When Folken entered the game, he received a beginner's gift pack. Randomly opening it, he got the Surgical Fruit, which allowed him to be fearless of seawater. Now, only one beginner task remained: buy a house.
Requirement: At least 50 square meters, within Konoha Village.
Konoha Village was a prime location. In all of the Land of Fire, every inch of land was precious. Safety was a given over the years, even if someone like Uchiha Madara attacked, the Hokage always handled conflicts outside the village.
The village's land was second only to the capital of the Land of Fire in value.
Houses came with permanent residency rights, but no land ownership contract. Even in the village's outskirts, prices were steep: 60,000 ryō per square meter. Folken had his eye on a plot closer to the village center, priced at around 80,000 ryō per square meter. With his 4 million ryō, he could just afford a 50-square-meter single apartment.
Walking along the ninja academy road, Folken calculated prices and wondered if he would lose rewards if he sold the house later. If selling wiped out the reward and the task didn't reset, it would be a huge loss.
Permanent residency rights did not cover destruction due to war or natural disasters. If, after years of hard work, your shop or house was destroyed by a giant monster, the village would offer no compensation. That was infuriating.
Finally, in the school hallway, Folken reached the classroom door of Grade 5, Class A.
With a loud creak, the door swung open. Uchiha Mikoto was half-asleep at her desk, while Noroi Nono maintained alertness but looked like a quiet person on the edge of snapping. Folken entered, and Mite Dai immediately raised his hand:
"Folken! You're here!"
"Yeah, I'm here," Folken nodded in response. His voice stirred Uchiha Mikoto from her drowsy state. As she wiped her drool, ready to unleash her high-class temper, her dark eyes were struck by a radiant force of justice: Folken's presence.
Ah~ so dazzling~ what light is this~!
His body, sculpted through long training, displayed nearly perfect muscle definition. Sweat dampened his short shirt and shorts, revealing glimpses women would admire. His youthful face was exquisitely refined.
Uchiha Mikoto's eyes sparkled with a dreamy haze. If Noroi Nono didn't speak up, Mikoto might already be imagining a wedding night hand-in-hand with her teacher, entering the Uchiha estate, her home, celebrating a perfect marriage.
"You're Folken?! So slow! Other teachers have already finished picking up students hours ago. You come strolling in now. Truly a Genin!" Noroi Nono, not a lovesick girl but a practical orphan concerned about her future, spoke with sharp pragmatism, valuing a competent teacher.
Folken's expression was faintly serious, with a subtle smile that suggested slight helplessness, more like a polite smirk. It didn't detract from his handsomeness.
"The teacher had some matters to attend to, so was delayed," he explained.
"I knew it! Folken must've had some trouble," Mite Dai chimed in to defend him. He didn't want his team to fall apart before even starting.
He then realized the dark-eyed girl's intense glare, like a pit of black abyss, was directed at him.
"You seem… pretty familiar with this Folken," Noroi Nono said.
"A few encounters. We've discussed training matters," Folken replied calmly.
"Alright," Folken cut off their chatter. This wasn't the time for socializing. He pointed to the ceiling: "Let's go to the rooftop. We can talk properly there."
Noroi Nono pouted, ready to complain more. But noticing that the girl who should be the angriest Uchiha Mikoto was drooling at the sight of Folken, she covered her face, feeling her moral front collapse.
If Mikoto didn't lead the disturbance, how could a middle-rank orphan like her dare defy the Hokage's arrangements?
The Rooftop of the School Building
Opening the stairwell door, Folken led the way, followed by one lovesick girl, one sulking girl, and one awkward boy.
The rooftop was serene, adorned with flowers and green plants on either side. Butterflies and insects flitted about, complementing the peaceful setting.
"Yo~ Folken, long time no see," a familiar voice called.
On the rooftop's railings and stairs stood Shinnosuke, a handsome black-haired young man, and seated on the steps, the three students of Class 11 Ino-Shika-Cho trio turned their heads to look.
"Shinnosuke. Long time no see," Folken replied, surprised to encounter a classmate here. Six years had passed Shinnosuke had entered the academy at four, graduated at ten, and was now a Jonin. And Folken…
"I've covered my second-class responsibilities. You guys can have this spot," Shinnosuke said.
"Everyone, though this is my first time leading a team, you can rest assured I will guide you properly."
"Tomorrow morning, meet me at Training Field 76. We'll run a survival combat drill. Get a good night's rest."
"That's all."
"Yes!" x3
Shinnosuke quickly finished giving instructions without bragging about his S-rank and A-rank missions. Below, black-haired Ha, blond-haired Yamanaka Taiji, and deep red-haired Akimichi Yumi nodded with curiosity, watching the arrival of Class 11's team leader Folken.
"Ha, he's so handsome~!" Yumi whispered to Ha as Folken passed by. Ha sighed internally handsomeness couldn't fill the belly, after all.
No denying it, Folken was extremely attractive. Compared to Shinnosuke's good looks, Folken's was almost divine, as if molded meticulously by a master sculptor over days.
"Alright, let's head back. We need to buy ninja gear for tomorrow's survival exercise."
Yamanaka Taiji nodded. On the way, he noticed Akimichi Yumi frozen in place, captivated by Folken's charm. Ha quickly pulled her along to avoid embarrassment.
Shinnosuke observed the scene with a polite smile but inwardly fumed.
"I'm handsome too, you know!"
"Isn't it just a better-looking face?!"
Folken, seeing Shinnosuke hadn't moved, stayed silent and positioned himself on the open right side of Shinnosuke, looking at Mikoto, Noroi Nono, and Mite Dai.
"Let's start with self-introductions. Share your dreams, future goals, favorite foods anything you like."
"Shouldn't the teacher go first?" Noroi Nono asked with a cheerful smile.
Mikoto nodded in anticipation. Mite Dai scratched his cheek nervously. Just as Folken was about to speak, Shinnosuke stepped forward and introduced him.