Snake Uncle's Gift

"So, the reason you came to me was to use this technique to cooperate with me and build a factory together?" Orochimaru asked after a long silence.

"Mm!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded repeatedly.

"You're short on money?" Orochimaru asked again.

"Mm!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded.

"With your abilities, you can already graduate from the Ninja Academy!" Orochimaru thought for a moment before asking, "So why don't you apply for early graduation first, then earn money by taking missions?"

"Huh?" Kamiya Keiyun froze. "Wait, doesn't the Ninja Academy last five years? Besides, I haven't even learned anything yet. How can I graduate already?"

Orochimaru smiled until his eyes narrowed. So that was how it was for a boy from a civilian family!

You had no idea just how much of a genius you were!

He was reminded of someone similar: Namikaze Minato.

That child had been the same. He had not known how exceptional his talent was and had actually stayed in school for the full five years before graduating.

The main reason was that Uzumaki Kushina had been in his class. She had dominated the entire school without a rival, making everyone unconsciously lower their own evaluations of themselves.

But this class was different. There were some promising youngsters in this grade as well, but compared to Kamiya Keiyun, they were nowhere close.

Perhaps only Hatake Kakashi could suppress Kamiya Keiyun. But given the atmosphere surrounding the Hatake Family, Hatake Kakashi would likely choose to graduate early to prove himself.

Once combat class began, Kamiya Keiyun would surely discover that no one in the entire grade—or even the entire school—was his match.

However, that would be a bit of a shame. Letting a genius who could propose Productive Ninjutsu graduate early and enter combat would be a waste.

A waste of the ninja world's future!

"Forget I ever mentioned graduation." Orochimaru shook his head. "As for the cooperation you proposed, sorry, but I can't agree to it!"

"Huh?" Kamiya Keiyun was stunned. "Snake Uncle, why not hear me out? This project has enormous potential. It could cover construction throughout the entire village, then expand to other towns and villages, even the whole Land of Fire. We could become the richest people in the ninja world! Ninja production efficiency is something ordinary people simply can't match. Even if they can make pipes, they can't compete with ninja in underground construction. Won't you reconsider?"

He was so anxious that he had even called him Snake Uncle.

"I know. But have you considered this? Even if I invest in the project, who will carry it out? You, or me?" Orochimaru smiled. "Do you expect me to do nothing but make pipes every day?"

"There are so many ninja. Someone will be willing, won't they? Aren't there retired ones too?" Kamiya Keiyun asked. "This would be a great chance for them to find work again!"

"That's true, but you're still young. You don't understand a ninja's pride, nor do you understand the darkness of the ninja world." Orochimaru shook his head. "You may practice this technique, but don't use it in front of others. And don't seek cooperation from anyone else. If you trust me, listen to what I say!"

"This..." Kamiya Keiyun frowned, but I need money!

Still, he believed Snake Uncle would not deceive him.

"If you need money, I can sponsor you." Orochimaru took out a stack of banknotes from his robes and handed them to Kamiya Keiyun. "If you have any questions about ninjutsu in the future, you can come find me as well."

"Ah..." Kamiya Keiyun swallowed. He recognized those banknotes well. They were jointly issued by several major trading houses in the Land of Fire. Each was worth ten thousand, and this stack was worth one million!

Wait, Snake Uncle said he could come discuss ninjutsu with him in the future?

What did that mean?

"Teacher!" Kamiya Keiyun immediately tried to kneel. This was a powerful connection—if he did not cling to it now, when would he?

"Hey!" Orochimaru grabbed Kamiya Keiyun and pulled him up. "You don't need to become my disciple. I can't teach you either. My way of thinking would only interfere with you!"

"This..." Kamiya Keiyun was speechless. What did that mean?

"By the way, you called me Snake Uncle just now?" Orochimaru asked again.

"Uh, well..." Kamiya Keiyun scratched his head, trying to explain. "Your name is Orochimaru, and you're from my uncle's generation."

"Mm, it's a good form of address. I like it. Call me Snake Uncle from now on." Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth. Thinking about it, he had never heard such an affectionate form of address in all his life!

"Alright, Snake Uncle!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded repeatedly. Even if he could not become his disciple, calling him Snake Uncle was not bad.

"Then, Snake Uncle, should I graduate early?" Kamiya Keiyun asked.

"No!" Orochimaru said. "The outside world is not suitable for you, but the rules of the ninja world cannot be violated. So you can only remain within those rules and extend your time in the academy as much as possible!"

Kamiya Keiyun understood. So he meant that he did not fit into the ninja world at all!

As expected of Snake Uncle. He could even see that!

"Mm-hm!" Kamiya Keiyun could only nod, but now that they were on the subject, another worry came to mind.

"But I already know everything the teachers teach. Wouldn't staying in school be a waste of time?" He could cultivate the Bright Virtue Method, but he could not study that method endlessly either. He estimated that he would reach completion in one or two years.

What was he supposed to do for the remaining three years? Go sleep?

"I see!" Orochimaru nodded. He had plenty of experience with that. He had encountered the same situation back then, and the solution was simple.

"I'll teach you a ninjutsu!" As Orochimaru spoke, he glanced at Kamiya Sanyō beside him.

Kamiya Sanyō was very perceptive and turned to leave.

"You should listen too!" Orochimaru said. "Just don't spread it around!"

"Huh?" Kamiya Sanyō froze, then hurriedly stood excitedly to the side. This was instruction from Orochimaru, one of the Three Legendary Sannin! If word got out, countless people would be green with envy!

"This technique is called the Shadow Clone Technique. It separates the Chakra in your body and condenses it into a tangible clone. The Hand Seals are Ox-Dog-Dragon-Rat-Dog-Boar-Snake-tiger, and you must complete them within four seconds. But with your talent, that should not be a problem!" Orochimaru said. "As for the other taboos, you can explore them yourself."

He knew that for a genius like Kamiya Keiyun, guidance was better than direct instruction. A few words were enough; he would research the rest himself.

"Thank you, Snake Uncle!" Kamiya Keiyun hurriedly thanked him. Though he did not know how different this technique was from the Clone Technique in the Three Body Technique, since Snake Uncle had taught it, it had to be useful!

He would study it properly once he got back!

"Right, sign this Contract Scroll too!" Orochimaru took out another Contract Scroll and handed it to Kamiya Keiyun.

"This is the Summoning Scroll for white snakes. It can summon the white snake from the entrance just now, allowing us to communicate. If it isn't convenient to come see me, or if you can't find me, have the white snake deliver a message!"

A white snake delivering messages—it felt a bit like sending letters by carrier pigeon!

Kamiya Keiyun picked up a brush and signed his name. This time, Snake Uncle did not tell Kamiya Sanyō to sign, so naturally, she had no share in it.

"There's also the Summoning Technique, used to summon white snakes!" Orochimaru recited another sequence of seals.

Boar-Dog-Rooster-Monkey-Ram. This technique was a Blood Contract Technique, so he had to make a wound on his hand before using it.

"I'll be in the village for the foreseeable future. You can come whenever you want!" Orochimaru said.

He was still in a period of confusion. Seeing Kamiya Keiyun had dispelled a tiny bit of it, but only a tiny bit.

He needed to think about what he wanted to do in the future.

"Yes!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded hurriedly, but after thinking for a moment, he added, "Snake Uncle, I may not have much time this month. But after this month, I'll definitely come bother you often."

He had to make that clear. Otherwise, if he disappeared without a word for a month, Snake Uncle might think he did not respect him!

"That's fine!" Orochimaru nodded.

After memorizing both techniques, Orochimaru had Kamiya Keiyun try one.

Though he was certain the child should be a genius, he still had to verify it with his own eyes. After all, what if someone else had invented this technique and sent this child to test him?

It was not impossible!

"Shadow Clone Technique!" Kamiya Keiyun raised his hands and formed the seals.

This technique felt similar to the Clone Technique, but it required more Chakra. One used only a tiny amount, while the other directly used half of it!

Then another Kamiya Keiyun appeared beside him!

"Success on the first try!" Orochimaru nodded. Not bad—quite good!

The Chakra within this child's body was not especially abundant. To succeed on the first attempt, his Chakra control had to be at a remarkably high level.

And having such Chakra control at five years old—if that was not genius, what was?

"Dispel!" Kamiya Keiyun dismissed the Shadow Clone, then stood there dumbfounded for a long while before finally coming back to himself.

"Snake Uncle, just now I..."

"Continue. The next ninjutsu!" Orochimaru interrupted him.

"Ah, okay!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded. He seemed to have figured out Snake Uncle's temperament.

He was like the brigade commander: don't bother him with trivial nonsense!

So in the future, he could not really go ask Snake Uncle about every little problem. At the very least, he had to solve anything he could handle himself.

Only when he truly could not deal with it could he go ask.

He raised his hands and formed the seals!

Using the Summoning Technique required cutting his hand, which hurt quite a bit. But with Chakra reinforcing him, the pain was reduced considerably.

Then, a circular sealing formation flashed across the ground and vanished. In the center of it, a white snake was summoned with a bewildered expression.

"Huh?" The white snake curiously looked at Orochimaru in the distance, then at Kamiya Keiyun beside it. "Orochimaru, you actually gave him my Summoning Scroll. Looks like you and—"

This Summoning Scroll was practically a private contact number. Previously, only Orochimaru had one!

Only Orochimaru could send the white snake to deliver messages. If others wanted to contact Orochimaru directly?

They had to send someone with a letter!

Yet now...

"You can go back!" Orochimaru interrupted the white snake again.

He truly did not want himself to influence Kamiya Keiyun's future.

His approach was completely different from Jiraiya's. Jiraiya spent all day searching for the child of prophecy and guiding that child. But if the Toad Sage told Orochimaru to find the child of prophecy, Orochimaru would not pay it any attention at all.

Did a true child of prophecy need guidance?

If a child of prophecy needed guidance, was that child still truly the child of prophecy? Shouldn't such a person be destined to appear, someone who would not be affected no matter what happened?

"Fine!" The white snake obediently left.

"Other than this Mud to Stone Technique, do you have anything else?" Orochimaru asked Kamiya Keiyun this time.

"Uh, no. Then Snake Uncle, we won't disturb you any longer!" Kamiya Keiyun could tell he was being dismissed.

As expected of Snake Uncle. He had high iq and high emotional intelligence too.

Mm, he was definitely not praising him because of the one million taels in his arms.

"Good!" Snake Uncle nodded. "I won't see you out."

Watching the two leave, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

One month. Why one month?

After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand. "Find out what has recently happened to the Kamiya Family!"

A Black Shadow flashed through the room and quickly returned.

"It has been confirmed. Kamiya Keiyun's father, Kamiya Hiromi, is a drunkard. Because he had no money to drink, he chose to marry his daughter to Shimura Ken of the Shimura Clan. The wedding will take place in one month."

"Shimura Ken, building a factory together, one month..." Orochimaru licked his slightly dry lips. "It seems this child is not very satisfied with the wedding. He intends to resolve this within one month, and he does not plan to borrow my strength. How will he do it? Kill Shimura Ken?"

Orochimaru understood the village's politics clearly. The Kamiya Family had no power to resist the Shimura Clan. If they wanted to break the agreement, the only way was for Shimura Ken to die!

"Then should we report this to Lord Hokage?" Black Shadow asked. "Or should we help him?"

"You know nothing. You saw nothing." Orochimaru waved his hand.

Help him?

What was there to help with!

Orochimaru was quite curious. How would a ninja walking the path of Production Ninjutsu deal with a Jonin?

Even with a broken leg, a Jonin with a broken leg was still a Jonin!