### Chapter 9: Risking My Life for 3000 a Month?
"Rin..."
Obito automatically ignored Kakashi and Minato Namikaze in the photo, his mind entirely focused on Rin Nohara.
"This feels a little weird."
Just as Obito wanted to try stealing a kiss, he remembered being caught by Kakashi last time.
He looked left and right, and after confirming no one was around, he took out the tape and tissues again.
He taped over Kakashi's head to avoid the illusion of secretly kissing Kakashi.
After doing all this, Obito picked up the tissue, planning to steal a kiss from Rin Nohara's photo.
It's fantasy time!
"Rin..."
Obito, deep in emotion, involuntarily called out Rin Nohara's name.
"Uh... Obito, I'm here."
To Obito's surprise, someone responded to him.
And the voice was the one he longed for day and night.
It's over!
Obito's hand clutching the tissue tightened, and his gaze slowly moved upward.
Two figures were standing in front of the window.
One was Rin Nohara, and the other was Kyouko.
"Ahem, it's Rin and Kyouko."
Obito naturally shifted his movements, wiping his nose with the tissue, pretending nothing had happened.
"What were you doing just now, Obito?"
Kyouko looked at Obito holding the photo frame. Even without seeing the front of the photo, he knew what the content was.
"Nothing, just reminiscing about the past."
Because Rin was present, Obito signaled Kyouko with his eyes, indicating for him not to ask further.
"Take care of your health, practice moderation, Obito."
Kyouko said earnestly.
Secretly kissing a photo—even anime characters aren't this hardcore.
"Take care of my health?"
Rin Nohara paused, not realizing the implication in Kyouko's words.
Obito's eyes widened as he said:
"How can you tarnish someone's innocence out of thin air like that?"
"Really? Weren't you secretly kissing Rin's photo?"
Kyouko smiled faintly.
Honestly, Obito should have apprenticed under Jiraiya. One liked peeping at bathhouses, the other liked secretly jerking off to photos.
Obito's face flushed red, veins popping on his forehead, as he argued:
"There was dust on the photo. I lowered my head to blow the dust off. How can maintaining the bond between comrades be called stealing a kiss?"
Then Obito started babbling about the Will of Fire, bonds, and such.
For a moment, the air was filled with a jovial atmosphere.
Rin Nohara just thought Kyouko and Obito were joking and didn't think much of it.
"Obito, if we don't leave now, we'll delay the mission. Kakashi and Teacher Minato are waiting."
Rin Nohara's lips parted slightly as she spoke.
Seeing no sign of anger from Rin, Obito finally relaxed.
His image of wisdom and martial prowess absolutely could not be tarnished in Rin's heart.
"I know."
Obito turned around, put on his marching pack and ninja tool pouch, and finally pulled his orange goggles over his eyes.
He had long been ready.
It was just that, distracted by Rin's beauty, he had momentarily lost track of time and space, causing the delay.
"Let's go."
Seeing Obito get ready in a few moves, Rin planned to stand by the window and wait for him to come out.
Obito put the photo back in its place. Just as he was about to grab one more kunai, Rin saw Kakashi's face taped over in the photo.
"Why did you cover Kakashi's face?"
"To keep the dust off."
Obito came up with a quick excuse.
"I see."
Rin Nohara felt it was a bit strange but nodded anyway.
"This is probably the last time Obito jerks off to Rin's photo," Kyouko thought to himself.
When Obito gets half his body crushed by a rock, split down the middle, he's 100% going to lose a testicle.
As for whether the sausage gets crushed too, or if he's left with half a sausage, depends on which side Obito usually hangs.
Kyouko felt that in all likelihood, Obito wouldn't be able to jerk off anymore.
After all, the transplanted White Zetsu limbs didn't come with that accessory.
"Let's go."
Obito came out after saying goodbye to his grandmother.
Then he noticed Kyouko looking at him with a pitiable gaze, which confused him.
...
At the Konoha gates.
"Too late, Obito. You're late again."
Kakashi looked at the hurriedly running Obito.
"So what if I'm a little late?"
Obito muttered. Was a few minutes that big of a deal?
"A true ninja follows the rules. Those who can't are trash."
Kakashi spoke mercilessly.
In his life credo, ninja rules were greater than the heavens.
His father chose to save his comrades instead of following the rules, leading to mission failure and ultimately that tragedy.
"Alright, Kakashi, don't say that."
Minato Namikaze stepped in to smooth things over.
Ever since the White Fang of Konoha died, Kakashi had become like this.
Minato, knowing a bit of the inside story, couldn't say much.
He was a ninja; his duty was to obey orders.
"During the mission, everything else must wait until after the mission is over."
Minato Namikaze said.
Unity within the team was crucial; he didn't want to see them arguing again.
"Also, this mission is classified. I can only reveal it near the border..."
Kyouko listened from the back as Minato explained.
Although he didn't know why they had to stop at the main gate before every mission departure.
Kyouko could only attribute it to a ninja's sense of ritual.
"By the way, did the future me find a girlfriend?"
Kyouko casually asked the Missing-nin Kyouko in his mind.
After the cremation urn shook, the Missing-nin Kyouko's spirit floated in his mind.
"That didn't happen. Just staying alive was exhausting enough; I didn't have the mind for anything else."
The Missing-nin Kyouko shook his head.
He had thought about looking, but unfortunately, the only partner a Missing-nin could find was another female Missing-nin.
Not everyone could be like Sakura, knowing Sasuke was an S-rank Missing-nin and still being love-struck enough to want to follow him.
Well, actually, you'd need Sasuke-level looks for that to be possible.
Although his looks weren't bad, he looked too weathered and old.
"Is that so?"
Kyouko looked at the Missing-nin Kyouko's tragic future and silently decided his own future couldn't be like that.
Soon, after Minato finished speaking, he said:
"Move out."
All the ninja began to move forward together.
Sunrises and sunsets passed, and soon several days went by.
The group traveled through the forest during the day and camped to rest at night.
Since everyone was traveling light, they quickly arrived near the border.
"We're finally almost there."
Kurenai Yuhi leaped between tree branches to travel faster.
This was a popular way of traveling among ninja, increasing their footspeed.
"I wonder if we can complete the mission."
Kurenai turned and said to Kyouko.
"Just do our best."
Kyouko said.
Mission failure would at most bring punishment, but dying meant really dying.
He was receiving a Genin's stipend, basically the bottom rung of ninja society.
To put it bluntly, risking my life for 3000 a month?
Wanting me to do a 30,000 ryo job for 3000 ryo income?
Kyouko felt that not slacking off was already good enough.
But many ninja, hung up by the so-called Will of Fire, chose to suffer for their faith.
"Let's stop here."
Seeing the situation was about right, Minato signaled everyone to stop.
This was a large grassy field; when the wind blew, all the grass bowed its head.