"Trash, dead last…"Such nicknames weren't given for no reason.
No one expected that Akira Sato could create something like this.It was similar to the Akimichi clan's secret pills, but with a much wider range of use.
Hand it over? Of course, it had to be handed over.This was because, unlike the Akimichi's secret pills which were rare and required secret techniques to activate, this medicine could be used by anyone. For the village, it was too valuable to keep privately — naturally, it couldn't be hidden away.
But how it was handed over was crucial.If it were just an ordinary ninja school student, never mind holding onto the medicine — even having freedom would be lucky.
But if the Uchiha clan stepped in to negotiate, not only could they gain more benefits, but Akira Sato wouldn't have to worry about his own safety either.
Did people really think the darkness of the ninja world was fake?Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage himself, had to rely on the Root division to bear the village's darker burdens. That alone showed how deep the shadows ran in the ninja world.
In the end, the senior Uchiha jonin of the main house finally reached an agreement.The medicinal treatments could be handed over in batches.
But the village had to compensate the clan, and Akira Sato would receive 10% of those benefits, with all the political pressure borne by the Uchiha clan.
Does that sound like a bad deal?Only if you don't understand the darkness behind the scenes. Once you did, you'd realize this was already quite a good arrangement.
This was because Akira Sato had a "big white leg" (a powerful protector) to cling to.Otherwise, he would have been dragged into Root, brainwashed, and turned into a mere tool.
Aware of this, he deliberately showcased his value.
Of course, what Akira Sato personally wanted had already been discussed with Uchiha Mei beforehand, so it would be included in the deal.
That 10% share?It would all be exchanged for experimental equipment, materials, knowledge, and so on — things he had long dreamed of obtaining.
So, far from being unhappy about the deal, Akira was actually incredibly excited.
After the meeting, Akira Sato returned to his room.Since only two people lived in the courtyard, his room was huge — they had even cleared out a basement for him to use as a lab.
The next day!
Akira woke up early in the morning.Not to go to school, but to attend the team assignments.
After graduating, students were divided into three-person squads under the leadership of a jonin instructor.Unless they were promoted to chunin or jonin, they typically continued to act as a team.
If it weren't for the incident yesterday, Akira would definitely have stayed home today, lazing around.
But beating Kakashi, the son of Sakumo Hatake, and still not graduating? That was completely impossible. So now, Akira had officially become an "active-duty ninja" — though one without a base salary.
Want to get paid?Sure, but you needed an official post.
For example, the Uchiha Police Force — tightly controlled by the Uchiha clan — wasn't just about power, it was also about providing a stable "salary."
For those active-duty ninjas without a formal post in the village, they had to take on missions to earn rewards.
And here's something important:Akira Sato didn't even have the option to refuse being drafted.
Why?
Because he was a ninja academy student.
That meant he was a ninja trained by the village, so he couldn't decline.
If he had been trained privately by the Uchiha clan, he could have refused integration into the village's active-duty forces and remained part of the clan's private strength.
In the anime, the Sarutobi clan was able to secretly hold thousands of ninja soldiers because of this same regulation.
If they had been academy-trained, they would have been forcibly drafted into the active ranks and placed under village control.
Akira understood this system well, which was why he had chosen to "coast" (do nothing) rather than drop out.
Because once you were born as a Konoha ninja, you'd die as one of Konoha's spirits — you had no other path.
Only if the village formally abandoned you would you have the chance to retire on the spot.
This was why, ever since crossing over into this world, Akira had been deliberately playing dead, going through the motions.
Unfortunately, all that effort had gone to waste.
Now, unless someone in the village completely lost their mind, there was no way they would let him fail to graduate and become a formal active-duty ninja.
As soon as he stepped out of the Uchiha clan district, Akira quickly sidestepped to the side.Not because someone was attacking — but to avoid the figure that suddenly darted out behind him.
(End of Chapter)