Layers Upon Layers

He had started his own garden back home and was growing several plants to test out for medicinal herbs. Most seemed to only give pain relief or help to close wounds a bit more quickly, but no more than the average ointment. He had begun his exploration into pharmaceuticals in order to find a secondary method to his jutsu to assist others. To Dracoso, in combat there were three elements to always consider: tactics, confrontation, and recovery. His clan's ability provided plenty of ability when it came to tactics and, with a touch of Genjutsu mixed in, he could apply them effectively for nonlethal methods. Sutsui also provided plenty of tactical awareness herself through many of the abilities she had been building up across their missions as well.

When it came to confrontation, Dracoso felt that he was more of a long-range combatant. His clones and other abilities helped to give him a better handle over the situation while he built out his own abilities. He also had close range methods to deal with opponents and to paralyze them if needed. The main area he felt could use some improvement would be recovery. He could reattach limbs and deal with many forms of toxins that directly impacted him, but he did not have a good means for supporting others. He also could only do so much with his own abilities and skills and wanted to create alternatives to help others when his own strength failed.

Talks with the medical staff at the academy had given him some ideas to consider. He realized how limited his own supply of materials was and that he would need to expand his connections or his efforts to improve this. While the staff couldn't give him directions on which plants to specifically retrieve, they did discuss the effects of certain plants. "You need to understand, I cannot tell you whether a plant has more powerful or effective poisons than others and whether or not you could use them with your jutsu. There have been too many instances where young ninjas have ended up injured or dead simply because of the steps you are trying to take," The staff member had explained. 

Dracoso nodded and responded, "I understand that. I am not asking you on how to make poisons or deliver them to others. I have already looked into those aspects and made sure to take the proper training to prepare for that. What I am looking for is to find which plants you might suggest collecting if I wanted to make alternatives to poisons." The staff member looked to Dracoso for a few moments before asking, "What kind of alternatives are you considering?" Dracoso smirked softly, trying to emulate his old teacher, "I want to make anesthetics to knock out my opponents or weaken them, rather than kill them." The man sighed softly before reaching up for a large tome sitting above the medical desk. He pulled it down and began to sift through the pages until he found a few he read from.

"Some of the lesser plants that you could use are Thyme or Clover. They both can be added into medicines and foods to provide medicinal benefits. They take time to come into effect and can lessen pain, support digestive health, and add unique flavors to each. Some herbs, such as the Asteraceae, have numbing effects which provide temporary relief from pain and can be used to render individuals harmless. This can work on both animals and humanoids to different extents..." As the man read on, Dracoso took notes on and began to consider applications for each of these herbs, if he ever encountered them. Even with how much was being done and said, Dracoso noticed the staff member pause on one page and tap the corner softly, thinking to himself.

"Hemlock," the staff member said with a strained sigh. "From what you have described, this may be what you are looking for. Though, I do advise you to consider thoroughly before you decide to go after this one." Dracoso looked at him curiously and asked, "Why do you say that?" The man stared at the page for another minute before looking to Dracoso. "This herb is very complex and has many different pieces to it. Each piece can be used in a different manner and can provide plenty of medicinal application. At the same time, it is one of the strongest herbs out there when it comes to poisons that impact the nervous system. It has the ability to shut down a person's entire body and brain by simply injecting it into them. With the right delivery system, a person would not even know it was there before they were dead," he ended on a solemn note.

Dracoso hesitated for a moment before asking, "if it is so dangerous, why is it not used more often?" The man tapped the book softly in thought before responding, "several reasons. The first is that many people who do not process the parts of the plants carefully could end up horribly poisoning themselves. The second is because even for killers, it is seen as an inhumane way to kill an individual as the pain from your nervous system shutting down is excruciating if not done correctly. Another reason is because it is very easy to determine hemlock as a cause of death and some individuals can be tracked by it if they aren't careful. These are all reasons I hesitate to suggest it to you." 

The seriousness in the staff members eyes caught Dracoso firmly in their grasp. He broke eye contact to contemplate his options. Many of the herbs that he had heard of so far would be useful in lesser situations, but they did not give him the capability to deal with active threats. Any poison, once understood, could be turned into an antidote or have its strength weakened or increased. He knew it would take a lot of time and preparation to have something he could apply, but for now, he needed to choose a starting point. "With how dangerous it is, I will need a lot of direction on the correct means for extracting and processing the plant. I will also need to understand the risks and how I might deal with them when I encounter them," he said.

The staff member nodded and pulled the tome over so that it was sitting in front of both of them. "The first thing to understand about this plant is the five parts. The flowers, the fruit, the leaves, the seeds, and the stem. They each hold different amounts of the poison in them, depending on where they are along their growth pattern, and they each can be used for processing. The stem always has the lowest level of poison within it and makes for a good place to begin practicing extraction. The stem is also a good identifier as it has a bit of red coloring to it that can be easily spotted when you are gathering them. The white flowers of the plant are also a good way to recognize hemlock from amongst other plants..."

The man went on for a few hours while Dracoso tried to take in as much knowledge as he could. Learning about the different phases of the fruits and when the leaves and flowers would gather poison before feeding it into the fruits. He spent a good bit of time understanding that using gloves may help, but that he would need to cleanse his equipment once he was done to remove any possible poison. One drop of unrefined hemlock poison could still leave someone in pain and agony for several days. The closer to the heart the wound is, the more likely the person would not survive the encounter. 

At several points throughout the day, students would either come by to visit or need to be treated and Dracoso would sit back and watch the staff member at work. More often than not, the man would give the child some basic treatment for scratches and bruises and have them rest for a short time. For some, he provided them with minor chewable painkillers when they had injured themselves practicing jutsu. One serious case ended up with a child halfway transformed and he could not seem to undo it. The man helped to redirect the chakra within the boy and he was able to slowly reform back to normal. The boy thanked the staff member repeatedly until he was told to take remedial transformation classes to make sure he did not have the same issue.

Whenever a child was resting nearby, Dracoso and the man spoke in hushed tones. They wanted to avoid disturbing the child, but also to not let them hear on the process of handling such deadly materials. Dracoso drew a rough copy of the hemlock plant from the image in the book and the two of them wrote notes that could provide quick details when working with the plant. The man made Dracoso promise not to share this with others unless they were trained medical professionals and had a reason to apply such means. Dracoso asked after a moment, "you had mentioned that it also has medicinal applications earlier. What kind of applications have already been created?"

The staff member held up a hand as he counted off, "it is one of the strongest pain relievers out there, when diluted. It also works as a numbing agent in certain wounds to allow for surgical purposes. If altered correctly, it can also be used for sterilizing wounds and injuries as it can also kill many nanoscopic beings that spread disease and infections. Those these applications would require a more advanced setup of technology than we have here. Perhaps you could set up your own lab in the future to help craft some of these materials?" the man suggested. Dracoso thought on the idea of improving his ability to make potions and anesthetics. 

The rest of the lesson passed rather quickly. He took down several notes on proper containment and storage for the Hemlock and finally came to the question that would determine what other preparation he would need. "Where can I find Hemlock?" he asked the staff member. The man looked at him for a moment before saying, "pretty much anywhere." Dracoso paused for a moment, trying to process this. His face slowly filled to incredulity. "What do you mean anywhere? Isn't it only grown in specific circumstances and can only be harvested by high-ranking-?" the man held up a hand to cut him off before speaking, "To be more specific, it grows pretty much anywhere that large numbers of plans grow. Near pastures, in fields or plains, even along some streams. It all depends on how far the seeds spread. Hemlock grows freely out in the wilds and spreads whenever it can." 

Dracoso imagined just how many times he may have passed hemlock plants back when he was handling his tasks at the academy or when he was running missions across the country. "Why are more people not harmed by their presence then? I can only imagine that some would be injured or hurt just by running into the plants? Wouldn't farmers have difficulty dealing with them?" he asked. The staff member shook his head, "To answer each of your points: unless you are handling or ingesting the plants, you are safe. The plants only transfer the poison within itself and to creatures that try to harm or eat the plant. If a person ran into the plant, they may get a little bit of the poison on them, but the worst thing to happen may be a painful rash. As for farmers, many plan specific times in the hemlock's growth pattern to remove them safely to avoid spreading seeds or poison. As they are not looking to harvest or process hemlock, removal is much simpler for them."

Dracoso nodded and discussed a good place to start searching for the hemlock near the village. The staff member seemed to think for a moment before something came to him. "You know, there was a mission put up a while back that some people have attempted to collect on. The need rises and falls from time to time, but I believe several groups are looking for individuals to gather hemlock. Whether for the poison or just to clear some of our fields, I believe some researchers have that mission active right now. As for where to search, there are some farmlands not too far off from the village." The staff member pulled out a map and pointed to a few areas of farmland. One area stood out to Dracoso. He had done a task there which his teacher had set up for him pulling weeds for the farmer to clear his lands. This seemed like a good opportunity to go visit.

With many thanks to the staff member, Dracoso headed out for the mission center. He kept looking over the image of the hemlock and the notes he had taken. He wanted to drill them down into his memory to be as effective as possible when harvesting the plants. He was so focused on his review that he nearly walked into the standee placed outside of the center. As he narrowly avoided it, pivoting around the object, he made his way into the building towards the desk. He asked the assistant if the mission to collect hemlock was still available. She pulled out an old clipboard with a sheet on it and blew off a light layer of dust. Before he could read it, she placed a waiver on top of the document.

"Due to the highly poisonous nature of the plant known as hemlock, we require all Genin and Chunin to sign off that they understand the dangers involved," she said to him as he picked up the document. Quite a bit of the paper outlined details on how the hemlock could harm and/or kill ninjas who handled it incorrectly. From the small things like rashes and infections to full on death by cardiac arrest. Dracoso saw one young shinobi nearby glance at his document before looking away uncomfortably. Dracoso signed off the document and pulled up the mission form to read over.

The sheet outlined that Hemlock could be found in most fields and pastures and that, due to the need for caution, they would be required to deliver the materials without processing them. Hemlock of higher purity could be found near areas with more access to water and fertilized soil, so pastures were preferred. Once the purity of the hemlock was discerned, a pouch of the fully processed hemlock leaves would be provided to the individual who completed the mission. No further questions or information would be requested from the individual and that any and all connections back to the requesting party would be considered severed upon completion of the request.

The request felt rather formal, and protective, but it made sense with just how far some people had to go to work with hemlock. Dracoso signed off on the document and confirmed with the assistant that he would take on the mission and return with the materials in hand. She provided him with a similar sack to one of his past missions and he headed off for the village gate. A few of the guards waved to him as he approached. He shared his plans for the mission with the guards and one showed concern for him. "My cousin tried to gather up some hemlock a while back because of the pay. He ended up sick in the hospital because he wasn't careful with the leaves. He said that they were sharper than he thought, and that one cut was enough to put him out of commission."

Dracoso nodded and pulled out the thick leather gloves that he had borrowed from his father. They were resistant to sharp edges, allowing his father to test blades more closely with little chance for injury. He had also borrowed some goggles and a facemask from the medical staff member to avoid any wind particles or spores being breathed in or getting into his eyes. His lightweight bodysuit also covered the majority of the rest of his body, but he was considering picking up some of the R&D armor on his next time stopping back off into town. That might help avoid any further issues in having the right equipment for gathering and dealing with noxious situations.

The guards wished him well as he headed off to the farms which he remembered from months past. He also gave a quick smile and wave to the hunter's cabin that he spotted off in the distance, safely shaded within its copse. The walk was rather peaceful and Dracoso enjoyed seeing the animals running among the trees and the birds overhead. All the reading and discussion of poison and death had made him feel rather drained of energy. Returning back to the sights and sounds of nature rejuvenated him and gave him a sense of drive. He felt that if he could find a way to process and rework hemlock, perhaps he could find a safer way to preserve life and undo some of the anxiety people showed whenever its name was said.

The farm was far more alive than the last time he had visited. When he had stopped by before, the fields had been full of weeds and most of the farm animals had been lazing around its edges in the sun. Now, the cows seemed far livelier in their barn where Dracoso imagined they were tended to daily. Several crops of corn and other plants were growing neatly, and the farmer was surveying each field carefully as Dracoso walked up. It took a minute, but after the farmer noticed Dracoso, a smile split across his face. "So, you are back? I have heard a couple of the stories about you around town and some of your achievements. The sand situation was a pretty big one, but I also heard you handled some bandits with that blowhard architect was here," the farmer said curiously.

Dracoso nodded, "I wasn't the only one handling the sand. Quite a bit of the guard was on duty and all I really did was suggest using some water scrolls to move it along. The bandits that attacked did not seem all that strong, but I was lucky that there were so many of us. I do not think I would have done very well in a two-on-one fight myself. Having the other guards to at least increase our numbers helped a lot." The farmer nodded and gave a soft chuckle, "well, at least it sounds like you have done some growing up. Don't give your teacher too much trouble, though. He seemed out of sorts when he gave you my task, so I can only imagine what trouble you have gotten into now that you are the one choosing the missions. Hope you have not eaten any more grass since we last met." Dracoso sighed heavily as he remembered thinking that transforming into a cow to eat the weeds would be a good solution. He did not realize that the beginner's version did not transform your digestive tract as well.

"Well, it is good to hear that you are doing well. What brings you out to visit today? I can't imagine that you are too excited to pull weeds again," the farmer said with a laugh. Dracoso shook his head, "No, I am here to see about dealing with another kind of plant. Hemlock to be specific." The farmer took on another curious look as he regarded Dracoso, "Hemlock, you say? Now what has you out here messing with that patch of poison?" With a shrug, Dracoso explained, "other than the mission I took on to gather some for research, I am hoping to find a way to use it as a paralytic. I have talked with some of the other shinobis, and they have mentioned that it could be used as a way to stop the nervous system in some individuals. I want to avoid having to kill many of my enemies, so I thought applying my knowledge and pharmaceutical skills might help make some new solutions."

The farmer nodded and gave a shrug as he motioned to Dracoso to follow him. He led Dracoso towards the back of the barn and talked while they walked. "Well, I usually just dig up what I find of it around my lands to keep the animals safe. I do not want them eating any of that trouble. I do already have a small pile of the things dug up and placed over towards the corner of my pasture. If you want, you could look through that and, if it is not fresh enough, there are a couple of patches over by the opposite corner." He pointed towards a small pile of white flowers which appeared to be stacked carefully out of the way so the animals would not wander over to it. Towards the other end of the pasture, several patches of white flowers stood out behind a wooden fence for keeping the animals in.

Dracoso wanted to aim for a high level of purity and knew that digging up the plants removed the nutrients that the plant needed to keep its balance. "Well, I am happy to harvest the pile you have dug up, but I will probably find the still planted hemlock to have stronger materials to work with." The farmer nodded and said, "well alright, just make sure you do not leave too much if possible. Remove the roots too so that it reduces the chance of the poison seeping into the nearby grass. I may want to expand in the future, and I do not want any possibility of other issues," he explained. Dracoso nodded and agreed before heading off to the still standing hemlock.

The patches were well-spread, as described in the book he had reviewed. When dug up at the wrong time, the plant releases seeds to into the wind to try to spread them out to avoid total removal. Each step in the plant's growth determined whether certain actions could be taken and whether there would be consequences. Dracoso began by observing the size of the fruits, the budding of the flowers, and how many of the leaves were still green and healthy. As he slowly worked his way through his mental notes, he found that there were a few dozen plants which matched the prime point for harvesting. He slipped the leather gloves on along with the goggles and face mask and began his process.

He started by gently spritzing the inside of his sack with water before gently cutting full branches off each plant. Once the intact leaf branches were removed, he gently removed the partially grown fruits and placed them to one side before spritzing them and placing them into the sack. The seeds were extracted from the flowers and placed in a small separate bag. He then worked his way down to the base of each plant and pulled the firm line of the stem up, extracting the roots slowly. He cut the root system off from the base of the stem and then stored it off to one side. He repeated this across the thirty or so plants that he determined made up what appeared to be the purest point of extraction. The branches were placed down the center of the sack with the flowers on one side and the fruits grouped on the other. The stems were strapped together and placed on top of the branches before the bag of seeds was placed on top.

The process was slow and took him several hours. He had to repeatedly wash his gloves, facemask, and goggles to prevent too heavy of a buildup of hemlock on them. At one point, he had a clone take over the process of gathering while he sat down with the second clone to wash his gear carefully. Once the main plants were done, he headed back over to the already cut stack of hemlock. Most were already in decay, but one or two off to the sides had survived enough to focus their last nutrients into a single flower or two. He harvested these and placed them on top of the flowers within the sack before sealing the top off. He gathered up the sack and gave a goodbye to the farmer from a distance. This was just in case any of the poison or liquids from the plant were still present and avoid causing trouble for the farmer. 

As he headed back, he tested out his bloodletting skill and tried to cough up any of the toxin if it had gotten into his body. After a few coughs, he realized that he was still safe and clean and could relax. As he walked, Dracoso overheard a few munching noises and realized that Sutsui had slipped into the sack. She had pulled out one of the fruits and was nibbling away at it. Her body was secreting the toxic materials, so she safely enjoyed her snack. Dracoso resealed the sack, and washed down a disgruntled Sutsui, before continuing on back. The guards gave him a wide berth at the gate, knowing what he was carrying, and even the assistant at the mission desk seemed to be cautious of him. He gave her the sack and detailed how the materials were stored within it. He mentioned the bag of seeds as well and wrote down the specifics for how he chose when and how to harvest the hemlock. The assistant thanked him and carried the sack into a sealed room in the back before returning. She informed him that he would receive his reward upon confirmation from the requesting party.

The sun had already set by the time Dracoso left the mission center and the moon was partway into the sky by the time he arrived at home. His parents had waited for him to share in dinner and had a plate set out for him. When he explained what he had been working on that day, his mother quietly pulled the boarlings away from the table, creating distance between them and Dracoso. He put a hand over his eyes and shook his head softly before explaining the cleaning and precautions he had followed to make sure it was safe when he was done. They seemed to relax, but his mother still acted somewhat protective of what she referred to as the 'children.' 

The night went by peacefully and Dracoso stopped by the center in the morning. He was given the reward along with a small pouch of hemlock and a note. The note read: "Thank you for your hard work collecting these materials. The level of purity was of the highest we have seen before. We suggest reviewing the flower patterns for determining even higher levels of purity in your future endeavors. You will find processed prime plant petals and points within the provided bag. Thank you again and goodbye." Dracoso shrugged to the sense of finality that the note gave and gave the pouch a small shake. It had an airtight seal and fit easily in the palm of his hand. He figured this would be enough to start his testing to make a safe and effective paralytic for his future tactics.

{Exit}
B-Rank Mission: Pretty Plants, Potent Poisons
Listed Reward: 6000 Ryo + 30 AP + 1 Hemlock
Event Reward: 20 Beachside Tickets

WC Total: 4600
Stats Maxed: AP Chosen - +92 AP

Skill Learned: Chakra Sensory - 2000/2000 (1800 added to previous 200/2000 from last post: Throw it at the Wall and See What Sticks)

Jutsu Learned:
B rank - Cleansing Aura - 1750
C Rank - Chakra Absorption - 1000
B > A Rank - Poison Mist - 50/1000

You cannot learn chakra chains unless you are an uzumaki or an uzumaki teaches you asside from thatvlooks good please adjust your claims and let me know

Sorry for the oversight. I have updated it to Chakra Absorption. Let me know how this looks.

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