Assuming the Worst Intentions of Others

Ling Uchiha arrived at his second brother's house, brimming with excitement and ready to ask for more living expenses.

Having high bone density and muscular talent was not enough; one also needed to provide the body with sufficient nutrition.

No matter how strong a ninja was, they could not photosynthesize. Only by eating well could one grow well.

It was often said that literature required poverty while martial arts required wealth, and this saying was even more of a truth in the ninja world.

Why were clan-based ninjas so strong? It was because these clans possessed massive industries and abundant family subsidies. Every child in a clan could afford to eat until they had a robust physique, making their average strength a cut above that of civilian ninjas.

For example, the Sarutobi Clan had the explosive tag industry, the Nara Clan had the medicinal herb industry, the Akimichi Clan had the catering industry, the Hyūga Clan had the aristocratic trade industry, and the Uchiha Clan had the fines from the Military Police Force.

Why did the Uchiha Clan's industry profile seem so different?

"Second Brother, I feel like I'm in a growth spurt and I'm always hungry. Can you give me an extra 2,000 ryō for living expenses every month?"

Ling Uchiha's monthly budget consisted of three parts: 4,000 ryō from his parents' death benefits, 6,000 ryō from the Uchiha Clan's subsidy, and 4,000 ryō from his second brother, who had promised to take care of him until he became a genin.

Thanks to the support from his clan and his brother, he lived in what could be considered top-tier luxury among the orphans of Konoha.

However, this still couldn't keep up with Ling Uchiha's appetite for meat.

That wretched Konoha; setting aside its other sins, the cost of living was high enough to make one break down.

A bowl of plain ramen cost 60 ryō, meat ramen was 120 ryō, and ramen with meatballs made from meat scraps cost 90 ryō.

Just eating cost about 5,000 ryō a month. Relying solely on the village's death benefits meant he was often left hungry.

As for eating meat, orphans shouldn't even dream of it; Konoha's benefits were never intended to let orphans eat meat.

The 6,000 ryō provided by the Uchiha Clan was the bulk of his income, allowing Ling Uchiha to have a little meat every day.

Thank goodness for the clan. Whether good or bad, the clan was his sanctuary. Such a clan must never be allowed to go extinct.

Upon hearing Ling Uchiha's request, Jing Uchiha reached out and squeezed Ling Uchiha's shoulder.

"You don't say, your bones are quite hard. Fine, starting this month, I'll give you 6,000 ryō a month. I'm going to go get the money."

"Thank you, Second Brother! You're too good to me!" Ling Uchiha said, "Second Brother! If you ever die in the line of duty, I'll raise your kids just like this!"

"You little—" Jing Uchiha realized he shouldn't curse at his brother, kicked Ling Uchiha, and headed upstairs.

Damn it, his younger cousin seemed to have grown up twisted. He felt like kicking him a few more times himself; he couldn't imagine how annoying he must be to others outside.

According to intelligence from the Military Police Force, his cousin was like a troublemaker at school and the public enemy of his class. He shouldn't be surprised if the other students ganged up on him one day to beat him up.

While Ling Uchiha waited in the living room, he saw sunlight hitting the family portrait from his eldest uncle's house.

Certain details on the photo made Ling Uchiha feel a bit strange.

Everywhere else showed the mirror-like reflection of the sunlight, but the face and body of his eldest brother, Jue Uchiha, were blurry.

Looking closer, he realized it was covered in fingerprints.

Ling Uchiha's mood sank. When his second brother was home alone, he must have often stroked this family portrait, especially his eldest brother's face.

The Uchiha Clan seemed to carry a gene for deep fraternal affection; perhaps his second brother often missed his eldest brother.

Within the Uchiha Clan, the condition for the birth of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was the fusion of the Mangekyō Sharingan of biological brothers.

It was a pity that his eldest brother, Jue Uchiha, had already died; otherwise, Jue Uchiha and Jing Uchiha might have had the potential to possess the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

He picked up the family portrait and, imitating his second brother, stroked the spot where his eldest brother was.

If his eldest brother were still here, with his own thick skin, would he be able to ask for 10,000 ryō a month?

His eldest brother was the pillar of the family and had been even better to him back then.

He couldn't imagine how wealthy his life would be.

He would be like the top tycoon or the pampered princess of the orphans.

A year ago, his eldest brother had died during a mission. Ling Uchiha had been the one to help handle the funeral arrangements, as his second brother had been away on a mission and only rushed back half a month after his eldest brother's death.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ling Uchiha saw a dark shadow on the staircase. Driven by a strange impulse, he tilted the photo frame and used its reflection to see his second brother standing on the stairs.

His pupils flickered. Why did his second brother have that expression?

He looked slightly tense, followed by a hint of panic.

The footsteps were heavy.

"Ling, I've brought the money. Don't spend it recklessly."

Listening to his second brother's tone, Ling Uchiha couldn't detect anything unusual.

He set the photo down casually.

He looked up at his second brother's expression and saw that he had returned to his usual self.

"I know, I won't spend it recklessly. I use it all to buy eggs."

In his past life, he had heard Dr. Flatfish say that the nutritional value of all foods was crushed by eggs.

If one had to use only one food to supplement all the nutrients the human body needed, it would undoubtedly be eggs.

Whether it was for calcium or protein, eating eggs was the best choice. Eggs were also the most cost-effective and affordable daily food Ling Uchiha could buy.

Jing Uchiha, however, said, "I've seen you a few times going to the training ground with a little girl with curly hair and red eyes. If you dare to spend that money on a little girl..."

"No! Absolutely not! You must be talking about my classmate Kurenai Yuhi; we are just ordinary classmates!"

Jing Uchiha smiled and said, "If you ever do dare to spend your money on a little girl, then I'll have to give you some extra dating funds."

"Haha, then I'll be sure to ask you for some when that time comes."

After leaving his second brother's house and walking some distance away, Ling Uchiha looked back at the house with a complicated expression.

He didn't want to assume the worst intentions of others, but could it really be his second brother?

When his second brother had been behind him, what was with that panicked look in his eyes?

After Madara Uchiha defected from the village, a rumor spread through the clan that Madara Uchiha had killed his brother, Izuna Uchiha, and stolen his Mangekyō Sharingan to gain the power to challenge the First Hokage.

The Uchiha Clan had always been rumored to kill their closest kin to obtain greater power, and Madara Uchiha killing Izuna Uchiha had seemed to verify this rumor.

Ling Uchiha felt that the reason this rumor had been able to spread was because the Uchiha Clan had intentionally smeared Madara Uchiha to curry favor with the village.

Second Brother... surely his second brother didn't believe that rumor, did he?

Ling Uchiha temporarily suppressed his suspicions and went to buy eggs.

For dinner, in addition to his regular staple food, he ate five hard-boiled eggs. Afterward, he rummaged through the basement and dug out the wooden stake and sandbag his father used to use.

For his upcoming physical training, he didn't need to punch the air anymore; training against a sandbag was more effective than shadowboxing.

With the increase in bone density, he could apply more intense training to his strikes.

Heavy blows, penetrating power, striking force, overall power, practicing the lethality of heavy punches and kicks, strengthening the hardness of his limbs, and stabilizing his center of gravity.

The experience of sandbag training was far superior to air training. Through constant tempering, he could also promote the increase of bone density and master the correct way to exert force.

After finishing this set of exercises, his taijutsu would surely be able to advance even further.