Gisei Shiraishi almost shouted the slogan, "Rich lady, please keep me!"
He was dirt poor right now.
Shuichi Takemoto not only refused to lend him money, but he also cut off his source of income.
He had joined the Medical Corps, and although the salary was high, trying to support both himself and his clansmen on just that paycheck was a fool's dream.
The duties of the Medical Corps were heavy, leaving him no time to take on missions to earn extra cash.
Thinking of this, Gisei wanted to negotiate a bit harder. He didn't agree immediately; he just coughed.
Tsunade stared at him intently, her face expressionless. "If you're thinking about two hundred million, there's no deal. Thirty million at most."
Earning ten million just by coughing a few times?
Gisei's eyes practically turned into yen symbols, and he nodded furiously.
Tsunade laughed and immediately punched Gisei on the shoulder.
"What the hell? Turns out you're actually quite reasonable!"
I'm reasonable after you cheated me out of thirty million?
Gisei felt like a country bumpkin being hustled.
The Third Hokage opened his mouth several times to interject but ultimately said nothing. Even if Orochimaru and Jiraiya didn't care about money, they knew exactly what that kind of number meant.
Orochimaru remembered that Gisei had just taught him ninjutsu, so he stayed silent.
On the contrary, Jiraiya started whispering something into Tsunade's ear.
After listening for a second, Tsunade punched Jiraiya, sending him flying into the distance.
Jiraiya: "..."
Gisei watched Jiraiya sail through the air and fell into deep thought.
As the founding ninja clan of Konoha, the Senju must be loaded, but even if they have money to burn, is this really how they use it?
Sure enough, Tsunade spoke up.
"Money isn't a problem. Anyway, I have plenty of it. But there is one condition: you have to teach me the medical ninjutsu you used in the hospital."
Gisei scratched his head.
Thirty million was a very attractive number. If he could, he would certainly be willing to teach her.
The problem was that the chakra control required for that specific medical ninjutsu was definitely beyond the current Tsunade's ability.
If he took the money and Tsunade failed to learn it...
With Tsunade's temper, it was entirely possible she might tear down his house.
"I want to teach you, but I'm afraid you won't be able to learn it."
"Fifty million. As long as you're willing to teach."
Gisei mentally offered his knees to the tycoon.
"Deal."
After the under-the-table transaction concluded, Tsunade waved her hand generously. "BBQ restaurant, my treat!"
Watching the four of them leave with their arms around each other's shoulders, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was left standing there in disarray.
Why did I even follow them here? They just left like that?
The Third took a fierce puff from his pipe. Puff, puff...
...
Why on earth did it turn out like this?
Inside the BBQ restaurant, Gisei looked at the former classmates crowding around the table and fell into deep thought.
After Tsunade dragged them here, they coincidentally ran into a group of their old classmates. After exchanging a few polite words, they ended up sitting together, and the whole thing turned into an impromptu class reunion.
Hmm, it seemed like a pretty normal development, but something felt wrong somewhere.
"Gisei, have you already become a squad leader in the Medical Corps? That's amazing!"
Snap. Tsunade's chopsticks broke in half.
"Yeah, yeah. We haven't heard any news about you since graduation, and you've quietly made a name for yourself."
Gisei could only awkwardly touch the back of his head.
"Unlike us. We're still Genin even now. Who knows when we'll become Chunin."
"Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya are also Jonin now. Geniuses really are different from the rest."
"But Gisei-kun is still more impressive. Back then, those three graduated earlier than Gisei-kun."
Orochimaru stood up and walked out expressionlessly. His personality was cold and unsuited for this kind of occasion, and the banal topics these classmates discussed were rather annoying to him.
Jiraiya didn't care at all, shouting, eating, and drinking heartily.
Tsunade ate for a while, paid the bill, and left right after Orochimaru.
Gisei became the protagonist in the eyes of his classmates. Even Taro Mitsui, who used to be scared to tears by him, was acting very enthusiastic.
It was just a pity that he didn't see that guy Hiruko. He heard that Hiruko disdained participating in this kind of gathering.
Gisei really didn't think being a Medical Corps squad leader was all that impressive, but watching his classmates surround him one by one, he felt too embarrassed to just leave.
After all, he came from a "prestigious family," so he had to maintain appearances.
Acting too arrogant wasn't a good look, but he really felt uncomfortable inside.
After finally enduring until his classmates left, Gisei sighed and walked out of the BBQ restaurant.
Except for the Sannin, his former classmates were basically ordinary people with mediocre talent. Even the few from ninja clans weren't much better off.
Konoha was very peaceful right now. It had only been two or three years since they graduated, and they were basically just muddling along in the village.
If this continued, barring any accidents, Chunin would be their ceiling. And if war broke out, they would most likely be cannon fodder on the battlefield.
What a melancholy group of people.
Walking through the main street and turning into a small alley, Gisei hadn't taken two steps before he discovered someone waiting for him ahead.
"Are you very proud? Watching your former classmates respectfully sucking up to you, your heart must be blooming with joy, right?"
"Hmph. Just you wait and see. I, the great Hiruko, will absolutely not lose to you!"
Gisei watched Hiruko's retreating back and fell into deep thought.
This guy wouldn't come when invited, but he deliberately waited here in an alley just to say some incomprehensible nonsense.
Arrogant, unable to let go of his pride, or simply unwilling to admit defeat?
But you've got the wrong target, haven't you? Why say tough words to me? Shouldn't the object of your jealousy be the Sannin?
What a naive child.
Gisei shook his head.
Hiruko was still just a kid who hadn't been beaten down by society yet. By the time he recognized reality, he would probably embark on the path of a mad scientist.
Gisei expressed a warm welcome to this idea.
Thinking of Hiruko's future crazy experiments, Gisei felt that perhaps the two of them could cooperate.
He remembered that Hiruko researched the Chimera Technique. This technique allowed one to merge with others, thereby absorbing their abilities—even Kekkei Genkai.
Gisei hadn't done much research on things like Kekkei Genkai himself. If he could get his hands on Hiruko's research results, it would save him a considerable amount of time.
Speaking of which, this Hiruko's "darkening" was happening too slowly. Should he add some fuel to the fire?
He also didn't know how strong Hiruko was right now. If his strength couldn't keep up with his ambition, he would get burned, which wouldn't be good.
Thinking of this, Gisei shook his head. It was better to let Hiruko develop peacefully. After all, they were classmates; if you don't love him, don't hurt him.
However, after taking two steps, Gisei stopped again, muttering to himself.
"Fusing Kekkei Genkai?"
Speaking of which, can't the butterfly species inherit all the abilities of the technique user?
If it can even inherit Kekkei Genkai...
A new door seemed to open before Gisei's eyes.
He began to have some expectations for Hiruko.