"Furthermore, Uchiha Kawasaki has issued a decree encouraging childbirth, offering monetary rewards to any Uchiha family that has a child."
Haito's words left the Hyuga elders deeply unsettled.
"No wonder we rarely see any Uchiha accepting missions. I thought Itachi had taken many of them with him, but it turns out they don't even need to work."
"They get rewarded for having children? Are the Uchiha that wealthy?"
The Hyuga clan was a noble house entirely because of the power of the Byakugan. In every Great Ninja War, the Hyuga's eyes were an indispensable tool for reconnaissance. As a result, whether it was subsidies from the village, earnings from mercenary work, or rewards from requested missions, the Hyuga clan had always earned a fortune and a prestigious reputation, ensuring they were treated with respect wherever they went.
The Main and Branch House system of the Hyuga granted the Main House absolute authority. It also ensured that the Byakugan was rarely leaked to outsiders and that traitors were virtually nonexistent. But because of this very system, no matter how many battlefield honors the Branch House accumulated, it was nearly impossible for them to attain significant power. The Main House elders rarely set foot on the battlefield, remaining in the rear, which made earning merit for themselves an impossible task.
This led to a peculiar situation where the highly reputable Hyuga clan was severely lacking in political power. Apart from Hyuga Hiashi, the Main House had no other Honorary Elders. Many of the elders dreamed of securing another Honorary Elder seat, which was why the Head Elder had been willing to entertain the risky proposal.
Seeing he had their full attention, Haito continued his analysis. "Our clan is facing a manpower shortage because we took over the Police Force."
"We all know what life was like for the Uchiha back then. Now, it's our turn."
"The Police Force ties up most of our personnel. We're now unable to accept many of the assistance requests from other clans."
Many of the elders were only just now realizing the awkward position their clan was in.
The Head Elder rapped his knuckles on the table and said in a low voice, "We foresaw this problem from the moment we agreed to take over the Police Force."
Hiashi nodded and added, "The situation wasn't as severe then. This is a time of peace, so it's manageable if we're a bit short-handed."
"We just need to endure these next few years. Once the new generation is ready to take the lead, the Hyuga clan will enter a period of rapid growth."
The elders exchanged glances, all agreeing with Hiashi's assessment. But the documents in their hands told them a different story. In a few years, they would indeed grow rapidly, but the Uchiha would soar to unimaginable heights.
"I am not pursuing this Honorary Elder appointment from Danzo for myself," Haito said, patting his leg. For him, this was merely an add-on from Danzo; he would have cooperated regardless. "Nor is it for this crippled leg of mine. I only want to secure more power for our clan."
"So that in a few years, the Hyuga clan will not be left so far behind."
Haito's thinking was clear, and everyone knew about the recovery of his leg. They hadn't expected him to be acting not for himself, but for the future of the clan.
The elders looked at one another, finding themselves in agreement with Haito's reasoning.
Hyuga Hizashi couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid that Uchiha Kawasaki will come back to settle the score with us?"
The mere thought of Kawasaki's power sent a shiver through them all. He was a man who was both brilliant and terrifyingly strong. The Third Hokage and Danzo had suffered at his hands more than once. If Kawasaki returned, the Hyuga clan stood no chance against his retribution.
A smile appeared on Haito's face. "When I planned this, I considered several possible outcomes."
"First, we successfully obtain all the formulas. We can immediately collaborate with the Hokage and present them to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. We replicate the business and run it together. Even if Uchiha Kawasaki returns, there will be nothing he can do."
"Second, we only acquire some of the formulas. The Uchiha's losses would be minimal. The clan would only need to execute me to give the Uchiha a proper apology."
"Third, we are discovered immediately, and the Uchiha suffer no losses at all. In that case, you can simply disown me."
"No matter the outcome, the Hyuga clan will secure the position of Honorary Elder. The price is merely the life of a decrepit old man living on borrowed time."
"Clan Head, if the Uchiha demand an explanation, let me atone with my death."
Haito's expression was serene, as if he had long been prepared for this sacrifice.
The elders all turned to look at Hiashi. The Head Elder's lips parted slightly, but he ultimately said nothing. In this world, leaking another's secrets was a grave transgression, akin to tearing out their heart.
Hyuga Hiashi stared intently at the letter of appointment and the Uchiha's profit reports, silent for a long time.
He finally looked up. "Have the Hyuga Police Force spread the word that this was all done under duress from Danzo."
"Fourth Elder Haito, you are stripped of your position. You are to be confined to your home under house arrest, pending further notice..."
"As for this Honorary Elder appointment..."
.
Land of Rice Paddies.
Setting foot in the Land of Rice Paddies, Kawasaki truly felt the vibrancy of a prosperous nation. His journey had taken him through the Land of Water and the Land of Hot Water, both of which were scenes of decay, their roads nearly deserted. Though he had packed plenty of food, one eventually grew tired of the same provisions.
But the moment he crossed the border into the Land of Rice Paddies, he found a small town with a shop bearing a sign that read: [Chinese Cuisine].
Kawasaki called his companions over to feast, feeling a wave of emotion. He had never expected that the culinary training he'd undergone in his past life would be so useful in another world, allowing him to taste a hint of home in this foreign land. Though the ingredients were different, resulting in a slightly altered flavor, it was an immense comfort in a strange place.
The world of Naruto was extremely unbalanced in its development. Some places had advanced technology, while others were impoverished and backward. As for food, almost no one had bothered to study it in depth, so a rich culinary culture had never developed. The gourmet dishes from his previous life, refined over centuries, were on a completely different level here.
With their mission complete, the Uchiha members were in no hurry to return. They sampled delicacies all along their route. The members from the Land of Water were trying these foreign dishes for the first time and were instantly hooked.
Kisame and Kurita Kyoko favored spicy food, falling in love with the skewers and spicy hot pots they found along the way. Kimimaro and Haku preferred sweets, buying up piles of water chestnut cakes, mung bean cakes, and red bean cakes. The two of them were all smiles, a rare sight of pure joy.
Kawasaki let them indulge themselves. They traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping frequently, and finally reached the Sound Village after more than half a month.
The Sound Village was expanding daily. The surrounding streets were under construction, with shops lining up one after another. The large number of clients commissioning missions naturally led to more consumers, creating a virtuous cycle.
Many of the ninja they passed were former members of the Uchiha clan who had left with him. They were overjoyed to see Kawasaki.
"Lord Kawasaki!"
"Lord Kawasaki!"
People greeted him from time to time.
Though they had been away for years, news from Konoha still reached them. They all knew that since their departure, while the Uchiha clan had been pushed from the center of power, everyone's lives had actually improved. Many still had family back in Konoha, and with summoning animals, communication was extremely fast.
They understood that the Uchiha were now incredibly wealthy and no longer had to risk their lives on missions. Recently, the Uchiha in Konoha had even stopped taking local missions altogether; instead, missions were relayed from the Sound for them to choose from. The Uchiha were no longer subject to the whims of Konoha.
Some had new younger siblings, while others had brothers who had married and had children, receiving generous subsidies from the clan for doing so.
All of this was thanks to Kawasaki, and they respected him from the bottom of their hearts. In their minds, Kawasaki was the only choice for the next clan head.
Knowing Kawasaki had important business, they took their leave after a brief greeting.
Itachi soon came out to welcome him. "Senior Kawasaki, it's been a while."
Over four years had passed, and Itachi had grown much taller. He looked more and more like the Itachi from Kawasaki's memories, just missing the black and red cloud-patterned cloak.
Kawasaki shook his head, chasing away the strange thought. He chuckled and clapped Itachi on the back. "You've shot up, Itachi."
"Thanks to your care," Itachi replied, as polite as ever.
"Alright, take me to see Orochimaru." Kawasaki was unconcerned with formalities, his anticipation for meeting Orochimaru growing.
Itachi led the way through the Sound Village and down a small path. They arrived at a mountain hollow where a cave had been carved out. Two ninja stood guard at the entrance. The chakra signatures of these two were also Jonin-level. But more importantly, it confirmed Kawasaki's earlier suspicion: individuals who had no name in the original story did not yield rewards, even if they were added to his faction template.
Kawasaki's eyes narrowed slightly. He suddenly wondered if Orochimaru had already recruited the Sound Four. If so, he might be able to reap some benefits.
Itachi guided Kawasaki deep into the cave. As soon as he entered, Kawasaki saw that the space within was vast and deep. He wondered if Orochimaru had hollowed out the entire mountain. The sound of footsteps echoed from ahead.
Orochimaru appeared at the end of the passage, raising his hands, his eyes fixed on Kawasaki. "Kawasaki-kun, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
His low, raspy voice filled the air.
Yes, this was the man.
[Ding! Orochimaru successfully recruited.]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Ninjutsu Analysis Ability.]
Hmm? So I had to meet him in person to get the reward?
Orochimaru's genius for ninjutsu was known to all. His ability to analyze jutsu allowed him to learn and perfect them with incredible speed. With this, learning ninjutsu in the future would be much faster.
Kawasaki smiled broadly. "Orochimaru, I have also been looking forward to this meeting for a long time."
"Come, I'll take you to my laboratory," Orochimaru said with a satisfied nod, turning to lead the way.
Kawasaki and Itachi followed closely behind.
Orochimaru deliberately slowed his pace to walk alongside Kawasaki.
"Kawasaki-kun, the boy Jugo and the girl Karin that you had Itachi retrieve are truly excellent subjects. They have given our experiments many new ideas. Jugo's body, in particular, has been a tremendous help to my research on the Cursed Seal."
Orochimaru's mind was completely engrossed in his scientific experiments, and Kawasaki quickly fell into step.
"I believe Jugo's constitution naturally attracts natural energy. His Cursed Seal is essentially an inferior form of Sage Mode. A true Sage Mode shouldn't cause one to lose their mind."
Orochimaru nodded. "Kawasaki-kun, which do you think is superior, the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave or Mount Myoboku?"
Kawasaki shook his head. "That depends on the individual's constitution. Whether they are better suited for the Frog Sage Arts of Mount Myoboku..."
"...the Snake Sage Arts of Ryuchi Cave, or the Slug Sage Arts of Shikkotsu Forest."
"Of course, the Senjutsu from these three places were all developed based on their own unique traits. If we were to learn their Sage Mode, our bodies would inevitably take on some of their species' characteristics."
Kawasaki paused before continuing, "And there's no guarantee that the Senjutsu of the three great sage regions won't affect one's mind. If possible, I would rather create a form of Senjutsu exclusive to humans."
Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully. He had been an orphan since childhood, and his subsequent growth was deeply connected to Ryuchi Cave. His entire arsenal of ninjutsu was inspired by snakes. It was even possible that his own bloodline had some ties to the cave.
But that was unimportant to him. As a scientist, Orochimaru had already invented secret techniques like the Living Corpse Reincarnation, allowing him to switch bodies at will. He was naturally not limited by his own bloodline. Orochimaru's ambitions were vast; he would not confine himself to Ryuchi Cave or the study of snakes. If Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode truly had a latent risk that could affect his mind, he would abandon it without hesitation, despite knowing that his reincarnations had already damaged his soul, making the mastery of Senjutsu a difficult endeavor.
As they talked, Orochimaru led Kawasaki and Itachi into the laboratory.
"Lord Orochimaru! Big Brother Itachi!" A little girl with vibrant red hair and round glasses was busy stuffing a piece of rice cake into her mouth.
Itachi nodded slightly and introduced her to Kawasaki. "This is Senior Kawasaki. He's the one who sent me to the Grass Village to rescue you."
Karin looked at the man beside Orochimaru, her eyes sparkling. The Uchiha were known for their good looks, and Kawasaki, now in his twenties, was taller and more imposing than Itachi. She felt an immediate sense of gratitude toward this senior who, at first glance, seemed very kind. After all, he was the reason Big Brother Itachi had saved her.
"Senior Kawasaki," she called out sweetly.
Kawasaki smiled and gave a small nod in return.
...
Just then, the system's notification chimed, slightly delayed.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for drastically changing Karin's life trajectory.]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Adamantine Sealing Chains x1.]
[Ding! Karin successfully recruited.]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Rapid Stamina Recovery.]
Ha, I've become some kind of energy drink, he thought. Kawasaki heard the system prompts and briefly considered biting himself later to see if he could self-heal.
"Karin, is there enough food?" Orochimaru asked, in a rare good mood. Karin was the only person allowed to eat in his laboratory. Given her special constitution, she needed to consume a massive amount of energy. This energy wasn't just chakra, but her very life force. By eating large quantities of food, Karin could replenish what she lost, and Orochimaru was always exceptionally lenient with his valuable test subjects. Keeping Karin physically and mentally healthy meant their experimental cooperation would go much more smoothly, avoiding unnecessary trouble. Therefore, whatever Karin wanted to eat, Orochimaru would have someone prepare it.
Karin swallowed the rice cake whole and mumbled, "It's enough, Lord Orochimaru. I'm already very full."
For Karin, following Big Brother Itachi here to Orochimaru's base was the best decision she had ever made. In the Grass Village, she and her mother were treated as nothing more than tools. Her mother had even been literally drained to death. She had grown up in fear and hatred of the Grass Village until Big Brother Itachi appeared like a god and offered to take her away. Karin had agreed with almost no hesitation. Even if their destination was hell, it would be better than staying in the Grass Village.
After arriving in the Land of Rice Paddies, Karin discovered it was practically a paradise. There was an endless supply of delicious food, and Big Brother Itachi was generous, letting her eat whatever she wanted. She had been a little scared of Orochimaru at first, but after spending some time with him, she realized he was actually quite nice. All he asked was that she cooperate with some experiments, and in return, she could eat, drink, and sleep as she pleased every day. It was the life she had always dreamed of.
And according to Big Brother Itachi, all of it had been arranged by Senior Kawasaki. Because of this, Karin felt a deep sense of gratitude toward him.
Orochimaru led the group forward. Ahead of them was a giant machine with a tube connected to it. Standing beneath it was a boy with orange hair and orange eyes, his body unusually robust.
This must be Jugo, Kawasaki thought. He's so tall. What have they been feeding him? He looked to be twelve or thirteen, yet he was already taller than Itachi, probably around 175cm, only half a head shorter than Orochimaru.
Jugo was happy to see them. "Lord Orochimaru, Big Brother Itachi, Karin, you're here."
He then looked at Kawasaki, who had the distinct features of an Uchiha but whom Jugo had never seen before.
"Jugo, this is Senior Kawasaki," Itachi introduced him.
Jugo bowed respectfully to Kawasaki. "Senior Kawasaki, thank you for saving me. If you hadn't sent Big Brother Itachi to bring me here, I would still be unable to control my urge to kill."
Kawasaki looked at Jugo's clear eyes and felt a sigh of admiration. Jugo was inherently a gentle soul who loved nature. He had suffered immense pain because he couldn't control his murderous rampages.
[Ding! Jugo successfully recruited.]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Natural Affinity!]
[Ding! Successfully altered Jugo's life trajectory.]
[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Cursed Seal Transformation x1.]