Standing in front of the Hokage building, Sakumo felt a bit lost.
He had no idea what he should do next.
Come to think of it, what else could he do besides being a Shinobi?
In the end, all he knew how to do was kill people.
A major crisis!
He needed to eat!
Sakumo looked at the three figures in front of him.
"Do you think the Hospital still needs people?" Hitomi asked hesitantly at this moment.
"If it's Hitomi, no problem," Miki said, "I'd have a bit of trouble. It looks like I'll just have to be an unemployed bum, waiting to die. Mito shouldn't have anything to say now, right?"
"You seem a little happy," Hitomi said, suspicious.
"Yes, happy!" Miki admitted openly, saying, "Sleeping until you wake up naturally, isn't that something to be happy about?"
"Damn it!!!" Hitomi growled, then said, "Naori, what about you? Any plans? Going back to the Hospital?"
Naori shook her head and said, "I'll be an unemployed bum too. Anyway, the clan gives a monthly allowance. What about you? Didn't your clan give you pocket money?"
The Village's orphan subsidy lasted until graduation at twelve.
Naori had long since stopped receiving that money.
"Ah..." Hitomi hesitated, then said, "No!"
She had no one to blame but herself.
Miki glanced at Hitomi. If it were Miki, as long as the clan gave it, she'd take it without any psychological pressure.
"So, are you planning to go back to the Hospital?" Naori asked.
"I don't want to go," Hitomi said, "Life there is too much of a grind, and you guys aren't at the Hospital anyway."
"So what do you want to do?" Naori asked.
"I don't know," Hitomi said, looking at Miki expectantly.
"Hmm, as for work, no," Miki said, "You can be a housekeeper here. Three meals and lodging are provided. Tsunade, however, needs a sparring partner. You can try asking her."
Excluding the cost of food and lodging, daily expenses in the Village weren't much, but as a girl, there were many necessary expenses.
Money was indispensable.
"Tsunade, huh..." Hitomi mused, then said, "I understand."
Hitomi's problem was thus solved.
As for Naori...
"Naori, are you going to the Police Force?" Miki asked.
"Hmm..." Naori shook her head, "The Police Force isn't short-staffed. I'll probably teach the children in the clan in the future."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Are you teaching children normally?" Miki asked.
"Of course. Grandpa Clan Head has been asking me for a long time to teach the clan children some principles of life, as well as Taijutsu and Ninjutsu," Naori said casually, pushing her hair back.
She's pushing her hair back, huh.
"Is that so?" Miki said, "You do as you see fit."
"Alright, then let's part ways here," Naori said, "Notify me if anything comes up."
With that, Naori instantly jumped onto a rooftop and quickly left.
"Honestly, always so mysterious, that Naori," Hitomi said, "She's not doing anything shady, is she?"
"Hmm?" Miki looked at Hitomi and said, "Aren't you going to find Tsunade?"
"Of course I am!" Hitomi asked, "Where is she?"
"She's at the Hospital now, working," Miki said.
"Oh."
Hitomi also left.
Miki looked at Sakumo.
Scratching his head with his only remaining hand, Sakumo awkwardly said, "Then I'll go?"
"Let's go together," Miki said, leading the way.
The two walked side by side down the main street of the Village.
"By the way, what have you decided, Captain?" Miki asked.
"I'm not Captain anymore. Call me Sakumo," Sakumo said dejectedly, "What am I supposed to decide?"
"Your hand," Miki said, "If you want the original, you can go to Tsunade anytime. If it's for improving your strength, I suggest you get a new hand."
"But no matter what you choose, let this be a period of growth. Improve your strength well. Your power will be needed in the future Shinobi World War."
"I know," Sakumo nodded, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.
Growth is one thing, but he needed to eat!
At this age, asking his parents for money, didn't he have any pride!?
"So, what have you decided?"
"It won't be some strange hand, will it?" Sakumo asked.
"Shinobi Prosthetic Arm," Miki said, "It will be the lone wolf's ultimate fangs."
Hearing such a description, Sakumo couldn't help but feel a little excited.
Fangs?
It sounded like it was tailor-made for him.
"Previously, Hitomi fought against a Sunagakure Shinobi and acquired some interesting puppets," Miki said, "Used solely as puppets, their imagination is lacking. This technology will greatly enhance your combat methods. Relying only on that White Fang, you are too easily countered by specific Shinobi."
"That rough and tough guy from before, you had a very hard time fighting him," Miki said, "A normal Shinobi should have been instantly killed by you in the first round. So, have you noticed your own weakness?"
"What weakness?" Sakumo asked.
"Sustained combat and prolonged battles," Miki said, "If you don't defeat your opponent after your burst, you'll fall into an awkward disadvantage."
That's true...
But I'm an assassination-type Shinobi...
Sakumo scratched his head and said, "Then, should I try it?"
"Don't rush to get your hand back yet," Miki said, "It would be troublesome to cut it off again when changing hands. The Shinobi Prosthetic Arm is just an idea for now. You'll have to wait patiently for a while."
"In the near future..."
"Any plans?"
"What plans?" Sakumo asked, confused.
"What to do, or something like that," Miki said, "Don't tell me you can't do anything else besides being a Shinobi."
Sakumo stubbornly closed his mouth.
"Since you don't have any plans, I have a job here. Do you want it?" Miki asked for Sakumo's opinion.
Sakumo was a bit conflicted.
"Aren't you going to ask what kind of job it is?" Miki said, "As for the benefits, food and lodging are provided, and the monthly salary is 200,000."
200,000, huh...
Sakumo silently counted on his fingers.
"So, what does the job entail?" Sakumo asked.
"The work itself is quite simple," Miki said, "Mainly gatekeeping, which is usually very leisurely and uneventful, and then just some cleaning."
It sounded pretty normal.
But that's not right!
"Just gatekeeping and cleaning, and it pays 200,000 a month?"
Sakumo couldn't quite believe it.
Is she looking out for me?
The average monthly salary for villagers was around 20,000 ryo.
Annual income was only about 200,000 ryo.
Although Shinobi missions paid well, the expenses were high, and the risks were also great.
And it wasn't often that there were easy missions to complete.
Even for D-rank missions, with a maximum of 10,000 ryo and a minimum of 500 ryo, split among four people, a Genin's normal income often didn't exceed 20,000 ryo a month.
Miki, you're really rich.
You're truly too kind.
Sakumo felt a warmth in his heart.
"After all, I have money," Miki said, "Do you want to do it?"
"I want to do it!" Sakumo agreed.
"Then start work tomorrow. Go back and rest well today."
Miki said casually.
"Oh, right, there will occasionally be some small testing missions."
"Huh?" Sakumo looked at Miki, puzzled.
"Very simple product testing," Miki said, "Like future Shinobi Prosthetic Arms and such, you'll be the one to do a simple usage test first."
"Oh, I understand," Sakumo said.
"That's all for now." With that, Miki instantly left.
The Swarm combat units needed a test subject. Someone too weak wouldn't be able to test the actual combat effects.
Sakumo was quite suitable.
Orochimaru had important work to do, and she couldn't afford to break him.
Sustainable development was key.
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