16: The Pursuit

Kidoyun's words were easy to understand.

The Demigod Hanzo of the Salamander had unknowingly eroded the entire Land of Fang, seizing all of its sugar processing plants.

The sugar refinery belonging to their Konoha was merely one of the assets that had been snatched away.

And the reason news had been sent back to Konoha was also part of the Demigod's plan.

He had anticipated Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts early on, guessing that Hiruzen Sarutobi would dispatch her to the Land of Fang to investigate the situation.

Yes.

The Demigod's target, from the very beginning, was her.

The last remaining descendant of the Senju clan in this world.

"Your body possesses the potential for the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai."

Kidoyun said, "Lord Demigod has requested that Princess Tsunade cooperate and accompany us back to Amegakure for some research. Rest assured, you are a princess of the Land of Fire; we would never commit any offensive acts against you. At most, we will draw a little blood and take a few of your cells."

Tsunade laughed in anger.

"You want to research the power of Wood Release from my body?"

Sky-blue chakra erupted from her body, instantly overturning the gambling table and sending banknotes fluttering through the air like a storm.

"Your intentions are quite grand, but it remains to be seen if you have the capability to carry them out."

Tsunade's cold, stern face was exposed to Kidoyun; at this moment, she was a completely different person from the jubilant gambler of a moment ago, her cold, clear eyes filled with a sharp, tragic killing intent.

Human experimentation was the thing she loathed most—a scale on her dragon that no one was permitted to touch.

"As expected of the granddaughter of the God of Shinobi; the sheer volume of this chakra is immense."

Feeling the fierce flames erupting from Tsunade, Kidoyun stood up, his six arms gradually unfolding from behind him, making him appear quite hideous.

"However, it is precisely because Princess Tsunade is the granddaughter of the God of Shinobi that we would not dare to be careless."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tsunade's expression shifted, a faint, sickly pallor gradually creeping across her face.

She felt that the more she mobilized her chakra, the more labored her breathing became.

"You poisoned me? When?"

"From the moment you walked into the casino."

Kidoyun said, "We originally intended to poison you at a casino in a city you passed through after you had finished settling accounts with all the rogue ninja and were returning to Konoha with your results. But we didn't expect you to sneak away alone tonight to enjoy yourself in the nearest city."

A cold sneer appeared on his face, one that made Tsunade's heart palpitate.

"The poison derived from the Salamander—the taste isn't bad, is it?"

"Damn it..."

"I heard that Princess Tsunade has recently developed medical ninjutsu; I imagine your methods for detoxifying are quite impressive."

Kidoyun said, "I wonder if you have a way to neutralize a poison from the same species as our Demigod's summoning beast?"

Looking at the smug expression on the six-armed boy, Tsunade gritted her teeth and scanned her surroundings. Seeing the twenty-plus elite jonin surrounding her, she gritted her teeth and stomped her foot hard against the ground.

Strength of a Hundred: Heavenly Kick!

The immense force shattered the entire gambling hall almost instantly. Amidst the dust and debris, she rolled out from the crowd and began to sprint with all her might.

Although she was the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, she was only in her twenties and had not inherited the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai; in Konoha, she could barely be considered a taijutsu-focused jonin.

She had no way to handle an encirclement by so many jonin.

Not to mention that she was currently poisoned.

In this situation, the only way out was to run!

However, Kidoyun and his men had anticipated her plan to flee long ago. Watching the dust clouds generated by the collapse of the gambling hall, the nine Tsuchigumo Clan jonin led by Kidoyun performed hand seals in unison.

"Ninja Art: Spider Web Binding!"

The nine men pulled up their clothes to reveal their navels, and as their waists contracted, they spat out several strands of white spider silk. Simultaneously, three Wind Release jonin joined in the seals to blow away the dust. With the obstruction gone, Tsunade, who was at the edge of the gambling hall's entrance, was exposed. Several Tsuchigumo Clan ninja grabbed the webs and threw them in unison; the webs they spat out expanded rapidly, like a monstrous net, lunging toward Tsunade.

Tsunade gritted her teeth, performing high-speed hand seals while rolling backward continuously.

Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

An earth wall arched up from the ground, and a water wall rose along it, extending upon the foundation of the earth wall to maximize the defensive range. The two defenses barely blocked the spider webs and the Wind Release, but due to the expenditure of chakra, Tsunade's face turned deathly pale. She felt the poison in her body spreading faster under the strain. Daring not to delay, she pressed her Mystical Palm Technique against her lower abdomen to barely halt the spread of the toxin, then ducked into an alleyway, chose a path with no one around, and vanished.

Once she left, the support vanished, and the dual water-earth walls were instantly crushed by the enemy. Kidoyun, the leader, rushed behind the wall and looked at the vanished Tsunade with a gloomy expression.

"Lord Kidoyun, Princess Tsunade has escaped. What should we do now?"

A subordinate bowed at Kidoyun's side, his voice laced with a hint of panic.

"Escaped?"

Kidoyun's lips curled, his smile as cold as a poisoned blade.

"She won't be able to run far."

He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through the rooftops of Tea House City as if he already held the entire city in the palm of his hand.

"Pass the order down: everyone is to put on their gas masks."

His subordinate's expression shifted violently. "Lord Kidoyun!?"

"Before we arrived, didn't we bury quite a few Salamander hatchlings outside Tea House City?"

Kidoyun slowly curled his lips, his smile appearing all the more hideous within the shadows cast by his six arms.

"They were originally intended for an ambush, but it seems the time has come for them to be put to use."

He raised one arm and clenched his hand gently in his line of sight, as if he were already crushing the fleeing Tsunade between his fingers.

"Hear my command: release the poison! Use the poison to force Princess Tsunade out!"

The subordinate's pupils contracted sharply upon hearing these words.

"B-but, my lord! Once those Salamanders release their poison, what will happen to the civilians in the city?!"

His voice trembled, and cold sweat seeped from his temples.

"This Tea House City has nearly one hundred thousand civilians! They don't have gas masks; if they... if they inhale the toxin, it will be certain death for them!"

"And so what?"

Kidoyun tilted his head, his gaze falling upon his subordinate as if looking at a noisy insect.

"Nearly one hundred thousand civilians? The people of an entire city?"

His tone was as flat as if he were discussing the weather, yet his eyes were devoid of the slightest warmth.

"As long as the Demigod's long-cherished wish is fulfilled, our Small Nations Alliance will be able to carve out a path to survival amidst the encirclement of the Five Great Nations. When that time comes, a new great nation will be established, and naturally, more civilians will follow us."

He paused, the arc of his lips deepening slowly.

"As for these mere one hundred thousand people—they are but a necessary sacrifice before the deed is done."

"My lord!!"

"I said—"

Kidoyun suddenly stepped forward, one of his arms lunging out to seize the subordinate by the throat.

"I said release the poison. Are you deaf?!"