Hiruzen Sarutobi turned the pill over in his fingers.
It had that classic shinobi look, practical and rough around the edges.
You could tell everyone had tried to refine it, though. The surface had been polished down, and per Hiruzen's earlier suggestion, they'd worked in a few snake scale elements.
Still… it wasn't quite there.
"Do we need to adjust anything else, Sensei?" Orochimaru asked seriously. "As far as the effects go, I'm confident we can make these nobles unable to live without it. They'll keep coming back."
Hiruzen thought for a moment.
Chakra gathered in his palm, condensed, and took shape as a rectangular stone box.
"Go get some dry ice, a few colored pens, a scalpel. We have those, right?"
"We do," Orochimaru said with a small smile. "Sensei, ask for whatever you want. I actually spent the funding where it was supposed to go, in the lab."
Jiraiya had been making sour jokes about Orochimaru's lab for days, calling it a giant treasure bag. Anything related to research, and plenty of things that looked completely unrelated, could be found down here.
"Brat," Hiruzen said, laughing as he scolded, "stop trying to slip explanations in wherever you can."
He wasn't Danzo Shimura. He could read a financial report.
And even if there were gaps, he had the Nara and other specialist teams backing him up.
"Bring me a piece of quartz too."
"Understood, Sensei." Orochimaru moved fast, fetching everything Hiruzen asked for.
Quartz was a cheap, excellent insulator, perfect for testing Lightning Style.
Hiruzen took the scalpel.
He'd never been a sculptor, but he had the foundation, taijutsu control, chakra control, and years of precision. His hands didn't shake. His cuts landed exactly where he wanted them.
Chakra seeped into the quartz slowly. The blade flashed, carving it along the design in Hiruzen's mind.
It wasn't difficult. At its core, it was the same kind of work as "carving a dog head into a Mud Wall," just done by hand instead of jutsu.
By the time he was done, the rough quartz had become a clear rectangular case, clean and shining.
On the inside of the lid, he'd carved mountains and flowing water, an old, elegant scene, with the Hidden Leaf emblem worked in as well.
Then Hiruzen took one of the pills and treated it the same way.
He divided it into three sections and carved the patterns of a toad, a snake, and a slug, each taking its own space.
After that, he brushed a creamy off-white pigment across the surface, letting the snake scale texture curl slightly beneath it, just enough to peek through.
Dry ice went into the case.
The way everyone looked at the "packaging" changed instantly.
Hiruzen popped a fresh pill into his mouth and chewed.
For his body, the effect was basically negligible. The real issue was the taste.
"Not bad," he said thoughtfully. "If the flavor can shift from bitter to sweet, that contrast will plant a 'premium' suggestion in their heads."
He lifted the lid and angled the case toward the lab lights.
Mist spilled out in a slow, dreamy drift. Three pills gleamed inside, their carvings vivid, almost alive.
For the first time, it actually looked like something that could pass as a sacred land product.
"Doesn't this look more expensive already?" Hiruzen said with a grin.
"I believe in your product and your technical work. But the packaging needs effort too. What you're selling is 'high-end.' It's atmosphere. It's the feeling."
"It looks like a hassle," he added, shrugging, "but it's just two sets of molds. The emotional value you get back is huge."
Torifu Akimichi stared at him in open amazement.
Old friend… so that's why you became Hokage. Your brain really is full of tricks.
Shikazan Nara's eyes lit up. "Third-sama, what about adding a light scent? The Yamanaka Clan's flower shop has a lot of subtle fragrances…"
"Good idea, Shikazan," Hiruzen said, approving. "Add it."
Tsunade clicked her tongue in disbelief. Before the makeover, the pills looked like something worth a thousand ryo. After this, they looked like something worth ten thousand.
"Sensei really thought it through," Orochimaru said, nodding slightly. "I understand what you're saying."
"How's cost control?" Hiruzen asked next. "Can we keep this sustainable?"
Orochimaru considered it. "Even with this packaging, we can keep it around an eighty-five percent gross margin. Sustainability won't be a problem. The Akimichi and Nara clans both have supply lines, and the materials are fairly common across the shinobi world."
"And the Three Great Sage Regions," he added. "The three of us have already spoken with them. No issues."
Hiruzen nodded. "Shikazan, Torifu. Your clans were willing to put forward your secret knowledge. I see that, as Hokage."
"The village won't treat badly anyone who carries the Will of Fire. Raw material supply will be handled by you. Deliver at the unified procurement price, no need to give special discounts."
"As for processing," he continued, "that goes to Ino-Shika-Cho. The techniques aren't complicated. For clansmen who don't have combat talent, this will be good work."
"But screening has to be strict," Hiruzen said, voice firm. "Pick people with clean backgrounds and steady temperaments. Reliable families."
Torifu and Shikazan exchanged a glance.
Third-sama really was an honest man.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Shikazan said, then looked to Torifu again before continuing. "Ino-Shika-Cho will do this properly. And as for the raw materials…"
He hesitated, then spoke carefully. "We'll make money, but please let Ino-Shika-Cho give some of the profit back to the village."
Torifu rumbled, blunt as always. "Hiruzen, this money burns my hands."
Hiruzen smiled to himself.
Smart.
The Hokage pressed his lips together like he was moved, then gave both men a heavy pat on the shoulder.
"Orochimaru, I have another idea. Any technical issues?"
"Say it, Sensei."
Hiruzen spoke slowly. "Add a trace amount of something that has no actual effect, but has a clear detection signature."
"Make anyone trying to reverse-engineer the formula walk in the wrong direction."
"Even with our sacred land backing and Konoha's legacy, they can't really compete," he continued, "but we need to think long-term. If other hidden villages try to imitate it later, it's good to trip them on the way."
Orochimaru rubbed his chin, eyes gleaming. "That's meaningful, Sensei. But for that…"
He glanced at Tsunade.
Tsunade nodded once. "I'll handle it, old man."
Hiruzen felt genuinely pleased.
All three of his students had their uses.
Wait.
Where was Jiraiya?
"And that one?" Hiruzen asked.
He didn't say a name, but Tsunade and Orochimaru both understood instantly from his tone who he meant.
That was the kind of understanding teacher and students had after years together.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "He dropped off the toad oil and ran. Said he's going to create an unparalleled masterpiece and become the world's number one novelist…"
Hiruzen shook his head, laughing.
That idiot. If he can't write it, I can always hand him an opening.
First chapter, Young Azi.
"You've wanted this for a long time, haven't you?"
Hiruzen pulled a scroll from his robe and handed it to Orochimaru. "The Second Hokage's analysis of the soul is sharp. You've got good eyes. Some jutsu are worth perfecting."
A sharp light flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
So Sensei's been looking into this too?
And Hiruzen watched his reaction closely.
Just as he thought.
His student had been studying soul-related techniques in private.
"When you've got time, come talk to me about what you've learned," Hiruzen said mildly. "We can improve together."
Orochimaru's heart stirred. "Then I'll thank you in advance for your guidance, Sensei."
Their eyes met.
They smiled at each other, both of them understanding exactly what the other wasn't saying.
Ten days later.
Near Kumogakure, Danzo Shimura sorted through the intelligence his field lines had gathered, eyes sharp with killing intent.
"Hiruzen was right. Those Cloud animals really can't control a tailed beast. It's nearly gone berserk more than once…"
"Move," Danzo snapped. "Full speed back to Konoha."