Pakura and Baki

"It's different. You're on the Puppet Force roster but not actively serving, so you can only receive half your salary. The Elite Combat Force, on the other hand, doesn't count you as a temporary worker, so you can receive a full salary. Also, Chunin receive a monthly allowance of ten thousand ryo. Even after retirement, it's paid for life until death."

Miyaki explained it to Shimizu.

"That works too."

The Puppet Force and the Elite Combat Force were equivalent in rank. Unless one held a position such as captain or vice-captain, their salaries were the same.

In other words, his salary had increased by half, plus a monthly Chunin allowance of ten thousand ryo.

A promotion and a raise were naturally good things.

That evening, Miyaki treated the members of Third Squad of the Sixth Division to a gathering.

It was nowhere near as lavish as the meal Chiyo had treated them to last time, but it was still quite tasty.

The next day, Shimizu packed up his ninja tools and got dressed. He first went to the Kazekage's Office Building to find Ebizo, who stamped and signed the documents. Only then was his promotion to Chunin officially complete.

Rising in status within Sunagakure, one of the ninja world's top powers, earned him far more fortune than his avatar in Gotham subduing a small gang or seizing a street.

The fortune progress bar instantly leaped from 20.9 percent to 45.3 percent, and it was still continuing to advance slowly.

Afterward, he collected his Chunin vest from the warehouse and headed to the Second Training Ground.

He was to meet his new teammates there.

When Shimizu arrived at the designated meeting spot at the Second Training Ground, someone was already waiting.

She was a slender, tall young girl wearing a backless outfit. Her features were lovely, and she looked slightly older than Shimizu.

"Hello, I'm Pakura. I'm twelve years old, was promoted to Chunin last year, and I specialize in Wind Release and Fire Release. If I'm not mistaken, you should be a newcomer assigned to Ninth Squad this time too, right?"

Pakura openly extended her hand toward Shimizu.

"Hello, I'm Shimizu, a Chunin temporarily transferred from the Puppet Force."

Shimizu smiled and shook Pakura's hand.

After all, they would be comrades who entrusted their lives to one another during missions. It was necessary to build a good relationship.

And in Shimizu's memories, Pakura was far from a nobody. She was bound to be exceptional.

The two chatted for a while, and the remaining two members of the team arrived one after another.

"Baki, Chunin. I specialize in Wind Release, Earth Release, and swordsmanship. I'm eleven."

Another "acquaintance."

In the future, Baki would become the Jounin instructor of Rasa's three children. At that time, Baki's standing in Sunagakure would be comparable to Kakashi's in Konoha, and he was surely one of Sunagakure's top Elite Jonin.

It seemed his squad was anything but ordinary.

The lineup was also quite well-balanced. Pakura was a typical ninjutsu-type ninja, while Baki excelled at Nintaijutsu. One was suited to close combat and the other to ranged combat, while he, as a Puppeteer, could do both. In battle, he would likely be responsible for supporting from the third position.

With that thought, Shimizu turned his attention to the final member of the team.

He was a young Jonin. Like Baki, he wore a white cloth around his head, but he was rather handsome. The longsword on his back indicated that he was skilled with a blade.

"You've all finished introducing yourselves, right? Then it's time for your superior to have his turn."

The Jonin cleared his throat twice before speaking.

"My name is Kazakami Senran. I'm twenty-nine, a Jonin, and I specialize in Wind Release, Fire Release, and Lightning Release. I'm also passable with a sword. From now on, I'll be the captain of your Ninth Squad. Over the next week, I'll take you on some simple missions to build up your teamwork."

As Kazakami Senran introduced himself, he sized up his three new subordinates.

Before he came, Chiyo and Ebizo had naturally briefed him.

Shimizu was the highest priority, a candidate chosen by Chiyo and Ebizo to lead the next generation of the Puppet Force.

Pakura possessed the greatest talent for ninjutsu among Sunagakure's younger generation in recent years. Baki was slightly inferior to Pakura, but he was also highly worth cultivating.

This squad would not be easy to lead. The key was to develop the potential of these three subordinates as much as possible while ensuring they did not die young.

If they could be properly nurtured, they would at minimum become three Elite Jonin. There was even a chance that one of them might become a "Kage."

The reason they had chosen an Elite Jonin like him to lead these three was, on one hand, because the ninjutsu and swordsmanship he excelled in could offer them some guidance. On the other hand, it was to have him serve as a bodyguard for these three highly promising Chunin while completing missions suited to the team's abilities and giving all three of them practical experience.

"I believe in something the Second Kazekage once said: actions speak louder than words. On my way here, I already accepted a B-Rank Mission for you."

Shimizu, Pakura, and Baki exchanged glances.

In truth, they all felt that starting with a B-Rank Mission might be a little too intense.

From graduating the ninja academy to becoming a Chunin, Shimizu had completed only three B-Rank Missions in total, aside from that one accident where an A-Rank Mission became an S-Rank Mission. The last one had even left him injured and forced him to return to the village to recuperate.

Although his strength had improved considerably now, shouldn't they start with simpler missions while they were still getting used to working together?

But with an Elite Jonin there to back them up, it did not matter much.

Ever since joining this squad, Shimizu had not taken on a single low-ranking mission.

Or rather, after becoming a Chunin, D-Rank missions from his days as a Genin had become completely out of reach. Unless he became the Jounin instructor of a new batch of Genin someday, he likely would never have another chance to take on a D-Rank mission for the rest of his life.

This squad primarily handled B-Rank Missions. When there were no suitable assignments, they could choose a few simple C-Rank missions for practice, or simply rest and train.

When it came to guiding their training, Kazakami Senran truly had plenty to offer. Whether it was Wind Release, Fire Release, or Lightning Release, he was clearly highly proficient in all of them. He even knew some basic Medical Ninjutsu and Sealing Technique.

However, Kazakami Senran could not offer Shimizu much more guidance in Puppet Technique. That did not mean no one could teach Shimizu, though.

He was still a member of the Puppet Force. In his spare time, he could visit the hospital to seek advice from Ishido, who was still recuperating. Occasionally, he would continue sparring with Sasori, then mooch off the books at his home.

It was worth mentioning that both Chiyo and Ebizo had promised that Shimizu could seek their guidance whenever they were free.

It was also from that moment onward that Shimizu truly confirmed the change in his standing within Sunagakure.

Display one's talent, earn the higher-ups' attention, join a faction, receive preferential resources to strengthen oneself, and thereby raise one's status as quickly as possible.

This was a method of rising through the ranks that worked in any organization, and it was also one with the fewest future complications and the most stable foundation.

Without question, Shimizu had now received Chiyo and Ebizo's focused cultivation.