Chapter 32 – Great Harvest
"This offering marks the disciple's formal apprenticeship ceremony. It is also to be used as research funding for Orochimaru-sensei."
"Though it may not seem like much, it represents the disciple's heartfelt sincerity. I humbly ask that Orochimaru-sensei accept it."
Uchiha Gen kneeled on the tatami, back straight, expression earnest as he held out the heavy stack of notes.
Orochimaru extended his hand and took the stack with a slight stretch of his arm. His pale fingers leafed through the banknotes each one a crisp 10,000-tael denomination. Judging by the thickness, it amounted to more than three million taels.
Even someone as composed as Orochimaru felt a flicker of emotion.
The money itself wasn't vast by the standards of noble clans.but the sentiment behind it held weight.
He recalled that Gen's parents were both mid-ranking chūnin. Neither had awakened the Sharingan, and while they received standard clan dividends, their overall savings would have been modest.
When Gen graduated from the Academy and became a genin, the Third Great Ninja War was already underway. Missions during wartime, especially those for genin, were often unpaid or considered mandatory service, with the village only providing basic equipment and rations.
It was only after Gen awakened his Sharingan and advanced it to the two-tomoe stage that he began receiving higher dividends from the clan treasury, tied to his combat potential.
Even so, his advancement was recent, and the dividends hadn't accumulated for long.
To part with over three million taels in personal funds this was no trivial offering.
"Does your family still have enough to get by?" Orochimaru asked, his voice low and deliberate.
"There's still a little more than three million taels left," Gen replied calmly.
In truth, this was half his total savings.
But he didn't feel any regret.
When undertaking something important, Uchiha Gen never hesitated.
The closer his relationship with Orochimaru, the greater the strategic advantage. As his standing within the clan continued to rise, the distribution of resources and dividends would only increase.
Even without leaving the village or accepting dangerous missions, he could now afford a comfortable life just from the Uchiha clan's monthly resource pool.
Of course, "comfortable" didn't mean luxurious. Konoha's military culture especially among the elite shinobi discouraged extravagance.
There was the matter of shinobi discipline. Extravagant living was viewed as a risk to one's combat sharpness and mental focus. Ninja were trained to live spartan lives, as embodied in the Three Great Ninja Taboos: never seek personal gain through missions, never allow emotion to interfere, and never neglect training.
"In that case," Orochimaru said, his gold-slit eyes narrowing, "your teacher accepts this gift."
"In return, I shall give you two items as greeting gifts."
Without further elaboration, Orochimaru tilted his head back and opened his mouth. A large brown snake slithered out of his throat first regurgitating a scroll coated in viscous saliva, then a gleaming sword. After depositing both, the snake slid silently back into Orochimaru's mouth and disappeared without a sound.
Orochimaru casually caught the items mid-air and, with a flick of his hand, sent off the slime. Then he offered them to Gen.
Gen's stomach twisted slightly, but he maintained a calm facade as he received them. The scroll and sword were slick, cold, and unpleasantly damp in his hands.
"This scroll contains the A-rank genjutsu 'Demonic Illusion: Darkness Technique' a jutsu originally created by the Second Hokage and recorded in the village's Scroll of Seals. Given your Uchiha heritage and Sharingan abilities, it's well-suited to your skillset."
"This sword is the Kusanagi, my personal blade. I'm entrusting it to you as well."
Orochimaru had initially only planned to give Gen the Darkness Technique a gift he had acquired through Sarutobi Hiruzen's teachings and his own access to forbidden knowledge. However, Gen's show of sincerity changed his mind.
Still, there was a deeper, more personal reason.
Uchiha Gen and Orochimaru shared a rare similarity: the pursuit of immortality.
Had that connection not existed, Orochimaru would never have parted with the Kusanagi sword perhaps not even the A-rank jutsu. At most, he would have handed over a lesser scroll or a minor summoning contract and called it a day.
But this... this was different.
Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Uchiha Gen's heart surged with joy. The gifts were far more generous than he could have anticipated.
In monetary terms, the three million taels he had offered paled in comparison to the value of these items.
The Demonic Illusion: Darkness Technique was a legendary genjutsu one capable of neutralizing enemy sensory input regardless of chakra flow. Its effectiveness was even more potent when used by a shinobi with visual prowess like the Sharingan.
And the Kusanagi Sword this was no ordinary blade.
This was the ultimate medium for weapon-based Homiz techniques those that involved soul-forging and personal bond to a weapon. Normal blades couldn't withstand the soul imprinting process. Even high-grade chakra-forged weapons lacked the durability or affinity.
But the Kusanagi was different. It had near-perfect chakra conductivity and was forged from an alloy considered the hardest known substance in the shinobi world.
Even the Monkey King: Enma, in his Adamantine Staff form, had been cautious around it.
Gen had long dreamed of possessing such a blade.something worthy of bearing part of his soul.
And now, that dream had been realized.
Moreover, the Kusanagi sword Orochimaru had given him was not the same as the chokutō-style blade Sasuke wielded later, but the original one capable of extending over a hundred meters, as seen when Orochimaru used it to engage Naruto in his Four-Tails transformation, launching the sword from his mouth in combat. It was a legendary weapon, both flexible and deadly, suitable for high-level battle applications and experimentation.
Only a Kusanagi sword of this caliber was worthy of becoming a vessel for his soul-infused weapon techniques!
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei."
Uchiha Gen did not hide his joy. He bowed respectfully, his face lit with a rare and genuine smile.
"Teacher is too biased toward senior brother. The gifts I got when I became your disciple can't even compare!"
Anko Mitarashi, who had been silently watching the exchange from the side, finally spoke up. Her arms crossed over her chest, her tone was sour, and she shot an accusing look at Orochimaru.
"Senior brother?" Orochimaru echoed, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Isn't he supposed to be your junior?"
Uchiha Gen quickly adjusted his posture and clarified, "Well, technically yes. But it's alright if I'm called senior brother. The pressure of being a senior sister is too much for some people."
"Don't try to change the subject!" Anko huffed, stomping one foot lightly. "Sensei, you owe me compensation. Don't play favorites!"
She was clearly flustered. The look in her eyes screamed that she felt her place in her teacher's heart was being challenged by this new disciple. Her cheeks were flushed not with embarrassment, but indignation.
Orochimaru chuckled softly, his smile sly and ambiguous. "Hoho… Hongdōu, did you offer your teacher a gift when you became my student?"
Anko's expression froze immediately, as if pierced by a senbon needle. Her arms dropped to her sides as the realization dawned.
Now that he mentioned it… she hadn't offered anything. In fact, when she became his disciple, she had barely been a full-fledged genin. She had relied heavily on Orochimaru for daily support, and he had often covered her living expenses out of his own pocket.
She had absolutely no leverage.
Orochimaru's tone shifted. "Well, don't look so glum. Take five million taels from the vault and use it wisely."
"Keep an eye on your weight," he added. "If you get fat, you'll lose agility."
"And if you don't make chūnin within the time I've set, well… you know the consequences."
Anko flinched but then grinned sheepishly. "Understood. Thank you, teacher!"
Even if she had to deal with pressure, being doted on with a five-million-tael reward took the sting off.
Bang! Orochimaru formed a single-hand seal. A puff of white smoke erupted from the table between them. When it cleared, a large summoning scroll sat in the center.
"This is the Ryūchi Cave summoning scroll. If you don't already have a summoning contract, Xuan, add your signature and blood now."
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei."
Gen unrolled the scroll carefully. After biting his thumb, he added his handprint directly beneath Anko's. The blood left a stark crimson imprint on the parchment.
"Are you interested in snake-style ninjutsu?"
Orochimaru casually put away the scroll and poured himself a small glass of rice wine.
Gen paused to consider, then replied, "Of course I am. But as they say: one should not let excess skills burden the body."
"Besides, snake jutsu is your signature style, Orochimaru-sensei. If I imitated it too closely, people might think I'm a counterfeit."
Orochimaru's eyebrows arched slightly. A subtle smile touched his lips.
Hmph... He likes this answer. A disciple who admired him without seeking to become a clone.
The idea of mastering every jutsu in the world that ambition was their common bond. Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi, who clung to traditional morals and balance, Gen understood the value of knowledge and power.
"Hoho… Quite right."
"You should start with this scroll," Orochimaru said, forming another seal. A second puff of smoke revealed a sealed ninjutsu scroll.
"Study it. Once you've mastered it, come find me. If there's any technique you wish to learn, tell me. Don't hold back."
Uchiha Gen's eyes gleamed. He reached out and took the scroll respectfully, then cast a quick glance at Orochimaru and subtly winked.
Orochimaru caught the signal instantly. His expression didn't change, but his eyes grew sharp.
"Anko," he called smoothly, "Take the cash box into my quarters."
Startled but not suspicious, Anko looked up from counting. "Understood!"
Carrying the two heavy cash boxes easily over twenty kilograms in weight was no issue for someone trained by Orochimaru and already near chūnin-level. She vanished into the adjacent room without a second thought.
When the door slid closed, Orochimaru turned to Gen. "Now, what is it you wanted to ask?"
"Teacher Orochimaru," Gen began carefully, voice dropping to a near whisper, "are you familiar with the Spiritual Transformation Technique?"
"Of course," Orochimaru replied without hesitation. "It was used by Tsunade's lover, Kato Dan. It's an S-rank forbidden jutsu."
Gen's pulse quickened. Lowering his voice even further, he leaned in: "This technique touches on the true nature of the soul."
"Immortality isn't rooted in flesh or even bloodlines it's the soul that holds the key. The Spiritual Transformation Technique has immense research potential."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, and his fingers tapped his cup softly. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"I'll obtain the technique. It won't be difficult."
Gen nodded firmly.
He believed it.
At this point in time, Orochimaru was still in good standing with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and had an active alliance with Shimura Danzō. The technique, while restricted, wasn't as sensitive as Edo Tensei or other taboo methods.
Even if he failed initially, once Namikaze Minato was officially named Hokage, Hiruzen driven by guilt or political pressure would likely approve Orochimaru's request.
Compared to the original timeline, it was even possible Orochimaru would acquire it earlier.
Gen had long since made up his mind: if Orochimaru or Minato failed, he would personally raid the Scroll of Seals during the chaos of the Nine-Tails' attack.
He needed this technique.
Among the countless ninjutsu in Konoha's vaults, the Spiritual Transformation Technique was the only one that perfectly complemented the Soul-Soul Fruit's abilities.
He would not let it slip away.
"It's getting late," Orochimaru said, rising from the cushion. "I've other matters to attend to. You're free to stay and make yourself comfortable."
"Please take care, Orochimaru-sensei," Gen replied, standing up and bowing slightly.
A teacher like this deserved nothing less than respect.
"Mm."
Orochimaru nodded once, then slowly began to sink into the floor, phasing through as if the earth itself welcomed his presence.
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