"Finally, we can get our first paycheck."
Asuma Sarutobi's enthusiasm, which had waned due to boredom, returned.
"Mhm."
Kurenai nodded lightly.
The paycheck needed to be divided among the squad.
She looked at Kiyoshi, who was walking over with their Jonin squad leader.
'Kiyoshi shouldn't be so short of money now' she thought.
To be honest, Kiyoshi asking her for an advance on three months of tutoring fees had nearly emptied her savings.
They said goodbye to the shop owner and headed to the Mission Assignment Desk in the Hokage Tower to submit their mission report.
"This is your payment."
The staff member responsible for missions quickly counted the money and distributed it to them.
Mission work was essentially paid daily, as long as it was completed, you could collect the money on the same day without any delay.
"A little over a thousand ryo..."
Kiyoshi put the money into his pocket.
As it happened, today's mission was just watching a shop—little work for decent pay. Unfortunately, missions like this weren't available every day.
There would likely be no missions available for several days.
A standard D-rank mission paid between five thousand and fifty thousand ryo.
Watching the shop paid exactly around five thousand ryo, which had to be split equally among everyone.
Otherwise, if each person received five thousand ryo, the three squad members plus the Jonin leader would cost twenty thousand ryo total.
And that didn't even account for the village's cut, as they took a platform fee.
D-rank missions were small chores like finding lost pets, babysitting, or even helping farmers harvest crops in the fields. Who would be willing to spend that much money on such things?
Five thousand ryo per mission was already a very high cost.
"Kurenai, want to go to Yakiniku? My treat."
Asuma Sarutobi ran to Kurenai's side, wanting to hold a celebration feast for their first mission.
"Kiyoshi, what about you?"
Kurenai turned to look at Kiyoshi.
"I won't be going."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
Going to Yakiniku would cost at least two or three hundred ryo, and that was just for one meal.
A hardworking Genin, like Rock Lee, had his mission volume for his first year as a Genin recorded in the official data books.
He performed 20 D-rank missions and 11 C-rank missions in a year, earning an income of roughly one hundred and ten thousand ryo.
And this money had to cover not only living expenses but also daily ninja expenditures.
Kiyoshi naturally saved wherever he could, as there were still many places where he needed money.
His ninja tool pouch contained only two kunai, three shuriken, and the ninja sword in the sealing scroll. Aside from that, he didn't even have soldier pills or smoke bombs, let alone other ninja tools.
"Then I won't go either."
Kurenai shook her head.
"Ah, why?"
Asuma Sarutobi scratched his head.
'What does Kiyoshi not going have to do with Kurenai not going?'
'Is it too cold today?'
***
More than ten days passed consecutively. During this period, Kiyoshi performed another D-rank mission.
The rest of the time, he spent training at home.
"Finally, I've mastered the basics."
Kiyoshi refined chakra in his chest cavity, converted it into Fire Release chakra, and then surged it up through his throat.
*Boom!*
An oval fireball, roughly two meters long, erupted from Kiyoshi's mouth, emitting rolling waves of heat.
"Now I can participate in the Chunin Exams."
Kiyoshi thought to himself.
[You have comprehended the Trait: [Apprentice Fire Release Ninja (White)]]
[Trait: [Apprentice Fire Release Ninja (White)]]
[Requirement: Successfully use a Fire Release Ninjutsu once.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: Your talent in Fire Release nature transformation increases by 10%.]
[Note: Can be further advanced later.]
[Advancement Route 1: Integrating with [Chakra Flow: Fire Release (White)] and [Robust Physique (White)] can advance to [Fire Release Genin (Green)]]
This Trait appeared shortly after he began training in Fire Release.
It was from the [Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique] earlier.
Back then, it was at 1% progress. After this period of training, Kiyoshi had already brought it to completion.
The pattern for completing the Trait panel was quite random. Sometimes it directly gave a new Trait, and other times it required continuous effort to meet the requirements and obtain the Trait.
Kiyoshi deduced that most abstract things would directly satisfy the conditions.
However, for things like exercise and training, satisfying the conditions was harder, so there would be a progress bar.
The only clear thing was that amplification Traits corresponding to specific release natures could be obtained just by mastering the basics.
And upon completing the progress of a certain Trait, satisfying the conditions or most conditions would reveal an advancement route.
However, the judgment conditions were somewhat strange, it seemed to be determined based on overall completion.
For example, when completing [Reading Comprehension] and [Basic Memory], it didn't show that the [Early Graduation] Trait was required to advance to [Genius Scholar].
But for the [Apprentice Lightning Release Ninja] Trait, Kiyoshi directly saw the subsequent advancement route, which was to integrate a [Robust Physique] Trait.
"Advancement Route 1 conditions met. Advance?"
A mechanical, synthesized female voice, devoid of emotion, sounded.
"Advance."
Kiyoshi immediately chose to advance.
The apprentice level was obviously insufficient now.
White Traits didn't offer much amplificatin, only green Traits were decent.
After advancement, the white Trait remained but turned gray, as if locked, though its amplification effect persisted.
Almost instantly, the Trait completed its advancement.
[You have comprehended the new Trait: [Fire Release Genin (Green)]]
[Trait: [Fire Release Genin (Green)]]
[Requirement: Reach Genin-level Fire Release chakra control ability.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: Your meridian system will have better adaptability to Fire, increasing by 20% on top of the original foundation.]
[Note: Can be further advanced later.]
[Advancement Route 1: Integrating with [Lightning Release Genin (Green)], [Genjutsu Genin (Green)], and [Medical Genin (Green)] can advance to [Chakra Nature Transformation Master (Blue)].]
"The first blue Trait..."
Kiyoshi's eyes flickered.
The two green Traits weren't without a path, he just needed to advance the two existing white Traits into green ones.
And the conditions for their advancement would likely be related to Yin Release and Yang Release.
"Medical Ninjutsu shouldn't be a big problem, but this Genjutsu..."
Kiyoshi frowned slightly.
Since Nonō Yakushi accepted him as a disciple, she would definitely prepare a complete teaching curriculum.
However, Sharingan Genjutsu also needed to be learned. Only basic Genjutsu like [Genjutsu: Sharingan] relied solely on instinct.
Higher-level ones like [Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique], [Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change], [Izanagi], [Izanami], etc., although exclusive to the Sharingan, still required learning.
These were inheritances. If Kiyoshi relied solely on himself to figure them out and self-study, who knew how long it would take?
From the fact that Sasuke could only use the basic functions of the Sharingan, one could see how difficult it was to lack inheritance and guidance.
From beginning to end, he only knew a basic Sharingan Genjutsu.
If he had learned [Izanagi] beforehand, the outcome of his battle with Naruto at the Valley of the End would have been hard to say.
***
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