"You did well, Uchiha Chen."
"Lord Third Hokage, it was only right. We're all one family in Konoha. If we see a comrade in danger, anyone would step in."
He'd said the same thing both times. But when he'd said it to Hinata, Chen had meant it. When he'd said it to the Third Hokage, it was simply the perfect excuse.
"Heh, you're right. Everyone in Konoha is family.
"But you caught a criminal, so you deserve a reward. Tell me what you want."
"Lord Third Hokage, could I have a ninjutsu?"
"A ninjutsu? Which one?"
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet.
"I have a Fire nature, but the only ninjutsu I know is the Great Fireball Technique. Big Brother Itachi and the others think I'm not strong enough, so they won't teach me anything else."
This time, Chen wasn't lying. Both Shisui and Itachi were worried that he was too young and that learning too many techniques might harm him.
Although Chen did have a lot of chakra, Konoha was relatively peaceful now, and he didn't need to go to war. It was better to take things one step at a time.
"A ninjutsu?
"That's no problem."
Flame Bullet was only a C-rank technique. Chen could already use the Great Fireball Technique, which meant he could basically use other techniques of the same rank.
So the Third Hokage didn't hesitate to grant his request.
As soon as he got Flame Bullet, Chen began learning it.
Since he hadn't obtained it through the system, he obviously couldn't skip the learning process.
As for how the Third Hokage would negotiate with Danzo, Chen had no intention of paying attention.
"Hey, didn't you say you planned to lie low and grow stronger?
"By handing that person over to the Third Hokage, you've basically screwed Danzo over. Do you really think this is a good way to court death?"
The system complained again, but Chen ignored her.
"System, you can send me outside Konoha, right?"
"I can, but are you planning to defect from Konoha?"
"Not yet. It's too soon to defect, but I need to prepare for it. I'll need money and a power base.
"So I'm counting on you to get me out of Konoha without anyone noticing."
Chen said this while hoping the system wouldn't screw him over again.
After all, the system was the only way he could leave Konoha without drawing attention.
Still, it was pretty frustrating to have to rely on a system that annoyed him so much.
"Fine. This system will magnanimously help you out.
"I'll set up a teleportation barrier at a fixed location. Once you reach it, you can use it to teleport. But I should warn you in advance: the teleportation will leave you immobilized for ten seconds. You'll have to stay still that entire time."
Chen nodded. He wasn't surprised.
When he got home, the system set up the teleportation barrier. Chen gave it a try and arrived outside Konoha without a hitch, quite a distance from the village.
That way, unless he was extremely unlucky, no one would notice him leaving.
Next, he needed to conceal what happened while he was away as much as possible. Shadow Clones were clearly the best option.
Of course, besides using Shadow Clones, Chen also made a point of finding Uchiha Izumi and telling her he was planning to think up some new traps, so he probably wouldn't visit her for a while.
That would help him avoid seeing her and reduce the risk of her noticing anything suspicious.
Everything was ready. Once he was sure the Third Hokage wouldn't come looking for him, Chen left Konoha.
Outside Konoha, he took out the map he'd prepared earlier and checked his route.
"Hey, where are you going?"
The system suddenly spoke up.
"To make money, of course. The Underground Bounty Association seems like a good place."
As he spoke, Chen put on his mask.
It was best not to reveal his identity if he could help it.
"Ding! System notification: Bounty missions are now available. Hunting a bounty target will earn you a corresponding reward."
"What's this?"
"You were going to take a job from the Underground Bounty Station anyway, so you might as well complete one of these while you're at it. Isn't earning two rewards from one job great?"
The system sounded smug, while Chen looked utterly speechless.
"Getting two rewards for one job is great, but the weakest target on your list is an Elite Chunin, and most of them are Jonin.
"Do you want me to complete the mission, or are you trying to get me killed?"
Chen was at a loss. How could this shady system always be looking for ways to screw him over? Had he done something to it in a past life, and was it now getting revenge?
"Hold on. I'm really not trying to screw you over this time."
"Do you expect me to believe that?"
"The Naruto World ranks shinobi as Genin, Chunin, Jonin, and Kage Level, with further ranks like Elite Chunin, Elite Jonin, and Special Jōnin.
"But those ranks aren't standardized. Each village or faction decides for itself."
"What do you mean?"
Chen sensed there was something fishy about what the system was saying.
"Put simply, do you really think Naruto and Sasuke, those two forever-Genin, are only as strong as Genin?
"And do you think the Hokages of the different generations were all about the same strength?"
"Now that you mention it, probably not."
"Every faction assigns its own ranks. A Jonin from a small village or faction might only be as strong as a Chunin from one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, if you judge by ability alone.
"In some villages, anyone who knows one or two ninjutsu is called a Jonin. How much do you think a title like that is worth?"
Chen nodded. So those faction-assigned ranks really could be quite misleading.
"Put simply, the ranks used by shinobi from villages other than the Five Great Shinobi Villages are all over the place. It's perfectly normal for a Jonin to be weaker than a Chunin—or even a Genin."
"So just looking at the strength listed in the mission description, I can't tell whether you're trying to screw me over or not?"
Chen understood what the system meant, but now he felt that the shinobi world's ranking system made it way too easy for the system to pull a fast one on him.
"Damn it, when have I ever screwed you over? You're the one who's useless. Don't blame me.
"Want me to post a mission telling you to kiss Danzo?"
"Get lost!"
At the system's words, Uchiha Chen fell out of the tree.
Damn, making him kiss Danzo? He couldn't believe the system had even thought of that.
If such a mission really appeared, Chen would rather abandon it than complete it.
Even if completing it earned him the Sage of Six Paths' physique, he still wouldn't do it. Absolutely not.
Thinking of Danzo's constipated face made Uchiha Chen retch. It was just too damn disgusting.
"System, I give up. You really are awful."
"Good. Now you know how powerful this system is. Keep slandering me and you'll regret it.
"As punishment for slandering me this time, hehe..."
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