Ninja Sword

Konoha Hidden Village, Valley of the End.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A long, furious shout rang out. Beside the pool, a young boy formed Hand Seals, his chest swelling.

The echo of his shout had yet to fade.

Then,

a huge ball of fire, blazing like the sun and dazzlingly bright, suddenly appeared out of thin air!

The intense heat warped the air. The enormous fireball scorched the pool until the water hissed.

Even the water near the surface seemed to boil, bubbling furiously.

After releasing the ninjutsu, Sasuke lowered his hands and looked at the bubbling water, nodding repeatedly.

"Not bad. Even if it can't kill anyone, it'll still make a decent tool for escaping and saving my life..."

As he spoke, Sasuke opened his system status panel again.

Name: Uchiha Sasuke.

Faction: Land of Fire, Konoha Hidden Village.

Level: 4 (47/800).

Attribute Points: 4 (Note: Used to directly increase the host's attributes.)

Skill Points: 4 (Note: Used to directly increase the host's skill levels.)

Attributes: Constitution: 9. Agility: 10. Intelligence: 5. Charisma: 24.

Skills:

[Substitution Technique: Level 2.]

[Transformation Technique: Level 2.]

[Clone Technique: Level 2.]

[Chakra Control: Level 2.]

[Taijutsu: Level 2.]

[Genjutsu: Level 2.]

[Shurikenjutsu: Level 2.]

[Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique: Level 3 (45%).]

It had been half a year since Sasuke had left the Uchiha Clan.

He hadn't returned to the Uchiha even once during those six months. Instead, he had come to the rather unusual Valley of the End to focus on his training.

Money made things easy. With substantial financial backing over the past six months, Sasuke's strength had improved by leaps and bounds, visibly so!

Not only had he reached level 4, but his attributes and skills had also undergone a qualitative leap.

"My intelligence is still a worry..."

With a thought, Sasuke dismissed the system panel that only he could see, then murmured to himself,

"Going by the date, it should be time for the Ninja Academy graduation, according to my memories."

"Becoming a Genin is an unavoidable part of the main storyline. Maybe the Ninja Academy's records will help improve my intelligence faster..."

Thinking this, Sasuke jumped into the pool.

After washing up, he took some money and left the Valley of the End.

To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools.

By then, Sasuke had left the Valley of the End and arrived at the Konoha marketplace.

"Busy places really are more fun..."

Looking at the crowds and the rows of closely packed shops, Sasuke sighed as he held a skewer of dango.

He hadn't forgotten why he'd come. Before long, he found a shop selling ninja tools in the marketplace.

The shop looked quite imposing, and the ninja tools on display came in all shapes and sizes.

As soon as he walked in, the shopkeeper greeted Sasuke warmly.

But before he could ask how much the Kunai and Shuriken cost,

a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:

[Beep! A high-grade ninja sword has been detected. Please take note!]

"A high-grade ninja sword?..."

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and frowned slightly. To be honest, if the system hadn't said it, he wouldn't have believed that such good luck could just fall into his lap.

He gave the shop a quick look, and a glint of light appeared in Sasuke's eyes.

It was an ordinary-looking long sword.

But Sasuke was certain that this was the high-grade ninja sword the system meant!

Sasuke scratched the tip of his nose, clearing his thoughts. Then he casually touched the ninja tools on the counter and asked,

"Boss, how much are your Shuriken?"

"Heh heh, that depends on how many you want, handsome."

"They're fifty each if you buy them individually. If you buy a lot, I can give you a discount..."

The boss was a middle-aged, chubby man. His face was round, and when he smiled, his eyes disappeared, leaving only two slits. He looked like a real schemer!

But despite the boss's sweet talk, Sasuke was no stranger to the ways of the world.

He wasn't going to lose himself just because someone kept calling him "handsome."

He knew that the moment he walked out the door, the man might turn around and call him a jerk...

Clearing his throat, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and smiled too.

"I've only got two thousand. Let's get straight to it: how much can you take off?"

Two thousand?

Seeing a big sale in the making, the boss waved his hand grandly and leaned close to Sasuke, grinning as he lowered his voice.

"How about forty each?"

"You can get ten more Shuriken that way. You'll have plenty, and I won't lose out either. Heh heh..."

He acted as if he were afraid someone might overhear, making Sasuke want to kick him.

"That doesn't sound right. I'm young, but don't think you can cheat me."

"I saw Shuriken selling for thirty each at the stalls outside. How is forty each a discount?"

Sasuke put on a wary expression, frowned, and got up to leave.

Seeing this, the boss grabbed Sasuke and explained in a plaintive whisper,

"Oh, handsome, you don't understand!"

"They may be cheaper, but their quality isn't even half as good as ours. You get what you pay for. If it weren't, a shop as big as mine would've gone out of business long ago, wouldn't it?"

With his clothes held fast, Sasuke stopped and thought it over before nodding.

"You do have a point..."

Hearing this, the boss immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't want to let such a big customer slip away.

After all, wealthy ninja like this weren't common. The last time he'd seen a little ninja as young and rich as Sasuke had been several years ago.

That girl had seemed like a little rich heiress, spending several thousand on ninja tools in one go.

He'd heard she was a member of Team Three at the Ninja Academy...

Sasuke interrupted the boss's train of thought and continued, as if he meant every word,

"Actually, money doesn't matter. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in Konoha richer than me."

The boss's mouth twitched at that. You're rich, you're amazing, all right?

Then Sasuke changed tack.

"But what I hate most is people taking me for a sucker!"

"No, no, handsome! I run an honest business. Why would I cheat you for no reason?"

The boss waved his hands repeatedly.

Sasuke ignored him and continued mumbling to himself,

"I have this habit of always wanting to get a little something extra. It just makes me feel better..."

A little something extra?...

The boss seemed confused at first, but, as a man who knew his way around, he quickly caught on.

He hurriedly replied with a smile,

"Ah, yes, yes! We have free gifts! How could a big customer like you leave without getting a little something extra?"

"Come, come! Pick any ninja tool on this counter. Consider it a token of friendship. Heh heh heh..."

Hearing this, Sasuke's lips curled into a sly smile of a plan well played.

He strolled to the counter and tossed down a stack of money. Then, as if it were nothing, he picked up the very inconspicuous-looking ninja sword.

Turning to the boss, who was grinning from ear to ear, he said,

"I'll take this one. I've got some free time these days, so I can use it as a fire poker."

At that, the boss nearly stumbled to the ground.

Rich people really can do whatever they want!

Use a ninja tool as a fire poker?

That's something else!

But just then, in the little shop that had been quiet moments before, an extremely alluring woman's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

"Boss, I want the ninja sword that boy is holding. I'll pay double whatever he offered!"

Sasuke: "..."

"Who's that?"

"She's freaking gorgeous!"