Chapter 10 - Chapter 10

A new arrival and it's about Sasuke-kun.

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***

The next day, on the small bridge by the Third Training Ground.

"It's so boring! Why hasn't Kakashi-sensei come yet?"

Sakura stood at the railing, looking up at the sky, shouting in dissatisfaction.

"Yeah, I got up early just for this!"

Naruto leaned on the railing, yawning incessantly, echoing her complaint.

"You're asking for trouble coming early when you know he's always late," Sasuke said casually, leaning against the railing, eager for today's training.

If he earned Kakashi's approval, the C-rank Lightning Release: Thunderbolt from last night would be secured, filling his Lightning Release gap.

"What do you know, Sasuke? Kakashi-sensei's settling the reward for yesterday's mission. It's my first mission reward—how can I not be excited? Maybe a few thousand ryō!"

Naruto perked up, dancing with joy, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Sakura, inspired, brightened.

With money, she could buy beautiful clothes and invite Sasuke-kun for dinner or a date.

So thrilling!

"Hey, good morning, everyone."

Kakashi appeared slowly, interrupting their money-grubbing fantasies.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Naruto and Sakura shouted excitedly, hands outstretched.

"What?"

Kakashi scratched his head, confused by their greedy eyes.

"Money! They want the mission reward!"

Sasuke said helplessly, stepping beside them.

"Oh, that's it. I thought it was something else," Kakashi realized, digging into his pockets under Naruto and Sakura's eager gazes.

"Here, one for each," Kakashi said, handing out three bills.

The trio's expressions varied as they snatched them.

"Five hundred ryō? That's it? Kakashi-sensei, you're not skimming, are you?"

Naruto's face fell, questioning.

Sakura's expression mirrored his, far from her expectations.

"You two idiots! It's a D-rank mission—how much did you expect?"

Kakashi's forehead creased with irritation, pointing at their noses.

"Forget it. Let me explain the ninja reward system, so you'll understand how rewards adjust if missions change," Kakashi said, calming down as Naruto and Sakura looked dejected.

The trio, including Sasuke, perked up.

"Konohagakure's mission rewards are divided into five levels. D-rank missions, like yesterday's, range from 5,000 to 50,000 ryō, set by the Hokage and client based on difficulty. C-rank is 30,000 to 100,000 ryō. B-rank is 80,000 to 200,000 ryō. A- and S-rank rewards are irrelevant for now, so I won't elaborate. However, mission fees aren't the full reward. The village takes a cut, and the instructor takes a share, as we lose time for higher missions. Except in special cases. Understand? For this D-rank's 5,000 ryō, you three split 1,500. The village takes 500 ryō. I get 3,000 ryō as team leader."

Kakashi explained.

Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened again.

The jōnin took six-tenths?

"Enough, Sakura, Naruto," Sasuke interrupted, halting their questions, tired of the topic.

"The lead jōnin getting 60% isn't much. A D-rank's 3,000 ryō, and we do maybe a few monthly. Even ten times, that's 30,000 ryō. A senior ninja on a B-rank mission earns over 50,000 ryō alone. 60% is fair. Kakashi-sensei, what's today's mission?"

"Well, no mission today. Follow me. I'm free to guide your training," Kakashi said, giving Sasuke a satisfied look, leading toward the nearby woods.

Sasuke understood the jōnin's sacrifice—guiding genin was a loss compared to high-rank missions.

Such empathy marked Sasuke as a bearer of the Will of Fire.

"Today's training is chakra control," Kakashi said, stopping by a large tree, eyeing its trunk.

Naruto and Sakura looked confused.

Chakra control?

'Tree-climbing practice...' Sasuke thought, unsurprised, glad for guided training over blind practice.

"You haven't fully grasped chakra. Watch," Kakashi said calmly, kicking toward the tree under Naruto and Sakura's shocked gazes.

"No!"

Sakura screamed, fearing he'd fall.

But Kakashi defied gravity, walking vertically as if on flat ground.

"How is that possible?"

Naruto gasped.

"He walked straight up!"

Sakura exclaimed, both in disbelief.

"That's it. Focus chakra on your soles to adhere to the trunk and climb," Kakashi said, hanging from a branch, explaining tree-climbing's techniques and purpose, mirroring the original plot.

"Let's begin," Kakashi said.

Sasuke formed seals, gathering chakra at his soles.

A chakra wind pressure blew dust outward.

He drew a kunai and charged the tree, testing if his transmigrated talent had improved.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

Sasuke reached seven or eight meters before tiring, marking the trunk and landing with a backflip.

Only that high?

Sasuke frowned, far from his goal.

"Sasuke, you're so cunning! Going first? I won't lose!"

Naruto reacted, forming seals and rushing another tree.

The fleeting chakra pressure made Kakashi's pupils shrink.

Naruto's hidden chakra surpassed his own!

Sasuke's reached an elite chūnin's level.

'Are these two true geniuses?'

...

"Huh? This is pretty simple…"

Sakura's voice rang out from another tree.

The three turned to see Sakura sitting on a tall, thick branch.

"Sakura, you're so awesome!"

Naruto's face reddened, shouting in awe, though inwardly stung.

Being surpassed by the girl he liked hurt more than losing to Sasuke.

"Well done, Sakura," Sasuke said, unfazed, knowing the plot.

"Sakura's quite talented," Kakashi added, though he thought otherwise.

Naruto and Sasuke's larger chakra reserves made control harder, but Sakura's talent in chakra control was impressive.

"You three practice here. I'll check your progress this afternoon and point out issues," Kakashi said lazily, pulling out "Icha Icha Paradise" and vanishing.

Within Konohagakure, their safety wasn't a concern.

He'd find a cozy spot to read.

"Sasuke-kun, I have some training experience. Want to hear it?"

Sakura, buoyed by the praise, approached Sasuke softly.

Her offer made Naruto's eyes blaze with jealousy.

[Sakura's suggestion detected, triggering D-rank reward. Task: Listen to experiences and insights. Reward: Double the effect of tree-climbing training.]

Sasuke's lips curled, nodding under Sakura's surprised gaze.

'He agreed! This is the start of romance...' Sakura's heart surged, suppressing excitement to share her insights.

"I want to hear too! Sakura, don't play favorites!"

Naruto, burning with jealousy, shouted, determined to stop their bonding.

"Fine, fine," Sakura agreed reluctantly, forcing herself to maintain her good impression in front of Sasuke.

Moments later, [Task completed, reward received: Tree-climbing training effect doubled.]

Sasuke gathered chakra under his feet and rushed up the tree.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

This time, he reached a height close to Sakura's.

"How's that possible?! Damn it, I won't lose!"

Naruto, shocked, roared, gathering chakra and charging the tree.

"I can't let Sasuke-kun catch up. I need more experience to get closer to him," Sakura thought, her face serious as she focused chakra under her feet.

The forest filled with their passionate shouts.

By afternoon.

"My my, everyone's so enthusiastic. How's your progress?"

Kakashi appeared, looking at the sweating, panting trio with satisfaction.

They weren't slacking, but why did Naruto have so many bumps on his head?

"Kakashi-sensei, I can climb to the top!"

Sakura stood, demonstrating by rushing up the trunk and reaching the top effortlessly.

Kakashi was slightly surprised but not shocked.

With Sakura's talent and low chakra, mastering tree-climbing in half a day was expected.

"What's the next training, Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura asked as Sasuke flashed onto an upside-down branch.

Kakashi's pupils shrank, eyes wide with shock.

He expected Sakura's quick progress, but Sasuke mastering tree-climbing so fast?

His chakra control wasn't as refined as Sakura's, yet his larger chakra reserves made this remarkable.

A true Uchiha genius!

"And you, Naruto?"

Kakashi asked, turning with anticipation.

If Naruto also mastered it, he'd need to reassess Team 7's potential.

"Hmph, I'll reach the top soon. I won't lose to Sasuke and Sakura!"

Naruto snorted stubbornly, his arrogance earning two tick marks on Kakashi's forehead.

This kid's attitude outshone those who'd finished.

"Fine, two more days to practice. Sakura, guide Naruto with tree-climbing. Sasuke, follow me," Kakashi ordered, waving Sasuke to the side.

"Sakura, I'm counting on you!"

Naruto's eyes lit up, grinning at the chance for alone time.

"Damn it, why am I stuck training with Naruto?"

Sakura's face fell, punching the air as she glared at Kakashi's retreating back.

Two days were perfect for a date with Sasuke-kun.

"Sasuke, this is chakra test paper. Inject chakra to reveal your attributes," Kakashi said in a nearby clearing, handing Sasuke a strip from his ninja tool pouch.

"Got it," Sasuke said, a hint of surprise in his eyes, injecting chakra into the paper.

Under Kakashi's astonished gaze, the paper crumpled, then ignited and turned to ash.

"Lightning and fire dual attributes."

Kakashi muttered, increasingly impressed.

He fully recognized Sasuke as an intelligent, disciplined, and talented disciple—the only one in Konohagakure suited for him, especially with lightning affinity.

His Chidori required Sharingan and lightning attributes, a fated match.

[Task completed, reward obtained: Lightning Release: Thunderbolt.]

As Kakashi acknowledged Sasuke, the system prompt rang in Sasuke's ears.

Instantly, the C-rank Lightning Release: Thunderbolt's seals and applications were clear, executable without practice.

"Sasuke, you're tired from today's training. Rest. I'll teach you new ninjutsu tomorrow," Kakashi said, noting Sasuke's fatigue.

He needed time to plan suitable ninjutsu for Sasuke.

"Okay, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke nodded, satisfied.

Mastering tree-climbing and earning Lightning Release: Thunderbolt today—what more could he want?

.....

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