'Could it be…Had Naruto been training in secret after leaving last night?'
The thought stuck in Sasuke's mind, refusing to fade. At this point, he was certain Naruto had to be training behind his back. There was no other explanation.
Determined to uncover the truth, Sasuke followed Naruto home again. But instead of training, Naruto simply washed up, flopped onto his bed, and pulled out a pink book from his nightstand, flipping through the pages with growing enthusiasm.
From his hiding spot outside, Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Was Naruto really not training?'
To test his theory, Sasuke deliberately called out, "Hah! So you aren't training after all. I'm heading back." He leaped down from the tree, pretending to leave only to circle back later and resume his surveillance.
But Naruto never moved. He remained engrossed in the book, his excitement palpable, until he finally closed it late at night with a satisfied sigh.
"As expected of the literary genius Jiraiya," Naruto murmured, setting the book aside.
Jiraiya's works fell into two categories: the first was dramatic tales of love and heartache, while the second… well, the less said about those passages, the better.
With a yawn, Naruto turned in for the night.
Perched in the tree canopy, Sasuke crossed his arms, eyes half-lidded. Whether he'd actually slept or not remained a mystery.
The moment Naruto woke up, a system notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding~ New system task issued: Earn 10 million ryō
Reward: +1 Simulation Opportunity]
'Why would the system give me a task like this?'
Frowning, Naruto pulled up his system panel:
//
[Host: Uzumaki Naruto
Traits: Uzumaki Bloodline, Senju Bloodline, Ashura's Reincarnation, Nine-Tails Jinchūriki
Techniques: Harem Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, Adamantine Sealing Chains (Kai), Eight Trigrams Sealing Style (Ji), Myōjin Gate
Combat Power: 13,888
Inventory: 1.23 million ryō, Yin-Yang Nine-Tails (Rage Mode)
Simulation Count: 1
Current Task: None]
//
Over the past few days, his bloodline's passive enhancements had boosted his chakra reserves and physical strength, slightly increasing his combat power. However, with Kurama temporarily gone, the "+80,000" combat power modifier had vanished.
More pressingly, his funds were running dangerously low.
Being a ninja was expensive. Despite his laid-back attitude, Naruto still needed tools, supplies, and training equipment. For years, he'd scraped by on the money earned from his first simulation, but now, his savings were nearly depleted.
No wonder the system had issued a money-making task.
'Wait, would spending a simulation chance to earn cash count toward completing the mission?'
Almost instantly, the system responded:
[Ding~ Nope.]
Naruto sighed.
Still, he decided against using his sole simulation opportunity just for money. Simulations were rare, tied directly to his growth. Squandering one for short-term gain felt reckless in a world where strength meant survival.
'But how could I earn 10 million ryō?'
After a moment's thought, Naruto resolved to start small, checking mission boards for high-reward tasks. If the payouts were decent, he could save up. If not… well, he'd figure something else out.
After getting ready, Naruto headed to the usual gathering spot, only to find Sasuke absent.
Meanwhile, back at the Uchiha compound, a certain raven-haired boy lay fast asleep, dark circles under his eyes…
Haruno Sakura arrived early, her expression uncharacteristically somber.
Naruto tilted his head. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong?"
"I…" She stared at the ground, fists clenched. "I might have to quit being a ninja."
Naruto blinked. "Why? Did something happen?"
This was not how things went in the original timeline.
Sakura pulled out their team schedule and handed it to him. "I showed this to my parents. They… don't support me continuing."
Ah.
Understanding dawned. In a ninja village, even genin earned decent wages but Sakura's parents were civilians. They'd likely struggled to afford her academy fees, only for her to end up on a team that barely scraped by with one mission a week.
To them, it must've seemed like a dead end.
Naruto hummed. "Yeah, our schedule's pretty rough."
Sakura's eyes flickered with hope. 'Was he going to change it for her?'
But Naruto dashed that hope seconds later. "But it's already set. Hard to adjust now."
Sakura's shoulders slumped. "I see…" She turned to leave.
"Hold on," Naruto called.
She paused. "Naruto-kun, you know I love being a ninja. If it weren't for this…"
"I get it," Naruto cut in. "What if we found another way to earn money? Together."
He already had an idea, one that'd be easier with a meticulous partner like Sakura.
Her face lit up. She lunged forward, arms outstretched only for Naruto to sidestep, letting her stumble past.
"Sakura-chan," he said flatly, "mind your image. I've got a fiancée."
'So close!' Sakura gritted her teeth but quickly brushed it off. "Fine, fine. So how do we make money without missions?"
Naruto smirked. "Hypothetically… how much would you pay for a photo of Sasuke?"
...