Naruto: Can't Use Ninjutsu? I'll Create the Strongest Fighting Style-Chapter 16: A Freaking Science Bath

The next morning, at the medical division.

Kitayama arrived at the clinic with a book in hand, assuming she'd be the first one there. But to her surprise, the lights in the men's locker room were already on, and wisps of steam drifted out from underneath the door.

And that wasn't all.

The mist carried a strange, pungent smell.

Frowning in hesitation, she finally decided to investigate.

As soon as she cracked the door open, a wave of thick, acrid medicinal steam slammed into her face, making her cough violently. It took several moments before her lungs adjusted to the harsh scent. Inside, the fog was so dense, she couldn't see her own hand in front of her.

Once she confirmed the fumes weren't poisonous, she cautiously stepped in.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?"

No response.

Step by careful step, she advanced into the room until she reached the showers. That's when she found the source of the steam.

Inside one of the large bathing tubs, a handsome boy lay stretched out in the darkened water. Whatever he'd added to the bath had turned the entire tub inky black.

"Garou, what the...! Hey!"

Thinking he had passed out, She panicked and rushed over, but her foot caught on a small pile of discarded clothes, and she pitched forward straight into the tub.

Even though she was a Special Jonin, she had spent more time healing than training. Her body wasn't exactly in prime combat shape anymore. There was no saving that stumble.

SPLASH!

"Ow...!"

Luckily, she landed stomach-first. Any lower, and poor Garou's promising youth might have come to an abrupt end.

Clutching his gut, Garou sat up in the water, stunned.

"Pleh! Puh! Ugh!"

Kitayama's head burst out from under the surface, sputtering and coughing, water dripping from her chin. Her face twisted in disgust. The liquid was bitter as hell. She hacked a few times, then gasped in lungfuls of air, her soaked shirt clinging tightly to her body, making certain... parts quite pronounced.

Good thing the steam was so thick. It concealed more than a towel could.

"You little brat! I thought you were unconscious!" freēwēbnovel.com

Shu was furious, her cheeks flushed.

She'd nearly had a heart attack rushing to check on him, only to find him soaking in a chemical stew like it was a spa day.

"My bad, sensei," Garou muttered, hurriedly reaching for a towel to shield himself. "I was... doing an experiment."

"..."

Shu glared at him for a moment before turning away without another word.

'Unbelievable. The kid was taking a freaking science bath.'

She walked back out and cracked open the ventilation system. Slowly, the fog began to clear.

Just as she was about to leave, she glanced down, remembered her wet, clingy shirt, and bolted out of the room before Garou emerged.

Only to find Hyakusa standing in the hallway, frozen like a deer in headlights.

"...Kitayama-senpai?"

"That little punk's running an experiment," she blurted, cheeks burning. "Just go take a look yourself."

Without waiting for a reply, she ducked back into the women's changing room.

Hyakusa hesitated for a second, then pushed open the locker room door. The cocktail of smells hit her like a punch. Even with all her experience as a medical ninja, she couldn't handle it. She slammed the door shut, gagging.

A few minutes later, Garou stepped out, looking sheepish.

"Sorry," he said. "My house doesn't have a proper hot water system, so I figured I'd come here and run the experiment overnight."

"You ran an all-night experiment?" Kitayama gaped, then scowled. "Are you insane? You seriously used your own body for that?"

"It's not as risky as it sounds," Garou explained. "I tested the first version already, no harm to the body, just minimal effect. Last night I modified it again. Worst case, it just dilutes the potency, not turn it into poison."

Kitayama folded her arms, expression dark. Every drug needed extensive trials. Even if he had good instincts, this wasn't some amateur potion class.

At least the kid wasn't testing on others.

But still, using himself was reckless.

"Sensei, I get it now. I was careless."

"'Careless'? You say that like it's a sneeze!"

Kitayama almost laughed from sheer frustration.

This wasn't the first time either. The kid had done the same thing with those military ration pills, finishing them in secret and only telling her after the fact.

"Yes, I truly understand. I won't do it again!"

"Liar. If I blink, you'll be back in that tub."

She let out a deep breath, reigning in her anger.

She wasn't mad at the mistake. She was worried sick.

"Look," she said finally, voice gentler, "I know you're a prodigy, but that doesn't give you a free pass to gamble with your health. If something went wrong, who would find you in the middle of the night?"

Garou nodded, silently absorbing her words.

Her voice softened.

"Alright, this is over. Now tell me. What exactly are you working on?"

Shu was genuinely curious. She'd scolded him because she cared, but she also knew the boy was brilliant. As long as it wasn't S-rank jutsu, he could learn nearly anything in a matter of days. His creativity was off the charts.

If it were anyone else, she'd have kicked them out ages ago.

"Herbal infusion baths," Garou said.

"...What now?"

"Basically, a soak that reduces muscle fatigue and enhances nutrient absorption," he explained.

Though she was a healer, Shu had trained hard once. She immediately saw the potential. Military ration pills helped with stamina, but nothing truly treated muscle soreness or physical strain effectively.

If Garou's formula worked, this would sell like crazy. People would line up daily to buy it.

Especially because of the second effect, accelerated absorption.

That could mean quicker recovery, faster growth, and improved training results.

"Where are you on ingredients?"

Garou laid it out clearly.

Versions one and two worked best, but they required two rare herbs that were expensive and hard to find. Supply would never keep up with demand.

Versions three and four were much weaker but used common ingredients and were easy to reproduce.

Version five was a middle ground, better than three and four, but cost twice as much.

So basically, there was no perfect formula yet.

Kitayama thought it over and said, "Do some controlled testing. If you're okay with giving up a bit of profit, the medical division can help trial the product."

"No problem," Garou answered without hesitation.

"You sure? Even if the ingredients seem cheap now, this thing's a consumable. People will buy it daily. Even with just a 10% cut, that money will stack fast."

"I don't care about the money," he replied. "As long as I have enough to live, that's fine. Honestly, I'd rather spend that time training or inventing a new jutsu than chasing profits."

"..." Kitayama clenched her jaw. He was so earnest it made her want to throttle him.

After a long pause, she finally said, "Fine. Submit your notes tomorrow, and I'll have Hyakusa and the others run the first trials. For now, get some rest."

"Yes, sensei!"

Garou closed the office door behind him.

Seconds later, a loud BANG sounded from within, the unmistakable noise of a book slamming into a desk.

She was probably trying not to hurl it at his head.

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