Watching Uchiha Yu smile, Sasuke couldn't help feeling that something was up.
What was he planning?
That afternoon.
Uchiha Yu took Sasuke straight to a photography studio.
The studio owner was a little surprised to see Uchiha Yu and Uchiha Sasuke.
It was obvious from their appearance that they were members of the Uchiha Clan!
A great clan!
Uchiha Yu pulled out several outfits he'd carefully picked out and handed them to Sasuke.
They were all ninja clothes Uchiha Itachi had worn as a child. They fit Sasuke perfectly and made him look sharp and dashing.
After all, Uchiha Yu couldn't bring himself to buy new clothes.
"Put these on, then go take a few pictures with the man," Uchiha Yu said casually.
Uchiha Sasuke was dumbfounded.
"Second Brother, why?"
"Big Brother Uchiha Itachi is often away on missions these days. I'll leave you with a couple of pictures to remember him by. When he misses you on a mission, he can look at them."
Uchiha Yu lied without even batting an eye.
In truth, ninjas practically never carried photos with them.
If one got lost during a mission, it could reveal the ninja's identity or even the mission's target. That was a major taboo for ninjas.
Failing a mission was a small matter. What mattered was that it could cost them their lives!
But Uchiha Sasuke was still too young to understand that, and their ninja theory classes rarely covered such things.
"So that's why!" Uchiha Sasuke realized.
He obediently stood in front of the camera.
"Try this pose... and this one... that's right, now this one!" Uchiha Yu directed Sasuke through all kinds of poses, including some downright embarrassing ones.
Uchiha Sasuke grew more and more suspicious. Who wanted to see their little brother posing like this?
Could Second Brother be pulling a fast one on me?
No way... right?
After the photo session, Uchiha Yu grinned from ear to ear as he looked at the dozen or so pictures in his hands.
The pictures made young Sasuke look tall, handsome, and dashing.
He pulled off every pose to perfection.
Wouldn't these pictures make all of Uchiha Sasuke's fangirls swoon?
Uchiha Sasuke stood to the side, looking gloomy. "Does Big Brother really like pictures of me like this...?"
"Sir! Put the photography fee on my tab! I'll pay you back in a couple of days! Don't worry, we're from the Uchiha Clan. We always keep our word!" Uchiha Yu shouted to the studio owner.
He didn't have a single coin on him right now.
He had just one Pay-to-Win Point, but those weren't any good for paying with!
The owner smiled innocently. "Of course! The Uchiha Clan's Konoha Military Police Force has protected us for so many years. I trust you."
Clearly, the man had no idea what kind of person Uchiha Yu really was.
Oh, Uchiha Yu wasn't a person. He was a dog.
The next morning.
Uchiha Yu arrived at the Ninja Academy bright and early, even before Uchiha Sasuke.
Quite a few ninja students were already in the classroom.
Uchiha Yu slapped a stack of photos down on a desk.
"Uchiha Sasuke's handsome portraits, going to the highest bidder! Come take a look, everyone!"
What did he mean, everyone? Only the girls would be interested!
The students' eyes lit up, and they crowded around him.
The boys didn't react much, but the girls went wild.
Sasuke's fangirls immediately started shrieking.
"Sasuke! Those are pictures of Sasuke!"
"Wow! Whose clothes are those? He looks so handsome in them!"
"Sasuke's poses are so charming! My girlish heart can't take it!"
"How much per picture? I'll take them all!"
Sasuke's fangirls could barely contain themselves.
Uchiha Yu's heart pounded.
Holy crap, there's a real market for this!
"Bidding starts at two hundred ryo per picture! Highest bid wins!" Uchiha Yu declared through gritted teeth.
Most ninja students didn't have much pocket money. Few came from wealthy clans like the Uchiha.
But the fangirls from the Yamanaka Nara and Sarutobi Hyuga families couldn't hold back.
"Three hundred ryo!"
"Five hundred!"
In just a few minutes, all the pictures had been snapped up.
Looking at the stack of bills in his hand, Uchiha Yu grinned from ear to ear!
Fifteen pictures had sold for a full six thousand ryo!
Man, this was way better than swiping Sasuke's pocket money!
Still grinning, Uchiha Yu patted Uchiha Sasuke beside him.
Wait, Uchiha Sasuke?
Uchiha Yu's smile froze as he looked at Sasuke, who was a head shorter than him.
Sasuke's face was gloomy, and he looked ready to eat him alive.
"Second Brother! You said Big Brother wanted pictures of me to remember me by! Is this how you scam your own little brother?"
"Third Brother, hear me out—no, I mean, let me explain! You have plenty of expenses now that you're in school, like buying ninja tools and snacks. I won't touch a single coin of this money. I'll save it all for your wedding!"
"Why do you sound just like Big Brother? Then give me the money now!"
"...We'll split it twenty-eighty! You get two, I get eight."
"I'm your real little brother! Make my share bigger!"
"Thirty-seventy..."
"Deal!"
Uchiha Yu painfully handed Sasuke one thousand eight hundred ryo out of the six thousand.
This wasn't money. It was his life!
Fortunately, the remaining four thousand two hundred ryo was enough for four draws, with two hundred ryo left over.
"Exchange four thousand two hundred ryo!"
"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You successfully exchanged for Pay-to-Win Points! After deducting a one-point transaction fee, your balance is three Pay-to-Win Points!"
"Three draws!"
Uchiha Yu said decisively.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You received Toad Wallet x1!"
"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You received Ichiraku Ramen Coupon x1!"
"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You received Shuriken Mastery!"
Looking at the Toad Wallet and the Ichiraku Ramen Coupon in his hands, Uchiha Yu felt like crying.
Why were the draws getting more and more of a rip-off?
Fortunately, Shuriken Mastery was at least somewhat useful.
After all, it was a basic ninja skill. Mastering it could only help him.
He could go through three thousand ryo worth of shuriken and still not necessarily master the skill.
"Naruto, come here!" Uchiha Yu called to Naruto.
"Coming, Big Brother!" Uzumaki Naruto scampered over.
He now truly considered Uchiha Yu his big brother, and he meant it wholeheartedly.
"I'm giving you this wallet and the Ichiraku Ramen coupon as a welcome gift!" Uchiha Yu said, pretending to be generous.
"Wow! Thanks, Big Brother!"
Uzumaki Naruto's eyes shone. Ichiraku Ramen was his favorite food, after all.
But it was still too expensive for him. He couldn't even afford to eat there once a month.
Now Naruto was even more grateful to Uchiha Yu.
This might have been the first time in his life someone had treated him to Ichiraku Ramen.
Uchiha Yu gave a helpless laugh.
Bro, this is just junk I don't want.
Well, it was still valuable to Naruto.
Just then, Iruka walked into the classroom.
Seeing how lively it was, Iruka smiled.
"Looks like everyone's full of energy! Then this morning, we'll practice throwing shuriken!"
"Hmph, shuriken are one of the Uchiha Clan's specialties!" The pride of the Uchiha ran deep in Sasuke's bones.
Iruka's smile hadn't faded yet.
"And we'll be practicing with students one year ahead of you!"
One year ahead?
Uchiha Yu had a bad feeling about this.
Holy crap, could it be Tenten and Rock Lee?
What if Sasuke ended up traumatized?
Before you continue