Chapter 324: Using One's Face as Currency
Entrance to the Konoha Orphanage.
"Take care, Senior. Come again when you have time!"
Slam!
After saying goodbye to the group, Nonou Yakushi forcefully slammed the orphanage gates shut.
Masahiko wore a wooden expression, looking at the tightly shut orphanage gates, then shifted his gaze to Kushina.
Kushina smiled slightly uncomfortably. "Haha, Great-Grandpa, I'm doing a good deed on your behalf! Good people live to be a hundred... oh, wait, live to be two hundred."
"Living to be five hundred would be a curse on me."
Just moments ago inside the orphanage, after Masahiko had finished beating Naruto, he was in a great mood and started chatting with the group.
During the conversation, Nonou Yakushi poured out some of her grievances. The general gist was: because of the war, the orphanage's funding was getting less and less, while the number of orphans was increasing, and they were almost unable to keep the pot boiling.
Kushina immediately expressed that she could provide financial support, and then... she didn't take out any money, but just quietly looked at Masahiko.
Masahiko didn't have any objections. If they needed money, he'd give it; he wasn't short on cash.
But just as he took out his bundle of banknotes, intending to count out a couple, Kushina snatched the entire wad away and handed it all to Nonou Yakushi.
"Great-Grandpa, it's just a little money, isn't it? Those orphans are so pitiful, wouldn't it be good to let them have a better life?" Kushina continued when Masahiko remained silent.
Masahiko took a deep breath. "That's not just 'a better life'... With the money you just handed over, you could open ten more orphanages like this. Divided equally among all the orphans, they could live better than the children of wealthy merchants in Konoha. For orphans, this isn't necessarily a good thing!"
"Was it really that much money?" Kushina looked slightly guilty.
Masahiko smiled bitterly. "I made over three hundred million back when I sold wood carvings. Over the years, I've spent a few tens of millions here and there, so the wad you just gave away was probably over two hundred million. That's seven or eight Asumas... ahem, no, never mind."
"Forget it, since you already gave it, it wouldn't look good to ask for it back. Let's hope Nonou can use this money wisely." Masahiko waved his hand and walked out.
Kushina looked at Minato with a bewildered expression. "What about Asuma?"
Minato shook his head and pulled Naruto along to follow. "Who knows, let's go."
This time, the destination for the four of them was clear—the Senju Clan Compound.
Because they had taken a lap around Konoha Village earlier, the Senju clan already knew of their arrival. Right now, Mikoto was holding a little boy's hand, waiting at the entrance to the clan compound.
"It's Auntie Mikoto and that bastard Masahiko," Naruto called out softly.
Masahiko helplessly shook his head. Nawaki naming his son this was definitely just to annoy him.
This was his first time seeing the child. He observed him carefully for a moment and couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile... The child was quite handsome, worthy of the name Masahiko.
With black hair and black eyes, his features were delicate, looking more like Mikoto. Therefore, he bore a seventy percent resemblance to Sasuke from the original story, while the remaining thirty percent favored Nawaki. However...
"Why does this child also have shallow tear troughs on both sides of his nose? Itachi, could it be that you can't get back at me, so you bully this younger brother who shares my name?"
While Masahiko was having these random thoughts, Kushina had already grabbed Mikoto's hands, and they were 'pouring their hearts out' to each other.
Naruto, meanwhile, got together with Masahiko Senju and started their unique form of communication, making it look like they had an excellent relationship.
"Bastard Masahiko!"
"Idiot Naruto!"
...
After a long while, Mikoto finally 'broke free' from Kushina, looked at Masahiko and Minato, and smiled slightly apologetically.
"Kushina, let's go inside and chat."
Masahiko, on the other hand, looked at the little guy who had been secretly observing him, took a few steps forward, and rubbed his little head.
"Little Hiko, you have to live up to your Great Ancestor's name."
"Don't rub my head. Also, my name isn't Little Hiko." Not every little boy liked the head-patting technique.
Masahiko smiled. "In front of me, you have to be called Little Hiko. Not just anyone can be called Masahiko; this is a name exclusive to geniuses."
"But don't feel too much pressure. You don't need to become a Jonin at ten or anything. Just being stronger than this brat is enough," Masahiko said, pointing at Naruto.
Naruto made a face. "How could that bastard Masahiko be stronger than me!"
"Idiot Naruto!"
...
Masahiko shrugged and followed Mikoto into her and Nawaki's home, leaving only the two children arguing loudly at the entrance of the Senju compound.
"Mikoto, you and Nawaki gave the child such a name. Don't you feel awkward calling him these past few years?"
Mikoto shook her head. "We always address you as Great-Great-Grandpa, so why would it be awkward?"
"So it turns out I'm the one whose name cannot be spoken?" Masahiko was speechless.
Mikoto smiled. "Of course not. But in front of you, I'll just call him Little Hiko. Otherwise, it would indeed be a bit awkward."
"However, Great-Great-Grandpa, did you know Little Hiko awakened the Sharingan?"
Masahiko was shocked. "When did this happen? Does the Uchiha clan know?"
Mikoto paused, revealing a slightly sorrowful expression. "Three months ago, my Second Grandfather personally guided him through his first chakra refinement. Right after refining chakra, his eyes awakened. Second Grandfather got so excited that he... These past few days, the Uchiha frequently send people to find me and Little Hiko."
"So it was exposed immediately?" Masahiko was speechless. He remembered hearing about the passing of the Uchiha Great Elder the last time he came to Konoha. So the old man had actually been too excited and had a stroke...
"Being able to awaken the Sharingan upon refining chakra for the first time shows that his talent leans heavily towards ocular prowess. Furthermore, this talent is probably not far off from Itachi's Sage Body. The union of Senju and Uchiha really did produce two monsters." Masahiko closed his eyes in deep thought.
Kushina and Minato also knew of the agreement made when Nawaki married Mikoto. If their second child awakened the Sharingan before graduating from the Ninja Academy, the child's surname would be changed to Uchiha.
Well, look at him now. He hadn't even entered the academy yet and he'd already awakened the Sharingan. At this moment, the three of them were softly discussing countermeasures while secretly observing Masahiko.
Masahiko's face darkened. "Alright, stop putting on a show. Aren't you just hoping I'll put my old face on the line to nullify that old agreement?"
Pondering for a moment, Masahiko sighed. It just had to be the child who shared his name. Calling him Masahiko Senju was fine, but if he changed his name to Masahiko Uchiha, Masahiko felt he would die from discomfort. Therefore, he would probably have to be shameless just this once...
Thinking of this, Masahiko was suddenly startled. "Mikoto, when you and Nawaki named this child Masahiko, were you guarding against this very day, forcing me to intervene more decisively?"
Mikoto was stunned and smiled awkwardly. "How could that be?"
"If that isn't the case, I'll be damned. Who would causally name their child the same as their Great Ancestor? You even said yourself it felt awkward. It turns out you guys were plotting against your Great Ancestor right from the start!" Masahiko felt a bit displeased.
"Then you won't wash your hands of it, right? You won't really let Little Hiko's surname be changed to Uchiha?"
Masahiko took a deep breath. "Intervene, how can I not intervene! I've used my face as currency so much with you guys that my balance is almost insufficient!"
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