After confirming everything was correct, Makoto ran his fingertip over the storage scroll and couldn't wait to undo the seal.
Whoosh…
The moment the storage scroll was released, a large pile of money fell to the ground, dazzling Makoto slightly...
A moment later, Makoto stared at this pile of money, his eyes shining like two searchlights, his breathing becoming rapid. This round meant instant wealth, a leap in strength was right before his eyes!
The moonlight outside the window passed through the paper screen, casting scattered silver spots on the money, like plating the gold mountain with a layer of silver frost.
…
Meanwhile, in Orochimaru's laboratory.
"Hiss…"
The force with which Orochimaru pinched the test tube grew stronger and stronger, the transparent glass tube almost shattering.
Today, he hadn't even gone to the Uchiha Clan to extort research funds yet. Instead, he got fleeced by that brat first.
Although the amount wasn't huge, he was truly poor right now... To conduct various researches, he hadn't taken on any missions for a long time.
His savings had long been depleted, and these researches were exceptionally expensive.
Now he was barely surviving on the research funds provided by Danzo, and yet he still got fleeced by that brat. The more Orochimaru thought about it, the angrier he became.
Then, thinking of the smile on Makoto's face before he left, a cold light gleamed in Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils.
'That brat definitely had ill intentions! It was highly possible he would come back to fleece me again.' Thinking of this, Orochimaru sneered, formed a one-handed seal, and with several poof sounds, created several shadow clones.
"Move everything out. We're changing labs."
Orochimaru's shadow clones moved with extreme efficiency. In the blink of an eye, they packed up all sorts of equipment, scrolls, experimental subjects in petri dishes... everything.
They didn't even leave behind the snake shed in the corner. In just a short while, the originally cluttered laboratory was emptied out, spacious enough to race horses.
Orochimaru glanced at the empty laboratory, his tongue flicking over his lower lip, then turned and left.
Reaching the main gate, he looked at the stone door. Feeling quite irritated, he directly shattered it into pieces.
'Want to come fleece me again? Not a chance.'
He immediately moved to another laboratory to avoid being cornered by Makoto for more loans, while also requesting Kabuto from Danzo.
…
Makoto sat cross-legged, taking a few more looks at the pile of money. This was the first time since arriving in the Naruto World that he had seen so much money belonging to him.
Finally, after taking three rather nostalgic glances, Makoto took a deep breath and focused his will.
The pale golden panel of [Naruto World Online] unfolded before his eyes, its edges bursting with dazzling light, dark golden runes flowed along the border like living snakes.
The words [Player Shop] in the center of the panel seemed wrapped in stardust, flickering unsteadily.
'Top up!'
With this silent command in his heart, the coins on the ground suddenly transformed into points of golden light, as if sucked away by an invisible vortex, scrambling to pour into the [Player Shop].
The number representing the Player Shop balance began to jump frantically, finally settling with a 'ding'… [Balance: 12,389,000 Ryo]
He had 'saved' over two million Ryo in the past half-year or more, and today Orochimaru made a one-time 'investment' of a full ten million Ryo.
Now the shop balance had a full twelve million plus Ryo.
Seeing this balance, Makoto's mouth corners couldn't help but lift, almost reaching the back of his ears.
As for the item he wanted to buy, he had already picked it out in advance. It shimmered with a blood-red glow. But after a glance, he saw the balance was still a tiny bit short for the item he currently wanted.
Makoto raised an eyebrow, thought for about half a second, and instantly had an idea.
He could only make Itachi work a little harder again. He wouldn't bear the blame himself, let the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, bear it.
With his identity as Uchiha Makoto, as long as he used the Will of Fire and Sasuke correctly, it was easy to manipulate Itachi in small matters.
The highly efficient Makoto quickly pushed open his door and ran right into Itachi meditating leisurely under the corridor eaves. The youth's back was straight, moonlight spilling over his profile, even the shadow of his eyelashes exuding an air of seriousness.
"That special mission you mentioned before... was tailing me?" Makoto directly stood on the moral high ground, looking down on Itachi.
Hearing this, Itachi's eyes snapped open, a flash of panic in his black pupils, losing their usual composure.
He hadn't expected Makoto to bring this up now. His mouth opened, then closed, repeating several times.
If it were Sasuke, Itachi could casually brush it off.
But facing Makoto, every time he lied, he would be exposed. His intelligence was such that at two and a half years old, he could leave the Hokage Advisor, Danzo, speechless. Today, he even went to borrow money from one of the Sannin, Orochimaru.
In the end, he could only squeeze one word from his throat: "Sorry..."
Hearing this, Makoto walked to Itachi's side and said in a gentle tone: "I don't blame you for tailing me."
Makoto extremely 'magnanimously' forgave Itachi, but his voice suddenly turned serious: "But you shouldn't have done that!"
As the words fell, Makoto let out a long sigh, his eyes full of the helplessness of 'being disappointed' at Itachi.
Seeing this, Itachi's head hung even lower, his chin almost poking his chest.
The wind under the eaves swept fallen leaves past, but Itachi remained motionless, like a statue admitting its mistake.
"Acting like this... is it worthy of the Will of Fire?" Makoto's voice suddenly turned cold, like an ice spike striking Itachi's heart.
"Is it worthy of Sasuke, who always looks up to you as his goal?"
Itachi's shoulders trembled violently, his fingertips digging deeply into his palms. The moonlight illuminated his face, revealing the guilt surging like a tide in his eyes.
"From tomorrow on, take on more missions!"
As the words fell, Makoto took half a step forward, a strong, intense light shining in his eyes, his tone heavy as a tolling bell.
"Where tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village and once again tree leaves shall bud anew!"
"Contributing your own strength to Konoha's prosperity, that is the true Will of Fire! Don't let Sasuke down, you must become his pride!"
These words were like thunderclaps, cleaving through the gloom in Itachi's eyes.
He looked up sharply, the guilt in his black pupils instantly replaced by blazing motivation.
Nodding vigorously, even the strands of hair on his forehead shook: "I understand!"
Before the words fully faded, Itachi had already grabbed his tool pouch and shot out of the courtyard like a black lightning bolt, not even bothering to put his shoes on properly… he was preparing to do missions overnight.
Makoto stood under the eaves, watching Itachi's rapidly disappearing back, a satisfied curve lifting the corner of his mouth.
Just wait. Wait for Itachi to bring back the mission rewards, and that last bit of shortfall would be covered.
He had already grasped the little method of using Itachi. For small matters, just saying a few simple words would make him willing, even happy, to do them.