Naruto: The Scientific Ninja

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Chapter 57: Ninja Loan

"Jonin Mitokado, I came to exchange ninjutsu and some supplies, not for the summoning beast," Sasuke explained directly, adding that Torifune had advised him that the training cycle for a hawk was too long and not cost-effective.

"Sasuke, you don't know how powerful they are. They are high-level flying beasts. If you let this opportunity pass..." Mitokado Takashi insisted, describing how difficult it was to acquire a batch of hawks like that.

"My merit points are very limited," Sasuke repeated.

"If you don't have points, it's easy. You can buy them with money," Takashi suggested, offering him the possibility of buying all the points he wanted at a 30% premium.

"What? A 30% premium?" Sasuke exclaimed, even though he knew that points were a scarce and valuable commodity. Still, would Takashi be so kind? There had to be a conspiracy.

"If you don't have money, it's easy too. You should have heard of ninja loans, right?" Takashi said, revealing his true objective.

"Ninja loans?" Sasuke's gaze sharpened, a hint of killing intent rising in his heart.

"Sasuke, think about it," Takashi whispered, his voice smooth. "I have a special channel. The interest is the lowest, only ten points monthly rate."

"We'll talk about that later. First, I'll exchange the ninjutsu."

"Alright, I'll do it right away," Takashi said, a little disappointed, but not giving up.

Sasuke ignored his attempts to sell him expensive jutsu and quickly chose some practical ones: for himself, C-rank Water Clone and Water Stream Whip, and B-rank Water Dragon Bullet. For Tekudo, B-rank Earth Flow Wall, and for Chomi, a secret scroll on Yang Release and a low-level medical ninjutsu. This completely exhausted the points they had accumulated.

"Sasuke, don't you want another A-level ninjutsu?" Takashi insisted. "Look at this Great Waterfall Technique. Before, it required three S-rank mission records. Now, in wartime, it only needs one."

"Only one?" Sasuke was surprised, realizing that the village was relaxing restrictions to create stronger fighters in the face of escalating war. He pointed to another jutsu. "I think this Shadow Shuriken Clone Technique doesn't have many exchange points. I want to exchange it, but unfortunately, it's not enough."

Takashi expected that line and immediately recommended the Ninja Loan again. Under his continuous persuasion, Sasuke pretended to be mesmerized and finally took out a loan for 1.5 million ryo to buy a large number of points. He not only exchanged for the Shadow Shuriken Clone Technique, but also the hawk summoning beast and a high-level summoning scroll.

"Sasuke, you'll be a jonin soon. This 1.5 million isn't that much. Come on, sign."

"What? You also need my property and my family's fish market as collateral!" Sasuke suddenly exclaimed.

"How can we not use collateral? What if you die on the battlefield? You wouldn't want to default on the debt, would you?" Takashi smiled.

"Yes, what if I die?! My family will be homeless!" Sasuke feigned sudden enlightenment, panicking. "No, I must pay off the loan right now."

"Sasuke, don't worry, you can pay it whenever you want."

"Alright, I'll borrow the money now."

Sasuke took his team and hurriedly left. Ryo, worried, warned him about angering a Mitokado, but Sasuke explained that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy merit points. Tekudo offered to cover the debt with the 3 million ryo he was carrying, but Sasuke told him to wait; he had to put on a show first.

He borrowed less than 100,000 ryo from colleagues with whom he had a good relationship, such as the gate guards. Then, he went to see a ninja named Mimura Yejuan, to whom he sold the 10,000 kilograms of salted dried fish he had stored for almost a million ryo. Finally, he borrowed 500,000 ryo from Tekudo, gathering the money with ease.

Just as he arrived at the entrance of the logistics department to pay, a figure in a green jumpsuit with bushy eyebrows ran towards him. It was Might Duy, Konoha's "Eternal Genin."

"Sasuke," he said, his voice filled with genuine concern, "I heard you were borrowing money. What difficulties did you have? I still have 2,355 ryo here. You can use them for an emergency."

Duy pulled out a handful of crumpled bills and pressed them into Sasuke's hand.

"Duy... you gave me all your money. What will you eat tomorrow?" Sasuke joked, feeling deeply moved by the act of pure kindness from one of the village's most ridiculed yet purest ninjas.