Everyone, Let Go! I'm Going Dark!

Kakashi had just stepped out of the Hokage Building when he realized Naruto had vanished.

I'm so tired...

This team is so hard to manage!

They had not even left the village yet, and things were already like this. Kakashi did not dare imagine what might happen after they left Konoha.

"Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke tilted his head to indicate that he did not know. Sakura thought for a moment, then pointed at the Hokage Building and said uncertainly,

"I think I saw Naruto turn back just now."

"Maybe he went back to find the Third Hokage?"

Kakashi looked up at the sky, utterly exhausted in both body and mind.

He seemed to understand how his teacher had felt back then.

And Naruto was even harder to handle than Obito...

While reminiscing about his best friend, Kakashi led the other two back into the Hokage Building.

Then...

They saw Naruto arguing with a little old man.

"You old bastard, are you looking for trouble?"

"I already told you, I'm a genin from Konoha!"

"I can take your mission!"

"The price is already more than fair!"

Naruto had nearly lost his temper and taken out his own client first.

He had politely run over and called the man Grandpa just moments ago.

Yet this old bastard had no appreciation for kindness. With a wave of his hand, he had told Naruto to go somewhere cool and stay there.

He had even muttered about how children should stop coming here to make trouble.

Fine. Fine. Fine.

Naruto had not worn his Ninja Headband on his forehead, so that was his fault.

But when he took it out to show the old man, the old bastard had not even looked directly at him once. His gaze had stayed fixed on the chunin and jonin around the hall.

"How much would it cost to hire you?"

Tazuna had finally had enough of the child and casually asked the question. His eyes kept darting toward the mission board as he calculated how much money he had on him.

As someone who had consistently failed ninja theory, this question completely stumped Naruto.

Even though he had watched Naruto in his previous life, he had no idea how much it cost to hire a ninja, much less how much it would cost to hire Team 7.

He recalled the mission the Third Hokage had just assigned Team 7...

20 million ryo = C-Rank Mission

That might have been a little exaggerated, but asking for one-tenth of that should not be too much, right?

Without thinking, Naruto shouted a price of 2 million ryo at Tazuna.

The old bastard could afford one-tenth of the price no matter what, right?

The moment Tazuna heard that number, his face turned blacker than the bottom of a pot.

2 million ryo!?

Why the hell didn't you just rob me?!

All the money on him did not even add up to 300,000 ryo!

He immediately waved at the brat in front of him, telling him to disappear from his sight at once.

One thought the price he had named was perfectly fair, while the other thought he was being fleeced as an Outsider. And so, they started arguing in the middle of the hall...

"Go, go, go!"

"You kid are obviously just here to cause trouble!"

"I'm only here to post an escort mission, and you open your mouth asking for 2 million ryo??"

"Are Konoha's ninjas made of gold or something?!"

Naruto was truly furious with this old bastard.

Not only had he been lured away by Konoha's ninjas using underhanded methods today, but now even the quest NPC would not properly give him a mission.

The fact that he had not shouted "Skip" when he first saw Tazuna was already giving the man plenty of face!

How could he not be angry when the mission was right there, yet he was not allowed to do it?!

What Naruto did not know was that he had casually named the reward for an S-Rank Mission.

"I think you came to Konoha just to pick a fight!"

Naruto immediately pulled out a Diamond Sword from the system, waved it around, and pointed it at the other man as he roared. He looked ready to rush forward and chop him down the very next second.

"Naruto, calm down!"

"Calm down first! Talk it out properly!"

Seeing the situation getting worse, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki immediately rushed over. One wrapped both arms around Naruto's waist while the other grabbed his hand. It took a great deal of effort to hold the child back.

They were genuinely afraid that the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki would hack a client to death in the Hokage Building.

But they were also truly puzzled...

Where did this kid get so much strength?

"You two uncles, don't stop me!"

"How is asking for 2 million ryo in mission pay too expensive!?"

Kotetsu Hagane: ...

Izumo Kamizuki: ...

The two of them were instantly stunned when they heard the amount.

No wonder the man had immediately started cursing.

Was it really okay to ask an old man for the reward of an S-Rank Mission?

"Um..."

"Naruto, is it possible that this 2 million ryo you asked for really is a little too high?"

After a moment of silence, Kotetsu Hagane finally spoke up with a complaint.

"Impossible!"

"The Third Hokage just gave us a C-Rank Mission. We get 20 million ryo just for leaving the village and having fun for a month."

"I already asked for ten times less!"

"How is that excessive!?"

The two fell silent again upon hearing about Team 7's mission to leave the village.

Because they had contributed money to it too...

After all, who did not have a few relatives who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy?

Hearing the person involved suddenly bring it up was honestly rather awkward.

And besides...

Did this kid have some kind of misunderstanding about mission rewards?

Did he even understand what 20 million ryo meant?!

It had taken hefty donations from the Hyuga clan, along with contributions from more than 300 ninjas and over 1,000 Villagers throughout Konoha, to raise those 20 million ryo.