When Orochimaru heard Uchiha Hikaru speak so seriously, he fell into thought.
There's no such thing as a free lunch—so he understood what Uchiha Hikaru meant.
But this also concerned Orochimaru's future, and he had to weigh the pros and cons.
Uchiha Hikaru had given him two choices: if he wanted something better, he had to give something in return.
However, Hikaru hadn't said what that cost was.
With that in mind, Orochimaru raised a question.
"Hikaru-kun, what exactly is the price you're referring to?"
Uchiha Hikaru looked at the slightly nervous Orochimaru and let out a light chuckle.
"No need to be so tense. It's not like I'm going to sell you off or anything."
"As for the price I mentioned—it's quite simple. I give you knowledge, and what I want in return is knowledge too."
"So if you choose this path, what you'll have to offer are your insights from researching ninjutsu in the future."
Hearing that, Orochimaru breathed a sigh of relief.
He had thought Uchiha Hikaru was going to ask for absolute obedience, like those samurai in old stories.
"I choose the Senju's collection. I'll back up all my future ninjutsu research and share it with you. How about that?"
Knowledge for knowledge—it was a fair deal, so Orochimaru agreed.
Uchiha Hikaru was also pleased. Even if Orochimaru's future research notes weren't immediately useful to him, they could still be valuable if he ever wanted to enhance Konoha's military strength.
And as for the loot he earned from the Idle Training System, that top-tier stuff would only be shared with family.
He wasn't a saint, after all. While he did want Konoha to grow stronger, that didn't mean he'd sacrifice his own interests.
"In that case, I should speak with Grandma about it. Let's head back. No need to rush this."
Orochimaru nodded in agreement.
So the two returned to the house, where they found Mito Uzumaki explaining sealing techniques to Tsunade.
After Uchiha Hikaru shared his thoughts, she casually waved her hand and said:
"That scroll was already given to you. What you do with it is your decision."
In matters like these, Mito Uzumaki still trusted Uchiha Hikaru unconditionally.
Sometimes, he even wondered—did he really get possessed by a succubus when he transmigrated?
In truth, he had forgotten that Mito Uzumaki possessed a unique ability exclusive to Nine-Tails Jinchūriki: the ability to sense malice.
This power could detect hostility in someone's heart no matter how well it was hidden.
Everyone in the village, though they never said it aloud, would unknowingly give off a trace of ill intent when facing her.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have told Kushina Uzumaki* to "let the vessel be filled with love."
But with Uchiha Hikaru—there was none of that. Not a trace of suspicion or fear. He stood before her as if he had nothing to hide.
People with physical abnormalities care most about how others perceive them.
Mito Uzumaki was no exception.
Combined with the peaceful look in his eyes—something that belonged to a different era—she actually trusted him even more than he realized.
As long as Uchiha Hikaru didn't betray the village, she would support him unconditionally.
Just then, Tsunade made a playful face at them.
Rather than scolding her, Mito Uzumaki paused to consider.
"Hikaru, why don't you take Tsunade and Orochimaru out for a bit of fun?"
"Kids need to enjoy themselves too."
Tsunade blinked in disbelief, looking at Mito Uzumaki.
When she confirmed she'd heard correctly, she burst with joy.
"Yay! Grandma's the best!"
She leapt off her seat, dashed to Uchiha Hikaru's side, and looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
Tsunade was already adorable, and now she was weaponizing her cuteness.
Uchiha Hikaru had zero resistance.
He'd actually been feeling guilty for being too strict with her these past few days. Taking her out for fun didn't sound bad at all.
So he asked, "What do you want to do?"
Without thinking, Tsunade blurted out, "Gamble! I want to gamble a few rounds!"
That left both him and Mito Uzumaki utterly speechless.
They both disliked Tsunade's fondness for gambling.
Thankfully, Uchiha Hikaru had long been prepared for the long haul. Even if she couldn't quit, he'd at least convert her from a compulsive gambler to a responsible one.
Tsunade knew they disapproved, and she instantly regretted blurting it out.
Just as she was about to change the subject and suggest something else, Uchiha Hikaru actually agreed.
"Sure. Since Orochimaru's with us, let's try a new type of three-player gambling game."
Tsunade's eyes lit up with surprise. She hadn't expected him to say yes.
As for Mito Uzumaki—she'd seen it all.
One look was enough to tell her Uchiha Hikaru was up to something.
"Alright, it's settled! Let's go!" Tsunade declared, rushing ahead.
Uchiha Hikaru and Orochimaru followed behind.
Leaning closer, Hikaru whispered to Orochimaru:
"Don't ask anything for now. Just grab the landlord role in the beginning. When there's a bet involved, don't grab it."
Orochimaru didn't really understand but nodded anyway.
At that moment, Tsunade paused and gave them a suspicious look.
"Are you two plotting something?"
Uchiha Hikaru burst out laughing.
"Please. With your luck, what could we possibly plot?"
"I was just thinking we shouldn't bet on anything this time. Otherwise, it'd be too unfair to you."
Tsunade was about to retort—only to recall the last time she lost to him. That made her hesitate.
Uchiha Hikaru knew that last loss would weigh on her, so this time, he went with a different strategy.
With a game like Dou Dizhu*, even with Tsunade's legendarily awful luck, he could still help her win a few rounds.
Once she tasted victory, she'd inevitably ask to place bets again.
That's when it would be time to harvest this sweet little leek.
So Hikaru said, "Let's just play the new game first without any bets. Once you get the hang of it, you can decide whether to wager or not. Sound good?"
That finally eased Tsunade's mind, and she agreed.
They arrived at Uchiha Hikaru's room, where he pulled out a set of playing cards he had prepared in advance.
After explaining the rules and how to play, they got started.
And just like he predicted, Orochimaru followed instructions and claimed the landlord role first.
Even though Tsunade's bad luck rubbed off on Hikaru—causing him to lose more often than not—he still managed to win a few times.
For Tsunade, who almost never won at gambling, this was exhilarating.
She was like a lamb stepping into a spider's web, completely unaware of the danger.
She didn't realize she was on the edge of a cliff—and one wrong step would send her tumbling down.
Lacking any self-awareness, she started proposing bets and boldly declared she'd win everything back.
Just as planned, Orochimaru stopped claiming the landlord role.
Tsunade, now overconfident, took it up herself—and with each round, she grew quieter.
Half an hour later, completely drained, she collapsed dramatically on the floor.