Value Worth Cultivating

"Maybe we can, maybe we can't."

Uchiha Gen looked at Sarutobi Enju.

"This lord is rather foolish. His steward calls the shots on everything in the territory. If you offer enough benefits, he probably won't refuse. I can't afford that price, and Ruri comes from a small clan, so she definitely can't either. If you want to do it, you can try yourself.

But when we take the battlefield in the future, our enemies will be shinobi who can use ninjutsu just like us. Then, no enemy will give you a chance out of mercy. Sometimes, simply letting an innocent child go might leak information and lead to a crushing defeat.

Every seemingly insignificant rule in the shinobi code may have been written in the blood of countless shinobi before us.

If you choose mercy, you must be prepared to drag the entire team down with you."

"I understand what you're saying."

Sarutobi Enju scratched his head in distress.

"But at least this time, we have the ability to do it, and it won't lead to any serious consequences. As long as we give that steward enough benefits, there shouldn't be a problem, right? Leave it to me. I have more allowance than I can spend anyway.

That way, we'll pass the mission assessment without feeling bad about it."

"How much money do you have on you?"

Uchiha Gen asked Sarutobi Enju.

The latter scratched his head before answering.

"I don't know. I've been saving since I entered the Ninja Academy, but I've never counted the exact amount. Still, I brought Silver Notes worth over a million ryō this time."

Damn it.

This second-generation rich brat carried enough pocket money to serve as the reward for an S-Rank Mission.

He would have to find a way to fleece this kid a few times later.

"Then we'll do as you say. But Enju, I hope you remember this: before doing something like this, you must get the agreement of every teammate, especially on the battlefield in the future. Kindness and mercy are not qualities a shinobi needs. On the contrary, they can bring unnecessary disaster."

Uchiha Gen waved a hand.

Based on his analysis of Orochimaru's personality, the man was rather indifferent to ethics and morality. Going straight to the Bandits and killing them all might have suited Orochimaru's expectations very well.

But Uchiha Gen understood his own role even better.

He needed to play an Uchiha who could be influenced by the so-called Will of Fire.

Being overly calm and rational meant, to the higher-ups of the Hokage Faction led by the Third Hokage, that he was too independent and difficult to control.

And the current Orochimaru, as the Third Hokage's prized disciple, stood with the Third Hokage.

Since he had been assigned to this team, he would certainly be conducting a thorough assessment of him, an Uchiha.

Therefore, while showing that his talent and abilities made him worth cultivating, Uchiha Gen also had to make his personality and way of thinking seem worth cultivating.

Looking at it that way, Sarutobi Enju's personality could serve as excellent lubricant. He could use Enju as a reason to display the side of himself that could be influenced by the Will of Fire.

The Third Hokage would surely be pleased to see such a script, and would find it more believable as well.

Besides, while Uchiha Gen had never considered himself a good or kind person, in his previous life, he had still been an ordinary person who had undergone more than ten years of scientific education and moral instruction.

It was simply that, from the first day he arrived in the Ninja World, he had understood how dangerous this world was. So he had done his best to make himself more suited to surviving in it.

Who wouldn't wish to live in a world without slaughter, death, or war?

Unfortunately, this was not such a world.

In truth, when he had a choice, Uchiha Gen did not mind showing a little kindness and helping others.

The prerequisite was having a choice.

Uchiha Gen could tell that Utsuki Ruri, like him, was trying her best to increase her chances of surviving in this world.

Shinobi from these small clans had always possessed a strong sense of crisis.

Sarutobi Enju, on the other hand, had decent talent and an extraordinary background. From the day he was born, his Old Man had already been Hokage. Within Konoha, almost no one fit the definition of a Celestial Dragon better than him.

Having always been protected exceptionally well by his elders, he had never restrained the passion and sense of justice of his youth. Nor had he learned how to think things through and make himself more cautious.

Without a suitable guide to temper his character, such a person's future would not be much different from that of the already dead Nawaki. Even if his talent and his family's protection allowed him to grow smoothly into a fairly powerful shinobi someday, he would sooner or later suffer a disastrous setback on the battlefield. Being able to come back alive would already be good luck.

Perhaps Sarutobi Enju, this Konoha Crown Prince, was the most unstable factor in the team.

Uchiha Gen glanced at Sarutobi Enju and silently considered it.

That was precisely why he had to seize as much authority among the three as possible. Only then could he avoid being led into a ditch by the team to the greatest extent possible.

This mission was just the perfect opportunity.

"From now on, the team will act under my command. Any objections?"

Uchiha Gen studied his two teammates with his eyes.

Utsuki Ruri showed no intention of stepping forward to fight for authority.

Whether in strength or in the influence of the clan behind her, she was clearly inferior to both of her teammates.

Sarutobi Enju, on the other hand, had not fallen too far behind him in strength, and he carried the halo of being the Hokage's son. If he truly acted on impulse and insisted on doing things his own way, Uchiha Gen and Utsuki Ruri might really be dragged down with him.

There was no helping it. If the current Hokage's son was in danger, would you save him or not?

If you saved him, you would inevitably face danger yourself. If you did not, the Hokage would definitely make life difficult for you in the future. The Hokage would not even need to act personally; others seeking to curry favor with him would rush forward to get you killed.

Fortunately, a team with the Hokage's son on it would basically never be assigned those exceptionally dangerous missions.

The Third Hokage would never send his own son to die as cannon fodder.

All Uchiha Gen needed to do was keep Sarutobi Enju in check. As long as he remained in this team, it would be like having an extremely reliable safety guarantee during this perilous Second Shinobi World War.

Fortunately, perhaps because he had beaten Sarutobi Enju into submission during the Graduation Exam a few days ago, or perhaps because Enju had taken his words to heart, Sarutobi Enju showed no displeasure toward Uchiha Gen. Instead, he was highly cooperative.

"No objections."

Sarutobi Enju spoke firmly.

"Neither do I."

Only after the Hokage's son had finished speaking did Utsuki Ruri immediately follow.

"Very good. From now on, follow my commands. Ruri, I need you to..."

As Uchiha Gen made his arrangements, a white snake lay in the grass some distance away. It concealed its presence and waited silently.