Even though Hiruzen was being generous, Orochimaru knew better. The black market price for fifty doses of the diluted genetic enhancement fluid was around 75 million ryo far more than the 10 million he was being handed now. Still, Orochimaru accepted it without complaint.
Ten million ryō isn't bad, but the real profit is still ahead,Orochimaru thought.
After handing Hiruzen the two prepared potions from his scroll, Orochimaru left the Hokage's office. He knew that as the lead researcher on this project, he could control the pace of production and delivery, and Hiruzen wouldn't question him. The Hokage was well aware of how valuable these potions were and trusted Orochimaru implicitly.
Hiruzen, on the other hand, understood that the payment was too little for what Orochimaru was delivering. But as his disciple, Orochimaru hadn't asked for any official funding. This was the best Hiruzen could offer as a gesture of appreciation.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru casually strolled through the village streets, the 60 million ryo from his black market dealings already resting comfortably in his pocket. He couldn't help but marvel at how easily he was able to make money.
Other ninjas take on dangerous missions for mere tens of thousands or, at best, a few million ryo. Meanwhile, I can earn tens of millions with minimal effort.
If this were the modern world, Orochimaru thought with a smirk, it would be the ultimate rags-to-riches story. The weakened versions of his genetic enhancement and healing fluids were already popular, but if he introduced something more powerful, like the gene fusion fluid, the entire ninja world would be thrown into chaos.
After all, gene fusion could theoretically create someone with the power of the First Hokage.
But Orochimaru knew better than to release such power into the hands of others. He understood that giving too much power too soon would make people uncontrollable. History had already shown what happened when people were given too much strength, like Kaguya's two sons who betrayed their own mother after inheriting her abilities.
Orochimaru chuckled to himself. Yes, the god-making plan will have to wait. For now, I don't have the strength to control anyone like that.
Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Hey, Orochimaru!" Tsunade's voice rang through the street. She glanced at the money box in his hand and raised an eyebrow. "Another payout, huh? Did your research succeed again?"
Orochimaru looked over and saw Tsunade walking toward him, holding her younger brother Nawaki by the hand. She seemed to have recovered somewhat from her recent grief.
"Yeah," Orochimaru replied, giving her a brief nod. His eyes flicked down to Nawaki. "It's been a while, Nawaki. You've grown."
Nawaki, hiding behind Tsunade's leg, looked at Orochimaru with wide eyes, clearly intimidated by the man's appearance.
"Heh, yeah, he's grown a bit," Tsunade replied, smiling at her brother. "You haven't visited in a while, Orochimaru. Nawaki, greet him properly."
But Nawaki, unnerved by Orochimaru's snake-like golden eyes, shrank back further behind his sister.
Seeing his reaction, Tsunade crouched down and tried to reassure him. "What's wrong? This is Orochimaru-nii. He used to hold you when you were a baby."
Nawaki shifted uncomfortably and mumbled a reluctant response. "Um… I know."
Tsunade sighed, shaking her head. "You're not usually this shy…"
Orochimaru, observing the boy's hesitation, spoke up calmly. "It's fine. Children are often afraid of people they don't know well."
It was true Orochimaru had held Nawaki once before, but that was back when he was barely two years old, before Tsunade's parents had died. Since then, they hadn't interacted much.
Nawaki, a bit embarrassed, puffed up his chest and muttered defiantly, "I'm not afraid… I'm just curious."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Curious? About what?"
The boy hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "Why are his eyes like that? They're… kinda scary."
The bluntness of his words caused Tsunade's face to flush with embarrassment. She quickly waved her hands in apology. "I'm sorry, Orochimaru! He doesn't mean any harm. He's just a kid."
But Orochimaru waved it off with a small smile. "No offense taken. Children often say what's on their minds."
In truth, Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils did resemble those of a snake. While not exclusively snake-like, many predators shared this characteristic, and it wasn't surprising that a young child would find them unsettling.
However, Nawaki's innocent comment didn't bother Orochimaru. After all, he could easily alter the shape and color of his eyes with his abilities if he ever felt the need to blend in. But he didn't bother. There was no point in hiding who he was.
"I bet if you gave me something to eat, I wouldn't be afraid anymore!" Nawaki said suddenly, perking up at the mention of food.
Before he could finish, Tsunade placed a firm hand on his head. "Nawaki, what did I tell you about manners? You can't just ask people for food like that."
"But sister," Nawaki protested, looking up at her with wide eyes. "Isn't Orochimaru-nii your boyfriend? We're family, right? So it's fine!"
Both Tsunade and Orochimaru were momentarily stunned by Nawaki's bold statement. Tsunade's cheeks turned red as she tried to find words, and Orochimaru blinked, mildly surprised.
"Haha, you sure know a lot for your age," Orochimaru finally said with a laugh. "Come on then, I'll treat you to some dango."
"Really?!" Nawaki's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Of course," Orochimaru replied, turning on his heel. "Follow me if you want to eat."
Without a second thought, Nawaki eagerly followed Orochimaru, leaving a flustered Tsunade standing there. After a moment, she let out a small laugh and trailed after them, smiling at the sight of her little brother's happiness.
---
At the dango shop in Konoha, Nawaki was happily devouring the sweet and savory treats while Tsunade and Orochimaru sat nearby.
As Nawaki focused on his food, Orochimaru reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out two vials of green liquid. "Here," he said, passing them to Tsunade. "This is the result of my latest research. One for you, and one for Jiraiya."
"Huh? For us?" Tsunade blinked in surprise, holding the vials up to the light.
"Yeah," Orochimaru confirmed. "It's a formula that increases chakra capacity."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "Wow, that's incredible! How do we use it?"
"Just drink it," Orochimaru replied simply.
Tsunade was never one to hesitate. She was about to uncork the vial and drink it right then and there, but Orochimaru quickly stopped her.
"Not here," he said firmly.
"Why not?" she asked, confused.
"You'll see when you get home," Orochimaru answered cryptically, not bothering to elaborate.
Tsunade gave him a curious look but decided to trust him. After finishing up their meal, the three parted ways. Orochimaru went off to continue his own errands, while Tsunade returned to the Senju Clan's residence, still wondering why Orochimaru had warned her about drinking the potion in public.
---
Ten minutes later, Tsunade found out exactly why.
The moment she drank the potion back at home, she was overwhelmed by the pungent, foul odor that emanated from her body as the potion took effect.
"Ugh, this smell!" Tsunade gagged, rushing toward the bathroom. "No wonder he told me not to drink it at the dango shop! I would've cleared the place out!"
The stench was unbearable. If she had taken the potion in the shop, the owner might have thrown her out on the spot.
After the potion's effects settled, Tsunade didn't bother to check her chakra levels immediately. Instead, she made a beeline for the shower. As a kunoichi, and more importantly, a woman with pride, she wasn't going to tolerate smelling like this.
As she stripped down and let the hot water wash over her, she caught sight of her reflection in the steamed-up mirror.
"Huh? Wait a second… Did I just… get bigger?" she muttered to herself in surprise, glancing down at her body.
******
The goal for this week is 2000 PS. For every 500 PS, I'll release 2 extra chapters. If we hit 2000 PS, I'll drop 4 additional chapters, not including other bonus chapters.Thanks for the continued support.