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Chapter 55: Reactions and Reward Distribution!
Chapter 55: Reactions and Reward Distribution!
In the arena.
A charred, pitch-black corpse lay before the eyes of all spectators.
The recent use of the devastating Orochimaru's Slash had displayed a terrifying power capable of melting gold and iron.
Even a real iron man would have been reduced to molten slag.
If it had been a Bloodline Limit awakened from a young age, there might have been a chance of survival.
But Katsuchi, who had only awakened his Bloodline Limit a month ago, couldn't withstand the full force of Orochimaru's Slash.
The arena was deathly silent, a pin could have been heard dropping.
No one had expected that a seemingly insignificant figure like Tohei would turn the tables and clinch the championship. It was a reality they found hard to accept.
In the main stands.
"Third Hokage, congratulations to Konoha on the birth of a new genius."
The Fire Country's representative minister, with his powdered white face, wore a complex expression.
The relationship between the Fire Country and Konoha was infinitely complex.
On one hand, they hoped Konoha would disappear so they could have absolute power.
On the other hand, they were utterly dependent on Konoha.
Without Konoha, the Fire Country couldn't maintain its vast and fertile lands, which is why the Hokage and the Daimyo were referred to as the 'Two Jewels.'
Understanding this, one could grasp the minister's conflicted feelings.
It was a mix of fear and envy, akin to hoping your brother doesn't suffer but also not wanting him to drive a luxury car.
The faces of Onoki and the Third Kazekage were grim.
Even though their village's contestants performed well, the champion being from Konoha was enough to dampen their spirits.
The spectators in the stands erupted in a deafening roar.
"Konoha!"
"Konoha!"
...
The Konoha supporters were ecstatic, cheering loudly.
A celebration would follow.
Organized by merchants, the celebration aimed to generate profit.
In the stands, mixed among the spectators, the atmosphere around the Uchiha clan leader's section was unusual.
"Truly unexpected... Fugaku, what have you found out?"
The square-faced elder, exuding an aura of authority without raising his voice, turned to Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Tenshin!
The current clan leader.
However, due to severe injuries sustained on a mission, he was preparing to pass the leadership to his son.
"The old records were true, but due to Danzo's actions..."
Fugaku reported on his findings.
He hadn't expected that the person regarded as the 'shame of the Uchiha' could hide so deeply.
Without Danzo's interference, he might never have discovered Tohei's true genius.
Fugaku was now wary of Tohei.
If Tohei knew what Fugaku was thinking, he would feel wronged.
Was he hiding?
No, he was lying low. If not for Danzo's meddling, he might still be slacking off in some corner.
The Uchiha clan members around him were all from the main family.
With a genius emerging from the main family, yet being an 'outsider,' they were in an awkward position.
Not celebrating would make them stand out negatively among the villagers.
But celebrating would mean acknowledging the achievement of the former clan leader's lineage, with the current leader right beside them.
The Uchiha were proud and stubborn, but not foolish. They understood the nuances.
"He is also an Uchiha, let's cheer for him!"
Fugaku called out loudly.
Hearing this, the Uchiha clan members joined the villagers in their cheers.
Everyone was celebrating and cheering.
However, none of this mattered to Tohei at the moment.
He was struggling to drag his drained body out of the arena through the contestant's tunnel.
It was a grim sight!
To execute that powerful Orochimaru's Slash, he had paid a heavy price.
Not only had his body endured extreme heat for an extended period, but he had also unleashed all his chakra in an instant, placing a tremendous burden on his body.
He was in such a weakened state that he might not even be able to fend off a child, illustrating just how dire his condition was.
However, this could be considered good news.
Next, he could use this as an excuse to stay in the village and recuperate for a while.
It would also help him avoid the spotlight.
Winning the championship would be a huge boon for others, but for him, it wasn't necessarily a good thing.
As the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, announced the start of the celebration, Douhei, under the protection of Uchiha Mei, Uchiha Shizuka, and Uchiha Shota, returned to the clan grounds.
They had no choice but to protect him; in his current state, he was a prime target.
Other ninja villages might hesitate to make a move, but Danzo wouldn't let such an opportunity slip, so they had to be extra cautious.
Bang, bang!
A few boxes were set down by a few Uchiha clan members and then they left, leaving the four of them alone in the room.
"Thank goodness we managed to bring it back safely!"
Uchiha Shizuka let out a sigh of relief as she looked at the boxes in front of her.
She wasn't worried about the small number, but the sheer amount they had won made her extremely anxious.
If nothing had gone wrong, that would have been fine.
But if something had happened, they would have had to use the Uchiha name, and that would come at a cost.
"How much did we win?"
Uchiha Shota's voice betrayed his nervousness, despite being an elite Jonin.
He had never dealt with such a large sum of money before.
"Seven hundred million ryo. We were limited in our final bets, so we didn't bet everything!"
Uchiha Shizuka gave the exact figure.
Seven hundred million ryo! The number was staggering.
Even an S-rank mission, which typically paid at least a million ryo, was considered dangerous enough to risk a Jonin's life.
This massive sum could easily fund over a hundred S-rank missions, illustrating just how much they had won.
"First, we'll pay back double the amount we borrowed from the clan. The remaining money will be used to buy medicinal herbs, food, and ninja tools, distributed according to the number of people and contributions in the main family... Finally, one hundred million ryo will be allocated for Douhei to manage. Do you have any objections?"
Uchiha Mei, unaffected by the amount, quickly outlined the plan for the funds.
Doubling the amount they borrowed and returning it to the clan was already a generous offer.
After all, this mission had cost Uchiha Mei her reputation, and Douhei had taken a significant risk. These intangible costs needed to be accounted for.
Distributing the majority of the earnings to buy supplies for the main family was a way to win their loyalty.
Directly giving them money would be too obvious, so distributing goods was a better approach.
A head of the family who could bring benefits would be universally supported by all clan members.
Uchiha Hidenori could only compete if he could offer even greater benefits.
As for the debt?
There was still plenty of time before it needed to be repaid, so they could let it linger for now.
Uchiha Mei's decision to do this was influenced by a comment Douhei had made: "The one who owes money is the real winner."
Because of the debt, they were able to use a powerful noble's channels to quickly obtain experimental equipment.
Otherwise, a simple reminder that "Sir, you wouldn't want to lose the money you're owed, would you?" would have been enough to get the noble's cooperation.
No one had thought of this approach before.
Uchiha Mei found it very useful, so she decided to use the money to win over the main family members rather than paying back the debt immediately.
As for why it was only the main family?
If she tried to distribute benefits to the entire clan, she might end up with "seventeen kunai in her back" the next day.
Giving Douhei one hundred million ryo to manage was also a fair decision.
Neither Uchiha Shizuka nor Uchiha Shota had any objections to this plan.
And Douhei had even fewer complaints.
If it were up to him, he wouldn't have had the capital to place bets, let alone the ability to bring the money back safely.
Now, he was getting a hundred million ryo for free—how could he not be satisfied?
This was the benefit of clinging to a "white leg."
To put it simply, this kind of easy money was indeed sweet.
Just as they finished dividing the money, they heard a shocking piece of news.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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