It was no wonder Kazuyama and Chōmei were surprised—when they had been to Kusagakure before, there hadn't been nearly this many people.
"Something's off… could it be all these people just weren't in the village before?"
"But for so many to leave all at once? That's impossible."
Although shocked, Kazuyama kept his doubts to himself as he reached the northern part of the village. He picked a promising-looking crossroads and came to a slow stop.
Taking a moment to compose himself, he got ready to begin.
"Everyone, it seems you already know who I am—the wandering Yakushi—so I'll keep it short.
I have here medicine that strengthens the body and enhances chakra flow. One pill is 100,000 ryō—fixed price, no bargaining.
If you need it, come and buy it."
With that, Kazuyama stepped aside and waited for his "customers" to approach.
Though there were plenty of onlookers, no one came forward immediately. Many had simply come to watch the commotion after hearing the rumors.
After a while, only one ninja slowly stepped up.
He had seen the gatekeeper ninja take one of the pills earlier, and as a sensor-type himself, he knew that the chakra flow he sensed from the man afterward was no trick.
It had taken him some resolve, but he was going to try it—after all, the first to taste the grapes gets the sweetest bite.
"That'll be 100,000 ryō."
Kazuyama smirked inwardly. Couldn't resist, could you? This was how the market opened.
"Alright, but young man, I'd like you to take it right here. There are so many watching—you should set an example. Hmph, my medicine's the real deal!
But remember, swallow it whole, don't chew it. If anything happens, I won't be responsible.
Of course, as a Yakushi I could treat you… but the price might not be to your liking."
The ninja swallowed hard—the old man's smile was downright sleazy—but he took the pill and gulped it down without hesitation. He was too curious to wait.
The crowd's attention locked on him.
Closing his eyes, he focused inward.
And immediately, his eyes widened behind closed lids—his body was absorbing the medicine's effects, and his chakra really was flowing more smoothly, even growing stronger.
A pill for 100,000 ryō? Worth it.
"Old man, give me five more! Can I take them all at once?"
Kazuyama shook his head with feigned regret. "It's not that I don't want to sell to you, but each pill takes a full day to digest. If you swallow five, you'll destroy your body. Medicine's three parts poison—don't take it recklessly."
The ninja's face fell. He wanted more of this good stuff badly.
Then it hit him—if it took a day to digest one, why not buy five and space them out?
"No problem. One today, one tomorrow—five in five days. That's fine, right?
Here—500,000 ryō. Give me five." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
The people around him were stunned, especially the Grass ninja who recognized him as a member of the Sensor Division.
A man who could sense chakra himself was this excited after taking the pill—it had to be good.
The ninjas waiting for proof could hold back no longer.
"Old man, here's 500,000—I want five too."
"I'll just take one—100,000."
The scene quickly grew chaotic, and Kazuyama's smile widened. This was exactly what he wanted.
But his stock was limited—if everyone bought ten or more, he wouldn't be able to "treat" as many people as he liked.
"Everyone, it's not that I don't want to sell, but the quantity is limited. And the effects last a long time. So—two per person, maximum. That way, more people get a chance. Right?"
If he didn't limit sales, his supply might run out before he could ruin enough people.
No one seemed disappointed—instead, they began recruiting others to buy on their behalf.
The village civilians were the first choice. For them, the medicine only strengthened the body, but for ninjas, it boosted chakra flow—a massive benefit.
Seeing the scene still in disarray, Kazuyama spoke up again.
"Also, please don't crowd around me. Let's line up, shall we? That way it goes faster."
The ninjas trying to shove their way in quickly caught on and began forming a queue.
Before long, a line stretching out of sight had formed in front of him.
The sale had officially begun.
"Kazuyama, you're doing great—sell plenty! Hahaha, those two pills that guy took will have him puking for a week!"
"Ahaha, he's finished. I can feel it—that Scale Powder's an emetic!"
Before Kazuyama could say a word, Chōmei was already cracking up, watching pill after pill get carried off.
Every one of them was laced with his Scale Powder, each with its own nasty effect.
"Let them spread rumors about me—serves them right! I've still got hundreds left, enough to ruin them all!"
Kazuyama felt a surge of satisfaction as more people joined the line. Revenge was sweetest when you took their money and left them with disaster—killing the body was nothing; this was killing the heart.
"Ah! My head! My head's killing me!"
"This medicine—it's poisoned!"
A ninja who had just swallowed a pill collapsed only a few steps away, clutching his head and curling up like a shrimp.
The suddenness of it shocked everyone. Those who had taken pills turned pale, and those who hadn't scrambled back, staring at Kazuyama with suspicion.
"Old man, what's going on?!"
"Why'd this happen after taking it?"
Kazuyama was just as baffled. Impossible—the Scale Powder was designed to activate only after the pill dissolved completely. How could it hit so soon?
The rest who had taken pills checked themselves over, finding nothing wrong.
And so, the three sides—Kazuyama, the pill-takers, and the wary onlookers—stood frozen, watching each other in tense silence.