The change in Ōnoki's eyes was exceedingly subtle.
Yet before Uchiha Gen'yō's perception, which rivaled the Byakugan, it was as clear as a torch in the night.
Old fox.
Gen'yō sneered inwardly.
Of course he knew what Ōnoki was thinking.
He had used Susanoo and several Mangekyo dōjutsu in succession, then finally unleashed an overtaxing soul secret technique like Divine Soul Heavenly Attraction.
Even with his current body, which had fused with a Sage Body, he had consumed more than seventy percent of his chakra.
Waves of fatigue coursed through his body as well.
To an ordinary person, he would have appeared weak to the extreme.
And this was precisely the only opportunity for a calculating, ruthless figure like Ōnoki to entertain any crooked ideas.
Unfortunately.
He was facing a man with cheats.
"Lord Tsuchikage, it seems you still have some doubts?"
Uchiha Gen'yō feigned ignorance, a tired smile on his face.
"That's understandable. After all, this concerns the future of all of Iwagakure. You should be cautious."
"How about this? I'll give you some time to think it over."
As he spoke, Gen'yō actually sat down slowly with his legs crossed right in front of Ōnoki and closed his eyes.
"I need to recover a little."
This display of weakness made Ōnoki's heart leap!
An opportunity!
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
This monster was at his weakest right now!
If I attacked him now...
Could my strongest Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique kill him in a single strike?
As long as I killed him, the Uchiha Clan would be leaderless. Those thousand-plus pairs of Sharingan and that scroll recording every spy would all belong to Iwagakure!
Greedy thoughts bred wildly in Ōnoki's heart like venomous snakes!
His hands had already risen unconsciously. A transparent cubic barrier began to condense slowly between his palms!
Yet just as he was about to make up his mind...
He saw a sight he would never forget.
Uchiha Gen'yō sat cross-legged without making any hand seals whatsoever.
A crystal-clear bottle appeared out of thin air in his hand.
Inside was a brilliant liquid that glittered with flecks of golden light, like a melted river of stars.
An aura of life energy and chakra, extraordinarily dense and pure to an outrageous degree, emanated from the bottle.
Just a whiff made Ōnoki feel as though his meridians, somewhat dried up with age, had been nourished and revitalized!
"Wh-what is that?!"
Ōnoki's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets!
He was certain that no chakra potion of such high concentration existed anywhere in the Shinobi World!
Even the legendary secret medicine cultivated from the First Hokage's cells in Konoha could never achieve such an effect!
And all of this took place within Uchiha Gen'yō's mind.
The instant he closed his eyes, a string of system notifications rang out furiously.
[Ding! Detected that the host successfully killed all fifty-three members of the Owl Crow Squad, Konoha Root's elite pursuit unit!] [Ding! Detected that the host successfully intimidated the Third Tsuchikage with decisive force, securing an absolutely equal strategic standing for the clan!] [Ding! Detected that the host successfully countered Shimura Danzō, severing his soul link and plunging him into a deep coma!] [Overall evaluation: SSS rank! A flawless battle to establish dominance!] [Calculating rewards.] [Congratulations! The host has gained 20,000 clan prosperity points!] [Current clan prosperity balance: 25,000 points!]
Looking at this enormous sum, Uchiha Gen'yō opened the system shop without hesitation.
He entered "chakra recovery" directly into the search bar.
An extensive list of products popped up instantly.
[Chakra Extraction Jelly Bean Small: Instantly restores 10% chakra. Price: 100 points.] [Military Rations Pill System Special Supply Edition: Continuously restores chakra and rapidly replenishes stamina. Price: 500 points.] [Sage Body Chakra Recovery Potion Large: Instantly restores 100% chakra and provides a minor strengthening effect to the body. Price: 5,000 points.]
"This one."
Without a second thought, Gen'yō selected the most expensive option.
What mattered most to him now was maintaining his invincible persona.
Five thousand points in exchange for the complete submission of a top Kage-level powerhouse-this deal was a massive win!
[Ding! Redemption successful! Sage Body Chakra Recovery Potion Large has been delivered to the system inventory!]
The next second, that crystal bottle shimmering with starlight appeared in Gen'yō's hand.
Under Ōnoki's gaze, which practically blazed with fire, Uchiha Gen'yō pulled out the stopper and drained that bottle of divine elixir-like liquid in one gulp!
Boom!
A visible golden shock wave erupted with Uchiha Gen'yō at its center!
His face, slightly pale from excessive exertion, instantly regained its healthy color!
Within a single second, his somewhat unsteady chakra aura not only returned to its peak but became even mightier and vaster than before!
His surging vitality almost took physical form, making even the surrounding rocks seem about to sprout tender shoots!
"Burp."
Gen'yō let out a contented burp and slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at Ōnoki, who stood completely petrified before him with his hands still poised in a hand seal, he revealed a playful smile.
"Lord Tsuchikage, have you made up your mind?"
"I... I..."
Ōnoki's lips trembled, but he could not get a single word out.
The half-formed Dust Release barrier between his palms dissipated without a sound.
The improper thoughts in his heart had also been utterly crushed the instant he saw that miraculous potion!
I couldn't beat him!
I couldn't outlast him!
I couldn't even tell what trump cards he had!
How was I supposed to play this?
Surrender!
I had to surrender!
And willingly, clinging to his thigh!
"Iwagakure-no, I, Ōnoki of Both Scales, am willing to forge the firmest blood pact with Lord Gen'yō and the Uchiha Clan!"
Ōnoki abruptly lowered the head he had held high for decades. In an almost humble tone, he spoke each word distinctly.
"From this day forward, the affairs of the Uchiha Clan shall be the affairs of Iwagakure!"
"Any enemy of the Uchiha shall be an enemy of mine, Ōnoki!"
[Ding! Main quest: Forge an Alliance-completion progress has increased substantially!] [Clan prosperity +5,000 points!]
Hearing the notifications ringing in his mind, Uchiha Gen'yō nodded in satisfaction.
He stood, walked over to Ōnoki, and patted the shoulder of the man who was considerably shorter than him.
"Very good. You've made the wisest choice."
"To show my sincerity, and to make our future cooperation smoother..."
That mysterious smile appeared on Gen'yō's face again.
"I've decided to let you see the true foundation of our Uchiha Clan with your own eyes."