"Clan Leader, I have my dignity."
"Throwing a match is too much of a violation of the Will of Fire and my ninja way."
"I'm afraid I cannot do it for one million."
Clan Leader Tetsuya's old eyes narrowed, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes crinkling like a chrysanthemum.
He was already well aware of Motomu's greed since the last investment of 200,000.
Motomu's words didn't surprise him in the slightest.
Nodding, the old man Tetsuya waited for Motomu to continue.
"I became a Chunin at eight, and Obito became one at seven."
"Not to say we'll sweep the entire ninja world, but at least no geniuses like us will appear for the next decade."
"Money is a small matter; spreading the fame of our Uchiha name is the priority."
"Clan Leader, if you directly sponsor two million, I guarantee I'll use that money to stage those matches beautifully."
"Fine."
"Let's make our Uchiha name famous across the ninja world..."
Huh?
Motomu, snapping back from his prepared rousing speech, was stunned.
What did he say?
It seemed like he said "fine"?
Two million... did I ask for too little?
'I should have asked for three million!'
He quickly glanced at the Clan Leader's face, which looked detached and indifferent to worldly wealth.
Motomu couldn't quite figure him out.
Just as he wanted to take back his words...
...the old Clan Leader, clearly not about to give him the chance, spoke up slowly.
"However."
"I haven't prepared much money on my end; I can only give you one million today."
"The remaining half will be delivered after the matter is settled."
Four boxes were brought before Motomu by the Clan Leader's confidant.
Adding the previous one, that made five in total.
A full million ryo!
Motomu's attitude shifted instantly!
The Clan Leader is so generous.
'As they say, a person's words are kind when they're near death.'
With five boxes suddenly in hand, a third of his goal was completed just like that.
However, he wouldn't use this money to buy the big villa immediately.
With a million ryo, getting a chakra-conductive ninja sword was his primary objective.
Carrying the boxes, a dazed Obito followed Motomu out of the Clan Leader's house.
After discussing with Obito, the two finished splitting the loot.
Motomu took 800,000 first, which, added to the 200,000 saved from previous missions, made exactly one million.
He would head to the ninja tool shop to customize a sword and find Rin to treat Cobra.
Several weeks passed quietly.
During this time.
Unlike Kakashi, who focused solely on bitter training...
...Motomu and Obito practiced their combat drills with all their might for that subsequent million ryo.
Besides the financial support, the old Clan Leader even personally provided one-on-two ninjutsu guidance.
Showing off fit the Uchiha style perfectly.
Especially in front of the Daimyo and the leadership.
Various Uchiha posturing techniques were taught one by one by the old Clan Leader.
Among them, under Motomu's pressure, Obito successfully quit wearing his goofy orange goggles, finally looking somewhat decent.
Motomu's house, living room.
After Nohara Rin checked the infection, she re-sutured the exposed flesh of Cobra.
Layers of white gauze wrapped around the wounds on the snake's body.
Seeing her frown slightly...
...Motomu couldn't help but feel nervous.
Cobra had received treatment, but her injuries showed no signs of improvement.
Indeed, as she said herself, a ninja's medical techniques could do nothing against injuries caused by Senjutsu chakra.
Initially, Motomu thought of giving it a try, at least to close the wounds, so he had Rin come over to sew them up.
The gruesome wounds were sewn and bandaged, and they did look much better.
But when Rin checked again a few days ago...
...the Senjutsu chakra at Cobra's wounds, which had originally disappeared, increased once more, nearly splitting the healing flesh apart again.
According to Rin.
Lady Tsunade was at the front lines preventing the Sand Ninjas from poisoning.
In all of Konoha, there was simply no doctor who could treat such Senjutsu injuries.
Feeling the helplessness in those words, Motomu was truly at a loss.
And just as Rin was sewing up the next wound...
...Motomu suddenly reached out to stop her.
Under the insight of the Sharingan...
...this time!
He seemed to have caught something!
"Rin, cut the wound open a bit more."
With dots of blood on her rubber gloves, Rin's frown deepened after hearing Motomu's words.
"Motomu, did you discover something?"
Motomu nodded slightly, his eyes unblinking as he stared intensely at the conflicting Senjutsu chakra at Cobra's wound.
"I'm not sure; I need to look again."
After hearing Motomu, Rin reached out and took the scalpel.
The blade, thin as a cicada's wing, slid under a scale and easily scraped off a piece of snake meat.
The snake meat was crystal clear and looked somewhat appetizing.
Gently picking up the slice with tweezers, Motomu saw the situation beneath the flesh.
Sure enough, as he expected, a completely different Senjutsu chakra was constantly transforming Tagitsu Hime's chakra.
Under pressure, Tagitsu Hime's chakra was being forced out of the gaps in the muscle fibers little by little.
Cobra's wounds splitting recently wasn't because her condition was worsening.
But because her body was expelling and devouring the foreign chakra.
It just happened to tear open the wounds that hadn't fully healed!
This is a sign of recovery!
Motomu told Rin the good news.
And as the first patient Rin had ever treated...
...the good news about Cobra dispelled the guilt in her gentle heart.
Once the wounds were all sutured.
Motomu thought for a moment and then tried to stuff the small slice of snake meat into Cobra's mouth.
Given Cobra's usual personality, she definitely wouldn't let a piece of her own flesh go to waste.
Rather than throwing it away and wasting it, he might as well let her eat it.
"Hiss!"
Just as Motomu brought the meat to her mouth...
...Cobra suddenly flicked her tongue.
Her tongue flicked, and with a slurp, she pulled the meat into her mouth.
Motomu: "..."
Rin: "..."
Obito, watching from the side: "..."
For Cobra, who hadn't opened her mouth to eat for nearly a month, the first bite was herself.
This gave Motomu a sense of déjà vu, like seeing an Ouroboros.
He pried open the snake's mouth; there was nothing there.
The meat had already been swallowed smoothly.
Seeing this.
Rin immediately gave Obito a look. The little brother understood instantly, turned, and ran toward the refrigerator.
"Hey! You brat!"
"There's no food in my fridge! Go to the market and buy some!"
"Oh, oh, oh! Got it, big brother!"
Shortly after Obito left.
Cobra, lying messily on the blanket, suddenly snapped her eyes open.
Her dazed, vacant eyes gradually focused.
Her gaze swept over Motomu and Rin, and looking a bit confused, she smacked her lips.
"Motomu, I feel like I had a very, very long dream."
"I woke up in the dream just as I ate a piece of top-tier sashimi."
"Do you know how delicious that was!"
Suppressing his internal oddness...
...Motomu and Rin looked at each other, both choosing silence.
Seeing the two remain speechless for a long time...
...Cobra shook her head with difficulty.
"Forget it. That taste was too delicious; I can't explain it to you humans."
Cobra licked her lips, and after a moment of lingering enjoyment, she suddenly looked at Motomu and asked.
"By the way, while I was unconscious, what happened at Ryuchi Cave?"
"No, wait, if I was unconscious, you couldn't go to Ryuchi Cave either."
"So, how long was I out?"
Listening to her talk to herself, Motomu only felt that the newly awakened Cobra was a bit of a ditz.