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Border of the Leaf Village.
Surrounded by towering trees, a young girl, no more than twelve years old, with dark purple short hair tied up in a small bun at the back of her head, was already dressed in a mesh outfit. Despite her tender age, she was playing with a kunai, a faintly bloodthirsty smile on her face.
"Hehe, Yoru, I didn't expect you to become one of Teacher Orochimaru's students too. It seems you're not just relying on your good looks."
The young Anko Mitarashi, deliberately mimicking Orochimaru, put on a bloodthirsty act, especially when she extended her cute tongue to lick the kunai in a threatening manner, which made Yoru Uchiha smile.
"Akane, are you getting a bit too excited?"
Yoru's words immediately broke the tense atmosphere, and Akane, with her playful and rebellious nature, looked at him suspiciously. "Excited? What do you mean?"
Seeing Akane's innocent and puzzled expression, Yoru narrowed his eyes and pointed to his mouth, whispering, "My mouth is quite cool. You might want to come to me to cool down. It's better than a kunai, isn't it?"
After a moment of shock, Akane's face broke into a smile, but this time it carried a hint of danger, not just an act.
"Hehe, 'Yoru,' you're right. Maybe next time, I'll cool down in front of Kurenai."
With a dangerous smile, Akane quickly changed her demeanor and sneered, "Even though Teacher Orochimaru put us on the same team, I won't protect you during missions."
Anko Mitarashi, one of the Three Great Shinobi Orochimaru's students, graduated from the academy at ten and became a Chunin at twelve, a true prodigy. She naturally looked down on Yoru Uchiha, who only became a Chunin at fourteen.
"Hehe, Akane, don't be so heartless."
Anko Mitarashi, with her eyes narrowed, looked at Yoru, her former classmate and the boyfriend of her best friend, Kurenai Yuhi. She was secretly calculating. Yoru Uchiha was not someone who acted without a reason. She knew exactly how Kurenai had managed to win his heart.
"Yoru Uchiha, don't beat around the bush. You went through great lengths to come to the front lines and become Teacher Orochimaru's student. What are you up to?"
Anko's eyes were scrutinizing him. Despite her playful nature, she still had a ninja's caution.
Seeing Akane's demeanor, Yoru shrugged and shook his head, looking helpless. "Akane, you're so cold. Don't you miss your old classmates at all?"
"Heartless? Who was it that sold their body for a gold necklace from Kurenai?"
Damn!
Hearing Akane's explosive revelation, Yoru's eyes widened, and he threw up his hands in exasperation. "Akane, for old times' sake, I'll give you a chance to make a fortune. One hundred thousand!"
He formed the number ten with his fingers, licking his lips in a smug manner, as if to say, "Look at me, I'm being generous."
"The Third Hokage has regained power, but everyone knows that after the turmoil is quelled, the Fifth Hokage will be chosen. And this Fifth Hokage..."
Yoru paused, giving Akane a knowing look, and her mind started racing.
"You, Yoru Uchiha, are following the Uchiha Clan's orders to get close to Teacher Orochimaru!"
Under Akane's fierce, protective gaze, Yoru shook his head irritably. "You're wrong. I'm following orders to get close to Orochimaru's student. You understand!"
He raised his eyebrows as he said the last three words, and Akane's face turned angry as she slammed her kunai into the wooden post beneath her.
"One hundred thousand! You think I'll agree to this deal for one hundred thousand? You're Kurenai's boyfriend, and Kurenai is my dearest friend! No way!"
Seeing Akane's firm and disdainful gaze, Yoru sneered. "Akane, don't say things lightly. What do you mean, Kurenai's boyfriend? You should add the word 'ex' before that."
Ex-boyfriend? Akane was stunned. Was her plan to extort him ruined? But then she quickly realized something and her lips curled into a smile.
"So, you're a money boyfriend, huh? You're not bad. You know the Uchiha's position is sensitive and that you need to break up with Kurenai."
In this ninja world, maturity comes early, especially after years of war. The foolish ones are already lying in cold graves. As for the protagonist! He's in a different league.
She sheathed her kunai and walked over, looking at him with a haughty expression.
"Three hundred thousand! I'll pretend to let you succeed. When you complete your clan's mission, we'll split the benefits."
Good grief, seeing Anko Mitarashi's outrageous demand, Yoru's eyes widened, and he immediately rejected it. "No way! The clan only gave me three hundred thousand for this mission. Do you expect me to get nothing after all this effort?"
Seeing Yoru's resolute refusal, Akane's lips curled into a victorious smile. She had finally figured out his limits.
"So, it's three hundred thousand, huh? Then I'll take two hundred thousand, and you get one hundred thousand. Deal or no deal?"
Anko Mitarashi looked smug, as if to say, "Do it or not! If not, you get nothing."
"One hundred and fifty thousand! We split it evenly!"
"Hmph! No more talk, or you get nothing."
"Deal!"
In the end, Yoru looked pained, while Anko Mitarashi wore a victorious smile.
However, Yoru, with a dissatisfied and headache-ridden expression, was secretly thinking, "You're a good girl, Akane, but you're still underestimating your own worth.
Just with that identity as Orochimaru's student, you're worth more than that. Tsk, tsk, still thinking like a tool of the ninja world.
Both harboring their own thoughts, one smiled openly, while the other smiled inwardly. Akane would get two hundred thousand without lifting a finger, while Yoru would be able to take a million from the clan. Tsk, tsk, the two hundred thousand the clan provided would be enough.
At this moment, Akane was just a Chunin, and mission rewards were already low during the war, so she was naturally short on funds. As for Orochimaru? Don't even mention it. Research funding is a money-burning machine, and it would be a lie to say Orochimaru wasn't worried about funds.
After all, even in the original story, the Akatsuki bowed to money and became mercenaries to raise funds.
(End of Chapter)