"You got the formula for a forbidden drug from Orochimaru?"
Kiyohara's eyes widened. If he truly had access to such a formula, it would be a game-changer.
In the ninja world, performance-enhancing drugs were a known science. The Akimichi Clan, for instance, were experts in this field. They didn't call them "forbidden drugs," of course; they were legally produced "Secret Medicines."
Their famous Three Colored Pills were legendary. The Green Pill boosted strength, the Yellow Pill replenished chakra, and the Red Pill... well, the Red Pill claimed to increase power a hundredfold at the cost of burning away the user's fat reserves and potentially their life.
Kiyohara suspected the "hundredfold" claim was an exaggeration—otherwise, the Akimichi would be ruling the world by now—but the fact that they held such prestige proved the efficacy of their chemistry.
He was curious: what kind of concoction did the Missing-nin have?
"I got some," the spirit confirmed. "However, most of them pose significant harm to the human body."
The Missing-nin sounded regretful.
"Although they granted me strength far surpassing an ordinary Jonin, I was forced to take suppressants for the rest of my life to manage the side effects. The reason I stepped on that explosive tag? I was suffering a seizure caused by the withdrawal."
"Then tell me about the ones without harm," Kiyohara said quickly.
"Strictly speaking, all Secret Medicines have a price. The difference lies in whether the damage is permanent or temporary, and whether it can be recovered from."
"Elaborate."
The Missing-nin glanced at Kiyohara with approval. As expected of his younger self—he had no qualms about taking shortcuts.
Orthodox ninja preached hard work and the "Will of Fire." But Kiyohara was leaving for Kannabi Bridge in three days. Sharpening his spear now would only remove a little rust. To survive a meat grinder, he needed a cannon, not a sharper spear.
"Go take out a loan right now," the spirit commanded.
"What for?" Kiyohara blinked. "Are the ingredients that expensive?"
"We don't even know if you'll survive the week. What's the point of hoarding your savings? Better to exchange it for things that increase your chances of staying alive."
The Missing-nin shook his head, his tone dripping with bitter experience.
"I learned this the hard way. My defection was too rushed; Orochimaru didn't give me time to pack. By the time I looked back, I had slipped out of Konoha, leaving all my assets in the village. They were all legally confiscated by the Hokage's office!"
"Can a Genin even borrow that much?" Kiyohara asked skeptically.
For a high-risk profession like a shinobi, finding a lender was nearly impossible. No insurance company in their right mind would cover them.
Konoha was a strange mix of modernity and tradition—they had refrigerators, televisions, and power lines, yet their financial mindset was often archaic.
Kiyohara had once considered a plan to borrow money from every Uchiha in the village just before the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Once the clan was dissolved, the debt would vanish. He believed in Itachi Uchiha's professional capability to leave no creditors alive (except Sasuke). But that was years away.
"Borrow as much as you can," the Missing-nin urged. "This is a battlefield investment."
"Think about it. It's a win-win business model: If you die, the debt dies with you. If you live, you complete a few B-rank missions and pay it back easily."
Kiyohara paused. 'That... actually makes a frightening amount of sense.'
It was a gamble—going "All-In."
Most ninja didn't do this because they couldn't predict mission difficulty. A C-rank escort could turn into an A-rank nightmare instantly.
Everyone believed the Kannabi Bridge mission was safe because Minato Namikaze was leading it. And technically, Minato did complete the mission. But Obito "died." Rin was captured.
Minato couldn't save everyone.
Only someone like Kiyohara, armed with plot knowledge, could exploit this information asymmetry.
Kiyohara made his decision.
He gathered everything valuable he owned—scrolls, spare weapons, even his furniture—and used them as collateral.
He managed to secure a loan of 650,000 Ryō.
No one was willing to lend him a Ryo more. To the lenders, a Genin going to the front lines had a terrible credit rating.
Combined with his savings, he now had 700,000 Ryō. A small fortune.
Guided by the Missing-nin's instructions, Kiyohara headed straight for the medicinal district.
In Konoha, the pharmaceutical industry was essentially a monopoly run by the Nara and Akimichi clans. The Nara controlled the raw materials (like the antlers of their Spirit Deer), while the Akimichi controlled the processing and formulas. Even Tsunade occasionally relied on their supplies.
"Hiss... these ingredients are robbing me blind," Kiyohara winced as he paid the clerk.
A large portion of the money he had just borrowed vanished before it could even warm his pocket.
"They are expensive for a reason," the Missing-nin said soothingly. "These specific ingredients minimize the side effects. If you control the dosage, you will only suffer from migraines for about three months. After that? No permanent damage."
This was one of the few benefits the Missing-nin had gained from following Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin didn't care about his underlings, only his prize vessels like Sasuke, so he didn't waste the "good stuff" on fodder. But he had tossed a few scraps of knowledge to his followers.
"Three months of headaches? That's acceptable," Kiyohara nodded, satisfied.
Compared to death or permanent organ failure, a migraine was a blessing. This wasn't a forbidden drug; this was a miracle cure!
"You little brat... why are you buying so many high-grade herbs?"
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
Kiyohara turned around. A shadow fell over him—specifically, a shadow cast by a woman with... impressive assets.
He looked up.
Blonde hair tied in twin ponytails. A green haori with the kanji for "Gamble" on the back. A violet diamond mark on her forehead.
Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade," Kiyohara bowed respectfully.
She had returned to the village recently. With Konoha facing an existential threat, even the disillusioned Princess of the Senju couldn't stand by and watch her home burn.
(This aligns with the Minato One-Shot manga, where she was present in the village to treat Minato after a training injury.)
"I'm buying these because I want to make my family's Secret Medicine," Kiyohara said calmly.
He didn't offer excuses like "my grandmother is sick." Tsunade was the greatest medic in history; she would sniff out a lie like that instantly. It was better to claim it was for personal cultivation. Ninja clans were secretive about their formulas; she wouldn't pry.
Sure enough, Tsunade didn't press the issue. Instead, her honey-colored eyes narrowed with a different kind of curiosity.
"Brat, I just saw you walking out of the loan shark's office. How did you manage to get a loan?"
Tsunade's tone carried a hint of desperate urgency.
She had lost money again. A lot of money. And right now, she needed capital to turn her luck around.
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