For researchers, there were two major, unavoidable challenges. The first was funding.
The purchase of equipnt, collection of materials, construction and maintenance of research facilities, all required a large amount of money.
So, there was no researcher who wouldn't be happy to receive funding.
Orochimaru used to be in pain. He had to conduct research while frantically completing missions to make money, otherwise the research couldn't be sustained at all. But even an S-rank mission would only bring him about a million, and lower-ranked missions paid even less. Plus, each mission required him to sacrifice a great deal of his research ti.
This sense of fragntation nearly drove him insane.
He just wanted to quietly do his research. Why was it so hard?
Then Shin casually pulled out a sum of money that was three tis more than he had earned over the years. How could he not get excited?
What was more, Shin also said that in the future, the money Tsunade earned from Konoha Hospital would also continuously be invested into their research.
These past few days, Tsunade and Shin have had frequent discussions. In the end, Tsunade decided not to conduct research with him. Originally, she didn't want to be separated from him, so she suggested joining the research team. But when she saw him readily agree, she cald down instead.
She had promised him that she would beco Hokage and had already started taking steps toward that goal.
The first step was to build prestige, preparing to intervene in the dical Departnt.
If she poured all her ti into research, the position of Hokage would drift further and further away. Moreover, as Orochimaru had pointed out, she really wasn't the kind of person who could patiently do research.
However, she still didn't know that her salary for a long ti into the future had already been thoroughly planned out by Shin.
With the initial funding in place, and her ongoing contributions, if they spent just a little ti producing results that Hiruzen wanted, he would definitely increase their research funding.
In this way, a positive financial cycle could be established, and they would have more ti to pursue the research that truly interested them.
In fact, not just Hiruzen, eventually, they could also rope in Danzō, and others. Making money through research, it was not acceptable. If all these thods still didn't provide enough funding, Shin even planned to "borrow" money by going out now and then using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Over the past few days, the two had engaged in deep discussions across various fields, to the point where Orochimaru was completely captivated by Shin's astonishing research talent, ignoring all of Tsunade's complaints.
He pretended to be unwilling and blad Orochimaru, saying he was the one pestering him. But when it was just the two of them, he was even more excited than Orochimaru, constantly proposing ideas and verifying them one by one with him.
Sotis they had intense discussions and listened to each other intently, sotis they argued fiercely, faces red from the debate. At tis they wrote furiously to record their discussions, and sotis they each made discoveries, feeling joyful.
The research hadn't even officially started, yet the two of them were already completely imrsed.
Orochimaru was so thrilled that he claid the science of the ninja world would reach an unprecedented peak in their hands, and that all his dreams would co true. However, at this point in ti, his research capabilities still couldn't compare to Shin's.
So naturally, Shin assigned tasks clearly. He said he would be responsible only for theoretical planning, guiding the direction of experints, and personally conducting critical experints.
All the work involving experintal design, data recording and organization, equipnt procurent, sourcing materials, general fundraising, and external coordination... those would all be Orochimaru's responsibility.
He nearly cried when he heard this.
Aside from experintal design, wasn't everything else just assistant work? Wasn't this supposed to be a collaboration? Why are all the tedious and exhausting tasks his?
As a core researcher, why was he being made to do assistant work?
This made him consider recruiting a few reliable assistants while he had the chance.
As for the ethical dilemmas that had once troubled him, once he discovered that Shin had even fewer moral boundaries in research than he did, he imdiately cast aside all such concerns.
As for certain forbidden experintal materials or rare resources that other villages outright refused to sell, Shin simply said, "Leave it to . If we lack anything, I'll just 'borrow' it."
And on top of that, he generously provided a full 300 million in research funding. Orochimaru was so grateful, he practically wanted to kiss him.
Waiting around didn't feel great. After handing over the early-stage prep work to Orochimaru, Shin decided to take a break and spend so quality ti with his family.
After all, in the long stretch ahead, he probably wouldn't have much free ti.
The first thing he did, was quit his job at the hospital.
When he told the Konoha Hospital director he was leaving, the man burst into tears on the spot. Fortunately, Tsunade wasn't quitting as well, or the poor guy might have lost all hope. Still, the sorrow in his heart was very real.
Only he knew how much revenue Shin had brought to Konoha Hospital. How could he bear to let him go?
But seeing how determined Shin was, the director could only painfully agree and told him, "Anyti you want to return, the hospital's doors will always be open to you."
As for Tsunade, Shin promised her he'd take two days off early each week to spend ti with her. After all, researchers are people too. A little relaxation now and then helps keep the mind sharp.
Plus, she had the privilege of visiting the lab at any ti and even summoning Shin via the Flying Thunder God Technique, so although she felt reluctant, she agreed.
After all, she would soon be quite busy herself.
---
"It's biting!" Downstream from the southern Konoha River, in an uninhabited spot, Minato shouted excitedly from the bank as he saw movent on the fishing float.
Shin, sitting nearby, was speechless but couldn't bring himself to scold him.
He gently patted Minato on the head and smiled, "The float only wobbled a bit, it hasn't sunk yet. Look, you scared the fish away."
"Huh? I thought it was a bite," Minato said, disappointed.
Shin comforted him, "It's fine. We'll get one soon."
Minato nodded vigorously and propped his chin on both hands, refocusing all his attention on the float.
After spending two days with Tsunade, Shin took the opportunity, while Minato was on break, to take him fishing as requested.
Despite their deep bond, the brothers had rarely had the chance to relax together over the years, due to all kinds of responsibilities. So Minato was overjoyed.
After casting the line a few more tis, the float moved again. This ti, Minato held his breath, not daring to make a sound.
The mont the float sank, Shin quickly jerked the rod upward, imdiately feeling the weight on the line.
With a strong pull, a fish weighing seven or eight pounds flew out of the water and swung toward the shore.
Minato quickly grabbed the net and caught the fish skillfully. "Haha! Fish for dinner tonight!"
After tossing the fish into the keep net, the two of them went back to quietly waiting for more bites. But when no fish ca for a while, Minato's eyes slowly drifted toward Shin.
"What's there you can't say to ?" Shin smiled when he saw the look on his face.
"You're really not leaving anymore, right?" Minato asked cautiously.
A sudden ache hit Shin's heart, and his nose stung slightly.
Minato was perfect in every way, but sotis just too considerate. It made Shin want to protect and cherish him even more.
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