Chapter 26

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Nara Shikayama smiled and said, "I'd long heard that Lady Tsunade had taken in an extraordinary disciple. In just a few months, he'd mastered all of her medical ninjutsu. Today, I finally get to meet him in person."

"I wonder what brings you here today, young brother?"

Of course, he had heard Uchiha Yan's name before.

That kid was a monster.

Honestly, Nara Shikayama had been quite surprised that he had become Tsunade's disciple. After all, everyone knew that the Uchiha and Senju had been mortal enemies since their ancestors' time.

All he could say was that times had changed, and Lady Tsunade's thoughts were beyond his ability to fathom.

What mattered most now was figuring out why Uchiha Yan had suddenly come to his door.

Ah, I just hope this isn't some troublesome mess.

Nara Shikayama sighed inwardly.

His clan had an inherited ailment—an aversion to trouble.

Uchiha Yan got straight to the point and told the truth. "Senior Shikayama, I came because I heard that the Nara Clan has long wholesaled medicinal herbs. I recently learned a few things from Teacher Tsunade and came up with several secret medicines myself. Their effects are decent, so I'm planning to open a shop and sell them."

"I've already signed a sizable supply agreement with my clan."

"I need a large quantity of medicinal herbs."

"That's why I came specifically to visit you."

He paused before continuing, "This time, I not only want to discuss a stable supply arrangement with the Nara Clan, but also plan to work with several more herb merchants. The price is negotiable. If you're willing, Senior, that would be ideal."

It would be best if he agreed. If he did not, there was nothing Xuan could do.

But when good opportunities came along in the future, the Nara Clan should not expect to get a place in line.

Knowing how to protect oneself was wisdom.

But if one pushed everything too far, all goodwill would be severed.

It depended on what Nara Shikayama chose.

"Oh?"

Nara Shikayama was somewhat surprised to hear that it was about a long-term purchase of medicinal herbs.

He would not refuse such a straightforward business partnership.

It would neither make the Third Hokage's side suspicious nor offend the Uchiha by rejecting them outright.

With that in mind, he smiled and nodded. "Naturally, that won't be a problem. The Nara Clan deals in medicinal herbs. Our doors are open to customers, and we won't refuse purely commercial cooperation."

"I agree to this."

"What herbs do you need? Do you have a list? Roughly how much will you need each month?"

There was nothing shameful about making money.

Still, he wondered what kind of secret medicines Uchiha Yan had come up with.

The boy dared to open a shop and sell them so openly, and he had even signed a supply agreement within the Uchiha Clan.

He was only three years old. Could he really be that monstrous?

Could Lady Tsunade have given him something valuable that he simply decided to sell?

No, probably not. He may be young, but he doesn't speak or act like a child at all. He's more like an old hand. He wouldn't be stupid enough to do that.

The more Nara Shikayama considered it, the more inscrutable the child before him seemed.

This person is no simple matter.

He sighed inwardly.

Avoiding conflict with a monster whose depths he could not see and whose future potential was terrifying could also be considered one less source of trouble for the Nara Clan.

Nara Shikayama accepted the list and carefully scanned it. His brows rose slightly. "The amount is indeed considerable, but for the Nara Clan, it's no issue at all."

"However, gathering everything will take some time. We can deliver the first batch in five days. Will that work for you?"

"If there's no problem, let's sign the supply contract first. I'll pay you a ten-percent deposit."

Most of the herbs on the list were common goods on the market with stable production. As for the few rarer ones, his clan could provide those as well.

If this order could continue long-term, the Nara Clan's herb sales channels would be completely secured.

"Deal!"

Uchiha Yan was delighted. On the spot, he finalized the supply contract with Nara Shikayama and paid a ten-percent deposit.

Only then did he stand to leave.

Before leaving, he placed six porcelain bottles on the table and smiled at Nara Shikayama. "These bottles contain the finished medicines our shop plans to sell. Their uses and effects are written on the bottles. Consider them a small token of appreciation for receiving us today. Please don't refuse them. I'll be going now."

With that, Uchiha Yan turned and left with Uchiha Senichi.

"I'll see you out."

Nara Shikayama was somewhat surprised and curious, but he still stood and escorted them to the door.

Only after seeing the Uchiha father and son off did he return to the hall.

Just then, his son, Nara Shikaku, emerged from the inner room.

Staring curiously at the porcelain bottles on the table, he casually picked one up and said to his father, "Uchiha Yan is completely different from what I imagined. No matter how I look at him, he doesn't seem like a three-year-old child. He seems more like someone around my age. Even the way he talks and handles things is like that."

Without waiting for his father to respond, he lowered his head to read the words on the bottle aloud. "Junior Body-Tempering Elixir. Suitable for children aged six to twelve. It can increase taijutsu training efficiency by two to three times? Damn, is this thing real?"

"Oh?"

Hearing that, Nara Shikayama hurriedly took the bottle from his son and looked it over again. "That really is what it says."

Then he quickly unscrewed the cap, poured out two pills, and sniffed them. His brow furrowed. "This medicine was processed with a special method. Smelling it alone won't reveal its ingredients. I'll test its effects on animals first."

With that, he collected every porcelain bottle from the table and hurried out of the house.

"Tch. Looks like the village is about to get lively."

Nara Shikaku crossed his arms over his chest, yawned, and muttered lazily.

On the way, Nara Shikayama examined the descriptions on each of the other bottles as well, and his heart grew heavy.

If all these medicines really work as described, then Uchiha Yan is truly incredible. His family may be about to make a fortune.

More importantly, the significance behind these secret medicines—especially the Body-Tempering Elixir—was immense.

Increasing taijutsu training efficiency by two to three times was simply terrifying.

The Nara Clan was a major herb supplier, so naturally, the clan possessed a complete pharmaceutical system and facilities for drug research.

In only a single day, Nara Shikayama had thoroughly determined the properties of all six secret medicines.

The results matched the information in his hands perfectly, without the slightest discrepancy.

"Most of the medicinal ingredients can't even be analyzed. Their confidentiality measures are truly impressive."

"Looks like I can only purchase large quantities of medicine from Uchiha Yan—and I have to act quickly."

He knew perfectly well what the demand would be like once the effects of the Body-Tempering Pills spread.

By then, forget buying them—just being able to get any stock at all would be a problem.

So acting now meant securing an early advantage.

"I need to bring in the Yamanaka and Akimichi Clans too. We should share benefits together. We can't let such a small profit create a rift between the three clans."

Nara Shikayama hurried back as he made his calculations.

Fortunately, he was one step ahead of everyone else.

That very night, he invited the clan heads of the Yamanaka Clan and Akimichi Clan to his home.

He explained everything from beginning to end: the cooperation with Uchiha Yan to sell medicinal herbs, as well as the secret medicines such as the Body-Tempering Pills.

He especially repeated the astonishing effects of the Body-Tempering Pills several times.

"Shikayama, you're not lying to me, are you? Taijutsu training can become two to three times faster?"

Akimichi Shigeyama abruptly stood up, his voice changing pitch.

Everyone knew that the Akimichi Clan were each built like mountains, relying on their Expansion Technique to survive in the Ninja World.

Outsiders thought they were a taijutsu clan.

In truth, they were not.

They mainly relied on chakra and the Expansion Technique, with taijutsu serving only as support.

They stored fat by eating, then converted that fat into large amounts of chakra in battle, using it together with the Expansion Technique to fight.

Chakra could be replenished through eating, but taijutsu and physical fitness could only be improved through grueling training.

The problem was that taijutsu training was not only difficult but also exceptionally time-consuming.

And with their bloated physiques, practicing taijutsu was even harder for them.