Once he was far from the crowd, Gentō stopped on a quiet path leading to the Uchiha compound.
He focused his mind inward.
Draw!
The instant the thought flashed through his mind, a prize wheel appeared in it.
[D-Rank reward: 40%, C-Rank reward: 50%, B-Rank reward: 10%]
The wheel spun.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained a C-Rank reward: C-Rank Special Soldier Pill Recipe.]
Immediately afterward, information poured into Gentō's mind:
[Name: C-Rank Special Soldier Pill Recipe Description: A special Soldier Pill Recipe with optimized flavor and nutrition. Increases chakra recovery speed by 10-15% and alleviates fatigue to a certain extent. Ingredients: Purified water, 10 ml; refined oat flour, 10 g; royal honey, 10 g; dried sour plum, 2 g...]
"Only C-Rank this time..."
Gentō felt a little disappointed.
But he soon realized how useful the recipe was.
Not bad, actually. These special Soldier Pills could come in handy in the coming war.
At Elder Zong Yan's residence in the Uchiha compound.
Gentō handed Zong Yan a detailed supply list.
"Grand Elder, this is the list of standard supplies needed at the front. Sorry for the trouble, but please have someone submit it to the Hokage's Office so they can be allocated as soon as possible."
Zong Yan took the list and quickly scanned the ninja tools, medicines, and other supplies it detailed.
He nodded.
"Rest assured. I'll see to it as soon as possible."
Then Gentō took out another carefully folded piece of paper and handed it over with a solemn expression.
"Also, this is a Soldier Pill Recipe I've improved slightly. Please make absolutely sure you arrange for trustworthy clan members with excellent skills to produce them in bulk, in secret."
Zong Yan accepted the paper, unfolded it, and glanced over it, raising his eyebrows slightly.
"Soldier Pills? The village supplies those uniformly. Why insist on making our own? Besides, these ingredients look... rather ordinary."
He looked at the ordinary ingredients, his tone puzzled.
"This is no ordinary Soldier Pill Recipe."
Gentō emphasized his words.
"Once they're made, try one and you'll understand the effects. Also, this recipe must be kept strictly confidential. It must never be leaked."
Seeing how serious Gentō was, Zong Yan remained somewhat skeptical.
He put away the paper and said gravely, "I understand. I'll personally oversee this."
After Gentō left, Zong Yan pondered for a moment, then rose and headed to a secluded traditional medicinal cuisine workshop within the compound, run by an elderly clan member.
The proprietor was a taciturn old Uchiha whose craft had been passed down through generations. Seeing the Grand Elder arrive in person, he hurriedly bowed in respect.
"No need for formalities. Take a look at this. Can you make it?"
Zong Yan handed him the recipe.
The old proprietor adjusted his glasses and studied it carefully before looking up.
"This appears to be... Soldier Pills?"
"Hmm... the ingredients seem somewhat different from those in ordinary Soldier Pills..."
"But I have all the materials here. They shouldn't be difficult to make."
"Then make a few."
Zong Yan gave the order.
"Please wait a moment."
The old proprietor immediately got to work, weighing, grinding, mixing, and shaping... his movements practiced and fluid.
About fifteen minutes later, five glossy black Soldier Pills of uniform size were presented on a porcelain dish.
Zong Yan examined them carefully, then frowned.
"They... don't seem any different from ordinary Soldier Pills."
He picked one up. It felt slightly heavy in his fingers, its surface smooth.
He put it into his mouth, but the dryness and strange flavor he expected from an ordinary Soldier Pill never came.
Instead, it had a mild, slightly tart sweetness with a pleasant lingering flavor. The pill was moist and dissolved easily, going down without any effort.
"Hmm, the flavor has certainly improved considerably. These are better suited for long-term use."
Zong Yan nodded slightly, gaining an initial appreciation for Gentō's "improvement." He thought it mainly made the pills more palatable.
A moment later, however, his expression changed.
He felt a warm current rise from his abdomen and slowly spread throughout his body, easing much of the fatigue he had accumulated that day.
Then his chakra began recovering a little faster as well.
"This...!"
Zong Yan's eyes flashed.
Of course he knew that, in prolonged battles or consecutive missions, slightly faster chakra recovery and better endurance could sometimes mean the difference between life and death!
He abruptly looked at the remaining Soldier Pills on the dish, then up at the old proprietor standing respectfully beside him.
In that instant, he fully understood why Gentō had taken this so seriously.
How was this a slight improvement?
These were precious supplies capable of affecting a ninja's sustained combat ability!
If they could be issued to the Uchiha's elite in large quantities, the advantage they created on the battlefield would be subtle, but potentially decisive!
The recipe's value might even attract the covetous attention of other powers.
"This recipe is to be classified as one of the clan's highest secrets!"
Zong Yan's voice carried unquestionable authority as he stared intently at the old proprietor.
"You will personally handle production. I'll arrange for the necessary ingredients to be purchased separately through trustworthy channels. Keep outsiders away from the production process. Seal the finished products immediately and await instructions for their distribution. Understood?"
Sensing the Grand Elder's unprecedented seriousness, the old proprietor stiffened and bowed deeply.
"Yes! I swear on the Uchiha name that I will not divulge a single detail!"
Night fell.
Kurenai Yuhi lay in bed, tossing and turning.
Whenever she closed her eyes, everything that had happened in the cave that night resurfaced uncontrollably in her mind.
Their hot breaths mingling, the incessant words demanding more...
Every image made her cheeks burn and her heart race.
Even now, remembering it made her legs feel weak.
Gentō's powerful, aggressively imposing physique was also burned deep into her mind, impossible to shake.
Whenever she remembered how roughly he had treated her that night, she tossed and turned even more, unable to sleep.
Suddenly, she recalled what Gentō had said when they parted.
As though compelled by some unseen force, she got up and headed toward the Uchiha compound.
At the edge of the Uchiha compound stood the small courtyard home where Gentō lived alone.
Knock, knock.
A soft knocking sounded at the door.
Gentō opened it to find a slightly uneasy Kurenai Yuhi standing outside.
She seemed to have taken care with her appearance, her long hair falling smoothly behind her shoulders.
She wore fitted, dark casual clothes that allowed ease of movement, outlining the slender yet strong curves of her waist.
"Gentō... I..."
A knowing smile flickered in Gentō's eyes. Before she could finish, he reached out and gently drew her inside, then shut the door with a bang and deftly locked it.
The crisp click of the lock made Kurenai Yuhi's heart skip.
She instinctively stepped back half a pace, pressing her back against the door, her eyes wide.
"Y-you... why are you locking the door?"
Gentō did not answer immediately. Instead, he took a leisurely step forward, closing the distance between them.
With a wicked grin, he asked in return, "What are you doing coming to see me so late?"
Kurenai's breathing quickened slightly.
She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath.
"Gentō, I've thought it through."
"I... I want to be with you."
Gentō's smile deepened, as though he had expected that answer all along.
He bent slightly toward her flushed ear, his warm breath brushing her sensitive skin, and spoke in a low voice only the two of them could hear.
"I knew you'd come to see me."
"Huh? Why?"
Kurenai asked instinctively, her heart racing.
"Because that first taste of forbidden fruit is always unforgettable. It makes you want to... savor it again."
His blunt words instantly turned Kurenai Yuhi's ears crimson.
Watching her adorable expression, shy yet unable to deny it, Gentō let his gaze drift across her chest as it rose and fell slightly with her nervous breathing.
His hand rose naturally and settled on her slender waist.
It had already begun to wander.
"Mm~ Gentō, d-don't... don't do that..."
Kurenai trembled, putting up a token resistance, but her voice was soft and utterly powerless.
Gentō's lips nearly brushed the rim of her ear, his low voice carrying a magnetic pull.
"A senior once taught me that sometimes, when a girl says no... she actually really wants it."
Before he had finished speaking, he tightened his arms and effortlessly swept Kurenai, already weak all over, into his embrace.
Kurenai Yuhi gave a short, startled cry, but her arms involuntarily wound around his neck.
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