Beauty Squad

In Konoha, different types of squads were usually assigned different kinds of missions.

The most typical example was the Reconnaissance Unit, which mostly handled missions such as finding people or objects, escorting, and tracking.

Then there were Taijutsu squads, like Guy Squad in the original story. They just fought to their hearts' content.

There were also Sealing Squads, Ninjutsu Squads, Summoning Squads, and even Genin teams like the Housekeeping Squad that specialized in low-level missions.

Given Kurenai Squad's composition, they should have been classified as either a Genjutsu squad or a Ninjutsu squad.

While eating yesterday, Uchiha Hazuki and Kurenai Yuhi had exchanged information and discovered that Kurenai's Ninjutsu proficiency was actually quite good.

(Aside from spirit and stamina, every other stat in the databook was above 8. Not counting physical ability, she was even 1 point higher than Asuma. That old horse really had nothing left...)

But in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Kurenai Squad could also be considered—Beauty Squad!

Not one of the four members was unattractive.

There was no need to mention Xiu. That face of his was practically the Creator's perfect masterpiece.

Kurenai and Izumi were both among the best-looking people their age, with countless admirers.

If not for his status as the Hokage, with Asuma's looks, he might not even have been qualified to cling to Kurenai Yuhi's side back in school.

That brat did not even know how to seize his chance. He had actually patted his ass and run off to become some damn Guardian Shinobi...

The oldest member of the squad, Uchiha Hazuki, was only in her early thirties, yet she looked like she was in her twenties—the period when a woman was at her most alluring.

And since she could give birth to a daughter like Izumi, her own looks were certainly not lacking. If she let down her hair, she would be the genuine article: long, straight black hair.

"What are you all doing?" Xiu asked helplessly. "This mission sounds like a massive pain, and instead of hiring professional models, they came looking for shinobi?"

"Hahaha, don't put it like that. Shinobi are versatile talents," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile. "Didn't the academy teach disguise classes? Using the Transformation Technique together with disguise techniques is a basic shinobi skill. Girls also have separate etiquette classes, and fashion and grooming are included."

"Is that so?" Xiu turned around in surprise. The three women on the team all nodded in unison.

"Not just that! They also taught housekeeping, makeup, first aid, reproductive hygiene... they even taught flower arrangement!" Izumi listed them off as if she knew them by heart.

That was way too damn comprehensive!

Did we even attend the same school?

Uchiha Xiu stared at the three of them in astonishment.

Looking at it this way, shinobi education was downright baffling. Other than politics, they really taught everything.

"Come to think of it, I'm looking forward to this commission too." Uchiha Hazuki gently stroked her cheek with her right hand and smiled. "I just don't know whether I can meet the client's requirements. After all, I'm already an old woman in my thirties."

"Uh... how could that be? Auntie, you're still very young," Xiu said stiffly, feeling that those words really did not suit his persona.

He had originally thought that even if there was no border patrol mission, he should at least find a suppression mission, see some blood, and get used to this life of living on the blade's edge.

But since Auntie Hazuki had put it that way, even Xiu could only show his support.

Although shinobi were considered a high-paying profession, Genin and Chunin only earned a little more than ordinary people, sometimes even less than the owners of small independent shops.

Popular little shops like Ichiraku Ramen and Ama Kuri Ama could easily bring in hundreds of thousands in monthly revenue, equivalent to an A-rank Mission.

As a Chunin, Hazuki's income was fairly considerable, but maintaining the standard of living for two children was still somewhat tight.

After all, prices in Konoha were not low. A bowl of ramen cost dozens of ryo, and there were necessary expenses like ninja tools, explosive tags, soldier pills, and antivenom serum. Many of those were consumables that had to be replaced regularly.

In Xiu's memory, Uchiha Hazuki seemed to rarely buy new clothes for herself, but his and Izumi's clothes filled an entire wardrobe. Whenever the seasons changed, Uchiha Hazuki would buy them new ones.

"Well... whether they're suitable or not depends on what the client says." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward the door on the other side. "Mr. Oda, please come in."

Whoosh...

The side door slid open, and a man in a suit appeared before them.

The man looked to be around forty. His hair was slicked back immaculately, and he wore a small curled goatee and round-framed glasses. Behind the lenses, his narrow eyes gleamed shrewdly.

His gaze swept across Hazuki, Kurenai, and Izumi in turn, and he looked extremely satisfied.

But when his gaze landed on Xiu's face, those narrow eyes suddenly opened wide, bursting with dazzling light.

Then he abruptly turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi and pointed at Uchiha Xiu. "This child... can you sell him to me?"

"Of course not!!!" Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly roared before seeming to realize his lapse in composure. He cleared his throat. "My apologies. Konoha does not traffic people, and he is a Genin of our village—a genius who graduated from the Ninja Academy at six years old. Uchiha Xiu."

"Oh—he's a genius too! From that famous Uchiha Clan?"

The man readily accepted that, snapped his fingers, and pointed at Uchiha Xiu. "One million to be the child clothing spokesperson for our company. How about it, boy~?"

Seeing Uchiha Xiu's utterly baffled expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi introduced the man to the group. "This is Mr. Oda Toru, the client for this mission. He is also the chief designer and a director of Oda Clothing Company."

"Oda?" Hazuki and Kurenai spoke at the same time.

"That name sounds familiar. Isn't there a shop over by the pedestrian street?" Xiu asked.

"Eh~ That's right. It's a branch opened by our company in Konoha." Oda Toru tugged at his goatee, curling its tip around his finger.

Kurenai Yuhi quietly explained from behind Xiu, "Oda is one of the most popular clothing brands right now. The prices are affordable, and whenever I go shopping for clothes, it's usually my first choice."

Uchiha Hazuki nodded. "Mine too."

"Not only that, we also have deep partnerships with several of the Shinobi World's major fashion magazines. I can introduce you to contacts in that field. With your looks, little brother, you only need to shoot a few photo sets each year to achieve financial freedom with ease. Becoming a huge star would be just as easy too~" Oda Toru coaxed enticingly.

"Eh? That does sound nice!" Uchiha Hazuki was somewhat tempted, though this was still something that depended on Xiu's own wishes.

"Wouldn't that expose information?" Xiu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and asked.

"Well... it would only mean showing your face. It isn't exactly encouraged, but it does not violate any rules. The village does not restrict shinobi from having side jobs, and besides, you are not an Anbu shinobi, so you have no requirements in that regard. It all depends on what you want."

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his pipe and considered his words. "But I think you can do it. With your looks and strength, even if you do not enter that line of work, you will become famous sooner or later. It would be better to cash in early."

Uchiha Xiu: "..."

Why was being a shinobi so damn different from what I had imagined?

I wanted to conquer the Shinobi World with my strength, but I had barely graduated and was already debuting on looks alone?

Oda Toru looked at Xiu expectantly. "Well? One million. I'm being very sincere here! That's higher than the endorsement fees of many celebrities! I'm very sincere, you know~"

"That sounds pretty good." Xiu paused abruptly. "But I refuse!"