"Orochimaru, the Chunin Exams are in another month. With your, Jiraiya's, and Tsunade's strength, you could have participated in the Chunin Exams long ago. Do you have any thoughts?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the book in Orochimaru's hand. He truly didn't understand it. He was fine with Ninjutsu, but outside of Ninjutsu, let alone giving guidance, if there were any real problems, he would need Orochimaru to guide him.
"The Chunin Exams, huh..."
Orochimaru calculated her age. She was seven now, and after her birthday, she could be considered eight. Participating in the Chunin Exams didn't bother her; with her strength, she was unrivaled among her peers.
"Jiraiya is still training on Mount Myōboku. Can he make it back in time?"
Orochimaru recalled Jiraiya's tearful complaints about the insect dishes he had to eat on Mount Myōboku. It was truly miserable, but also genuinely amusing.
"Judging by the time, he should be returning to Konoha soon."
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought about Jiraiya's usual pattern of returning to Konoha from Mount Myōboku.
"I have no objection to participating in the Chunin Exams, and Tsunade probably won't either." Orochimaru placed the book on her lap. "Hiruzen-sensei, with our strength participating in the Chunin Exams, won't it be a bit like bullying?"
Orochimaru was well aware that her, Tsunade's, and Jiraiya's strength already far exceeded that of a Chunin. To be honest, participating in the Chunin Exams felt a bit like bullying.
"There's no helping it. I'd love to just appoint you all as Chunin, but that wouldn't follow the rules."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spread his hands helplessly. Opponents were matched randomly, so anyone who encountered his students was simply out of luck.
"Orochimaru, what are your thoughts on the Police Department's overly strict enforcement?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly thought of the complaints received by the Police Department. On one hand, the Police Department was acting impartially; on the other hand, there were villagers' complaints, which couldn't be ignored.
"Hiruzen-sensei, there's nothing wrong with enforcing the law impartially."
Orochimaru thought for a moment and stated her opinion. If the Uchiha Military Police Force acted corruptly, Konoha's higher-ups would have a headache. "The Police Department being strict enough can effectively combat illegal activities in the Village, making them consider the consequences before committing evil."
"What should be done if overly strict enforcement leads to complaints from villagers?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked again.
"My suggestion is to investigate the complaining villagers to see if they are related to the arrested individuals. People who live in the Village and want to live well don't want the Village to be chaotic, nor would they shield troublemakers. Strict enforcers can stabilize the Village. While it might seem a bit unfeeling, it's better than easily letting troublemakers off."
Orochimaru paused here, frowning, and pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi, saying, "Ultimately, isn't this something you, Hiruzen-sensei, as the Hokage, should be considering? Is it appropriate for you to ask for a child's opinion?"
"The views of young people are different from those of the older generation."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, believing that asking for Orochimaru's opinion was the right thing to do.
"Hmph."
Orochimaru took out a soldier pill and tossed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Hiruzen-sensei, this is a soldier pill with an improved formula. Please try it."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the soldier pill in his hand, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He knew that Orochimaru had bought medicinal ingredients multiple times from the Nara Clan's pharmacy. He had thought that Orochimaru wouldn't tell him what she was buying so many medicinal ingredients for unless he asked, but he hadn't expected her to present the finished product directly.
"Please rest assured, this is a finished product, a tested finished product. Its effect is twice that of ordinary soldier pills, and its side effects are one-fifth."
Orochimaru had taken at least ten million Ryo from Danzo Shimura, and she felt a bit bad about milking him so much, so she further refined the improved formula.
The stronger the efficacy of the soldier pill, the greater the burden on the body. Continuing further would require a trade-off between enhancing efficacy and side effects.
Of course, before handing it over to Danzo Shimura, she would first inform her dear Hiruzen-sensei.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had treated her well. soldier pills, being a strategically important material for the Village, also involved the Akimichi Clan, so she naturally didn't want Hiruzen Sarutobi to only find out about this matter afterward.
Doing so would weigh on her conscience.
Of course, what she was doing wasn't considered backstabbing Danzo Shimura. Hiruzen Sarutobi was her teacher, and as a disciple, if she had achieved something, where else would she show it off if not to her teacher?
"Side effects... one-fifth?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Orochimaru in shock. If this were during wartime, with such soldier pills, Konoha's Ninja could exert even greater combat power.
"Strictly speaking, the side effects are less than one-fifth of ordinary soldier pills..."
Orochimaru paused here, then continued, "Hiruzen-sensei, you know the side effects of soldier pills. After various attempts, I haven't been able to completely eliminate them. The stimulating effect of soldier pills is a burden on the body. In a sense, this is also a side effect; prolonged states of excitement can affect the brain."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't hesitate to put the soldier pill into his mouth and chew it, saying in disbelief, "Hmm, it tastes like sardine meatballs!"
After eating the soldier pill, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly felt himself becoming invigorated, and his body, which had been somewhat tired from dealing with documents and reports, regained its vitality.
"I also made improvements in the taste."
Orochimaru said with a smile, very satisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi's reaction. She had previously inquired from Sarutobi Biwako about Hiruzen Sarutobi's favorite dishes, which is why she made sardine meatball-flavored soldier pills.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi formed hand signs, and with a puff, the smoke cleared, revealing ten Hiruzen Sarutobi in Orochimaru's house. The already not-so-spacious room immediately became cramped.
"Hiruzen-sensei, don't you feel a bit cramped?"
Orochimaru looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and his Shadow Clone with a hint of reproach in his eyes.
"Yes... yes, a little, ha ha ha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed awkwardly and dispelled his Shadow Clone.
"Then, Orochimaru, regarding the price of the soldier pill..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly thought of the price. If it was too high, not all Ninja could afford it, and he also had to consider the many Genin.
Feeling his stamina and Chakra recover, Hiruzen Sarutobi was certain that as long as the price was acceptable, once Orochimaru's improved soldier pill appeared in Konoha, the Akimichi Clan's soldier pill would be forced out of Konoha's history.
"Regarding the price, due to the need for a relatively expensive medicinal ingredient to neutralize and reduce side effects, the cost is 50% higher than ordinary soldier pills."
Orochimaru paused here, then continued, "After improving the manufacturing process, the cost can be significantly reduced, probably about 20% higher than ordinary soldier pills."
"20%?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had expected the cost to skyrocket, but it was only 20% higher than ordinary soldier pills. This meant the Akimichi Clan's soldier pill was completely finished. Even if Orochimaru's improved soldier pill was slightly more expensive than ordinary soldier pills, it would still be the first choice for many Ninja.
However, the Akimichi Clan… the money the Akimichi Clan earned from selling soldier pills accounted for almost three-quarters of their family's income.
It is well known that the Akimichi Clan members are all foodies, not only because of their clan's secret techniques but also because they are inherently big-hearted, plump, and love to eat.
It was common knowledge and habit for Konoha Ninja to carry soldier pills when performing missions. They could not only serve as emergency food but also as life-saving medicine at critical moments.
One can imagine how much money the Akimichi Clan earned from soldier pills.
If the Akimichi Clan lost soldier pills as a source of income... Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind conjured an image of Akimichi Clan members as thin as lightning. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but raise a hand to his forehead.
If it really came to that, no one would ever call the Akimichi Clan members 'fat pigs' again... If he didn't let Orochimaru release the improved soldier pill, it would be too unfair to her. This was her research achievement, and he truly couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Hiruzen-sensei, you seem very troubled. Has my research caused trouble?"
Orochimaru guessed what Hiruzen Sarutobi was troubled about—nothing more than the Akimichi Clan's income. With her research appearing on the Konoha market, the Akimichi Clan's soldier pills would undoubtedly suffer a fatal blow.
If there's a better option, who would choose an inferior product?
It wasn't that Orochimaru looked down on the Akimichi Clan's soldier pill, but rather that their soldier pill was too simple and crude. She seriously suspected that those big-hearted, plump individuals had never considered improving the soldier pill's formula.
What? Side effects?
What's wrong with battle pills having side effects?
Who told you to eat them like regular food?
They were truly resting on their laurels.
"It's like this, Orochimaru. Konoha's soldier pills are all provided by the Akimichi Clan. If your improved soldier pill appears in Konoha, the Akimichi Clan will lose its biggest source of income."
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a moment, then said with a heavy voice, expressing his concerns. Orochimaru had always shown maturity far beyond her peers, and he believed she would understand what he was worried about.
Orochimaru looked troubled and said, "Hiruzen-sensei, the funds for improving the soldier pill formula were provided by Danzo-sama."
"What?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth hung open in shock, and his pipe slipped from his hand and fell. He never expected that right under his nose, Danzo Shimura could still find an opportunity to contact Orochimaru, and the funds for Orochimaru's improved soldier pill formula were actually provided by Danzo Shimura.
"Hiruzen-sensei, Danzo-sama is the Assistant Hokage, he assists you. He should understand the importance of this matter."
Orochimaru's face showed a hint of confusion, as if she couldn't understand why Hiruzen-sensei, as the Hokage, would be so troubled.
Hiruzen Sarutobi bent down to pick up his pipe. He never expected that despite all his precautions, Danzo Shimura still had a chance to contact Orochimaru. He said with a headache, "I will talk to Danzo about this."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Orochimaru, who seemed a bit off, a flicker of self-reproach in his eyes. He comforted her, "Orochimaru, your abilities are unquestionable. Your research achievements are a contribution to Konoha. There's no need to feel guilty about this."
"I understand, Hiruzen-sensei." Orochimaru nodded.
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt very uneasy and quickly left Orochimaru's house.
Danzo-sama, please don't disappoint me!
Orochimaru's lips curved into a determined smile. From beginning to end, her goal was clear: to obtain funds from her angel investor, Danzo Shimura, while also dragging the Akimichi Clan down.
The soldier pill was the Akimichi Clan's lifeline!
Author's Note
PS:
Danzo Shimura: Coming after me again?