Two Hundred Million Ryo

After leaving the training ground, Uchiha Gen headed to the Military Police Force again.

It couldn't be helped. Since the matter had been settled, he naturally had to report back to Fugaku Uchiha.

Uchiha Gen was in an exceptionally good mood all the way there.

He truly did want immortality, and Orochimaru's complete lack of suspicion had been within his expectations.

First of all, from Orochimaru's perspective, he had no idea that Gen knew Orochimaru desired immortality.

Moreover, the goal of immortality seemed far too unrealistic and insane to the world. Anyone who spoke of it would basically be treated as a madman, just as Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Orochimaru as a crazed lunatic.

If someone did not genuinely desire immortality, who would risk being seen as insane by saying it aloud?

Hiruzen Sarutobi had merely seen evil and ambition in Orochimaru's eyes, yet he had stripped Orochimaru of any possibility of inheriting the position of Hokage.

By voicing his dream of immortality before Orochimaru, a disciple of the Hokage, he had also taken an enormous risk in Orochimaru's eyes.

Taking everything into account, Orochimaru naturally would not suspect that he was lying.

Upon returning to the Military Police Force, Uchiha Gen knocked on the door to Fugaku Uchiha's office again.

"Come in."

"Young Clan Head."

After entering, Uchiha Gen closed the door and gave a slight bow.

"Gen, is it? How did things go?"

Fugaku Uchiha looked up, forcing a smile onto his stern, cold face.

"It's done."

"Teacher Orochimaru said that as long as our support for Senior Minato does not exceed the money given to him, it will be acceptable."

Fugaku Uchiha immediately beamed and praised him with a smile. "Gen, you did very well."

Now, no matter who became the Fourth Hokage, their Uchiha Clan would remain invincible.

"This is not solely my achievement. Young Clan Head, your contribution is even greater."

"If I had not met a Young Clan Head as broad-minded, farsighted, and decisive as you, then even if I had talent, I would have nowhere to use it..."

Though he said that, Uchiha Gen did not actually think that highly of Fugaku Uchiha...

After all, the Uchiha Clan had been destroyed while Fugaku held power. How could there possibly have been no problems with him at all?

In Gen's view, Fugaku Uchiha had quite a few flaws: great ambition but little wisdom, outwardly fierce but inwardly timid, indecisive, and overly cautious.

Of course, Fugaku Uchiha was not entirely without talent. His abilities simply were not sufficient, nor was his strength.

Fugaku Uchiha smiled even more happily at those words, his face blooming like a sunflower.

He liked this young man, who knew when to advance and retreat and understood proper limits. Those who relied on their talent and looked down on others would not go far.

"You need not be so modest. The credit is mainly yours. The clan will not forget it."

Uchiha Gen gave a bashful smile, then said seriously, "Young Clan Head, Teacher Orochimaru has asked me to visit his residence tomorrow afternoon. It should be for the formal apprenticeship."

"How much money do you think would be appropriate for me to bring?"

After pondering briefly, Fugaku Uchiha said, "Be generous the first time. Take two hundred million ryo."

"Future amounts will depend on his research. Pay in banknotes or gold."

"Take the document I issue and withdraw it from the clan treasury."

Two hundred million ryo was absolutely no small sum. To ordinary shinobi, it was an astronomical figure.

Even if one sold off an entire small shinobi clan, people and property included, it might not be worth that much.

One ryo equaled ten yen. At an exchange rate of twenty to one, that was equivalent to one hundred million yuan.

Was one hundred million yuan in research funding considered little?

Fugaku Uchiha had truly made a generous and extravagant move this time!

"Yes, Young Clan Head."

"Oh, right, Gen. Do not forget the clan gathering the day after tomorrow."

"Rest assured, Young Clan Head. I won't forget."

The Uchiha Clan held a regular gathering once every month. As long as clan members were in Konoha, they were not allowed to be absent without cause. It was a long-standing tradition, much like Christian worship services.

Everyone knew about it, from the Hokage down to Genin. They could even use the gathering as a reason to decline missions on that day.

After receiving the document from Fugaku Uchiha, Uchiha Gen left the Military Police Force and returned to the clan grounds to withdraw the money from the treasury.

All the banknotes were packed in the largest denomination, ten thousand ryo each, filling two fairly large chests.

Carrying two hundred million ryo worth one hundred million yuan, Uchiha Gen felt rather excited. After all, neither in this life nor his previous one had he ever seen so much money.

If he had some system where spending money made him stronger, he definitely would not have been able to resist skimming off a portion.

Precisely because he had no such cheat, after bringing the money home, Uchiha Gen not only did not skim any off the top, he even added part of his own savings.

Since he was going to raise Orochimaru's favorability, he would raise it to the absolute limit!

The next afternoon, Uchiha Gen carried the cash chests to Orochimaru's residence.

Orochimaru had been a shinobi for many years and was still quite wealthy. He owned a sizable villa in the central district of Konoha.

The villa was quite close to the Sarutobi Clan grounds, as well as Jiraiya and Tsunade's residences in Konoha.

Uchiha Gen rang the doorbell, and Anko soon opened the courtyard gate.

"You're here! Come in quickly." Anko greeted him with a bright smile.

"Mm. Is Teacher Orochimaru here?"

"Yes, he's in the living room."

"What's in the chests?"

"You'll find out in a moment."

They chatted as they walked and soon entered the villa's living room.

How should he put it? Orochimaru's villa was decorated rather gloomily. Even in broad daylight, the curtains were not drawn. The lighting was dim, and the temperature was noticeably lower than outside, making the place feel cold and eerie.

But on second thought, it was only natural, considering this was Orochimaru's home. Snakes liked cool, gloomy environments.

It was worth mentioning that Anko did not live here. She had her own separate residence.

"Teacher Orochimaru."

Seeing the figure in a pale yellow kimono seated on the floor in the living room, Uchiha Gen gave a slight bow.

Orochimaru nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his pale, bloodless face as his deep, hoarse voice rang out.

"Mm."

"Offer me a cup of sake. From this day onward, you will be my disciple."

Apprenticeship ceremonies in the shinobi world were not complicated. Shinobi had no interest in elaborate formalities, and there was no fixed procedure. Every teacher generally followed their own preferences.

"Yes."

At those words, Uchiha Gen set down the chests, walked over to the low table, and sat on the floor. He picked up the sake pot on the table, poured sake into a cup, and offered it with both hands.

Orochimaru smiled, reached out to take the cup, and drained it in one gulp before casually setting it back on the table.

Uchiha Gen rose, carried the two chests over, and placed them beside Orochimaru. "Teacher Orochimaru, this is the research funding the clan has provided for you. There are two hundred million ryo in total."

"Since this is the first time, the amount is relatively large."

"Future amounts will be determined according to your research needs. The Uchiha Clan will do its best to meet them, paying in banknotes or gold."

As he spoke, Uchiha Gen opened both chests with his hands, revealing stacks of neatly arranged banknotes. Though they lacked gold's dazzling shine, they were still deeply shocking!

"Wow, so much money..."

Anko immediately pounced over from the side and leaned against the chests, her eyes gleaming as though she were seeing countless meatballs, red bean soup, and desserts.

Orochimaru was far calmer than Anko. After all, he was a seasoned shinobi, but even he could not help being somewhat startled by the Uchiha Clan's lavish generosity.

They truly were worthy of being the foremost noble clan of the shinobi world, with a thousand-year legacy—a noble family of the Land of Fire. Their foundation ran deep indeed!

"Hm? What is with this loose cash?"

Orochimaru caught sight of a stack of banknotes in the other chest that stood out from the neatly arranged bills around it, and he could not help looking up to ask.

Please keep following and reading, especially on Monday and Tuesday. That is when the trial recommendation is decided. Thank you, everyone!!!