Chapter 48: The Decision of Ino–Shika–Cho
-----
"That's right! I can."
Kaito said firmly. "This isn't just about the Sage of Six Paths—it also involves his mother, the Moon Goddess Kaguya. But now isn't the right time for you to learn about it."
"I'll tell you more secrets when the time is right in the future!"
"I can catch glimpses of the future," he added, "though it's far from complete."
In reality, he couldn't see the future at all.
Everything he claimed came from his past life's memories, but it was convincing enough to mislead others.
"I understand," Minato said, his expression turning serious. He nodded with determination. "I'll train even harder to strengthen myself and face the crisis ahead!"
"You don't have to carry this burden alone, Kaito," Minato said, his tone filled with resolve. As a ninja of this world, he felt it was his duty to help shoulder the responsibility.
"Just take it step by step," Kaito reassured him. "Don't push yourself too hard—we still have time!"
"With the combined resources of both worlds, I'm confident we'll become strong enough to handle any future crisis!"
He patted Minato on the shoulder to encourage him.
Still, Kaito worried that Minato might take this too seriously and push himself to the point of exhaustion, ruining his talent.
As for the Otsutsuki crisis?
Kaito never considered it a real threat.
There were still decades to prepare!
With the resources from the Pirate World, even if he relied solely on his talent and hard work, if he couldn't easily crush Momoshiki and the others decades from now, then he might as well knock himself out.
For now, he was merely using the topic to motivate Minato and Kushina, giving them a sense of urgency to train harder.
"Understood! I won't act recklessly!"
Minato smiled warmly, sensing Kaito's genuine concern.
He knew how to manage himself.
"I'll work hard too, Kaito!"
Kushina finally composed herself. With a determined look, she clenched her fists. "I also won't let you bear all the pressure alone. I'll strive to be your partner!"
"Haha! Alright!"
Kaito chuckled heartily and patted Kushina on the head. "I'll be counting on you then!"
"Oh, by the way!" Kushina said, suddenly changing the topic. "Kaito, you mentioned something about making Taijutsu training easier. Were you talking about Sea King meat?"
Earlier, Kaito had emphasized the incredible benefits of this meat for physical training in the information.
He'd even cited examples of powerful Taijutsu users from the Pirate World.
It was clear he was encouraging Kushina and Minato to recognize its value!
"That's correct," Kaito affirmed. "Sea King meat contains high-quality nutrients and vitality. It's fantastic for improving physical strength and enhancing Taijutsu training."
"I owe my recovery from congenital weaknesses largely to it!"
"In addition, when paired with any life-essence improving technique, its effects can be multiplied several times over."
"Alright, enough talk! I'll teach you the longevity technique after we eat!"
"Oh, and here's a meal made from Sea King meat," Kaito said, pulling three large dishes from his spatial storage. "Eat your fill, then we'll train."
"Wow! It smells amazing!"
Kushina eagerly accepted her portion, her eyes lighting up after a sniff. Her appetite surged, and she began eating right away.
She'd been hungry from her earlier Taijutsu training.
Minato followed suit. "Thanks!"
"You're welcome!"
Kaito also dug in, and soon all three of them had finished their meals.
Patting their full stomachs, both Minato and Kushina sighed with satisfaction.
"I'm so full! This meal is incredibly satisfying!"
Minato added, "Also, my stomach feels warm, and I can sense waves of warmth spreading through me. My cells seem to be eagerly absorbing it!"
This was far superior to any meat he'd eaten before.
No wonder Kaito was so confident in its benefits.
"Same here!" Kushina nodded repeatedly.
"That's normal!" Kaito smiled knowingly and clapped his hands. "Alright! Now that we've eaten, it's time to train in the longevity technique!"
"This will accelerate the digestion and absorption of the meat's nutrients and vitality. It will improve your physique, enhance your bones, boost vitality, and even extend your lifespan."
"Pay close attention!"
Kaito then began demonstrating the technique for them.
After ensuring they'd memorized the routine, he continued guiding them through their practice.
More than an hour later, once they'd mastered the basics of the longevity technique and absorbed most of the Sea King meat, Kaito moved them on to other training.
He supervised as they practiced chakra control exercises like tree climbing and water walking.
By the time they'd completed the full regimen, it was already noon.
The afternoon followed the same pattern as the morning: eating Sea King meals and repeating their training.
Though the exercises weren't easy, neither Minato nor Kushina complained.
Kushina, in particular, demonstrated a remarkable level of determination and resilience that even surprised Kaito.
"It seems the information about the future has truly motivated her, helping her mature a lot!"
"Well, that's a good thing!"
Kaito thought with satisfaction.
---
Meanwhile, earlier that morning
On Konoha's busiest street near the police headquarters, the Uchiha Pharmacy officially opened its doors.
Thanks to Kaito's advice, Uchiha Jiri had already organized a discreet promotional campaign.
The effectiveness of the pharmacy's products had already drawn significant attention.
While many were skeptical, the Uchiha Clan's reputation for honesty led many to check it out.
As soon as the store opened, it was packed with customers.
When the first wave of buyers confirmed that the products' effects were genuine, the place erupted in excitement.
"This nutrient pill is amazing! It's not only highly nutritious and easy to absorb, but it also strengthens the body over time!"
"The body-strengthening potion works wonders!"
"The recovery potion is a miracle! I feel like it cured several chronic ailments and even healed some old injuries I thought were untreatable!"
The crowd became even more frenzied.
Ninjas scrambled to purchase the products, and despite the Uchiha's efforts to stockpile, the store sold out by the end of the day.
The opening day's revenue exceeded 20 million ryo.
Although the initial stock was large, future daily supplies would be much smaller unless Kaito developed better production methods or trained a reliable team of pharmacists.
Even so, with consistent daily sales, the pharmacy could easily generate over 5 million ryo a day—equivalent to the reward for five S-rank missions!
The Uchiha Clan's financial troubles were effectively over.
Naturally, this drew the attention of many, including the Third Hokage, Danzo, and various ninja clans.
Most clans and shinobi focused on the products' remarkable efficacy.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio, particularly the Akimichi Clan, was especially intrigued by the nutrient pills' benefits.
---
At the Akimichi household, the three clan leaders gathered.
"Try these, Shikayama and Yuya!" Akimichi Torifu handed each of his companions a nutrient pill.
"These are from the Uchiha Pharmacy. Their nutritional value surpasses our clan's best secret military ration pills by 30%!"
"More importantly, they have virtually no side effects, perfectly replenishing the body's needs and being easily absorbed."
"On top of that, they contain a faint trace of vitality. If taken regularly, they won't harm the body—instead, they'll enhance physical growth and vitality over time!"
"These are extraordinary! I can't imagine how the Uchiha managed to create this!"
Though the pills were expensive, Torifu considered them worth every ryo.
Nara Shikayama and Yamanaka Yuya, impressed by Torifu's praise, each swallowed a pill.
Moments later, they were astonished.
"Unbelievable! This really is incredible!"
"The vitality boost alone makes it priceless. Usually, only rare medicinal herbs have this kind of effect!"
"How did the Uchiha achieve this?"
Torifu shook his head. "The creator of these pills is an expert beyond anything we've seen. Even our clan's top pharmacologists couldn't identify the main ingredients or refine the formula."
Nara Shikayama smiled knowingly. "The Uchiha must have prepared thoroughly before releasing these products. We should establish a long-term purchase agreement with them before demand skyrockets and supply becomes scarce!"
"It's always better to act early—be the first to taste the crab and claim the benefits before others catch on."
As for the other ninja clans missing out on the shares later, well, that was none of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio's concern.
Akimichi Torifu : "Agreed!"
Yamanaka Yuya: "No objections!"
"Alright! I'll personally deliver the invitation shortly to the Uchiha. I hope we can meet soon!" said Nara Shikayama decisively with a nod.
"Then we'll trouble you with this, Shikayama!"
Neither Akimichi Torifu nor Yamanaka Yuya had any disagreements.
"However," Torifu suddenly chuckled mischievously. "I predict that just from this alone, the daily income of Uchiha will be no less than a few million ryō."
"With this alone, the Uchiha won't be short on money anymore!"
"Haha! Some people are going to have headaches over this!"
Even though both sides were students of the Second Hokage, there were significant differences between them.
Over the years, Akimichi Torifu had kept a low profile—not only because he lacked personal ambition but also because the Ino–Shika–Cho clans practiced humility.
Additionally, they had been subtly suppressed by the Third Hokage and his faction.
Torifu saw through their true colors, which was why he chose to step back.
The Ino–Shika–Cho trio even gifted the Sarutobi clan earrings symbolizing a brotherly alliance to show their loyalty and submission to the Third Hokage.
Yet, despite these efforts, their clans still faced covert oppression and targeted measures over the years. The intent to weaken their strength was all too clear.
One glaring example was when the Third allowed Danzō to forcibly recruit talents from their clans into his so-called Root organization.
Once recruited, these individuals were essentially cut off from their clans entirely, akin to being declared dead.
This left the Ino–Shika–Cho clans feeling both furious and helpless.
Currently, the Third Hokage's faction held the most power, so enduring was the only option.
Endurance, however, did not equate to being without temper.
Compared to the Ino–Shika–Cho trio, the Uchiha clan was undoubtedly the Third's greatest enemy.
Well, at least, they used to be second only to the Senju clan. But now, the Senju clan had almost been eradicated.
The Uchiha's recent reforms in the Police Force and their clan academy were already causing headaches for the Third Hokage's faction.
Following their Police Force reforms, the Uchiha had delegated minor civil disputes to the newly established Third Police Unit, freeing themselves to focus on more critical matters.
As a result, the Uchiha's reputation among villagers and even smaller ninja clans had begun to improve.
Currently, the effects were not yet obvious due to the short time, but Torifu and the others could foresee that the Uchiha's reputation would only grow stronger in the future.
Now that the Uchiha had secured a new source of revenue, it was clear that the Third Hokage and his allies would feel even more stifled.
To make matters worse for them, the Uchiha leader, Uchiha Jiri had recovered, and her peak power had returned.
This left the Third Hokage's faction hesitant to act against them, even afraid to.
"This isn't a bad thing, is it?" Shikayama smiled faintly. "The once-dominant Uchiha may not align with our best interests, but compared to allowing the Third Hokage's faction to oppress us and watch the Sarutobi and Shimura clans drain the blood of ninja clans and civilians to strengthen their own, I'd rather see the Uchiha rise."
"At least the Uchiha won't stoop to such shameless measures to crush us."
If there was such a thing as regret medicine, Shikayama would never have supported the Third Hokage's rise to power in the first place.
It's hard to truly know someone's heart.
"Agreed," Torifu and Yuya nodded in unison.
"Alright, let's not waste time. I'll deliver the invitation now before it's too late."
With that, Shikayama stood and headed out.
---
Meanwhile, in the Senju clan territory:
"Wow, Grandma, look at this! My apprentice is amazing! They even managed to mass-produce such a nutritional pill!"
"I bet this is a weaker version of the life-restoring medicine he gave you," Tsunade said excitedly after taking one of the pills, marveling at its effects.
At this time, Kaito and Kushina had just finished their sealing technique training and dispelled their shadow clones.
"Isn't it obvious?" Uzumaki Mito smiled lightly. "If they can create such amazing life-restoring potions, it's only natural that they can produce better nutritional pills."
"But this is already good enough," Mito added.
"Any better, and it would attract too much attention."
"If that happens, even Uchiha Jiri not be able to protect it."
"So, let's not mention this again in the future."
"This version is enough to restore my daily energy loss."
"It might even gradually strengthen my body."
"Maybe I should take up physical training again?"
If her physique could be further enhanced, it would not only boost her strength but might also slightly extend her lifespan and peak performance.
"True," Tsunade nodded seriously. "I'll keep this a secret! After all, this is my apprentice and our benefactor!"
Although the treatment for Uzumaki Mito was an exchange between both parties, neither Tsunade nor Mito viewed it as merely a transaction.
"Still, I bet that monkey and his allies are going to have a headache! Haha! I'm looking forward to see their useless reaction!" Mito chuckled with narrowed eyes.
She wasn't one to forget grudges easily.
"Haha, isn't that for the best?" Tsunade smirked coldly.
.
.
.