217. Material [2]

MrProper

"Get going Suzu, I've got this!" (Tai)

"Mm, be right back" With a light response, Suzu angrily blasted off the ground, practically flying at the hastily-made unit of Genin from various villages. Intent on paying them back for the disservice they bestowed to Rei

{Geez. One look at what these guys were doing to Rei was all it took to set her off. Forget buying me some time, it'll be a wonder if they're still breathing when she's done with them} "Rei, sit still, you're not looking so good..." (Tai)

"Move at your leisure doctor-san" (Rei)

TAP!

Tai placed his hands on Rei's back, prepping to treat him with his Medical Ninjutsu. As one well versed in both treating and utilizing toxins, he could tell at a moment's glance his teammate had been afflicted by some unknown type of poison

{Hmmm...his forehead's temperature obviously indicates a fever, but the rest of his body is cold as ice} "Rei, how do you feel right now?" (Tai)

"Tired--no...sleepy above all else, but I don't feel the effects from the poison if that's what your asking" (Rei)

"Nothing? Not even pain?" (Tai)

Rei shook his head in affirmation, which only served to further puzzle an already confused Tai. In order to treat him, he had to determine exactly what type of poison was circulating through his system first, but his diagnosis took longer than he preferred

{"Can't feel anything", "getting sleepy", profuse sweating, and his heart rate...it's beginning to drop to dangerous levels. Scanning him now...I can tell there's not much poison in his system. Did he get rid of some prior to our arrival?} "Hold on, think I've got just what you need" (Tai)

RUSTLE!

Tai removed the standard shinobi pouch on his back, placing it down in front of him before rummaging through it. He took out several combipen autoinjectors and a device Rei just happened to recognize

"W-Whoa...surely you're not gonna-?!" (Rei)

"Yup. Sorry buddy, but there's no other choice. On the bright side, you'll live to pay back whoever did this to you" (Tai)

"You...You're enjoying this!" (Rei)

"Maybe a little...it's rare when I get the chance to mess with you" (Tai)

"Is this some kind of karma?" (Rei)

♦♦♦

While the boys stayed back, Suzu's confrontation with this enemy group was heating up!

"Here she comes!"

"It's only a single kunoichi, relax!"

SLAM!

{Doton: Retsudo Tenshō1Earth Style: Tearing Earth Turning Palm!} (Suzu)

Throwing her hands to the ground, Suzu broke the very ground under the group, shifting it into various elevations in the process. More than anything, the young lady wanted this group to stay within in her eyesight

If they managed to split up and go after her teammates, the situation would be all the more difficult to control

"Pfff, big deal! All you did was shake us up a little!" Another belligerent Genin from Amegakure2Hidden Rain Village yelled in a mocking tone, clearly implying how unimpressed he was with Suzu's opening move

"..." (Suzu)

"Hmph! I'll shred you into nothing!"

FLING!

Irritated with this girl, who already rendered his squad member unconscious, the very same young Genin that lead this group... he was first to strike back. Hurling several shuriken at Suzu while encouraging the others to follow in suit

In order to protect her teammates, she had no intentions of even letting them weave hand seals, let alone...retaliate!

{Fūton: Reppūshō3Wind Style: Gale Palm!} (Suzu)

BOOSH! FLICK!

With the raising of her arm, she released a gale of compressed air, bouncing the spinning blades right back at the group, injuring some of them in the process!

But she wasn't done yet...

{Can't give them a chance to breathe...!} "Doton: Tōjinbō4Earth Style: Fighting Blade Rod!" (Suzu)

CRUMBLE! BAM!

Pillars of stone rose from beneath, protruding in all sorts of unpredictable directions. The Genin, who couldn't even keep up with the girl's Ninjutsu speed, were violently blasted into the air!

"WHAAA?! UWOAH!"

"To use a Doton of this level so quickly... How can she-?!"

"Ah! Her first move was...!" {With the ground already loose and malleable thanks to her first attack, the scale of this one was increased dramatically...that's why she-!}

"D-Damn it...!"

WEAVE!

"Incoming!"

Just as some of the Genin discerned the true nature behind her attacks, Suzu had already prepared the next one, now that they were right where she wanted them!

"The next time you think about having fun with a Genin from Kumogakure, especially one of MY teammates...DON'T!" {Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku5Wind Style: Giant Vacuum Bullet!} (Suzu)

HEAVE! BOOSH!

With an incredibly deep breath, Suzu's final attack was released from her mouth in the form of a massive ball of compressed wind!

"AGGGH!"

"No No No No...can't move!!"

"DAMN IT! I knew we shouldn't have teamed up with you losers!"

"GO TO HELL!"

Not even giving them the chance to land on their feet after her previous Earth-based attack launched them in the air, they were literally sent flying away until their figures were no longer in sight

"Wind and Earth attacks in quick succession, at this level... is she a monster?! GAH!" The last of the Genin was swept away by the turbulent gale

Once they were all gone, Suzu finally calmed down, breathing a little easier after ensuring Rei was safe...

"Anyone who even tries to hurt those I care about will never have a happy ending..."

♦♦♦

"Well damn... when's she's mad, she's almost as violent as Rei. Speaking of whom...CLEAR!!" (Tai)

While Suzu was fighting, Rei had fell unconscious, unable to stay awake any longer with his depleted chakra reserves

Tai had remarkably managed to jumpstart his heart with what appeared to be a miniature defibrillator. The two leads attached to it were already placed on Rei's chest 

BZZZT! CRACKLE!

"UOMM?! HGNN!! (Rei)

"Aaaaaand...he's alive! Here, drink this!" Tai gave Rei a brew of medicine to drink that was distilled in record time while he was under

After hurling up more black "impurities", Rei snatched the drink his teammate provided for him, already in desperate to need to drink something for his throat was unbearably dry and parched

"Guoh...uhack! Ugh! Seriously, you can leave me to die next time!" {I never imagined the emergency field-med device I designed for Tetsuo to manufacture would have it's first test on me! I feel like crap!} (Rei)

"I gave you a carefully made cocktail mix of hydrocortisone, epinephrine, and other medicines to counteract the poison and keep your heart pumping. Then, with a quick jolt from this device Mori Sp. so graciously provided for the exams, and you live to continue your reign of tyranny for another day. You're welcome" (Tai)

"Haaaa...haaa... You're lucky I'm too disoriented to punch you--wait...Epinephrine? You mean adrenaline? Granted, I was tired from running so long but-" (Rei)

"You were more than just tired. Seriously! Whoever made this poison is even more sadistic than you!" (Tai)

"We should move" Finished with the enemy, Suzu advised the boys to hurry, for every second out in the open put them at risk

"!" (Rei)

"Agreed. Gimme a hand" (Tai)

TAK! TAK!

With his team helping him get back on his feet, Rei traveled with his arms over their shoulders as the team moved away from the area, eventually discovering an obscure shady spot next to a hill 

Suzu kept watch for any more potential hostiles lying in wait to attack as Tai applied his Medicial Ninjutsu. He could focus on getting Rei back into fighting shape now that he was no longer in critical danger

As they worked, Rei gave his teammates a quick rundown of everything he went through while they were separated, at their request

But instead of sharing his story, what he really wanted to know was...

"Again, what do you mean by sadistic?" (Rei)

"Hm? Oh right, the poison. You wanna know why you haven't noticed the effects of the poison until now? It's because along with it, a modified narcotic was mixed in" (Tai)

"Narcotic? Is he still in danger?!" (Suzu)

"No, it functions more like a painkiller, which normally wouldn't be bad, unless mixed with this particular, slow-acting poison. It cruelly numbs the victim's senses to ensure the effects are never discovered. I assume as time goes on, the victim becomes more and more tired before subtly loosing basic motor function, including the ability to properly knead chakra. Once total exhaustion occurs, they fall unconscious, and the heart eventually just...stops" (Tai)

"Unconscious..." (Rei)

"Whoever receives this poison literally works themselves to death..." (Suzu)

"Yes. Whoever made this had the clear intention of watching their target die...slowly. Honestly, there's no shortage of sick and deranged people in this world" (Tai)

{And because of that shit...Kisshōten6Auspicious Heavens was activated and now my body has once again undergone "recursion". Until my chakra is restored, I can't accurately discern how much I've "changed" again...} (Rei)

"Hold on...Rei already passed out, and woke up again...isn't that what you said?" (Suzu)

"H-Hm?! Oh...uh yeah. After I woke up, I fought some guys before heading here, where those jerks you defeated found me" (Rei)

Thanks to Rei's enhancements, the best any form of poison could do was slow him down. But all the trouble he went through as result of him protecting Iruka Umino still left him very unsatisfied...and upset

"If I ever see those Kiri asswipes again...I'm gonna-!" (Rei)

"Wait, so those guys were from Kirigakure7Hidden Mist Village, not Ishigakure8Hidden Rock Village?" Tai exclaimed in surprise

"Uh...Y-Yeah. Why were you expecting Ishigakure?" (Rei)

At his query, Tai and Suzu looked at each other with disconcertment, confusing Rei all the more. Now that he finally had a moment to breathe, Rei finally decided to change topics onto to more concerning matters

"Just what the hell happened to you guys while I was gone? And how did you find me?" (Rei)

"It certainly wasn't sunshine and rainbows after we separated. But if I were pick a place to start, it'd be our first enemy encounter...with that ridiculous Uchiha"