Chapter 158: Like a Charlatan

"Provide adequate blood samples?"

Hearing this, Uchiha Soyama was visibly taken aback. He didn't fully grasp what Orochimaru was implying. Was the potion not perfected yet? Did he want to test it on samples?

Orochimaru seemed unconcerned with Soyama's confusion. He went on with the words he had prepared: "Yes, it took me a long time to develop this potion. Not to mention the ingredients needed to create it, just look at its effects to understand how valuable it is, right?"

"Of course!" Soyama agreed.

"Therefore, to ensure the potion isn't wasted, I need to better understand the bloodline conditions of the Uchiha clan," Orochimaru explained nonchalantly.

"The Uchiha clan is large, but not everyone among us can awaken the Sharingan. I'm sure you understand this even better than I do."

"True enough," Uchiha Soyama nodded.

Some members of the Uchiha clan possessed pure blood and could awaken the Sharingan with minimal stimulation. Others, however, had diluted bloodlines and, even in the face of great trauma, might never awaken their Sharingan.

To those familiar with the Uchiha's bloodline secrets, this wasn't news. Uchiha Soyama wasn't surprised by Orochimaru's insight after all, Orochimaru was a disciple of the Hokage. Knowing such things wouldn't be difficult for him.

But... the true purpose of this man?

Uchiha Soyama thought carefully before speaking.

It was clear enough why this potion was being kept under wraps, because it was specifically beneficial to the Uchiha clan. It wouldn't be of much use to anyone else. The village certainly wouldn't research something like this just for the Uchiha, so this had to be Orochimaru's own work.

But that only deepened Soyama's confusion. Wasn't Orochimaru a disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi? Why was he keeping this secret from the Hokage to strike a deal with the Uchiha?

And what did Orochimaru gain from this arrangement? Providing blood samples and helping awaken the Sharingan… for free? It sounded ridiculous. It was hard not to see him as some kind of con artist.

As Uchiha Soyama voiced his skepticism, Orochimaru merely chuckled. "There's no hidden motive, I'm simply fascinated by the Uchiha bloodline!"

"That's it?"

"Isn't that reason enough?" Orochimaru paused, then continued, "Most people don't understand how important curiosity is to a researcher, so it's understandable if the clan leader doesn't get it."

"All the clan leader needs to know is that my research requires a large number of blood samples from the Uchiha clan. In exchange, I'll continue to supply the clan with potions like this one. That's all there is to it."

"Of course, if you're concerned that I might uncover some deep secrets about the Uchiha clan through these blood samples… just pretend I never mentioned it."

Orochimaru's meaning was clear: he wanted a straightforward deal with the Uchiha. All he was after was their blood samples, not their Sharingan.

"Haha, why would you say that?" Uchiha Soyama laughed awkwardly.

From everything Orochimaru had said so far, Soyama doubted that the Uchiha clan even had any secrets left unknown to Orochimaru.

And besides, it was just blood. What could he possibly discover from a sample? Soyama didn't believe Orochimaru could unlock the true secrets of the Sharingan with just a bit of blood, nor did he think Orochimaru would be able to create anything strange from it.

In truth, Soyama had no reason to refuse. The only thing that concerned him was how to explain this to the Third Hokage. After all, this was being done behind his back, and the Uchiha clan wasn't in a position to take such risks lightly.

However, Orochimaru's position was simple: he would inform the Third Hokage about the potion's effects after their deal was complete. As for whether the Hokage would announce it to the public or simply let the Uchiha clan benefit from it, that was out of Orochimaru's hands.

And that arrangement was more than enough for the Uchiha.

With that assurance, Uchiha Soyama quickly made his decision. Since there was nothing to lose, why not agree?

And so, the deal between them was made.

"Congratulations to the clan leader for making a wise choice," Orochimaru said with a sly smile.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru. Take care," Soyama replied, watching Orochimaru's figure disappear into the distance. Squinting his eyes, he murmured, "What an extraordinary man. Not only powerful enough to face someone like Hanzo, but with such remarkable research skills as well… heh."

With Uchiha Soyama's agreement secured, Orochimaru allowed himself a sigh of relief. Although he had many ways of obtaining Uchiha blood samples, having Soyama's cooperation would save him a lot of trouble.

Early the next morning, Orochimaru reported the effects of the potion to the Third Hokage. The top officials of Konoha were taken by surprise once again. Ever since Orochimaru had created the strengthening serum, he hadn't produced anything of note for some time. Recently, he had developed several specialized ninja tools that had drawn attention.

But as impressive as ninja tools were, they were still external aids, and nowhere near as enticing as genetic modifications.

However, when they heard that this potion specifically targeted mental stimulation to help awaken the Sharingan, their initial interest cooled.

"What's the point of developing this?" Danzo was the first to speak, with a clear note of dissatisfaction in his voice. "As Hiruzen's disciple, you've been aware of the tension between the Uchiha and the village for years, haven't you?"

Danzo's tone suggested that his displeasure wasn't with the research itself, but with the fact that Orochimaru had undertaken such a significant project without consulting him.

"Of course I know," Orochimaru replied casually. "But this potion was a byproduct when I was researching the enhancement serum. I only decided to share it recently because I had a flash of inspiration and managed to complete it. If you think it's useless, feel free to discard it."

Ever since aligning himself with Danzo, Orochimaru had left behind any pretense of being an obedient disciple. Telling convenient lies had become second nature.

"Discarding it wouldn't matter," Danzo replied, "but could this even be useful for anyone besides the Uchiha?"

"It's completely useless for others," Orochimaru admitted. "Ordinary ninja lack the spiritual inheritance necessary for it to work at all."