Bountiful Harvest (Please Keep Reading)

"This is my gift upon becoming your disciple, Teacher Orochimaru. Consider it research funding."

"It may not be much, but it represents my sincerity. Please accept it, Teacher Orochimaru."

Uchiha Gen knelt formally, his expression earnest.

Orochimaru stretched out a hand, his arm elongating slightly as he took the stack of bills. They were all ten-thousand-ryō notes. By rough estimate, the stack contained over three million ryō, and he could not help but feel moved.

The money was not much, but the sentiment was weighty.

His disciple's parents had both been Chunin, yet neither had awakened the Sharingan. Even with the Uchiha clan dividends included, the savings they left behind could not have been much.

By the time this disciple became a ninja, war had already broken out. Wartime missions were compulsory and came with no compensation, at most with supplies provided by the village.

By the time this disciple awakened the Sharingan, then stood out after awakening the two-tomoe Sharingan, his dividends had increased, but that had not lasted very long.

More than three million ryō was undoubtedly a considerable fortune for this disciple.

"Does your family still have enough money to get by?"

"Yes. There are still over three million ryō left."

So he had given away half his savings.

With that thought, Orochimaru quietly made a decision.

Uchiha Gen had not lied to Orochimaru. He truly had given away half his savings.

However, Uchiha Gen did not feel distressed over it. How could someone doing great things begrudge a little money?

The better his relationship with Orochimaru became, the greater the benefits he would gain in the future. Besides, as his standing within the clan rose higher and higher, his dividends would certainly increase as well.

In fact, the clan dividends alone would allow him to maintain a decent life without going out to take missions.

Of course, if he wanted to live extravagantly, relying solely on the clan dividends would basically be impossible.

On one hand, there was not enough money. On the other, ninjas were members of a military force, and extravagance was not encouraged.

Ninjas needed strict discipline and an ascetic lifestyle to maintain their combat strength and fighting spirit, such as the three ninja prohibitions.

"Then I shall accept your sincerity."

"I will also give you two gifts as a token of our first meeting."

After speaking, Orochimaru tilted back his head and opened his mouth. A brown python crawled out from his throat, first spitting out a scroll covered in slime, then a sword covered in slime, before shrinking back into his throat and vanishing.

Orochimaru caught the scroll and sword, flicked them to the side to shake off the slime, then handed them over.

Uchiha Gen suppressed his disgust and accepted them without changing expression. Well, they were a little damp, a little slick, and felt rather strange.

"The scroll contains the A-rank genjutsu Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, created by the Second Hokage and recorded in the Book of Seals. It suits you perfectly."

"This sword is the Kusanagi Blade. I'm giving it to you as well."

Orochimaru had not originally intended to give away his personal sword. He had only planned to give Gen the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique he had obtained from Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Gen's actions had made him change his mind at the last moment.

Yet that was not the fundamental reason. The true reason was that both Uchiha Gen and Orochimaru pursued immortality!

Otherwise, forget the Kusanagi Blade—even the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique would not have been given to him. Orochimaru would have simply tossed him something random and called it done.

Uchiha Gen was overjoyed. Generous—this was truly too generous.

The more than three million ryō he had given could not compare to the Kusanagi Blade, much less an A-rank ninjutsu.

Neither of these items could be bought with money.

The Bringer-of-Darkness Technique was quite effective against the Sharingan and was a genjutsu he had always wanted.

The Kusanagi Blade was also a divine weapon he had always wanted. It was one of the finest materials for a high-level weapon-type Homie.

Forget ordinary swords—even the finest Chakra ninja tools were not something Uchiha Gen wanted to infuse with his soul. It simply did not feel worth it.

The Kusanagi Blade was different. First, it had the best Chakra conductivity. Second, it was forged from the hardest substance in the world, and its sharpness was such that even Enma's diamond-hard body would feel pain upon touching it.

Moreover, the Kusanagi Blade Orochimaru had given him was not Sasuke's sword, but the one that could extend over a hundred meters and knock back tailed-beast-transformed Naruto.

Only a Kusanagi Blade like this was worthy of being infused with his soul!

"Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Uchiha Gen made no effort to hide his delight. Smiling broadly, he gave a solemn bow.

"Teacher is far too biased toward Senior Brother. The gift I received when I became your disciple cannot compare to his at all."

Anko, who had watched from the side the entire time, was displeased. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Orochimaru with puffed cheeks.

"Senior Brother?"

"Shouldn't he be Junior Brother?" Orochimaru asked with interest.

Uchiha Gen quickly explained the situation to Orochimaru.

"I see. Senior Brother is fine too. Otherwise, being the Senior Sister would put too much pressure on me."

"Don't change the subject. Teacher, you have to compensate me. You can't be this biased."

Anko felt that the new Senior Brother had stolen all of her teacher's affection. Her sense of crisis surged as she stared at Orochimaru, her face flushed red.

"Hehe... Anko, did you give your teacher a gift when you became my disciple?"

Orochimaru chuckled, smiling without quite smiling.

Uh... Anko's expression froze, and she wilted like a balloon punctured by a needle.

It seemed she had not given a gift when she became his disciple. Moreover, before becoming a ninja, her livelihood had basically depended on her teacher, and even after becoming a ninja, her teacher often subsidized her.

She had no grounds to argue at all.

"Alright, stop hanging your head. Take five million from the boxes and spend it."

"Remember to watch your weight. Don't eat yourself fat."

"If you can't become a Chunin within the time I set... you know the consequences."

Anko shuddered, then beamed. "Understood. Thank you, Teacher."

Her teacher had given her five million ryō just like that. Hehe, he still adored her.

Poof! Orochimaru formed hand seals with both hands, and a cloud of white smoke rose from the low table. Once it dispersed, a large scroll appeared on the table.

"This is Ryūchi Cave's summoning scroll. Gen, if you do not have a Summoning Beast, leave your handprint on it."

"Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Uchiha Gen opened the scroll, bit his finger, and pressed his handprint beside Anko's.

"Are you interested in snake-style ninjutsu?"

Orochimaru put away the Ryūchi Cave summoning scroll and poured himself a cup of wine.

Uchiha Gen thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Of course. One can never have too many skills."

"Besides, those are your signature ninjutsu, Teacher Orochimaru. If I don't learn them, outsiders might think I'm an impostor."

Hmm... The idea that one could never have too many skills fit quite well with his dream of learning every ninjutsu in the ninja world. Their master-disciple philosophies truly matched.

Unlike Teacher Hiruzen and him, who were simply a stubborn old fossil incapable of adapting!

"Hehe... Well said."

"Take this scroll and study it first. Come find me once you have learned it. Also, if there is any ninjutsu you want to learn, feel free to ask. Don't be polite."

Poof! White smoke rose as Orochimaru formed hand seals again and summoned another scroll.

Uchiha Gen's eyes lit up. A thought struck him, and he quietly gave Orochimaru a meaningful look.

Orochimaru understood instantly and said in a deep voice, "Anko, take the money boxes into my bedroom."

Anko, who was intently counting her five million, immediately agreed and carried the two money boxes away.

Although the two boxes were not light, for Anko, whose strength was already close to that of a Chunin after Orochimaru's training, they were not much of a burden.

Only after Anko had left did Orochimaru speak. "You're being so mysterious. What do you want to say?"

"Teacher Orochimaru, do you know the Spirit Transformation Technique?"

"Of course. Tsunade's former lover, Dan Katō, was skilled in the Spirit Transformation Technique. It is an S-rank forbidden technique."

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Uchiha Gen lowered his voice. "Teacher Orochimaru, the Spirit Transformation Technique involves many mysteries of the soul."

"Immortality is ultimately tied to the body and soul. I believe the soul is the top priority, and the Spirit Transformation Technique clearly has great research value!"

Orochimaru's eyes flickered. After pondering for a moment, he said, "I will obtain the Spirit Transformation Technique. That will not be too difficult."

"Mm."

Uchiha Gen nodded heavily, fully agreeing.

For Orochimaru at this time, obtaining the Spirit Transformation Technique truly would not be difficult.

In terms of sensitivity, the Spirit Transformation Technique was far less sensitive than Impure World Reincarnation. Furthermore, Orochimaru had not yet fallen out with the Third Hokage, and he was in a cooperative relationship with Danzo.

Even if he failed for the moment, once Minato Namikaze was confirmed as the next Hokage, the Third Hokage would most likely not refuse Orochimaru's request out of guilt.

It could be said that once Orochimaru took action, obtaining the Spirit Transformation Technique was practically certain.

It might even be acquired earlier than it would have been if he had originally become Minato Namikaze's disciple.

His last-minute decision to change course had indeed been the right one!

Among Konoha's countless ninjutsu, the Spirit Transformation Technique was the one he desired most, without question!

This technique was simply a perfect match for the Soul-Soul Fruit. He had to obtain it!

If he could not obtain the Spirit Transformation Technique through Orochimaru and Minato Namikaze, he had already planned to take the enormous risk of stealing the Book of Seals from the Hokage Building amid the chaos of the Nine-Tails' Rampage.

"It's getting late. I have matters to attend to. Make yourself at home here."

Orochimaru rose from his cushion and casually stretched.

"Take care, Teacher Orochimaru." Uchiha rose as well and gave a slight bow.

Such a good teacher deserved respect!

"Mm."

Orochimaru nodded slightly, and his body gradually sank into the floor...

The next update will begin a new arc.