A Monthly Salary of Three Thousand-Why Risk Your Life? (Please Vote and Keep Reading, Guys)

"Rin..."

Obito automatically ignored Kakashi and Namikaze Minato above him, his entire focus fixed on Nohara Rin.

"It feels a little unfamiliar."

Just as Obito was about to try sneaking a kiss, he remembered the last time Kakashi had caught him.

He looked around, and after confirming no one was nearby, took out the tape and toilet paper again.

He taped over Kakashi's face so he would not get the strange feeling that he was secretly kissing Kakashi.

After finishing all that, Obito picked up the toilet paper and prepared to sneak a kiss on Nohara Rin's photograph.

It was fantasy time!

"Rin..."

Overcome with emotion, Obito could not help calling Nohara Rin's name.

"Uh... Obito, I'm here."

To Obito's surprise, someone answered him.

It was the voice he had longed to hear day and night.

He was done for!

Obito's grip on the toilet paper tightened as his gaze slowly rose.

Two figures stood by the window.

One was Nohara Rin, and the other was Kiyohara.

"Ahem, so it's Rin and Kiyohara."

Obito smoothly changed the direction of his movement, wiping his nose with the tissue as though nothing had happened.

"What were you doing just now, Obito?"

Kiyohara looked at Obito holding the photo frame. Even without seeing the picture on the front, he knew what it was.

"Nothing. Just reminiscing."

With Nohara Rin standing before him, Obito shot Kiyohara a look, signaling him not to keep asking.

"Take care of yourself, Obito. You need to exercise some restraint."

Kiyohara spoke earnestly.

Secretly kissing someone in a photograph—this was too extreme even for anime fans.

"Take care of himself?"

Nohara Rin froze, not understanding the implication in Kiyohara's words.

Obito widened his eyes and said:

"How could you slander my innocence out of thin air?"

"Really? Weren't you secretly kissing Rin's photo?"

Kiyohara smiled without smiling.

Honestly, Obito should have become Jiraiya's disciple. One loved peeping into bathhouses, while the other loved secretly getting off to photographs.

Obito's face flushed red, veins bulging across it as he argued:

"There was dust on the photograph. I lowered my head to blow it away. How could protecting the bonds between companions be called secretly kissing it?"

Then Obito started rambling about the Will of Fire, bonds, and similar things.

For a moment, the air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Nohara Rin only assumed Kiyohara and Obito were joking around and did not think much of it.

"Obito, if we don't leave now, we'll delay the mission. Kakashi, Minato-sensei, and the others are all waiting."

Nohara Rin said, her lips parting slightly.

Seeing that Nohara Rin showed no sign of anger, Obito finally relaxed.

No matter what, he could not let his heroic and mighty image be tarnished in Rin's heart.

"I know."

Obito turned around, put on a field pack and ninja tool pouch, then finally slipped on his yellow goggles.

He had been ready long ago.

It was only because Rin's beauty had left him so dazed that he had lost all sense of time and place, delaying them.

"Let's go."

Seeing Obito get ready in just a few movements, Nohara Rin planned to wait by the window for him to come out.

Obito put the photograph back in its place. Just as he was about to bring an extra Kunai, Nohara Rin saw Kakashi's face covered in tape.

"Why did you cover Kakashi's face?"

"That way, it won't gather dust."

Obito came up with an excuse in a flash.

"I see."

Though Nohara Rin found it a little strange, she still nodded.

This should be the last time Obito gets off to Rin's photo.

Kiyohara thought to himself.

Once Obito had half his body crushed beneath a boulder and was split in two from the middle, he would definitely lose one of his balls.

As for whether his dick would be crushed too or end up half on each side, that would depend on which side Obito usually kept it on.

Kiyohara felt that Obito probably would not be able to get off anymore.

After all, the transplanted White Zetsu limbs did not come with that particular accessory.

"Let's go."

After greeting his grandmother, Obito came out.

Then he noticed that Kiyohara was looking at him with a hint of pity, leaving him utterly baffled.

At Konoha's gate.

"You're late, Obito. Late again."

Kakashi looked at Obito, who came hurrying over.

"So what if I'm a little late?"

Obito muttered. Did a few minutes really matter that much?

"A true ninja follows the rules. Anyone who can't is trash."

Kakashi spoke without mercy.

In his creed, ninja rules were above all else.

His father had disregarded ninja rules and chosen to save his companions, causing the mission to fail and bringing about that tragedy.

"All right, Kakashi, don't say that."

Namikaze Minato stepped in to smooth things over.

Ever since the Konoha White Fang's death, Kakashi had become like this.

Namikaze Minato knew some of the inside details, but it was difficult for him to say much.

He was a ninja. His duty was to obey his superiors.

"During a mission, everything else must wait until the mission is complete."

Namikaze Minato said.

A team's unity was crucial. He did not want to watch them arguing again.

"Also, this mission is classified. I can only tell you the details once we are near the border..."

Kiyohara listened to Namikaze Minato's explanation from behind.

Although he did not know why they had to stop at the gate before setting out on every mission.

Kiyohara could only attribute it to a ninja's sense of ritual.

"By the way, did the future me ever get a girlfriend?"

Kiyohara casually asked Renegade Kiyohara in his mind.

After the Ash Box trembled, Renegade Kiyohara's spirit floated into his mind.

"Not really. Just staying alive was hard enough. How could I have had the mind for anything else?"

Renegade Kiyohara shook his head.

He had wanted to look for one, but the only people a renegade ninja could find were other female renegade ninja.

Not everyone was like Sakura, knowing Sasuke was an S-rank renegade ninja yet still being so love-struck that she wanted to follow him.

Well, rather than that, someone would at least need Sasuke-level looks for it to be possible.

His looks were not bad either, but he was far too weathered and aged beyond his years.

"Is that so?"

Seeing Renegade Kiyohara's tragic future, Kiyohara silently decided his own future could not turn out that way.

Soon, after Namikaze Minato finished speaking, he said:

"Move out."

All the ninja set off together.

The sun rose and the moon set, and several days quickly passed.

During the day, the group traveled through the forest; at night, they camped and rested briefly.

Since everyone traveled light, they quickly arrived near the border.

"We're finally almost there."

Kurenai Yuhi sprang between tree branches, using them for leverage to travel quickly.

This was a popular way for ninja to travel, allowing them to move faster.

"I wonder whether we can complete the mission."

Kurenai Yuhi turned to Kiyohara and said.

"We'll do our best."

Kiyohara said.

At worst, failing the mission would bring some punishment, but if he died, he would really be dead.

He received a genin's stipend. He was practically at the bottom rung among ninja.

Seriously, why risk his life for three thousand a month?

Making three thousand a month and being expected to do thirty thousand's worth of work?

Kiyohara thought it was already good enough that he was not slacking off.

It was just that many ninja had the so-called Will of Fire hanging over their heads and chose to suffer for their beliefs.

"Let's stop here."

Seeing that the situation was about right, Namikaze Minato had everyone halt.

They stood in a vast meadow. When the wind blew, all the grass bowed its heads.