I Was Taught a Lesson by Him Instead??

The mission hall was located in Konoha's commercial center. Before, when Watanabe and Tsunade went to the small forest to spar, they often passed by the entrance of the mission hall but had never gone inside.

Now, it was different. Wearing a Konoha forehead protector, Watanabe now had the qualifications to enter. Unlike the young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes who had just reached the entrance and was mocked by the guard.

"Might Duy, are you here to embarrass yourself again?"

The young man with thick eyebrows clenched his fists and seriously told the guard, "I'm here to accept a mission!"

The guard rubbed his temples and said impatiently, "I've told you a hundred times, only ninjas can enter the mission hall, besides the clients who post missions. Or, you can enter if you're accompanied by a ninja companion. But are you a ninja? Do you have a ninja companion?"

The young man with thick eyebrows flushed red, unable to speak.

He wasn't a ninja, nor did any ninja who looked up to him invite him as a companion.

"Please, let me in. I really need to take on missions to earn money right now!" the young man with thick eyebrows pleaded.

"I advise you not to waste your effort." The guard glanced at him sideways, unmoved.

"Someone like you, who isn't even a ninja, can't possibly get any clients. It's best for you to find a job and do manual labor honestly."

"Even if!" the young man with thick eyebrows retorted forcefully, "Even if I'm not a ninja, there are still some missions I can complete on my own!"

"Forget it."

The guard waved his hand as if shooing away a fly. "Only a fool would believe you. In any case, I won't let you in. Go find somewhere cool to hang out."

The young man with thick eyebrows loosened his clenched fists, his expression dim and lonely--

"I'm his ninja companion. It's okay to bring him in, right?"

At this moment, Watanabe's voice rang out as he walked up to the young man with thick eyebrows.

The young man with thick eyebrows stiffened and turned to look at him.

The guard eyed Watanabe suspiciously for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "You're Watanabe? The one who got first place in the graduation exam yesterday?"

Watanabe was also a bit surprised to hear this, not expecting to be so famous.

After thinking about it, he wasn't surprised anymore. First place in the graduation exam was equivalent to the top scorer in the college entrance examination in his past life. It was normal for him to be well-known, especially with so many people in the audience yesterday, who would spontaneously promote him afterward.

"Yes, it's me," Watanabe admitted.

The guard immediately became respectful. The young man before him was far more than just the first place in the graduation exam. According to rumors he'd heard, the young man was also the future son-in-law of the Senju Clan, someone he definitely couldn't afford to offend.

"Of course, it's no problem for you to bring Might Duy in," the guard said with a smile. "But I have to remind you, Might Duy isn't even a genin. He'll only drag you down as your companion."

Might Duy's heartstrings tightened, and he looked at Watanabe expectantly.

Watanabe saw the longing in his eyes and, combined with his previous conversation with the guard, felt that he must really need mission rewards to make a living right now.

If he weren't forced to, who would be willing to come and be humiliated by someone who looked down on him?

"You don't need to worry about that. Let's go,"

Watanabe said calmly and walked into the mission hall, with Might Duy quickly following.

"Little brother, thank you for teaming up with me. You've helped me a lot!" After getting out of the guard's sight, Might Duy immediately expressed his gratitude to Watanabe.

"It's just a small favor, no need to be polite."

Watanabe felt that this young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes had a rather straightforward personality, so he said directly, "Actually, I came to the mission hall for something else. I can't team up with you. You can find missions on your own."

Might Duy's expression became awkward, thinking that Watanabe was saying this deliberately because he was afraid of being dragged down.

"Uh, okay then. You go ahead and do your thing... Thank you again!"

Watanabe nodded and walked towards the stairs on the side.

Might Duy watched him the whole way. Only when he could no longer see Watanabe's figure did he take a deep breath, force himself to cheer up, and turn his gaze towards the crowded commission area.

The mission hall was divided into three floors. Missions on the first floor could be accepted by anyone below the rank of Chunin. Missions on the second floor required a Special Jonin to lead the team. Missions on the third floor required a Jonin to lead the team. The higher the floor, the fewer people there were.

Watanabe walked straight to the rooftop.

He pushed open the door, and three figures appeared in his sight.

Hiruzen and Hyuga Rei were both with their backs to him, motionless like statues.

Uchiha Chiri leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance. Her side profile was stunningly beautiful and cold, her waist-length hair fluttering in the wind. Her legs, wrapped in black silk, were particularly striking. Watanabe instinctively glanced at them.

"You're late."

Uchiha Chiri turned her head, her tone displeased.

"Sorry, I was delayed by something at the entrance just now," Watanabe said humbly.

"That person isn't even a ninja. Why did you bring him in?"

Watanabe was stunned for a moment, then realized she was asking about Might Duy.

Had she seen him on the rooftop just now?

"He wanted to come in, so I brought him in," Watanabe said.

"Foolish."

Uchiha Chiri's face turned cold as she reprimanded him, "You think you're helping, but in reality, you're harming him."

"Do you know how high the mortality rate is for ordinary people taking on ninja missions?"

Watanabe disagreed. "As far as I know, there are still some missions that are not dangerous and are easy to complete, they just pay less."

"You think he definitely won't take dangerous missions? Stop being so conceited, you don't understand the ninja world at all." Uchiha Chiri continued to scold, giving Watanabe his first lesson after becoming a ninja.

Watanabe was speechless. After a long silence, he retorted, "Teacher, have you ever been poor?"

Uchiha Chiri frowned.

Watanabe admitted frankly, "I have been poor."

"When people are so poor they can't afford to eat, if there's an opportunity to make money by risking their lives, they'll seize it with all their might."

Back when he first transmigrated to Konoha, his parents' death benefits ran out, and Watanabe ate instant noodles every day, starving one meal and feasting the next. At that time, he even considered busking on the street, earning ten ryo for every punch someone landed on him.

If his situation hadn't been so dire, he wouldn't have considered dropping out of school to find another way to make a living. Fortunately, he soon befriended Tsunade, and with her help, his life was no longer so difficult.

Uchiha Chiri's expression changed slightly. Although Watanabe's tone was calm, it made her heart feel inexplicably heavy.

"Teacher, you might not understand the world of poor commoners. When they need help, they truly hope someone will lend them a hand."

"So I don't think I did anything wrong. Even if Might Duy dies during a mission, I won't feel guilty," Watanabe said frankly.

It was up to Uchiha Chiri how she viewed him; he had a clear conscience.

Uchiha Chiri's eyes flickered, and in the end, she didn't retort to Watanabe. She turned her head, maintaining her previous posture as she gazed into the distance.

In her mind, she repeatedly pondered Watanabe's words, and the more she thought, the more she felt that she was the one who was wrong.

"The world of poor commoners..."

"He actually taught me a lesson in return??"

Uchiha Chiri suddenly felt indignant, as if she had lost face.