Kakashi looked at Naruto, who was behaving completely unlike usual, with mixed emotions.
The son of the Fourth Hokage—the son of a hero—had actually fallen to the point where he had to worry about money.
“Yeah. I will.”
Kakashi gave Naruto a meaningful look before disappearing with a Body Flicker.
As for Naruto?
He was already counting the money like a little miser.
“Six thousand ryō. That’s enough Ichiraku Ramen for quite a few days!”
“Hmm~ I could probably afford two meals of barbecue too?”
After thinking it over, Naruto decided to eat barbecue.
Ichiraku Ramen was delicious, but noodles simply weren’t Naruto’s favorite food.
Barbecue for lunch.
Barbecue again for dinner.
Just like that, every last ryō Naruto had earned that day was gone.
Early the next morning—
Before Kakashi even came to wake him up, Naruto had already washed up and was sitting on his bed waiting.
Kakashi fell silent.
“…”
“Let’s go. Today’s mission is pretty simple.”
As Kakashi led Naruto toward the client’s home, he showed him a picture.
“Your task today is to find this cat.”
Naruto glanced at the picture and immediately formed a hand seal.
“Shadow Clone Jutsu!”
Three Narutos appeared.
“Go find this cat!” Naruto ordered.
“Fine.”
Kakashi studied Naruto’s Shadow Clones for a moment before asking curiously, “You used Shadow Clones for yesterday’s work too. You seem pretty familiar with this jutsu. When did you learn it?”
Naruto glanced at Kakashi.
He knew Kakashi was probing him again.
Just like yesterday morning when Kakashi had tried to stab him with a kunai—Naruto had been fully aware of it.
The only reason Naruto had dared let the kunai come all the way to his throat was because he hadn’t sensed any killing intent from Kakashi.
“About a month ago,” Naruto replied casually.
“How did you learn it?”
Although Kakashi continued walking, his attention remained focused on both Naruto and their surroundings.
The Third Hokage had placed him beside Naruto partly to warn off any factions that might have designs on the boy.
So far, however, Kakashi hadn’t detected anyone suspicious making contact with him.
“I was practicing the Clone Jutsu, and somehow I learned it along the way.”
Naruto wasn’t lying.
That really was how he had obtained the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Kakashi, however, didn’t believe him at all.
Learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu just by practicing the ordinary Clone Jutsu?
Not even a ghost would believe that.
Assuming Naruto simply didn’t want to talk about it, Kakashi didn’t press him any further.
He continued reading his adult novel as they walked.
Just before they reached the client’s home, one of Naruto’s clones returned.
“Here. Mission complete. Pay me.”
Naruto handed the cat to Kakashi.
Kakashi fell silent again.
“…”
He took the cat and handed Naruto his share of the mission payment.
The cat’s owner was fairly wealthy this time, so Naruto received a full ten thousand ryō.
“Kakashi really is a good person,” Naruto thought.
Outside the weekends, Naruto continued attending class as usual.
With the System’s help, his strength also continued growing slowly.
The only thing Naruto found disappointing was that despite spending so many days around Kakashi, the System still hadn’t helped him learn any jutsu related to him.
Naruto suspected it was because Kakashi spent all his time reading that adult novel.
The System probably looked down on that kind of thing.
With that thought, Naruto turned to the next page.
“Hmm~ Jiraiya’s writing really is pretty good.”
In the blink of an eye, a year passed.
The graduation exam for this year’s prospective Genin finally arrived.
Ram—Snake—Tiger.
“Clone Jutsu!”
Naruto passed the exam with ease and calmly walked out beneath Mizuki’s dangerous gaze.
“Uzumaki Naruto has improved quite a lot,” Mizuki said to Iruka.
“Yeah. A year ago, I was still worried he wouldn’t be able to pass the exam. Who would’ve thought he’d surprise me this much a year later?” Iruka replied happily.
“Why do you think Uzumaki Naruto improved so much, Iruka-sensei?” Mizuki asked.
Iruka thought for a moment.
“Probably because of Kakashi. Over the past few months, Naruto has often gone with him to carry out D-rank missions. He probably grew quite a bit through those experiences.”
“D-rank missions? Naruto isn’t even a ninja yet. How could he be allowed to perform ninja missions?”
Mizuki looked somewhat surprised.
“It was Lord Hokage’s decision. As for why he had Kakashi take Naruto on missions, I don’t know either.”
Iruka shook his head.
Unable to obtain the information he wanted, Mizuki grew troubled.
He had originally planned to take advantage of Naruto’s ignorance and trick him into stealing the Scroll of Seals.
But now Naruto seemed much smarter than before.
Could he still fool him?