When every cell becomes a weapon, even breathing turns deadly.
The laboratory was filled with a faint purple haze.
A sickening stench of rotting flesh mixed with toxic fumes—enough to make anyone nauseous.
"I just rewarded you, and you died already?"
Kamizuki Gen sighed.
"At least return the Sharingan before you go."
Only after muttering that did he realize—
He was standing in the center of a highly toxic environment.
And yet—
when the radiation-laced purple gas entered his lungs—
instead of harm—
he felt refreshed.
Like breathing pure oxygen.
One word.
Incredible.
To him now—
poison was air.
Gen took a deep breath, satisfaction spreading across his face.
Inside his body—
every cell devoured the toxins greedily.
Moments later—
without noticing—
he became the center of a vortex.
The surrounding poison streamed toward him—
flowing directly into his body.
Less than two minutes—
and the entire 300-square-meter laboratory was clean.
Every trace of toxin—
gone.
Gen blinked.
No poison sac.
No special organ.
Every cell—
could store toxins.
And the human body had—
thirty to forty trillion cells.
That capacity—
was terrifying.
He raised his hand.
Smooth.
Pale.
Almost flawless.
"…It even whitens the skin?"
His eyes widened.
With a thought—
his fingers darkened instantly.
He could control it freely.
Condense toxins.
Liquefy them.
Or vaporize them through chakra—
release them through his pores.
He clenched his fist.
Black mist seeped out—
hovering before him.
Through the Sharingan—
he saw everything clearly.
Countless hyperactive toxin particles—
packed tightly together.
Dense.
Corrosive.
In battle—
with enough reserves—
he could create a full corrosive domain.
After battle—
perfect for cleaning up.
Gen thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
"I'll call it… Corrosive Poison."
For someone bad at naming—
he was satisfied.
Under normal conditions—
this technique required endless suffering.
Toxic baths.
Gradual resistance.
Now—
he skipped everything.
One step.
Complete.
He exhaled—
then frowned.
The air—
was empty.
He had already absorbed everything.
"…Great. I've become a human air purifier."
He shook his head.
Then looked down at the pile of flesh.
"Snake-san… did you see that? I've succeeded. This path—"
He stopped.
"…Hm?"
His gaze sharpened.
Something moved.
A twitch—
within the flesh.
Then—
a snake head rose.
Messy hair.
Sunken eyes.
Half a face melted.
It looked like Orochimaru.
"…Even in death you're trying to scare people?"
Gen frowned.
In an instant—
he moved.
A leap.
A spin.
A kick.
"Yah!"
Boom—!
The grotesque head slammed into the wall.
Blood and flesh splattered.
Then—
from its mouth—
a body fell out.
Orochimaru.
Barely alive.
"Gen…-kun… save me…"
He collapsed.
Weak.
Pathetic.
Inside—
he was screaming.
Already exhausted.
Poisoned.
And now kicked.
Who would speak for him?
Who?!
"…You're still alive?!"
Gen was genuinely shocked.
He appeared beside him instantly.
Examined him.
"Alright. How do I save you?"
"Help me… equipment room… right side…"
Orochimaru struggled.
Then suddenly—
"No… wait… I'm toxic… wear protection first…"
He didn't want Gen dying too.
Gen ignored him.
Lifted him directly.
In his hands—
Orochimaru felt soft.
Boneless.
Like a snake.
Or a molted shell.
"…?"
Orochimaru noticed something.
Where Gen touched him—
the toxins were being absorbed.
As they moved—
his breathing eased.
Vision cleared.
The air—
felt clean.
Realization hit.
Gen—
had succeeded.
But how?
He drank it.
That was it.
And reached completion?
If he survived—
he might try it too.
Then—
a thought surfaced.
"…I can't stay in Akatsuki."
Yes—
opportunities existed.
But every second—
was life-threatening.
They reached the storage room.
Gen opened the hidden mechanism.
Inside—
an operating theater.
At that moment—
a small white snake slipped out from Orochimaru's body.
Moments later—
three figures appeared.
"Orochimaru-sama!"
They knelt.
One—
a rough-looking middle-aged man.
Grass rogue ninja.
The other two—
women.
One—
Gen recognized.
Future vessel.
Ordinary.
Forgettable.
But the other—
made him pause.
No complicated reason.
Just one.
Very…
impressive.
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