But the system's notifications weren't over yet.
[Hidden mission: Have the nearly completed bridge named after yourself.] [Hidden mission reward: C-rank ninjutsu power boost!]
"Whoa!"
Chiba sucked in a sharp breath.
There wasn't just a sign-in mission; there was a hidden mission too.
It looked like the trip to the Land of Waves was a must.
This sign-in mission wasn't exactly easy for him.
Compared with the previous two sign-in missions, the difficulty had gone up by more than one notch.
There were two targets this time.
One was the Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi, and the other was his follower, Haku.
Both of them had jonin-level strength.
At Chiba's current level, killing them would be a bit troublesome.
And so, he turned his gaze toward Kakashi Hatake.
Yes, the Copy Ninja, Kakashi "Fifty-Fifty" Hatake.
His true strength was unfathomable, and his greatest talent was forcing any fight into an even match.
It didn't matter whether his opponent was a jonin, an Anbu, or a Kage-level powerhouse.
Even against the Progenitor of Chakra, Kaguya Otsutsuki, Kakashi "Fifty-Fifty" Hatake could trade a few blows.
So Chiba wasn't too worried about the fighting.
After accepting the mission, Kakashi Hatake gave them plenty of time to prepare their supplies.
Having completed several missions, Chiba had saved up some money, enough to buy weapons and Military Rations Pills.
These were all essentials for traveling.
He had to pick some good-quality Shuriken.
Otherwise, he really would have to block a massive sword with his body-and the fucking Kubikiribōchō, at that.
"I remember Tenten's family sold ninja tools."
Chiba walked through Konoha, searching for a suitable shop.
"There it is. That name really is straightforward."
Tenten's Ninja Tool Shop.
It seemed Tenten was quite doted on at home.
Well, well. The secret rich girl of the Konoha 12.
Chiba still remembered how, in his previous life, every time he watched Tenten fight, he could practically feel the wealth radiating off her.
She would rain down countless ninja tools at the drop of a hat.
Other people used all kinds of ninjutsu and tactics to defeat their enemies.
But when it came to Tenten, she just buried them in money!
Chiba entered the shop and looked at the dazzling array of ninja tools, feeling almost overwhelmed by the selection.
Knock, knock!
He walked up to the counter and tapped on it.
"Coming, coming!"
A clear, pleasant voice rang out from the room behind the storefront.
"Hello! What can I help you with?"
A pink qipao paired with a short, side-fastened top, traditional hair buns and hairpins, delicate features, and a heartfelt smile-everything about her put people at ease.
"I'm Tenten, the owner of this shop!"
Whoa!
Chiba sucked in another sharp breath. He had still underestimated just how wealthy Tenten was.
He had assumed the owner of this ninja tool shop would be someone in her family, perhaps an elder.
He hadn't expected her to already own a shop at such a young age.
"Uh, I'd like to buy some Shuriken and Kunai."
"As for what I need, they have to be sturdy enough!"
Chiba explained his requirements.
Tenten looked curiously at the boy before her, a little surprised by his request.
"Are you heading out on a mission?"
Chiba nodded and explained:
"Our team leader just accepted an escort mission."
"So I came here specifically to buy some ninja tools."
His words made Tenten even more curious.
"You weren't in my graduating class, were you?"
Chiba saw no reason to hide it and answered directly:
"I just graduated from the Ninja Academy. My name's Chiba."
"I'm currently in Team 7, led by Kakashi Hatate."
Chiba's words made Tenten cry out in surprise:
"You've already taken a C-rank mission?!"
Chiba showed no modesty whatsoever.
"Probably because I'm a genius!"
"Huh?!"
Tenten stared at the boy in surprise, not expecting him to offer an explanation like that.
"Who goes around calling themselves a genius?"
"Besides, I don't think a little rookie who just graduated could be all that strong!"
At Tenten's words, Chiba's smile took on a knowing edge.
"Then, Tenten, why don't we have a match?"
"We can see who's stronger without hurting each other!"
Chiba's proposal was quite tempting to Tenten.
The fact that she had joined Guy's team was proof enough that this girl was fiercely competitive too.
"Fine, you're on!"
"I certainly don't think you're stronger than me!"
With a little coaxing from Chiba, Tenten walked straight into his trap.
"Wait. A match needs a wager to make it interesting."
Chiba motioned for her not to rush.
"How about the loser agrees to one request from the winner?"
Tenten hesitated at the proposed wager.
But resolve soon settled in her eyes.
"I agree!"
Before you continue