@#￥%...&...%￥"
In the laboratory, Shiraishi endured General Tsuchi's gibberish and helped him reattach his head.
He probably wanted to express his joy at seeing his cute little sister for the first time.
After his head was reattached, he was already gesticulating wildly.
It was a truly loving scene.
Shiraishi felt immense comfort in his heart; this was what a family felt like.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Girl seemed unsure how to face her brother, who had such a peculiar body and appearance. Her body turned into pure darkness, spreading out as a flat black shadow on the ground, and like an arrow, she shot into Shiraishi's shadow, disappearing from sight.
"￥*&...%￥%...&"
Seeing the Shadow Girl vanish, General Tsuchi started chattering again. Even Shiraishi, his creator, couldn't understand what the fellow was trying to express.
"Alright, she's your sister. She was just born today and isn't very sensible yet. You're already a two-year-old adult, so forgive her this time."
Shiraishi stroked General Tsuchi's head, urging him to be more magnanimous.
"￥&*%￥#￥%..."
General Tsuchi placed a document on the ground, uttered this phrase, and immediately drilled into the earth, disappearing.
"Honestly, none of them give me a moment's peace."
Shiraishi merely complained, knowing he needed to learn from this experience next time.
He picked up the document General Tsuchi had left on the ground and shook off the nonexistent dust.
These were recent materials about the Land of Demons' pharmaceutical company.
Some time had passed, and the business activities of the Aster Pharmaceutical Technology Company had begun to get on track.
The medicines produced and sold by Aster Pharmaceutical Company were all new drugs not currently circulating in the market. They primarily included cold medicine, fever reducers, stomach medicine, and various other drugs beneficial for human health recovery. After testing, their efficacy was also better than various drugs available in the market.
Currently, the main export destinations were neighboring countries such as the Land of Snow, the Land of Ghosts, and the Land of Bears. Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth were the primary focus.
Because the Land of Demons was too far from the Land of Fire, there would not be a large-scale influx into the Land of Fire's pharmaceutical market in the near future.
Of course, if merchants from the Land of Fire were willing to act as agents, the company would not turn away profitable business.
Shiraishi believed that the person in charge, Gato, would make a reasonable judgment; otherwise, he would have to replace him with a more capable subordinate to manage the company's duties.
During the organization's initial accumulation period, ample funds were the most crucial link.
Economics determines politics, and politics influences the military.
And money is the primary manifestation of economics.
Only then can economics determine the superstructure, feeding back into an organization, and feeding back into a nation.
To achieve prosperity and development, economics is the most fundamental basis.
Currently, the organization's personnel were absolutely sufficient. Whether it was research and development personnel, administrative staff, or armed personnel for protection, the first stage of formation had been completed.
Once the pharmaceutical company accumulated a large sum of money and established a sufficient reputation, they would recruit personnel from various countries to further expand their workforce.
The organization remained dormant in the shadows, while the company attracted attention in the open.
Otherwise, if they always operated in the dark, the organization's scale would find it difficult to undergo a qualitative transformation.
Therefore, the neutral status of the Land of Demons could provide great convenience.
This was also the win-win cooperation plan Shiraishi and the Priestess Miroku were preparing to implement.
Shiraishi had long been in spiritual communion with that priestess.
◎
After dinner in the evening, it was two hours after Shiraishi had finished work at the Ninja Academy.
He was about to head to the underground laboratory when suddenly, two familiar chakra signatures appeared within his sensory range.
He started walking towards the front yard and, sure enough, saw a boy and a girl at the entrance. Neither was very old; they were still of academy age.
The boy had his hands clasped behind his head, wearing goggles to protect his eyes, and was pouting to the side, looking disdainful.
"Shiraishi-senpai, I'm sorry to bother you so late."
The girl, on the other hand, politely bowed and greeted Shiraishi.
"No problem at all. But Rin, is there something you need to see me about so late?"
This girl was Rin Nohara, a very diligent student in the medical ninja experimental class at the academy.
When Shiraishi first served as an assistant teacher in the experimental class, she had already displayed the demeanor of a hardworking model student.
Her talent in medical ninjutsu was outstanding, and she could be trained as an elite medical ninja in the future.
Among all the students in the experimental class, Shiraishi had the deepest impression of her.
"Some of the content that Tsunade-sensei taught this afternoon was difficult to understand. I went to the library to look for information, but it didn't help. May I ask Shiraishi-senpai for some guidance?"
The girl's face showed a diligent and studious expression. It seemed she genuinely loved medical ninjutsu and wanted to become an excellent medical ninja in the future.
Shiraishi thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "I see. Then, Rin, please come in. I don't have anything important to do right now."
"I'm truly grateful, Shiraishi-senpai."
The girl, Rin, smiled with innocent purity.
"It's nothing. Your diligence has touched me, Rin. You know, being a medical ninja is very difficult for girls, and often involves unpredictable dangers. By the way, didn't you go to Tsunade-sensei?"
"I went earlier, but I found Tsunade-sensei already dead drunk in the tavern…"
Rin's face showed a hint of helplessness.
"..."
Shiraishi also shook his head helplessly but said nothing.
Because he had long since gotten used to it.
Perhaps the deaths of Nawaki and Jonin Kato had been too great a blow to her.
Her experiences of getting drunk in taverns over the past few years were countless.
Fortunately, she never slacked off during classes, with no tardiness or early departures, which showed she was responsible towards the students in the experimental class.
Shiraishi brought the boy and girl inside, then turned to the boy and asked, "Why did you come in too?"
"Of course, to prevent you from having any ulterior motives towards Rin."
The boy said this without any hesitation, not bothering to hide it at all.
"You have a great sense of humor, Obito Uchiha. You'd have a better future as an entertainer than a ninja."
"I don't want to be told that by a guy who lives off women; it's embarrassing."
Obito still had his hands behind his head, swaggering forward with an air of not caring about anyone, and boldly walked in.
"Speaking of which, isn't Ruri-senpai home?"
Obito looked around at the quiet environment and asked this question.
"Why do you ask?"
"I heard from the adults in my clan that Ruri-senpai seems to have resigned from the Police Force. She's a powerful Jonin, so why would she resign from her position as a Police Force squad leader?"
Obito looked curious.
"Perhaps it wasn't suitable. For her, carrying out missions outside is more fitting. After all, the Police Force often deals with trivial matters…"
"They're not trivial matters! I, for one, deeply respect the senpai who work in the Police Force. That's the glory of our Uchiha clan! Therefore, the Police Force, which helps every single person in the village, is not some trivial matter!"
Shiraishi glanced at him but said nothing.
"Because if you can't even do these small things well, you can't become Hokage!"
Obito's face was more serious than ever before.
"Hokage?"
Shiraishi's expression became strange.
Rin, standing nearby, chuckled and said, "That's right, Shiraishi-senpai. Obito's dream is to become someone recognized by everyone, to become Hokage, and to help every person in the village."
Hearing Rin say this, Shiraishi looked at Obito with an even stranger gaze.
"W-what are you looking at me like that for?"
Obito cautiously took a step back.
"Nothing, I'm just thinking about some irrelevant things."
Is this guy really an Uchiha?
Shiraishi had doubted Obito's true identity more than once. Although he knew that many people in the Uchiha clan hoped their clan members would become Hokage.
But that was driven by an extremely strong personal desire, or rather, to serve the clan's politics; it was more like an obsession.
In Shiraishi's eyes, Obito was just a child who genuinely dreamed of being Hokage and wanted to achieve that dream.
Are there such interesting individuals in the Uchiha clan?
For the first time, Shiraishi felt a sense of anticipation for this Uchiha boy, who was known as a 'dead last' at the Ninja Academy.
This guy's future might be very interesting, he thought.
"However, Obito is really hardworking and very kind-hearted. He often helps old grandmothers who are in trouble on the street."
"Ah, well, it's really nothing, Rin. You're exaggerating too much."
With Rin's praise, Obito didn't realize his walking posture had become somewhat wobbly, and he almost tripped on flat ground.
In a quiet room, Shiraishi turned on the light, asked the two to sit down, and then went to prepare some desserts and tea to entertain them.
Although he came tonight as a bodyguard, specifically following Rin inside, seeing Rin diligently asking Shiraishi about medical knowledge and having entered a state of learning, Obito didn't want to disturb her, as he wasn't particularly knowledgeable about medical matters.
Seeing Rin's earnestness in seeking guidance, and how the 'moocher' calmly and indifferently answered Rin's various questions, Obito thought that this 'moocher' actually had some ability.
At least in medical ninjutsu.
The private tutoring session ended around ten o'clock at night.
"Shiraishi-senpai, thank you for your trouble tonight."
"It's no trouble at all. You're welcome to come over anytime in the future, Rin. I'll do my best to help you with anything I can answer."
Shiraishi smiled slightly, watching Rin leave.
And by her side, Obito followed closely.
Although he was already starting to doze off, he insisted on seeing Rin home before he could rest assured.
Seeing this scene, Shiraishi became even more convinced that Obito Uchiha... was definitely an abnormal Uchiha.
◎
The unimaginable physical pressure suddenly fell upon him, jolting Shiraishi awake from his sleep.
It was another bright and sunny morning.
But compared to the bright, warm sunshine, the full, spherical form that had appeared before him at some unknown point was even more captivating, drawing him in irresistibly.
It wasn't exaggerated, but compared to girls of the same age, it was already quite incredible.
For example, Ruri; her figure, unlike her formidable strength, was remarkably modest and understated in that aspect.
So, upon seeing such a captivating and vibrant sight,
Shiraishi could easily imagine it floating on the water during a hot spring bath, and he could conjure up the image of what a beautiful and exquisite scene that would be.
"Good morning, Shiraishi-kun."
The girl, straddling Shiraishi in a riding position, touched his nose with her fair, tender fingers, and greeted him very naturally.
"...What are you doing, Ayane?"
To be honest, the unfolding of this scene made Shiraishi's mind a little slow to process.
"I recently read in a book that boys like to wake up this way. Shiraishi-kun, don't you like it? Or perhaps you'd prefer me to wake you up in a different way?"
"Whatever it is, it's best to read less of those strange books in the future."
Shiraishi had Ayane get off him.
Regardless, that alluring pose just now was truly a bit unbearable.
He had almost had a strong physiological reaction just then.
Just as Shiraishi finished dressing, the Shadow Girl, dressed in all black, walked in from outside, carrying a tray, which she gently placed nearby.
"Father, Mother, breakfast is ready. Please enjoy it at your leisure."
"???"
"Thank you for your hard work, preparing breakfast especially."
While Shiraishi was still trying to figure out what was happening, Ayane had already begun praising the Shadow Girl's thoughtfulness.
Ayane turned to Shiraishi, smiling, and said, "Shiraishi-kun, look how well-behaved our daughter is. She specially prepared this breakfast for the two of us, you know. Let's eat together."
She particularly emphasized the words 'our daughter'.
"..."
Shiraishi just wanted to know what had happened between this foolish daughter and Ayane when he hadn't been awake yet.