"You got forbidden drug recipes from Orochimaru?"
Kiyohara asked.
If those really worked, they could provide a shortcut to power.
The Akimichi clan were masters in this area too—though they didn't call them "forbidden." Their concoctions were officially sanctioned secret medicines.
Take the Three-Colored Pills, for example—The green pill boosted physical strength by one-third.The yellow one fully unleashed the user's potential.And the final red pill was said to amplify power a hundredfold.
Though honestly… Kiyohara thought that was hype.If it really worked that well, the Akimichi would've been the strongest clan in the ninja world by now.
Still, the fact it had a reputation at all said a lot about how powerful their meds were.
Now he was curious—what kind of pills did rogue Kiyohara know?
"I got a few."
The ghost replied.
"But most of them are extremely harmful to the body."
His tone turned slightly regretful.
Sure, they gave him strength beyond a normal jōnin, but he had to take suppressants for life just to manage the side effects.The only reason he even stepped on that exploding tag was because one of his symptoms had flared up.
"Then tell me about the ones that don't have side effects."
Kiyohara pressed.
"Technically, all of them have side effects. The difference is whether it's permanent or temporary, and whether you can recover afterward."
"Go on. Detail."
Rogue Kiyohara shot him a sideways look.As expected of his past self—no shame at all about taking shortcuts.
Most "proper" ninjas trained for years to gain power. That was the so-called Way of the Shinobi.
But Kiyohara had three days before heading to Kannabi Bridge.
No matter how hard he trained now, he wouldn't forge a blade.At most, he'd scrape off a little rust.
If he wanted results, he'd need nonstandard methods.
"Go take out a loan."
Rogue Kiyohara said bluntly.
"...A loan?"
Kiyohara blinked.Were the materials that expensive?
"You might not even live through this. What are you saving money for? Turn it into something that'll help you survive."
The ghost shook his head, visibly frustrated.
That was his regret.
He'd defected in such a hurry, Orochimaru didn't even give him time to pack.By the time he looked back, he'd already fled Konoha.
Everything he owned had been seized and legally confiscated.
"But… can ninja even get loans?"
Kiyohara had never tried.
Ninjas were high-risk, short-lived professionals.Most banks wouldn't touch them—not for loans, not even insurance.
Konoha might've had TVs, fridges, and telephone poles, but society still held very traditional views.
He'd once joked about borrowing money from every Uchiha clan member right before the massacre—When Itachi wiped them out, the debts would vanish along with them.
He had full faith in Itachi's business execution skills.Surely the only one he'd leave alive was Sasuke.
"Borrow as much as you can."
Rogue Kiyohara said flatly.
You're going to war—why not go all in?
"This is a win-win. If you die, debts die with you. If you live, just do more missions to pay it back."
Kiyohara paused....Damn it, he had a point.
But it was still a full gamble.
And gambling takes wisdom. Most people don't choose to bet on themselves.
After all, you never knew how hard a mission really was.
A C-rank could escalate into a B-rank.An A-rank might unexpectedly be a breeze if the enemy slipped up.
Like the Kannabi Bridge op—Everyone figured it was safe with Minato around.
And sure, Minato did complete the mission.
But no one knew if they were the price that had to be paid.
No matter how fast Minato was, he couldn't protect everyone.
Normal people never expected they would be the one to die.Which is why almost no ninja ever took loans like this.
Except Kiyohara—who had insider info.
With resolve, he ransacked his house and pawned everything of value.
He managed to secure a loan of 650,000 ryō.
Any more, and no lender would touch him.Not even under-the-table.
That was still generous, considering his decent village reputation and good luck.
From their perspective, he was a genin—and a high casualty risk.
With some prior savings added, he had 700,000 ryō in hand.
Not bad at all.
Under rogue Kiyohara's guidance, he immediately bought herbs and equipment.
In Konoha, the Nara and Akimichi clans dominated the pharmaceutical industry.They practically had a monopoly.
The Nara clan owned vast forests and raised sacred deer—whose antlers were prized medicinal ingredients.
The Akimichi were masters of mixing formulas.Even Tsunade had borrowed recipes from them in canon—proving their worth.
And with the Ino-Shika-Chō trio being political allies, the Nara and Akimichi clans formed a true powerhouse in the medicine trade.
"Ugh… These herbs are expensive."
Kiyohara watched his newly borrowed money evaporate.
"That's the cost of quality. These pills minimize side effects. As long as you watch your dosage, you'll just get a few headaches for the next three months. After that, you'll be fine."
Rogue Kiyohara explained.
These were premium—ones he only got after sticking with Orochimaru long enough for the man to toss him a few leftovers.
To Orochimaru, the only person who mattered was Sasuke.
Which, in a way, was good for rogue Kiyohara—It meant Orochimaru never bothered to possess him.
He'd rather take a kunai to the gut than let Orochimaru's soul enter his body.
"Three months? That's manageable."
Kiyohara was more than satisfied.
This wasn't a forbidden drug—this was a miracle pill!
"You there. Kid. Why are you buying so many herbs?"
A sharp voice rang out.
Kiyohara turned around—
And was immediately confronted by two ominous shadows cast over her chest.
Yup.Big.
He glanced up at the purple diamond mark on her forehead… the long golden hair…
Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade."
He bowed respectfully.
She'd returned to Konoha recently, too.
The village was in crisis.Tsunade wasn't the type to sit on the sidelines.
Before the war even broke out, she'd treated Minato himself when he collapsed at Training Ground Three.
Contrary to popular belief, she hadn't stayed away from the village ever since Dan's death.
It was all confirmed in the canon Minato Gaiden manga.
"I'm making a secret family medicine."
Kiyohara replied calmly.
He didn't bother spinning lies about sick relatives or injured friends.
Someone like Tsunade could sniff out excuses instantly—Better to keep it clean and simple.
Ninja didn't usually pry too deeply anyway.
Sure enough, Tsunade didn't press the topic further.
Instead, she asked something else, raising an eyebrow:
"Kid, I saw you taking out a loan earlier. How'd you even get approved?"
Her tone turned slightly urgent.
Apparently… she'd just lost another bet.
And she desperately needed seed money for a comeback.