"Sigh, my wallet's flat again," Ebara groaned, staring at his empty wallet.
Ninja Academy pay wasn't great—3,000 ryo, barely enough for his antics.
That barbecue with Dai ate up a tenth of his salary.
"Dai, that glutton. Never treating him again," Ebara muttered. "No matter the world, no money means no way."
Stuffing his wallet back, he trudged home, dejected.
Two steps in, a figure darted out, colliding with him.
"Sorry," the figure said.
About Ebara's age, wearing a headband with three slanted rain lines—a ninja from the Hot Water Village, same as Hidan.
"No biggie," Ebara said, waving it off.
"Thanks for being cool about it," the ninja said, a sly glint in his eye. "I'll head out."
Ebara was about to nod when two options popped into his mind.
[Option 1: Let the thief go! Reward: 3 mental attribute points!]
[Option 2: Beat him up and take back your wallet! Reward: 50 chakra points!]
What the hell!
Ebara's hand shot to his pocket.
The wallet he'd just stashed was gone.
The ninja's face twitched as Ebara reached for his pocket.
He turned to bolt.
"Stealing my wallet? You're done for!" Ebara roared.
No nonsense—his hands flew through seals, completing a jutsu in three seconds.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Bullet!"
A blast of wind roared toward the ninja.
Caught off guard by Ebara's speed, the ninja couldn't dodge.
He was barely a genin, resorting to petty theft because of his weak skills.
The wind hurled him into the air, spinning him before he crashed with a thud.
His body felt like it was falling apart, pain unbearable.
His client said the target was slow and easy to rob.
This was nothing like he'd expected!
The thief wailed inwardly.
"You little punk," Ebara growled, planting a foot on his chest. "I'm so broke I'm practically pawning my underwear, and you try to kick me while I'm down?"
"I'll give it back! Let me go!" the thief pleaded, quickly handing over Ebara's wallet.
"Wait, it's short ten million," Ebara said without glancing at it.
"o((⊙﹏⊙))o???"
The thief's jaw dropped.
Did he just rob a bandit?
Ten million, just like that?
"Big bro, I didn't even touch the wallet yet!" he cried.
"You thieves are quick," Ebara sneered. "Snatching my wallet without me noticing? Taking ten million would be a breeze."
The thief was dumbfounded.
"Bro, do you know how much ten million is?" he said. "Even with the Fire Country's largest 500-ryo bills, that's 20,000 notes. Each weighs 1.15 grams, so that's 23,000 grams—46 pounds. You think your tiny wallet can hold 46 pounds of cash?"
Ebara blinked, stunned.
He hadn't expected the thief to calculate so fast, down to the weight.
"Damn, you're good at math," Ebara said.
"No choice. Did too many assignments for others… cough, I mean, I was a top student back in school," the thief said.
"Cut the crap. Spill it," Ebara snapped.
"I'm serious! I've got a 'Top Student' certificate from the Hot Water Ninja Academy!"
"Bullshit. I invented the 'Top Student' award. There's no such thing in Hot Water!" Ebara retorted.
"You're that freak… I mean, the great teacher Ebara!" the thief gasped.
"You know me?" Ebara said, smug.
Even Hot Water ninjas knew him?
No hiding his brilliance, no matter how low-key.
Too outstanding, what could he do?
Hearing Ebara confirm it, the thief's face twisted with rage and nausea.
Two days ago, he'd copied ninety disgusting code translations overnight, gagging the whole time.
By the end, he felt like a husk.
Most of his missions were tied to Ebara.
He'd been dying to meet him.
Today, he finally did—by accident.
"I know you too well," the thief growled through gritted teeth.
"Didn't know I was that famous," Ebara said, grinning. "Not bad."
The thief wanted to punch that smug face.
Ebara's expression hardened. "Famous or not, I'm not letting you off. Hand over my ten million!"
"Didn't you hear me?" the thief said.
"I heard you," Ebara replied. "Didn't expect my wallet to hold ten million. Guess I'm just that awesome."
(ｷ｀ﾟДﾟ´)!!!
The thief's mind exploded with a stampede of curses. Can't you understand human speech?
"Since you won't cough it up, I'll take it myself," Ebara said, rummaging through the thief's clothes.
He found a fancy wallet, far nicer—and heavier—than his own.
Jackpot.
Opening it, he saw nearly 10,000 ryo—over three months' salary.
($ε $ )!
He'd struck it rich!
"This is my wallet," Ebara said, glaring. "Trying to swap it out? Shameless."
He pocketed the thief's wallet, transferred his own money to it, and tossed his old, empty wallet back.
"Bro, that's my wallet!" the thief cried.
A bandit.
This guy was a straight-up bandit.
How could a bandit teach in Konoha?
"You say it's yours? Prove it," Ebara said shamelessly. "Call it. Does it answer?"
"I've got proof," the thief said quickly. "My name's carved inside."
Ebara checked. Sure enough: Ichiro Ginkai.
"That's my name," the thief said, staring daggers.
"Got proof now. What do you have to say?"
"Ichiro Ginkai, huh…" Ebara's eyes turned vicious. "Why'd you carve your name on my wallet? How much you paying me for that?"