The Shinobi World's Scientist Lives Up to His Reputation

Another half a month passed.

The first high-end offline casino on Tanzaku Street was finally open!

The scene was spectacular, with gongs and drums booming, firecrackers exploding, red flags fluttering, and crowds of people everywhere.

Natsume wasn't exaggerating.

After all, Risato Kajiwara, the wife of Tanzaku Street's governor, had also come to show her support.

It proved that the meal had been worth it.

The only downside was that this madam was always rather handsy.

Her arrival also let everyone know that the background of Gunma Casino was far from simple.

Natsume guessed that the other casinos plotting against it might hesitate because of this.

And once they hesitated, they would miss their opportunity.

With the services Gunma Casino provided, it was entirely fair to say that they were operating on a completely different level.

The building had six floors.

For example, the entrance fee on the first floor was ten thousand ryo, and the treatment was the same as that of ordinary casinos.

But the sixth floor offered heavenly, ultra-high-end service.

First, the entrance fee was five million ryo. Second, all the dealers and attendants were partnered with the pleasure quarters on Tanzaku Street, and customers could do whatever they wanted with them. Finally, the food, drinks, and daily necessities were all the finest available in the Land of Fire.

It was no exaggeration to call it a life of luxury and debauchery.

Even if the other casinos wanted to imitate it, they would need a month or two. By then, it would already be too late.

Besides Gunma Casino, Gunma Bank also reopened.

Underground banks were all used for usury and had no deposit services.

The banks with deposit services were the aboveground banks established by the various countries.

In the original story, Jiraiya had once shown Naruto Uzumaki a bankbook.

He had deposited his money in the Land of Fire Bank.

But those banks were all noblemen's banks. They didn't accept ordinary small sums, only deposits of millions or tens of millions, and they paid no interest.

Gunma Bank was different.

Its model was almost identical to that of the banks in Natsume's previous life.

It accepted deposits of any amount and could even make money grow, paying interest on it.

Its loans were the same. The interest was relatively low, but collateral was required. Houses or ninjutsu were both acceptable.

With Gunma Casino and Gunma Bank, Natsume theoretically wouldn't have to worry about running out of money anymore, unless he had some huge expense.

For example, conducting research like Orochimaru did. No matter how much money one had, it wouldn't withstand that kind of spending.

Night fell.

Natsume sent a Wood Clone to Orochimaru's mansion again.

The main purpose was to trade for the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques.

"Wait."

After telling him the place and time of the transaction, Orochimaru suddenly stopped him.

"I have something here that you might be interested in."

He took out a bottle of potion and said, "I made this potion by neutralizing Hashirama Cells with Kano's cells. With long-term use, it gives people a certain chance of awakening Wood Style Talent. It's relatively safe."

Natsume raised an eyebrow. It was somewhat interesting, but not very much.

After all, he had already awakened Wood Style Talent.

"What other effects does it have?"

"It can improve a person's constitution and increase their Chakra."

Orochimaru paused before saying, "I suspect that if the dosage is large enough, one might even acquire Hashirama Senju's constitution."

That would probably require an astronomical amount.

Naturally, Natsume didn't expect to reach Hashirama Senju's level, but if it could enhance him to some degree, it wouldn't be a loss.

With the Wood Style Potion and Naruto Uzumaki's mother, he felt that his constitution might not catch up to Naruto Uzumaki's, but surpassing Sasuke Uchiha shouldn't be too difficult.

"What do you want?"

"To improve my own strength."

Orochimaru's expression darkened as he said, "I've already sensed my own limit. It's difficult for me to make any further progress."

Natsume thought that this was indeed a fact.

Without a Kekkei Genkai, Orochimaru practically represented the highest level a civilian ninja could reach.

At most, he could add Sage Mode, but there were only a few people who could even come into contact with that, much less master it.

Natsume had plenty of methods in the Destiny Point Shop.

But they were too expensive. There was no need, and it wasn't worth it.

Besides, Orochimaru's offer wasn't enough.

If all he was offering was a Wood Style Potion, Natsume might as well draw him an enormous pie.

"Since you've realized your limit, then don't be human anymore. Become a sage instead."

Natsume planned to tell him about the structure of the Sage of Six Paths.

In fact, Orochimaru had always been moving toward this path.

"A sage?"

Orochimaru immediately reacted and asked, "You mean the Sage of Six Paths?"

The story of the Sage of Six Paths founding Ninjutsu was widely circulated throughout the Shinobi World, so naturally, he knew about it.

"That's right. Do you know how to become the Sage of Six Paths?"

"Is that possible?"

Orochimaru didn't believe it at all. The Sage of Six Paths was a legendary figure, and whether he had even existed was a question.

Just creating the moon was already something no ninja could possibly accomplish.

"The Sage of Six Paths possessed two extremely important things: a Sage Body and a Sage Eye."

Natsume smiled faintly and asked, "Does the Sage Body sound somewhat familiar to you?"

"Sage Mode?"

Orochimaru's eyes lit up.

"That's right."

Natsume nodded. "But it has to be the most perfect Sage Mode."

In fact, the Sage Body and Sage Mode were not completely equivalent.

The Sage Body referred to the physical body of the Sage of Six Paths—in other words, vitality and physical energy.

Sage Mode was the state of being able to freely use senjutsu Chakra and senjutsu.

As the sons of the Sage of Six Paths, Asura and Indra inherited his Sage Body and Sage Eye respectively.

Unfortunately, children rarely inherited one hundred percent of their parents' talents.

The claims that the Senju Clan inherited the Sage Body and the Uchiha Clan inherited the Sage Eye did not refer to complete versions.

For example, when the Sharingan evolved into the Rinnegan, that was the true Sage Eye.

As for cultivating the Sage Body, Natsume believed it was related to Sage Mode.

But the difficulty was immense—so great that it was practically impossible.

So Natsume was drawing Orochimaru an enormous pie.

"Then what do you think the Sage Eye is?"

Natsume recalled how Jiraiya had recognized Nagato's eyes as the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths when he saw him, but hadn't known what they were called or how Nagato had obtained them. That was why he had believed Nagato to be the legendary Child of Prophecy.

Orochimaru shook his head.

"They're called the Rinnegan, and they evolve from the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"What?!"

Orochimaru rarely lost his composure.

He truly hadn't expected the Sage Eye to be connected to the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"The reason is simple."

Natsume explained, "The Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths."

Orochimaru smiled, somewhat bitterly.

So this was the true source of the strength of their two clans.

Damn bloodline theory!

"If you acquire the Sage Body and the Sage Eye, you may become the second Sage of Six Paths. At that point, no one will be your opponent."

Natsume hadn't lied to him, though the probability of success was zero.

Orochimaru's expression shifted unpredictably.

Those words had undoubtedly overturned all his previous efforts.

Why bother developing new ninjutsu?

Bloodlines are the real priority.

But he was Orochimaru, after all, and he quickly adjusted his mindset.

The Sage Body and Sage Eye were such wonderful things that he naturally couldn't let them pass him by.

He didn't necessarily have to become the second Sage of Six Paths. He would become the first Orochimaru Sage.

He would innovate upon what he inherited and develop ninjutsu that belonged solely to him.

If Natsume had known what he was thinking, he would have given him a thumbs-up.

The Shinobi World's scientist truly lived up to his reputation.

Young man, you have a bright future. Come with me and build a new world with Shinobi World characteristics.

"This information is worth more than one bottle of Wood Style Potion. Remember to prepare more."

Natsume dispelled the Wood Clone.

Orochimaru stared at the spot where he had vanished, speechless for a long time.

The method Natsume had described was extremely rough and contained no details.

For example, he had no idea how the Mangekyō Sharingan could evolve into the Rinnegan, or how the Sage Eye and Sage Body were supposed to be fused.

Moreover, he couldn't even determine whether the information itself was true.

But by coincidence, both Jugo, who corresponded to the Sage Body, and Itachi Uchiha, who corresponded to the Sage Eye, were people Natsume had pointed him toward.

The more Orochimaru thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.