Freelancer in the Ninja World

A lush forest stretched all around, and Uzumaki Senshi strolled along at a leisurely pace. As he walked, he opened his system menu.

"Time for a ten-pull!"

[1000 Commission Points deducted! Remaining points: 21]

[Drawing…]

[Congratulations, you have received:]

• 10 Shuriken

• 2 Kunai

• 20 Military Rations Pills

• Earth Release Chakra Level +1

• Lightning Release Chakra Level +1

• 10 Explosive Tags

• +2 chakra bars

• New Jutsu: Lightning Release: Lightning Burial

• 5 Shuriken

• 1 Kunai

Senshi frowned at the results. It felt like a total rip-off.

What kind of junk is this? Seriously? Lightning Burial—that's practically a suicide jutsu! Damn it, give me a refund!

Shaking his head in disgust, he shifted his attention to the small girl slung over his shoulder—Karin—and began thinking about what to do with her. She looked around ten years old, not yet the feisty young lady she would become. Despite her age, she was clearly sharp. Senshi could tell she'd actually been awake for a while but, likely uncertain about her situation, had chosen to play possum. Of course, with someone of Senshi's caliber, that little trick wasn't going to do much.

After walking for a bit, he stopped, smiling faintly with an almost lazy air.

"Karin, sweetie, how long do you plan to keep pretending to sleep?"

Startled, Karin didn't hesitate. She sprang up, placing both hands on Senshi's shoulder and shoving off, trying to break free. Too bad the next instant found her dangling in midair, held by the back of her collar as though she were a kitten. Realizing the huge gulf between her abilities and his, Karin stopped struggling and let him hold her there.

Seeing her settle down, Senshi put her on the ground and squinted at her.

"So, what's your plan?"

Karin just turned her head away, refusing to speak. Senshi found her little display both amusing and exasperating. He knew she really didn't have anywhere to go: her mother was deceased, leaving her alone with no meaningful place to return to. Plus, considering she'd been kidnapped—if she went back now, those same people would likely just come for her again. Though it was obvious he wasn't part of that group, she still didn't know who Senshi really was.

As Senshi resumed heading toward the Amegakure, Karin followed silently behind. He expected her to ask where they were going, but interestingly, she kept quiet.

They traveled on for some time. When Senshi noticed the sun edging toward the horizon, he began looking for a place to make camp. Karin had spent the entire journey secretly observing Senshi. Seeing his bright red hair and sensing that familiar chakra, she guessed he was also a descendant of the Uzumaki clan—but that alone wasn't enough for her to trust him completely.

When Senshi started scanning the area, Karin thought to herself,

So he's looking for a spot to spend the night? But this forest doesn't seem to have any good camping spots.

Karin was clever, with strong observation and sensory abilities. After a moment, she realized what he intended. Sure enough, Senshi made his way into a wooded area, and Karin hurried to keep up. This was the wilderness, after all—there could be bears or other dangerous creatures roaming around.

In fact, in the original storyline—assuming nothing changed because of Senshi's arrival—Karin had indeed once run into a bear during a test. Now, trekking alongside Senshi through the forest, she soon saw he confidently located a small stream filled with fish and shrimp, with plenty of dry wood nearby—enough to build a temporary shelter or use for fire. There was fresh water, food, and fuel. Put them all together, and you'd be set for a comfortable campsite.

While Karin looked on in astonishment, Senshi drew a ninja blade. Though he didn't have Kamui's space-time storage, he did have his system's inventory. That's where the blade had come from.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Walking into the woods, Senshi began chopping here and there in a casual yet efficient manner, leaving Karin clueless until the results became clear.

Thump, thump, thump!

Tree sections dropped neatly one after another, some long, some short, each piece apparently cut for a specific purpose. Next, Senshi skillfully stripped bark and wove it into ropes. He tied the logs around the perimeter in a smooth, seamless process. Before long, he had built a snug little shelter with his bare hands—complete with two "rooms" of different sizes and a couple of makeshift beds from dry twigs and straw.

Karin was dumbstruck. Just a single ninja blade, and he'd constructed a functioning cabin! Meanwhile, Senshi was oblivious to just how much he'd impressed her. He simply walked to the stream, musing inwardly:

"If only the system would grant me Wood Release. Then I could just clap my hands and—boom—Wood Release Villa, ready to go!"

Though he'd learned a wide variety of ninjutsu, he hadn't obtained Wood Release. At the water's edge, he didn't bother fishing normally. Instead, he carefully surveyed the creek, formed a series of seals, and pressed both palms down on the ground.

"Lightning Release: Earth Slide!"

In the ninja world, electro-fishing wasn't exactly frowned upon, so he could go all out.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!

Bolts of blue lightning snaked through the water. Fish floated to the surface, stunned by the electricity. Karin stood by, one hand over her mouth in wide-eyed amazement.

So that's how you use Lightning Release?

Senshi gathered up the fish and skillfully gutted and cleaned them. Living the life of a mercenary meant a lot of traveling on foot and camping in the wild, so he had plenty of practice. As he lit a campfire with some dry wood and placed the fish above the flames to roast, he retrieved a small bottle from his tool pouch (really from his system inventory) containing salt and other seasonings. After all, grilling fish or chicken without spices would be far less tasty.

The sky gradually darkened, and Karin settled down by the fire. Having observed him so long, she felt more or less convinced that Senshi posed no threat. Soon after, he handed her a piece of grilled fish.

"Here, eat up. Wouldn't do to let you go hungry, or you'll lose your value."

Karin swallowed a bit of saliva.

Value? Does he plan to sell me?

Still, the aroma of that grilled fish was irresistible—there must have been some special method to his cooking. After a brief hesitation, she took the fish and bit in. To her astonishment, it was the best meal she could remember having. Even in such a rough setting, it tasted amazing: crispy on the outside and juicy inside, with the perfect blend of seasonings.

Senshi, unaware of Karin's internal turmoil, joked as she wolfed down her food:

"You know, I saved you from those kidnappers, and I've been taking care of you all this time. Technically, you owe me a fee."

Karin had been silent almost the entire time, likely shaken by her ordeal. Startled by his comment, she huffed:

"Hmph! I never asked you to rescue me! And whatever those people wanted from me, they would've fed me and kept me safe until they got what they needed. Now that you've taken me away from them, that responsibility falls to you!"

She spoke harshly, but inside she was uneasy. She had no money to pay him, and no way could she afford someone with his skills. She also worried that if he really abandoned her, she'd be stuck in the middle of nowhere, which was seriously dangerous for someone her age.

To her surprise, Senshi just burst out laughing.

"Hahaha… I get it—you're broke, right?"

At that, Karin's cheeks flushed red, embarrassed that he'd guessed her true thoughts so easily.

~~~

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