Chapter 56: Just as Danzo Respected Science, Orochimaru Also Respected Grinders

Uchiha Itachi’s judgment was unquestionably correct.

Shimura Danzo had always harbored designs on the Sharingan, and Orochimaru also desired a living member of the Uchiha clan to serve as a vessel for his reincarnation.

A Kekkei Genkai as peerless as the Sharingan, renowned throughout the entire Shinobi World, was bound to attract greedy eyes.

With this realization, Uchiha Itachi could no longer maintain his composure.

Had he possessed space-time ninjutsu, he would have wished to teleport directly back to Konoha at that very moment.

Seeing Uchiha Itachi’s anxious expression and his apparent urge to leave once again, Kisame Hoshigaki could not help feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Itachi-san, are you going out again?"

"You just returned from a mission. Shouldn't you take a proper rest?"

Kisame even began to suspect that Itachi might have contracted the Shisha virus.

Why else would he suddenly become so enthusiastic about missions?

Of course, it was also possible that Itachi had some other extremely urgent matter to deal with.

However, under normal circumstances, the mission intensity within the Akatsuki organization was not nearly that high.

During this period, he and Itachi had been partnered together, and the two had developed a good rapport as honest men who preferred to immerse themselves in a slow-paced lifestyle.

Unless the leader had new mission assignments, Itachi would never proactively undertake any tasks.

On the other hand, Uzumaki Shisha was an absolute heretic within Akatsuki!

That fellow was practically a beast—a beast who treated grinding missions as a form of rest.

Prompted by Kisame’s inquiry, Uchiha Itachi made no attempt to conceal the truth.

In an extremely calm tone, he stated, "I am going to Konoha."

Kisame: "???"

Upon learning that Itachi was going to Konoha to find Uzumaki Shisha, Kisame hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

"Itachi-san, what are you going to do finding a freak like Uzumaki Shisha?"

"That guy is not normal. My advice is to stay as far away from him as possible."

The memory of being beaten to within an inch of his life by Uzumaki Shisha back in Kirigakure, and almost being sold out by him, remained vivid.

In the heart of Kisame Hoshigaki, a hardened veteran, it had left an indelible shadow.

Whenever the prospect of executing a mission alongside Shisha was brought up, these memories would involuntarily resurface.

Not only was he unwilling to work with Shisha himself, but he also did not want Itachi to partner with him.

What if Shisha had another one of his episodes and ended up selling him out as well?

He did not want to lose Itachi-san.

With a flat tone, Uchiha Itachi replied, "I have a reason I must go. Will you come with me?"

Itachi had great confidence in his own abilities, but the oppressive aura Shisha emitted was overwhelmingly intense.

He felt that if they were to fight, there was a high probability he would not be a match for Shisha.

If Kisame were to assist him, his chances of success would be much higher.

Currently, in Itachi’s eyes, Shisha posed an even greater level of danger than the leader of the Akatsuki organization itself.

Hearing this, Kisame immediately shook his head so fast it blurred into an afterimage.

"Itachi-san, yabaikude nai~"

"Uzumaki Shisha may also be a member of Akatsuki."

"But before a mission is completed, that guy will never treat us as comrades."

Regarding how to get along with Shisha, Kisame’s logic was exceptionally clear—keep him at a respectful distance!

There was no helping it; the trauma Shisha had inflicted upon him in Kirigakure was something that would take a lifetime to heal.

Now, whenever he heard about partnering with Shisha for a mission or undertaking any endeavor with him, his scalp would tingle and a chill would run down his spine.

To prevent himself from once again being treated as mere merchandise and sold off by that dangerous fellow Uzumaki Shisha, Kisame had already made up his mind: he would never meet Shisha anywhere outside of Amegakure.

Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi nodded slightly and swiftly departed from the Akatsuki base.

Kisame watched Itachi’s retreating figure with a somewhat complicated expression.

It was not that he lacked loyalty to bonds; it was simply that Shisha was far too ruthless.

If he were to fall into Shisha’s hands again, there was a strong chance he might never return!

Even when facing "Uchiha Madara," Kisame felt no genuine fear.

But when the opponent was a supernatural anomaly like Uzumaki Shisha...

Just the mere thought of that terrifying smile (which Uzumaki Shisha himself believed to be a professional and amiable business grin) sent a shiver of goosebumps all over Kisame’s body.

……

Outside Konoha, deep within a dense expanse of forest.

Orochimaru was filled with immense anticipation for what was about to happen.

Alongside that anticipation, however, lingered a trace of unease.

"I wonder if Danzo has managed to secure the funds on his end?"

"If Danzo successfully raises the billion ryo, many of my subsequent plans can be smoothly set into motion."

"Given the terrifying strength of a fellow like Uzumaki Shisha and his unbelievable mission efficiency,"

"As long as there is sufficient funding, many of my research projects will be able to advance by leaps and bounds!"

At this thought, Orochimaru’s mood grew increasingly bright.

He had personally tested it several times before.

Shisha possessed immense strength; even the Six Paths of Pain would undoubtedly fall short if they were to fight Shisha now.

With such an extraordinary and formidable force paving the way, no experimental material—no matter how difficult to acquire—could remain out of reach.

As long as he was willing to pay the price, Shisha would undoubtedly be able to procure it for him.

Furthermore, Shisha commanded an intelligence network that he had yet to fathom.

Information inaccessible to other shinobi was mostly known to Shisha.

Certain elite experimental subjects he had heard of, which remained out of reach due to a lack of precise intelligence, were not a problem for Shisha at all. In fact, Shisha himself held exceptionally high research value.

As long as the commission fees were adequate, he could certainly hire Shisha to conduct more in-depth, meticulous, and comprehensive research.

If he could acquire a perfect vessel from the Uchiha clan while simultaneously deciphering as many of Shisha’s secrets as possible,

he would integrate multiple advantages. Perhaps breaking through technical barriers and achieving his ultimate goal was just around the corner.

Shimura Danzo might disappoint everyone else, but he would never disappoint Orochimaru.

The exorbitant research funding of one billion ryo would undoubtedly sound utterly absurd to anyone.

Yet, without much hesitation, Danzo had managed to get his hands on the one billion ryo required by Orochimaru.

One could only say that when the technological revolution of the shinobi world advanced thanks to Orochimaru, the shinobi of the world should not forget the contributions made by the Fifth-and-a-Half Hokage, Shimura Danzo.

After all, if Danzo had not continuously provided Orochimaru with research funds, Orochimaru’s path of development could never have been so smooth.

Carrying a briefcase, Danzo appeared not far from Orochimaru and stood in silence, staring at him.

Orochimaru wore the most amiable smile in his history, his mouth practically stretching to his ears: "Lord Danzo, has the research funding I requested been prepared?"

Hearing Orochimaru’s words, Danzo’s face darkened, and he remained silent.

Inside the briefcase he was holding were numerous checks.

Each of these checks could be exchanged at a financial institution for a full one million ryo.

And there were a full one thousand such checks inside the briefcase he held!

Though he had mentally prepared himself, the moment had come to hand over this vast sum of money to Orochimaru, and Danzo still felt a lingering reluctance in his heart.

After a long silence, Danzo looked at Orochimaru and asked in a deep voice,

"I will ask one last time: how soon can you produce results?"

Orochimaru pondered for a moment before replying,

"A conservative estimate is two months, but I will accelerate the pace as much as possible."

"Not only that, but this technology can also be utilized to cultivate shinobi who master varying degrees of Wood Release, according to Lord Danzo's actual needs."

"In the near future, Konoha will be personally escorted by you to the pinnacle of the shinobi world."

"Teacher Sarutobi is far too weak; your philosophy is the correct one."

Orochimaru’s final remark hit precisely home with Danzo.

He had emphasized countless times to Sarutobi Hiruzen that managing and building the village through such a gentle approach was fundamentally flawed.

Moreover, on the vast majority of occasions, he had proposed superior strategies!

Yet whenever that happened, Hiruzen would pull rank by asserting that he was the Hokage.

At this thought, Shimura Danzo looked at Orochimaru and spoke with utmost gravity and solemnity,

"Within one month! I want to see results!"

"If a month passes and I still do not see satisfactory results,"

"I guarantee that you will certainly regret it!"

Orochimaru was well aware of Danzo’s operational style.

Having cooperated for so long, Orochimaru understood Danzo’s methods even better than most other shinobi did.

He was certain that in this matter, Danzo possessed a clear sense of priorities and knew what was at stake.

Hearing Danzo’s words, Orochimaru offered a nuclear-grade, amiable smile. In the past, he could never have uttered such "professional" remarks.

"Lord Danzo, even if I have to work overtime without eating or sleeping, I will deliver a satisfactory answer to you as quickly as possible."

Hearing this, Danzo let out a cold snort.

"You had better, or you will certainly not be able to bear the consequences of toying with me!"

With that, Danzo handed over the money to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru took the money case, opened it, and counted the contents.

As Danzo watched Orochimaru tally the funds, he could not help but daydream about the moment he mastered Wood Release.

When he appeared before Sarutobi Hiruzen wielding the Thousand-Handed Kanon, what kind of expression would Hiruzen wear?

With this thought, Danzo felt a swell of self-satisfaction and emotional turbulence.

He looked at Orochimaru and said, "Go! Complete all research plans as quickly as possible! You should know that although I do not understand the technology, I respect it. Once this is accomplished, I will be able to support you to an even greater extent in conducting various experimental studies."

"Lord Danzo, just await the good news. I will take my leave."

With those words, Orochimaru turned and departed.

Naturally, Danzo had no desire to keep Orochimaru around any longer; right now, he wished he could fast-forward time by a month.

……

At the same time, Shisha was strolling through the village accompanied by Karin.

After Karin reminded him that Orochimaru had appeared in the vicinity once again,

Shisha had with great interest activated his Mind's Eye network to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Learning that Orochimaru had truly extracted one billion ryo from Danzo, Shisha felt his heart burn with enthusiasm.

The money in Orochimaru’s hands translated to commission points for him!

With such a massive influx of commission points, he would be able to soar instantly and ascend ninety thousand li into the sky!

Therefore, without wasting any time, Shisha moved in the direction of Orochimaru’s location.

Orochimaru was unaware of the underlying principles of Shisha's Mind's Eye capability.

Although he knew that Shisha mastered an extremely powerful sensory ninjutsu,

he did not know that within a certain range, Shisha could actually perceive his every move.

At this moment, Orochimaru felt as content as someone who had hoarded one billion gold coins before the release of a top-tier ninja character.

Suddenly, his expression froze, and he came to a halt.

Because he had already sensed Uzumaki Shisha walking toward him with a full face of smiles.

"Yo, isn't this Snake Bro? What a coincidence meeting you here again."

"Long time no see, Snake Bro is looking more strikingly handsome than ever!"

"Where is Snake Bro heading? Are you rushing back, unable to wait to get back to your experiments?"

"As expected, geniuses are always sweating in secret for that ninety-nine percent..."

Shisha cupped his hands together and sighed.

"I truly admire you, truly admire you!"

While Shisha spoke these words, Karin covered her eyes with a speechless expression.

There was no helping it, for she knew everything!

Clearly, she had been the first to discover Orochimaru using her own sensory abilities.

Then Shisha had used his own sensory ninjutsu to eavesdrop on the commotion over at Orochimaru's end.

Upon learning that Orochimaru had acquired one billion ryo, Shisha could simply no longer sit still.

Just as Danzo did not understand technology yet respected it,

Orochimaru, although not a professional in the black market, respected black market professionals like Shisha.

Thus, he understood the rules.

If Shisha put on a cold, indifferent attitude of non-recognition, it meant the days were peaceful.

If Shisha showed extreme enthusiasm, nine times out of ten he harbored malicious intentions.

Consequently, Orochimaru hastily interrupted Shisha's performance.

"Uzumaki Shisha, I don't have any other missions for you right now."

"And instead of wasting time here trying to cozy up to me, you'd be better off seizing the moment to finish your current mission."

Although Orochimaru now held one billion ryo in his hands, he had not been blinded by wealth.

He always approached things with strong planning and clear objectives.

In his hands, this billion ryo would naturally be spent thriftily where needed and generously where appropriate.

If a task required hiring Shisha to ensure its completion, he would hand it over to Shisha without the slightest hesitation.

However, if it was another low-difficulty task, cutting costs was naturally the order of the day.

Most importantly, he had driven Danzo to despair this time; it was a one-time-only transaction.

After this, not only would he be unable to obtain further research funding from Danzo, but he would also have to worry about Danzo coming after his life.

Orochimaru’s attitude came as somewhat of a surprise to Karin.

Previously, Orochimaru had designs on Shisha and needed Shisha to work for him,

so he had been exceedingly slick and polite when interacting with Shisha.

This time, however, his attitude was casual, his speech blunt, and even somewhat forceful.

Hearing Orochimaru’s previous remarks, Shisha inwardly complained.

"Damn snake, feeling bold just because you've got money now, huh?"

"It seems the saying 'money talks' really is true."

"Well, nothing to be done about it. This fellow Orochimaru is still my employer for now."

"The exorbitant commission mission he issued earlier hasn't been wrapped up yet."

"And besides, this guy is holding ten hundred million right now; it's quite reasonable for him to act a bit unruly."

"When the day comes that I shear him clean, let's see if he can keep up this unruly facade."

While complaining inwardly, he helplessly spread his hands.

"Orochimaru, don't you know my work attitude by now?"

"I rushed to Konoha in a flurry of passion the very moment I received the mission."

"The shinobi holding Uchiha Obito's other Sharingan isn't even in Konoha right now, what can I do?"

"The shinobi world is so vast, you surely don't expect me to search for someone like finding a needle in a haystack, do you?"

"Besides, having so much money is useless to you anyway, since you don't spend it on yourself."

"We're shinobi from the same organization, and we can be considered old friends."

"Sharing the joy is better than enjoying it alone—why not issue me another commission mission to advance your other projects? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Look, it's not easy for me either."

"Karin is so young yet she has to run around far and wide following me on missions."

"The economy in the shinobi world has been poor lately, Karin has even grown thin from hunger!"

"???!!!"

Above Karin's small head appeared a huge question mark.

She didn't feel that way at all!

Furthermore, she definitely hadn't grown thin from hunger, right?

She had even been thinking she needed to shed a little bit of fat on her little belly.

Not just Karin.

Orochimaru’s mouth was also twitching frantically, seemingly itching to pop up a giant question mark as well.