The Commercialization of Pupil Power

"Eh, it's not that serious. Do I look like that kind of person? If I say I'm treating, I'm treating. Just eat to your heart's content, and if it's not enough, we'll order more!" Uchiha Gen said dismissively.

"Ha, since you're saying that, I won't stand on ceremony. Waiter, five more plates of the secret-recipe grilled meat, extra cumin, thanks!" Uchiha Zaohuo was still chewing as he started ordering more from the waiter.

"Zaohuo, can you even finish that much?"

"No worries~ I usually can't afford to eat like this, so I'm definitely going to get my fill today!" He continued to stuff his face.

"Zaohuo! I think we should skip those five plates. No point in wasting food if you can't finish it," Uchiha Gen advised.

"It's fine, I can handle it!" Uchiha Zaohuo waved him off, unbothered. Are you kidding? Free grilled meat—if I don't eat it, am I an idiot?

"But it's already almost nine-thirty, you know."

"I told you, if you have urgent business, go ahead. Don't worry about me."

"It's not me who has urgent business; it's you. Captain Nine is probably already roaring with rage right now!"

"Huh? I'm eating grilled meat—what does that have to do with Captain Nine's sour face? Are you asking me to pack a portion for him? Don't even think about it. Do I look like the type to suck up to people?" Uchiha Zaohuo looked indignant.

"Do you even remember why you came to find me?" Uchiha Gen asked with a wicked grin.

"I remember, didn't we come here to eat grilled meat?" Uchiha Zaohuo only had eyes for the meat now. Hmm, this piece is a bit burnt. It's all Gen's fault for yapping away on the side!

"The grilled meat isn't the point. The point is what happened before we ate it."

"Before? Didn't I ask you to come to work with me earlier? Wait!!! Work? Did you just say it's nine-thirty?" Uchiha Zaohuo trembled, and suddenly, the meat in his mouth didn't taste so good anymore.

"To be precise, it's five minutes to nine-thirty," Uchiha Gen said calmly.

"But our shift starts at eight-thirty! What's the difference between that and five minutes? Hahaha, I must still be dreaming. I knew it—how could Gen suddenly treat me to grilled meat, especially in the morning? There were so many things that didn't make sense, and I didn't even notice. I'm a proud Special Jonin of the Uchiha clan; I've really been slacking lately!" As he spoke, Uchiha Zaohuo smacked his lips. Mmm, delicious!

Delicious? How could I feel the flavor in a dream? Oh no, this isn't a dream!!!

Uchiha Zaohuo's face turned pale, and his chopsticks shook so hard he couldn't even hold the meat.

"Gen, what if we pack five plates of grilled meat for Captain Nine? It's not about sucking up! It's just that eating alone doesn't look good," Uchiha Zaohuo said, changing his tune.

"What does that have to do with me? I don't work for the Police Force anymore. I'm not bringing anything. I invited you, not Captain Nine. You want to use my treat to curry favor? If everyone did that, where would it end? I treat you, you treat Captain Nine? Captain Nine treats Yashiro? Yashiro treats Guihuo? Guihuo treats Tianhuo? Tianhuo treats Jia Yi? Jia Yi treats Bing Ding? Bing Ding treats Fugaku? Fugaku treats the whole clan? The clan treats Konoha? Konoha treats the Land of Fire? The Land of Fire treats the Ninja World? Who could afford your lifestyle? Don't even think about it!" Uchiha Gen said with disdain.

"Huh? Isn't that a bit exaggerated? Wait, what? You said you don't work for the Police Force anymore? How come I didn't know that?" Uchiha Zaohuo looked dumbfounded.

"Yeah, Clan Head Fugaku just notified me yesterday. Captain Nine should be telling you all today. Besides, do you think with my current wealth, I still need to live off that meager salary from the Police Force? Working for others is impossible. I'm going to be an evil capitalist; I'm going to harvest the leeks!" After saying this, Uchiha Gen let out a few bursts of Uchiha-style maniacal laughter.

"You guy! You aren't working, yet you dragged me—who is working—out to eat grilled meat first thing in the morning? And we stayed until nine-thirty??? Do you know I was supposed to be there at eight-thirty! You jerk!" Uchiha Zaohuo roared through gritted teeth.

"Huh? You're only realizing this now? Then what was the logic behind you waking me up early in the morning when you were the one who had to work? You never kindly came to wake me up on normal workdays. Now that I don't have to work, you decide to act up and pull this stunt?" Uchiha Gen retorted, refusing to back down.

"Alright, if you keep yapping, Captain Nine is going to come looking for you! Get lost, thanks!" Uchiha Gen waved his hand and continued eating his meat.

"Ah! You nasty-tempered jerk, how did I never notice you were this kind of person? I'll settle the score with you after my shift!" With that, Uchiha Zaohuo rushed off toward the Police Department, his Body Flicker technique even faster than usual. It seems people really do need a little pressure! Unlike me, who can only pass the time eating grilled meat.

"Uchiha Gen? Lord Hokage requests your presence!" A white-haired, spiky-headed figure in a mask suddenly popped out, scaring Uchiha Gen so much he nearly choked.

"Kakashi, can't you just show up normally? Do you have to pull this stunt and try to scare me to death?" It took Uchiha Gen a moment to recover, and he took a sip of hot tea to calm his nerves.

"Do not use names during a mission. Call me by my codename!" Hatake Kakashi stared at Uchiha Gen with dead fish eyes.

"I'm not in the Anbu; who knows your codename? By the way, which Lord Hokage are you talking about?" Uchiha Gen said, speechless.

"The Fourth Hokage requests your presence. The Third is there as well!" After saying that, Kakashi vanished with a whoosh.

"Another troublesome matter? Whatever. I don't have a position anyway, and I don't rely on being a ninja for a living! Getting married to a few wives and having a warm bed is the real priority. By the way, is the ninja world monogamous or polygamous? Although everyone in the original story seems to be monogamous, the nobles and Daimyo seem to be able to have multiple wives? But even Clan Head Fugaku is monogamous; would it look bad if I had multiple wives? Sigh, it's tough~" Muttering to himself, Uchiha Gen slowly made his way to the Hokage Building.

Knock, knock. He lightly tapped on the door that had been kicked open by Naruto countless times in the original story.

"Please come in~"

Click. As the door pushed open, he thought, Oh, everyone's here? The Konoha F4, plus the Fourth Hokage Minato and Tsunade, and Nara Shikaku.

"Gen-kun, come in. Thank you so much for what happened earlier. If you hadn't acted in time, Kushina would have been in danger!" Minato said with sincere gratitude.

"It wasn't just 'in danger,' she was definitely in danger. But don't think you can just gloss over this—what about the fact that you sold me out?" Uchiha Gen didn't care about social niceties at all.

"Hmph~ You evil little Uchiha brat, is that how you speak to the Fourth Hokage?" Danzo Shimura was the first to stand up and attack. Given Danzo Shimura's malice and greed toward the Uchiha clan, he certainly wouldn't miss any opportunity to strike at them.