Chapter 656 - Becoming Stronger With Money

In the end, Hanwu didn’t manage to extract any more information about the traitors from the merchant. The man understood the stakes. If he only offended Hanwu, he would lose the five vials of Giant Sage spinal fluid. If he offended the traitors, he would most likely lose his life.

Seeing that the interrogation had reached a dead end, Hanwu chose not to waste any more time. He took out the box containing the five vials and gave it to the merchant.

The merchant finally sighed with relief.

At that moment, Hanwu spoke. “Hey, could you help me with something regarding the 2 million gold?”

The merchant immediately grew cautious. “What kind of help? Let me make this clear first. I won’t do anything dangerous.”

He had known Hanwu for a short time, but his sharp instincts warned him not to provoke the young man. The consequences would not be pleasant.

Hanwu smiled. “It’s nothing dangerous. I just want to test my strength and find a few teachers to guide me through real battle. Could you help me find some Masters who are willing to teach me?”

The merchant didn’t suspect anything. Seeking Masters for guidance was not unusual. Most prospective students would seek guidance from a teacher or family member. It was more uncommon to hire Masters for that reason, just like what Hanwu had proposed. Still, it wasn’t unheard of. Not everyone had access to a Master through family connections.

“I have my own channels, but it may be a little expensive,” the merchant replied.

“How expensive?” Hanwu had no idea what the market rate was. The previous host had no memories of such matters.

“It will cost 10,000 gold per day for each Master,” the merchant answered.

The price was reasonable. A Master ranked among the strongest fighting forces in any ninja village. Under normal circumstances, a Master could earn 2 million gold in a year by regularly accepting missions. Earning 10,000 gold per day was merely compensation for their time, a profitable side arrangement.

Hanwu’s eyes lit up. With 2 million gold, he could hire the Master for half a year. That was more than sufficient.

He immediately abandoned the idea of venturing outside to train. There was no need to try his luck outside when he could simply hire the Masters to spar with him.

“Alright, I want to hire them for a month! Find three Masters. One who specializes in Taijutsu, one in Ninjutsu, and one in Genjutsu,” Hanwu said.

The merchant chuckled. If Hanwu hired them for only two or three days, the fee would remain 10,000 gold daily. However, since Hanwu wanted to hire them for an entire month, there was room to negotiate and secure a better margin. He could trim at least 20% of the fees and pocket the difference.

The merchant nodded. “No problem. I’ll arrange for them to meet you tomorrow.”

After bidding the merchant farewell, Hanwu returned to his family estate.

The patriarch burned with the urge to thrash his son for rejecting the 2 million gold. Unfortunately, he couldn’t act in front of the others. He scoffed and left, already considering another subtler method to remove his son.

Hanwu didn’t know what the patriarch was thinking and went to rest for the night. He couldn’t wait for the training the next day.

At dawn, he woke up and headed to the agreed location. Three ninjas in casual attire waited for him; two men and one woman with different fashion styles.

The man in a green jacket and black tights was most likely the Taijutsu Master. The one in a windbreaker and sunglasses appeared to be the Ninjutsu Master. The woman in a loose black camisole dress was most certainly the Genjutsu Master.

Hanwu’s assumptions proved correct.

The Taijutsu Master's name was Shikata Sadamasa. He hailed from a family with a unique Hijutsu, which was unexpectedly geared toward Taijutsu.

The Ninjutsu Master was Senju Kumori. Unlike Sadamasa, he wasn’t from a family with a Hijutsu. He rose from common origins through exceptional talent from a young age. He was well-versed in Ninjutsu of the five elements and was quite famous in the Giant Wood Village.

The Genjutsu Master was Haruno Natsutsuyu. Her delicate features and alluring black camisole dress gave her the appearance of a refined woman. From the way Sadamasa and Kumori kept their distance from her, however, it was clear that she was the most dangerous of the three.

He greeted and introduced himself to the trio. “I greet my three teachers. I am Hanwu, the one who employed you to teach me.”

“Young man, you should hire one person at a time. Why hire all three of us together? I am very curious.” Natsutsuyu purred. As she spoke, she licked her lips seductively.

The other two Masters edged farther away.

Hanwu offered a casual explanation. “I just want to awaken my potential by experiencing danger. That’s why I hired all three of you.”

Naturally, the trio didn’t believe him, but they didn’t care. The money was generous enough to silence their doubts.

“Well, Hanwu, what sort of training do you have in mind?” Sadamasa asked. “In terms of Taijutsu, I’ve nurtured many remarkably talented children.”

“Simple. I just need the three of you to attack me simultaneously,” Hanwu replied.

Kumori’s face darkened with anger. “What? This is ridiculous.”

To him, Hanwu had hired them to flaunt his wealth instead of earnestly trying to learn. He would rather not accept this request.

“You’re relying on your family’s wealth. You’re nothing but a spoiled young master. I’ve seen many of your kind. Not everyone is willing to entertain your foolish games. I have more important matters to attend to. Goodbye.” Kumori turned to leave, fury stiffening his shoulders.

Hanwu had already paid them, so he wouldn’t let them leave. “I’m not wasting my money. How can you judge without even trying? Just do it. You’ve already taken my money, and now you want to leave without teaching me anything? Are you trying to cheat me?”

As expected, his taunts struck home, and Kumori stopped mid-step. Rage flared in his eyes. He had risen from poverty through relentless effort and undeniable talent to become a Master. To be accused of dishonesty by a pampered youth cut deep.

His hands blurred as he formed seals. Chakra surged through him, and he slammed the ground with his palms.

“Earth Style, Stone Pillar!”

A dense stone pillar erupted from behind Hanwu and forcefully slammed him forward. The impact could have shattered bones. Kumori intended it as a harsh warning to Hanwu to respect his elders.

Sadamasa and Natsutsuyu didn’t intervene. In reality, they also found Hanwu’s extravagance distasteful. Still, since they already accepted his money, they would fulfill their duty.

“So, we can rest for today, right?” Sadamasa asked lightly.

Before the two Masters could respond, Hanwu’s voice cut in. “Sir, you held back, but you made a solid start to the lesson. Now, I need all three of you to attack me with the same intensity. Do it as if you intend to kill me.”

Hanwu pushed himself back to his feet and wiped the blood from his lips. That blow had increased the Duel meter by 30%. A few more strikes would earn him an upgrade point.

The result strengthened his conviction that he had made the right decision. Spending money to grow stronger was one of the fastest paths to power. Experience had taught him that lesson time and again. With Undying, his wounds healed rapidly.

The three Masters stared at him, astonished. The arrogant brat before them had just become far more interesting.