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"Underground money exchange? What are you planning to do?" Shinichi stared at Hirito with narrowed eyes.
"Shinichi-sensei, isn't it obvious?" Hirito replied matter-of-factly. "It's a money exchange. Naturally, I want to check the bounty list and see if there's a suitable target."
"That way, I can train myself and earn some money at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone."
Shinichi gave Hirito a helpless look. He realized Hirito's way of thinking was very… ninja-like.
He hadn't wanted Hirito and the others to get involved in the dark and bloody world of bounty hunting so soon, but to his surprise, Hirito had brought it up himself.
"You shouldn't be short on money, right?" Shinichi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"Who ever thinks they have too much money?" Hirito said with a grin. "Besides, Shinichi-sensei, you've visited the underground money exchange before, haven't you? And earned a nice reward?"
Shinichi sighed. "What are you implying?" He gave Hirito a deadpan look. "Are you trying to make a fortune off your teacher?"
"Ho ho ho..." Hirito laughed awkwardly.
"Sensei, you're overthinking it," he added quickly.
"It would be more convincing if you didn't say that while smiling," Shinichi retorted. "Especially when you can see everything with those Byakugan of yours."
"…"
After some lighthearted banter, they returned to the serious topic.
"The underground money exchange is a dangerous place, Hirito. It's a mix of all sorts, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to get involved with that side of things too soon," Shinichi said, his tone more serious now.
"But things don't always go the way we want, do they?" Hirito responded truthfully. "It's better to gain experience now, under your guidance, rather than learn on the battlefield when it's too late."
"You're still young. There's a chance you might not even have to go to the battlefield," Shinichi said, pausing for a moment. "Even if you do, I won't let you be on the front lines."
"Well… who knows?" Hirito said quietly. "I just want to control my own destiny."
"I don't want to die in some random corner of the world. There are still so many beautiful things left to experience."
Shinichi looked at Hirito, who suddenly sounded a bit more emotional. His face remained expressionless as he slowly reached out his finger and snapped it with a soft snap.
"There's really no arguing with you…"
"We'll wait until Minato and Nonō are done with their training. After all, you're a team, and you'll need each other's support."
Most instructors would have outright rejected such a request. But Shinichi wasn't like most instructors, and Hirito wasn't like most Genin.
Shinichi reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a small booklet, flipping through it quickly.
"Let's see… Harajuku Street… the nearest underground money exchange..."
After a few moments of searching, Shinichi pointed to a location on the map.
"Found it."
Half a day later, Shinichi's body suddenly trembled as his Shadow Clone was released. Minato and Nonō returned as well, both of them having learned the ninjutsu they were assigned. Now, they needed real combat experience to master it.
"Alright, let's go," Shinichi said. "I'll take you somewhere."
The group arrived at an old, run-down izakaya. Four ordinary-looking young people entered—it was Shinichi and the others, disguised using the Transformation Technique.
"Shinichi-sensei, aren't we too young to be drinking?" Minato's transformed voice sounded rough and hoarse.
"I know," Shinichi replied. "Don't say anything once we're inside."
They followed him into the izakaya, immediately assaulted by an overwhelming mixture of unpleasant smells.
The stench of alcohol, cigarettes, and body odor blended together, creating a pungent and revolting atmosphere.
With a quick glance, they noticed there were nine people in the izakaya, scattered around the room. The patrons eyed Shinichi's group with various expressions—some playful, some scrutinizing, others outright malicious.
"They're not ordinary people…" Minato thought, his body tensing as he subtly observed them.
Nonō and Minato exchanged a glance. The others in the room all looked dangerous. They were armed, their eyes filled with malice, like wolves waiting to strike.
Shinichi paid them no mind. He walked straight up to the bartender, who was casually wiping an already-clean glass. The bartender didn't say a word, just stared at Shinichi with a cold, calculating gaze.
"This place doesn't feel like a regular izakaya," Minato muttered, his sense of unease growing.
Ignoring the bartender, Shinichi turned toward a wall in the corner. With a slight push, a hidden door slid open.
"A secret door…" Nonō noticed that once the door was revealed, many of the hostile gazes from the other patrons faded away.
She also glanced at Hirito. "Hirito seems familiar with this place, but his expression when the door appeared… Is this his first time here too?"
Once inside, they found a large, dimly-lit space. The low lighting gave the impression that the people who frequented this place preferred to remain in the shadows.
Nonō's nose twitched. Something smelled… off.
It was the unmistakable scent of corpses.
Some smelled of decay, while others had the fresh, metallic scent of blood.
Where were they?
"Welcome, newcomers!" a sneaky voice suddenly greeted them. A man with triangular eyes and a greasy smile stepped out from the shadows. His presence made everyone feel like they needed a bath.
"Stop with the nonsense and show me the bounty list," Shinichi demanded coldly, cutting the man off.
Unbothered, the bald man motioned for them to follow.
They approached a counter where the bald man pulled out a small book.
"Are you looking for something specific, or should we filter the options for you?"
"Bounties under 30 million ryo, in the Land of Fire," Shinichi replied.
After a brief search, the bald man handed over a booklet.
"Here you go. All the current bounties."
Shinichi flipped through the pages quickly, and soon he found what he was looking for.
"Hanara—Chūnin-level strength, a bloodthirsty wandering ninja."
He closed the booklet and handed it back to the bald man before turning to leave with his team.
After leaving the area, the four of them dispelled the Transformation Technique and returned to their original appearances.
"Shinichi-sensei, what was that place?" Nonō asked, unable to hide her discomfort. "It felt… oppressive."
"It's the underground money exchange," Shinichi explained. "It's where rogue ninjas and wandering ninjas take jobs. Most of them are for assassination, theft, or other criminal activities…"
"In short, it's a black market."
"And our target is this man—Hanara."
(End of the Chapter).
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