Chapter 84: The Achievements of 18
"Mirai-kun, if that idiot Jiraiya said it, I would definitely take it as a joke."
"So many people witnessed it; it would be unrealistic for me to lie, even if I wanted to."
Hyuga Mirai shrugged and continued, "What's more, Lord Orochimaru, you used many test subjects for your Wood Release cells research. If such actions were to spread, even if you became the Fourth Hokage, you would be pulled down and denounced by the angry 'villagers.' After all, they like an Orochimaru who can protect them, not an Orochimaru who arbitrarily takes their lives for research."
Upon hearing Hyuga Mirai's words, Orochimaru couldn't help but reflect.
He did have some thoughts about becoming the Fourth Hokage now; research funds only accounted for half of his desire. The other half was because Orochimaru grew up in Konoha, and years of indoctrination still had some influence on him.
Being Hokage was a thought for Orochimaru, but he wouldn't abandon his pursuits for it.
On the contrary, if one day the position of Hokage became a stumbling block for Orochimaru, he would kick it away without hesitation.
"So, Mirai-kun, what about you?" Orochimaru pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "The future Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, his hostility towards you is not small either, right?"
Hyuga Mirai shook his head: "What am I worried about? They can't possibly convict me for something that hasn't happened, can they? Besides, after today, I will be even more careful. No one will catch my tail, not even with the Flying Thunder God Technique."
"I just came to remind Lord Orochimaru, after all, you are the only one in all of Konoha I can talk to. Everyone else is an idiot. Oh, by the way, Lord Orochimaru, can you lend me some hashirama cells?"
Taking advantage of Orochimaru being stunned by the shocking news, Hyuga Mirai left Orochimaru's laboratory with the hashirama cells.
Cultivating hashirama cells required a lot of money, and currently, he didn't have the funds or time, so he could only ask Orochimaru for them.
The most important component of Purple Snake's cultivation potion was hashirama cells. Under Hyuga Mirai's force-feeding cultivation, Purple Snake had already grown to fifty meters long, and he believed that in another year or two, its size would be as large as Manda.
However, Hyuga Mirai believed Orochimaru would heed his advice and move his laboratory; otherwise, if his clone were discovered and destroyed, the loss would be too great.
"Mirai-kun, you're back!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Mirai-kun! We all know about your performance on the battlefield; you've brought honor to Medical Ninja!"
When Hyuga Mirai returned to Konoha Hospital, many people immediately came up to greet him. Some even used honorifics, which showed the influence of Hyuga Mirai's reputation, especially since he was still a Chunin.
Hyuga Mirai's performance on the front lines had already spread to Konoha Hospital. After Tsunade, the title of 'Sand Ninja Puppet Master Bane' was now placed on his head.
Other Medical Ninja knew very well that with Hyuga Mirai's formidable medical skill at such a young age, if nothing unexpected happened, the next director of Konoha Hospital would definitely be this young man.
Hyuga Mirai responded to each greeting, and after spending some time getting rid of these people, he went to the Konoha Hospital laboratory, put away the instruments he had taken, and then split off several Shadow Clones to begin making Purple Snake genetic cultivation potions using the hashirama cells.
It would be too wasteful to leave such good instruments idle. The Shadow Clones Hyuga Mirai had split off could keep these instruments running day and night, without a moment's rest.
After assigning their respective research tasks to the Shadow Clones, Hyuga Mirai opened the communicator linked to 18.
The next second, he saw many business documents appear on the screen in front of him.
"Sir, is there anything I can help you with?" 18 detected Hyuga Mirai's incoming signal, and a clear, calm female voice came through the communicator to Hyuga Mirai.
"Just wanted to know the progress, 18." Hyuga Mirai briefly scanned the business documents, mostly signed contracts and purchase agreements.
"How have things been recently? How is Vortex Ayaka performing?"
As Hyuga Mirai spoke, Vortex Ayaka was right beside 18.
Upon hearing herself being asked about, Vortex Ayaka's heart tightened. Although she had completed her training according to the schedule set by Hyuga Mirai, she was still afraid that he wouldn't be satisfied.
However, 18 did not speak ill of Vortex Ayaka. She did not yet have such a high level of intelligence, and her progress in collecting data was still slow. Even though Vortex Ayaka kept winking at her to signal, 18 showed no reaction at all.
First, she reported on the trading company's progress. 18, following Hyuga Mirai's orders, had established a trading company in Vortex Ayaka's name. The funds were earned from completing two bounties, and then she acquired a computer manufacturing company in the Fire Country Capital.
A while ago, the Whirlpool Trading Company's computers had already made a name for themselves in the Fire Country Capital, and the ninja games were very popular. Not only children and teenagers, but even some idle nobles, after trying the ninja games a few times, also became interested in them.
Whether it was a stage-clearing or fighting-style ninja game, under 18's settings, they all seemed very interesting; and they were also linked to real-life ninja. Especially with Konoha currently at war with Sand Ninja, the appearance of a game where one could slaughter Sand Ninja as a Konoha Ninja on a computer would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention.
It could be said that the game developed by 18 benefited from the war.
In just over a month, more than seven thousand units were sold, but currently, the Whirlpool Trading Company could only deliver one thousand, with the rest being rushed into production.
The Land of Fire has sixteen counties and hundreds of towns. In more prosperous areas, such as the Fire Country Capital, over six hundred computers and ninja games were sold; the remaining towns could each absorb at least dozens of units. Once the Whirlpool Trading Company's computers and ninja games become well-known, they can be sold to several other countries.
Currently, the computers produced by the Whirlpool Trading Company are sold for 35,000 ryo each, which means that in just over a month, the Whirlpool Trading Company earned 240 million ryo. After deducting costs, it made a net profit of 160 million ryo.
'Heh, what's Orochimaru's greed for money compared to this?'
Hyuga Mirai couldn't help but smile slightly. This was just over a month. Once the Whirlpool Trading Company grew and expanded, he planned to take Orochimaru to experience what it means for technology to combine with capital.
"18, I…"
"Sir, currently, it is necessary to rapidly expand the computer network and establish data centers and energy supply points; given the current development of the Whirlpool Trading Company, it is estimated that there will be a first batch of surplus experimental funds in 43 days."
18's calm voice came from the communicator.
"...Alright, then keep up the good work, 18."
Hyuga Mirai's idea died in its infancy before he could even voice it. After all, developing the Whirlpool Trading Company was also his directive, and capital needed to accumulate quickly so it could provide him with research funds later on.
To be honest, even if Hyuga Mirai were given a large sum of money now, he could only use it to cultivate Purple Snake or create new bio-mechanical assistants. Both of these things could be done slowly, so he let 18 develop the trading company.
Afterward, Hyuga Mirai also gave Vortex Ayaka a few instructions and transferred all the remaining Medical Ninjutsu, as well as medical knowledge and surgical records from Konoha Hospital, to 18, instructing 18 to gradually pass them on to Vortex Ayaka.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are problems that all beings, except for the Ōtsutsuki, will face, and Medical Ninjutsu is the most reassuring. Vortex Ayaka's achievements in Medical Ninjutsu are a very important part of Hyuga Mirai's plan.
Bowing to all the handsome voters, Orz. Although today's votes might not have been cast yet, I think they probably forgot and will definitely vote later!