Hiruzen Sarutobi studied the pill in his palm.
It had that classic shinobi look. Practical. Rugged.
He could tell everyone had already done their best to refine it. The surface had been polished, and in accordance with his earlier suggestion, subtle snake-scale elements had been worked into the design.
Still, something was missing.
"Do we need further adjustments, Sensei?" Orochimaru asked seriously. "In terms of efficacy, I'm confident we can make these nobles dependent. We can create sustained demand."
Hiruzen fell silent for a moment.
Chakra gathered in his hand and condensed into a rectangular stone box.
"Bring me some dry ice, a few colored pens, and a scalpel. We have those, right?"
"Of course." Orochimaru smiled. "Just say the word, Sensei. Every bit of funding has gone straight into this lab."
Jiraiya had once teased that this place was a giant treasure chest. Anything related to research, and plenty that seemed unrelated, could be found here.
"You brat, stop trying to justify your expenses in every gap," Hiruzen said with a chuckle.
He was not Danzo Shimura. He could read a financial report just fine.
And even if he missed something, the Nara specialists were standing right there.
"Bring me a piece of quartz as well."
"Understood, Sensei."
Orochimaru moved quickly, returning with everything Hiruzen had requested.
Quartz was an excellent and inexpensive insulator. Perfect for testing Lightning Style.
Hiruzen held the scalpel. He was no master craftsman, but years of taijutsu and hand seals had given him steady hands.
Chakra seeped into the quartz as the blade moved with precision. He shaped it according to the image in his mind.
It was not complicated. At its core, it was little different from carving a dog's head into a Mud Wall.
The raw quartz was refined into a translucent rectangular case.
Inside the lid, he carved mountains and flowing water, evoking a classical aesthetic. The Konoha emblem sat subtly among them.
He picked up the pill and treated it similarly. Dividing its surface into three sections, he carved patterns of a toad, a snake, and a slug, each occupying its own space.
Then he brushed a pale off-white coating over it, letting the snake-scale texture beneath curl slightly and peek through.
Dry ice was placed inside the box.
The others stared at the packaging differently now.
Hiruzen picked up a fresh pill and chewed thoughtfully.
For someone with his physique, the effect was negligible. The real issue was the taste.
"Not bad. If we can make it start bitter and end sweet, that contrast will create a sense of refinement. A psychological cue of quality."
He lifted the lid and angled the box toward the laboratory lights.
Soft mist spilled out. Within it, the three pills gleamed faintly, their carved patterns vivid and lifelike. For a moment, they truly looked like sacred products born from a holy land.
"Looks a lot more expensive now, doesn't it?" Hiruzen said with a smile. "I trust your product and technical strength. But the packaging needs work. We're selling a sense of prestige. Atmosphere."
"It seems troublesome, but it's just two sets of molds. The emotional value it adds, though, is enormous."
Torifu Akimichi stared at him in amazement.
Old friend, no wonder you became Hokage. You really do have a mind for this.
Shikazan Nara's eyes lit up. "Third-sama, what if we add a subtle fragrance? The Yamanaka Clan flower shop carries several elegant scents."
"Excellent suggestion, Shikazan," Hiruzen praised. "Add it."
Tsunade clicked her tongue. Before the redesign, the pill had looked like it was worth a thousand ryo. After this transformation, it looked closer to ten thousand.
"As expected of Sensei," Orochimaru said softly. "I understand your intention."
"How's the cost control? Can we sustain this?" Hiruzen asked.
Orochimaru thought it through.
"Even with the packaging, we can maintain close to an eighty-five percent gross margin. Sustainability won't be an issue. The Akimichi and Nara clans both have supply channels. These materials are fairly common across the shinobi world."
"As for the Three Sacred Lands, the three of us have already negotiated. No problems there."
Hiruzen nodded. "Shikazan, Torifu. Your clans have contributed secret family techniques. I see that."
"The village will not mistreat any member who carries the Will of Fire. You will handle raw material supply at standard centralized procurement prices. No need to offer special discounts."
"As for processing, leave it to your Ino-Shika-Cho alliance. The craftsmanship is not complex. For clan members who lack combat talent, this will be stable work."
"But screening must be strict. Select individuals of clean background and reliable character."
Torifu and Shikazan exchanged a glance.
The Third was truly generous.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama! Ino-Shika-Cho will handle this properly! As for raw materials…" Shikazan hesitated briefly before continuing. "We'll make our share, but please allow Ino-Shika-Cho to yield part of the profit back to the village."
Torifu rumbled in agreement. "Hiruzen, taking all that money would burn our hands."
Hiruzen smiled inwardly.
Sharp men.
Outwardly, he pressed his lips together, looking almost moved. He gave each of them a firm pat on the shoulder.
"Orochimaru, I have another idea. From a technical standpoint, is it feasible?"
"Please, Sensei."
"Add trace amounts of a harmless substance to the formula. It won't affect efficacy, but it should be easy to detect. Anyone attempting reverse analysis will be misled."
"We have backing from the Sacred Lands and Konoha's predecessors. No one can truly compete with us. But we must think long term. If other hidden villages try to imitate this in the future, we might as well leave them a stumbling block."
Orochimaru stroked his chin. "Meaningful indeed, Sensei. As for implementation…"
He looked toward Tsunade.
"I'll handle it, old man," she said confidently.
Hiruzen felt a quiet satisfaction.
Each of his three students had their strengths.
Wait.
Where was Jiraiya?
"And the other one?"
He did not say the name, but Tsunade and Orochimaru immediately understood.
That was the kind of tacit understanding shared between master and disciples.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "He delivered the oil and ran off. Said he's going to write a masterpiece and become the greatest novelist in the world."
Hiruzen shook his head, amused.
If the boy could not write it, perhaps he could at least give him an opening.
Chapter One: Young Azi.
"Been wanting this for a while, haven't you?"
Hiruzen took a scroll from his robes and handed it to Orochimaru. "The Second Hokage had sharp insights into the analysis of the soul. You've got a good eye. Some of those techniques are worth refining."
A flash of light flickered in Orochimaru's eyes.
Sensei studies this as well?
At the same time, Hiruzen carefully observed his reaction.
As expected. His disciple had been researching soul-related techniques in private.
"When you're free, come discuss your findings with me. We can improve together."
Orochimaru's pulse quickened. "Then I'll thank you in advance for your guidance, Sensei."
The two exchanged a knowing smile.
Ten days later.
Near the borders of the Land of Lightning, Danzo Shimura reviewed intelligence gathered from external agents. A cruel glint flashed in his eyes.
"Hiruzen was right. Those brutes from Kumogakure cannot control the tailed beast. It has nearly gone berserk more than once."
He snapped the file shut.
"Move. Full speed back to Konoha."