UCHIHA KING OF THE SOULS

Two Hundred Million Taels

After leaving the Uchiha training ground, Gen Uchiha made his way toward the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters.

There was no avoiding it—once the task was complete, he would have to report to Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head.

As he walked through the Uchiha district, Gen was in an uncharacteristically good mood.

Eternal life—this was the ultimate pursuit he longed for, and he had no doubt that Orochimaru, the infamous Sannin, shared the same desire.

First, from Orochimaru's perspective, there was no reason to suspect deception. He was a man whose obsession with immortality had already branded him as a heretic in Konoha. When he had confessed this dream to his mentor, Sarutobi Hiruzen, he had done so knowing full well how society viewed such ambitions.

The world saw eternal life as delusional, an unnatural craving only a madman would entertain. Orochimaru had spoken of it freely, and Sarutobi had looked into his eyes and seen not only ambition, but something far more dangerous—an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. That moment had sealed his fate, stripping him of the chance to inherit the title of Hokage.

Thus, there was no reason for Orochimaru to doubt Gen's sincerity. Who would risk social exile by uttering such madness unless they truly desired it?

Back at the Military Police Force headquarters, Gen knocked on the door of Uchiha Fugaku's office.

"Enter."

"Young Patriarch."

Gen stepped inside, closing the door behind him before bowing slightly.

"Xuan, how did it go?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked up from his desk, his usually stern expression softening as a rare smile appeared.

"It's done," Gen replied. "Orochimaru-sensei agreed, as long as our clan's support for Namikaze Minato does not exceed the financial backing provided to him."

Fugaku's smirk deepened, satisfaction evident in his sharp Sharingan-lit gaze. "Xuan, you did well."

With this, regardless of who became the Fourth Hokage, the Uchiha clan would maintain a position of power.

"This is not just my achievement. The young patriarch's wisdom and foresight made it possible," Gen said humbly. "If not for your broad vision, decisive leadership, and willingness to act, my abilities would have gone to waste."

Despite his words, Gen had his own opinions about Fugaku. The man had ambition, but lacked the sharp political acumen to navigate Konoha's cutthroat power struggles. After all, under his leadership, the Uchiha clan would eventually face annihilation. His flaws were evident—hesitation in crucial moments, fear of overreaching, and an indecisiveness that had cost the clan dearly.

That being said, he was not entirely without merit. He simply lacked the overwhelming strength and strategic ruthlessness required to change their fate.

Unaware of Gen's true thoughts, Fugaku's smile widened, his expression almost uncharacteristically bright. Like a sunflower reaching for the sun, he basked in the warmth of well-placed flattery.

"I appreciate your humility, but this success is yours. The clan will not forget your contributions."

Gen nodded, then shifted the conversation. "Young Patriarch, Orochimaru-sensei asked me to visit his mansion tomorrow afternoon. It seems this will be my formal apprenticeship."

"How much should I bring as a gesture of respect?"

Fugaku leaned back in thought before answering, "Be generous on the first occasion. Take 200 million taels."

"Moving forward, funding will depend on his research needs. It can be provided in banknotes or gold, as appropriate."

"You may take the authorization letter to the clan treasury to withdraw the funds."

Two hundred million taels was no trivial amount. For most shinobi, it was an unfathomable sum—enough to purchase and sustain a small ninja clan, perhaps even more.

One tael was equivalent to ten ryo, meaning this donation was worth approximately one hundred million yen. Even by the standards of Fire Country nobility, this was an astonishingly bold investment.

"Yes, Young Patriarch."

"Oh, and Xuan—don't forget the clan gathering the day after tomorrow."

"Of course, I won't miss it."

The Uchiha clan's monthly gathering was as sacred as a religious ritual. Attendance was mandatory for all members within Konoha, and even Hokage-level missions could be refused on its account. It was a deeply ingrained tradition, one known throughout the village.

After receiving the necessary documents from Fugaku, Gen left the Military Police Force headquarters and headed to the clan treasury.

The withdrawal was staggering—two entire boxes filled with banknotes, all in the highest 10,000-tael denominations.

Holding such an absurd amount of money, Gen felt a flicker of excitement. Even in his past life, he had never seen so much cash in one place.

If there were a system in this world that granted power in exchange for wealth, he might have been tempted to skim off the top.

However, power in this world was not won through money alone.

When Gen arrived home, he not only left the sum intact but even added some from his own savings.

If he wanted to secure Orochimaru's favor, he would go all in.

---

The next afternoon, Gen carried the two cash-filled boxes to Orochimaru's mansion.

The residence was massive—an elaborate, multi-story villa in the heart of Konoha, a clear display of wealth despite Orochimaru's reputation as an eccentric.

Interestingly, it was located near the Sarutobi clan's district and within walking distance of both Jiraiya's and Tsunade's homes.

Gen rang the doorbell.

The entrance swung open moments later, revealing a grinning Mitarashi Anko.

"You're here! Come in!" she said cheerfully.

"Is Orochimaru-sensei inside?"

"Yeah, he's in the living room," Anko replied before tilting her head curiously. "What's in the boxes?"

"You'll find out soon."

The two walked down the dimly lit corridor.

The mansion's interior was unmistakably Orochimaru's—heavy curtains drawn tight, reducing the room to an eerie twilight. The air was unnaturally cool, with a strange, sterile stillness that sent a chill down Gen's spine.

But for a man obsessed with snakes, the atmosphere made perfect sense.

It was worth noting that Anko did not live here; she had her own separate residence.

In the living room, a pale figure clad in a light yellow kimono sat on his knees.

"Orochimaru-sensei."

Gen bowed slightly.

Orochimaru acknowledged him with a small nod, a thin smile stretching across his lips. His voice, low and hoarse, filled the room.

"Mm."

"Pour me a drink, and from this moment, you shall be my disciple."

The apprenticeship ceremony for ninja was informal at best. There were no grand rites—only the traditions each master chose to uphold.

"Yes."

Gen set down the boxes, knelt at the low table, and carefully poured sake into a small ceramic cup. Holding it with both hands, he presented it to Orochimaru.

The Sannin accepted it with a smirk, downing it in one fluid motion. He placed the empty cup back on the table.

Gen then lifted the two boxes and set them beside Orochimaru.

"Teacher, this is the research funding allocated by the Uchiha clan—200 million taels in total."

"As it's the initial offering, it's a larger sum. Future contributions will depend on your research needs and can be provided in either banknotes or gold."

He flipped open one of the boxes, revealing neatly stacked wads of cash.

Although the lack of gold made it less dazzling, the sheer volume of money was staggering.

Anko gasped. "That's so much money…!"

She practically threw herself onto the floor beside the box, eyes sparkling. To her, it wasn't cash—it was an endless supply of dango and red bean soup.

Orochimaru, more composed, arched an eyebrow at the sheer boldness of the Uchiha clan's generosity.

Indeed, they lived up to their reputation as one of the wealthiest and most powerful clans in the ninja world.

But as his golden eyes scanned the contents, he suddenly frowned.

"Hmm?"

His gaze fell on an oddly mismatched stack of bills—different from the neatly arranged ones surrounding it.

He looked up at Gen.

"What's with this sloppy bundle?"