained unconscious this whole time.
Though physically unconscious, his mind was very much active.
At this moment, his hospital room was crowded with people.
Pakura still stood by the window, while others gathered around his hospital bed.
"Pakura-sensei, is Chizan-sensei going to be alright?"
"Hmm... Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, just checked on him. She said his condition is already improving."
"Ha! Told you! There's no way anything could happen to Chizan-sensei. A bunch of Sunagakure ninja? That's nothing to him!"
Rin stood beside Pakura, while Uchiha Obito stood on the other side of the bed.
Kakashi leaned against the wall.
The Three Little Ones were all Gekko Chizan's students and subordinates. Once they heard he was hospitalized, they immediately brought a fruit basket to visit their teacher.
Pakura had rushed to the hospital first thing.
Even though she scolded him with her mouth, she cared more than anyone else.
"Tsunade-sama... my idol."
"She's the greatest medical ninja in the whole shinobi world!"
When she mentioned Tsunade, Rin's eyes were filled with admiration and reverence.
Seeing that look, Pakura smiled softly.
"Then keep working toward becoming the strongest. Only with motivation can you improve. I believe in you, Rin."
The "unconscious" Gekko Chizan watched the heartfelt conversation and smiled slightly inside.
He had to admit—Pakura had changed a lot. She was really embracing the role of a teacher now.
But he didn't smile for long—because Tsunade came back again.
"Oh? Still not awake yet, little peeper?"
Pakura: Peeping??
The Three Little Ones: Oh??? Sounds like gossip!!!
Gekko Chizan: Holy crap!! She's a demon!!!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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