Her body felt hot?
Thinking of the name "Sand Lust Flower Poison" and the symptoms Kurenai had described, Gentō's expression turned peculiar.
Could this Sand Lust Flower Poison be an aphrodisiac poison that stirred up sexual desire?
Sunagakure ninja had always excelled at extracting all manner of strange toxins from the unique plants and animals of the Land of Wind.
Antidotes for many of those poisons were difficult to obtain, while some had none at all. Even medical ninja found them difficult to treat.
The system had only given him proficiency in basic Medical Ninjutsu, which could handle ordinary injuries.
He couldn't concoct an antidote to cure Kurenai.
If he absolutely had to purge the poison, it wasn't impossible, but he would have to use another method...
To confirm his suspicions, Gentō steadied himself and asked softly:
"When you say you feel hot, what exactly does it feel like? Describe it in as much detail as you can. This is important."
Struggling to stay conscious, Kurenai gave a halting description:
"My stomach... it feels like there's a fire burning inside, spreading through my whole body... it's so hot it hurts..."
"And I... mmm..."
Her voice grew softer, trembling uncontrollably:
"And... my heart... it feels like a feather is brushing against it. It tickles a little..."
Before she could finish, she suddenly bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushing scarlet.
By then, Gentō was certain. These were the unmistakable signs of an aphrodisiac poison taking effect.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he forced himself to speak:
"Kurenai... you may have been poisoned with an aphrodisiac. This kind of poison... stirs up desire and clouds your mind."
"An aphrodisiac poison?"
Kurenai looked bewildered. The poison had already begun slowing her reactions.
"Gentō... can you... can you cure it?"
"The usual way to purge it... requires... intercourse with someone of the opposite sex, so the toxins can be expelled through bodily fluids..."
A heavy silence settled over the cave.
Only their slightly quickened breathing remained.
To break the suffocating awkwardness, Gentō took a canteen from his ninja tool pouch and offered it to her:
"Have some water first. It might help a little."
Kurenai tried to reach for it, but a powerful wave of dizziness suddenly struck her.
In her vision, Gentō's figure swayed and doubled, finally seeming to become enveloped in a pink haze.
Just as she tried to focus, the scorching torrent surging through her body smashed through the final barrier.
"Mmm!"
Kurenai let out a soft, breathy moan.
Her body swayed uncontrollably.
A wave of weakness left her nearly limp. Her knees buckled, and she pitched forward.
Fortunately, Gentō reacted quickly and caught her before she fell.
"Kurenai, are you all right?"
Gentō's anxious voice reached her ears.
Kurenai wanted to answer, but her consciousness was already growing hazy.
Before her awareness faded completely, her body moved toward Gentō on instinct.
She leaned close, tilted her face up, and kissed him on the lips.
Their kiss seemed to suppress the poison briefly.
But an even stronger resurgence followed, leaving her craving that feeling and wanting more.
"Gentō... I... want..."
Faced with the desire in Kurenai's eyes, Gentō lost all reason as well.
His hands began to wander...
Soon, like dry tinder meeting a raging flame, the two of them burned fiercely.
Meanwhile, in Konoha, at the Hokage's Office.
Asuma Sarutobi stood before Hiruzen and demanded angrily:
"Old man, why did you send Kurenai on such a dangerous mission? She's a Chunin who only knows Genjutsu!"
"Enough!"
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, cut him off sharply.
He knocked his pipe hard against the desk.
"I summoned you to inform you that you will leave for the Daimyō's Mansion today to serve among the Twelve Guardian Ninja, not to listen to you question me!"
If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author. Perhaps the title has simply changed!
"But her team doesn't even have enough members! What if she runs into danger?"
"Konoha is short of personnel right now. Every ninja must shoulder heavy responsibilities!"
Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe, suppressed his anger, and explained gravely.
"This is wartime. There are no exceptions."
"Then I can't leave either!"
Asuma clenched his fists.
"You want me to hide somewhere safe protecting those pampered daimyo while my comrades risk their lives and die on the front lines? I won't do it!"
Hiruzen studied his son for a moment before finally softening his tone and exhaling a thick cloud of smoke:
"Asuma... once the war ends, I will step down as Hokage."
Asuma's pupils contracted.
"What? Why?"
"Since the Third Shinobi World War began, Konoha has suffered repeated attacks from other nations, yet we have failed to win a single victory decisive enough to deter our enemies. The Daimyō has seen no return on his investment in the village, and he is already dissatisfied with me."
Hiruzen's voice was low and weary.
"Politics has never been confined to the battlefield. Someone has already called for my removal before the Daimyō. Once the war ends, I will have to step down as Hokage."
Asuma froze, staring at the gray in his father's temples, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Jiraiya and Tsunade are traveling far from the village, and Orochimaru's performance on the battlefield has also been poor..."
"The next Hokage must have the approval of Konoha High Command and the Daimyō of the Land of Fire. The choice of the Fourth Hokage is no longer within my control."
At that, Asuma silently lit a cigarette and took a hard drag.
He realized that he seemed never to have considered things from his father's perspective.
Now that he did, he found that the old man didn't have it easy either.
Hiruzen stepped closer and lowered his voice further.
"I need you to earn the Daimyō's approval. Once your term as a Guardian Ninja ends, I will use my connections to arrange a teaching position for you at the Ninja Academy. The heirs of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans will be assigned to your class."
His gaze burned with intensity:
"Then, when the Fourth steps down, you will have the support of the ninja clans and the Daimyō's trust. Only then can you be certain of winning the position of Fifth Hokage."
Anger suddenly crossed Asuma's face.
"The position of Hokage should be won through strength! Not through schemes like this!"
"I would rather never become Hokage than gain the position this way!"
"Naive!"
Hiruzen snapped.
"Every Hokage has arisen through succession! The Will of Fire must endure. Konoha's future must be entrusted to someone who truly understands it!"
Seeing his son remain stubbornly defiant, Hiruzen suddenly remembered his weakness and said:
"Once the war ends, Kurenai Yuhi will be promoted to Special Jōnin. She will also join the Academy and teach the heirs of the Hyuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans."
Asuma's head snapped up.
Seeing that his tactic had worked, Hiruzen continued:
"She will stay away from dangerous missions and teach safely in the village-until the two of you marry."
"Then, when you run for Fifth Hokage, you will have the support of nearly every ninja clan in Konoha and successfully become Hokage!"
Hiruzen spoke each word deliberately.
"This is my promise to you. What you must do is become a Hokage worthy of her and of Konoha's future, and pass on the Will of Fire!"
Asuma's lips trembled, but every objection lodged in his throat.
"Asuma Sarutobi!"
Hiruzen stepped back, his voice regaining the authority of the Hokage.
"As the Third Hokage, I order you to depart today for the Daimyō's Mansion and fulfill your duties as a Guardian Ninja. There will be no delay!"
After a long silence, Asuma finally lowered his head and dropped to one knee:
"...Understood."
He rose, opened the door, and left without looking back.
He repeated silently to himself:
Kurenai, you have to wait for me.
When I return... I'll tell you how I feel in person.
The corridor lights stretched his shadow long.
Silence returned to the Hokage's Office.
Seated in the Hokage's chair, Hiruzen gazed in the direction his son had gone, drew deeply on his pipe, and slowly exhaled.
"Asuma, someday, when you sit in this chair yourself, you will understand..."
He turned his gaze toward the statue of the Second Hokage, his eyes filled with an indescribable complexity.
"The position of Hokage must be entrusted to someone who has truly inherited the Will of Fire, and... is willing to burn himself away for Konoha."
"Asuma, I will clear every obstacle from your path... because you cannot lose!"
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