[Naruto: Superpower Roulette] Chapter 349 (Patreon)

"Why do I keep dreaming about catching Ino in those situations?"

Sakura woke up flushed and flustered, the vivid details of her dream replaying in her mind—the taut muscles, the wild movement, and Ino's cries still echoing in her ears.

When her hand inadvertently wandered lower, her face turned crimson. It had been four or five days in a row now, and every morning, she found herself in the same embarrassing predicament.

"Should I ask Ino about this?"

The thought crossed her mind, but she quickly shook her head, her face glowing red. No matter how close they were as friends, there were boundaries, and this was not something she could casually bring up.

Sakura tiptoed to the bathroom, grabbing a fresh set of clothes. After a long shower to clean herself, she changed into clean clothes and took her sheets to the washing machine to erase any lingering evidence.

By the time she finished, it was early morning. She busied herself preparing breakfast for Sarada. Once Sarada joined her at the table, Sakura quickly ate and left the house, eager to escape her thoughts.

These days, Konoha was on high alert. It felt like a return to wartime vigilance, with all shinobi required to be on call for at least twelve hours a day. The village's focus was on preventing disasters caused by the mysterious otherworldly beasts.

Despite thorough searches and coordination with neighboring nations, the third and fourth predicted disaster dates had passed without incident in the Five Great Nations. This brought both relief and concern.

Though there was no immediate threat, the beasts were still out there somewhere in the shinobi world. Their potential to wreak havoc remained a looming danger, and eliminating them before they surfaced was critical.

Yoichi, meanwhile, paid little attention to these beasts. The massive sea creatures from the first incident had been nothing more than an energy source for him. His ability, Yomotsu Hirasaka, allowed him to easily neutralize such threats.

For the past few days, Yoichi had been experimenting in the Kamui dimension, crafting potions and researching the white whale's remains. Though magic wasn't his forte, and the shinobi world lacked the proper environment for its use, he had made progress.

Using the whale's horn and its energy-rich heart, he synthesized a potion capable of countering the effects of its Oblivion Fog. Taking one dose would erase the user's existence from others' memories, while a second dose would restore it.

Yoichi tested it on his Kamui clone, and even he temporarily forgot the clone's existence. Only after the clone took a second dose did its presence return to Yoichi's awareness.

With only three doses created, two were used during testing, leaving just one vial. This potion was now a rare artifact, effective only for those affected by the Oblivion Fog.

That morning, Yoichi visited the white whale's remains, retrieving some tissues for further study. The visit didn't go unnoticed, and Temari quickly caught wind of it. She rushed to Yoichi's shop, her heart pounding with hope.

"You're back? What's the rush? Here to repay your debt?"

Yoichi descended from the upper floor, his voice dripping with sarcasm as Temari frantically rang the bell.

"I'll repay you once I regain my existence," she said, her tone softening. "I heard you studied the whale's corpse. Did you find anything?"

"Your sources are reliable," Yoichi remarked, motioning for her to follow him upstairs.

Temari hesitated for a moment before complying. Her desperation to reclaim her identity outweighed any reservations.

On the third floor, Yoichi handed Temari a cup of tea before sitting across from her.

"There's been some progress," he admitted. "The findings suggest a connection to the whale's abilities. However, Konoha has its own researchers working on this, so you might want to wait for their results."

Temari frowned. "I spoke with Shikamaru about that. He mentioned Orochimaru is involved, but progress has been slow... and Shikamaru..."

Her voice faltered. Lately, her frequent visits to Shikamaru had only strained their interactions. Her attempts to discuss family matters, such as Shikadai's diet, had been met with frustration.

Yoichi dismissed Temari's personal struggles. To him, she lacked the allure of someone like Ino but could still serve as a distraction.

"My research has advanced thanks to the whale's materials," Yoichi said, redirecting the conversation. "But it's been costly. Acquiring the essential organs on the black market wasn't cheap."

"The black market?" Temari questioned, confused. "I thought the whale was in Konoha's custody."

"It was already incomplete when Konoha found it," Yoichi lied smoothly. "I don't know how parts ended up elsewhere, but those materials were exorbitantly priced."

Shifting gears, he added, "Have you found the items I requested? Without them, even if I solve this, I won't help you."

"I... I haven't," Temari admitted, her voice trembling. "Could we negotiate? I'll pay—five million ryo? Ten million?"

Yoichi scoffed. "Money is meaningless to me. I'd pay ten times that amount for the ingredients I need. You misunderstand—it's not about the money; it's about value."

"But those items are impossible to find!" Temari protested, her frustration mounting.

"That's your problem, not mine. Everything comes at a price."

Yoichi sipped his tea leisurely before continuing, "I estimate I'll have the antidote ready in four or five days. But it won't last—ten days at most before losing potency. Find the materials or..."

Temari's patience snapped. "You're toying with me! You never intended to help!"

She grabbed Yoichi by the collar, her anger flaring.

Yoichi remained calm. "You want my help for free? Why should I? We're not friends."

After a brief pause, he smirked. "Of course, there's another way to pay."

Temari froze. "What do you mean?"

Yoichi's smirk deepened. "Spend one night with me. I'll give you the antidote for free. If that's off the table, then gather the items I need."

"You... you bastard!" Temari raised her fist, fury in her eyes.

Before she could strike, Yoichi quickly traced a rune in the air, binding her movements.

"You're not interested? Fine," he said coolly, stepping back. "We'll consider this matter closed. Don't come back."

(End of Chapter)

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