Orochimaru and Shiranui Riku left the Hokage building together.
At the entrance, Orochimaru turned to him and said, "You'll be accompanying me to the battlefield next, so go make your preparations. Stock up on essential ninja tools, then meet me at the base tomorrow morning."
Riku nodded. "Yes, Master Orochimaru."
They went their separate ways. Riku headed straight to the ninja tool shop and picked up kunai, shuriken, and several explosive tags.
As Riku stepped out of the shop, a flicker of pain crossed his face.
Although he hadn't taken on many missions so far, the ones he had completed were all C-rank. Since Orochimaru never claimed any portion of the commission and Riku rarely spent his earnings, he had saved up a decent amount of money.
At least, that's what he thought.
But after just one visit to the shop… he was broke.
Kunai and shuriken were reasonably priced. The detonating tags, however, were a different story—each one cost about 300 ryō.
Explosive tags had a wide variety of applications. For setting traps alone, he'd need a decent stash. In combat, they could be game-changing—so not having them wasn't an option.
Riku sighed and touched his now-flat coin pouch.
Thankfully, under Orochimaru's wing, he didn't need to worry about food, lodging, or day-to-day expenses.
After leaving the shop, Riku returned to his house.
He needed to check his Witness Points.
Thanks to the recent incident where Hidden Cloud Village ninjas attempted to abduct Uzumaki Kushina, Riku had once again become a direct witness.
[You witnessed the abduction attempt of the key individual Uzumaki Kushina by Hidden Cloud Village ninjas. You are awarded 500 Witness Points. Because the host was directly involved, an additional 800 points have been granted.]
Staring at the point total, Riku took a long breath, and a faint smile curled on his lips.
Compared to the meager 50 points he got from witnessing Kushina's academy entrance, or the 50 from seeing Might Guy's birth, this reward of 1,300 Witness Points was a windfall.
He opened his character panel.
[Character Panel]
Name: Shiranui Riku
Bloodline: Uchiha Clan, Senju Clan
Kekkei Genkai: Dual Tomoe Sharingan
Chakra Level: On par with Kakashi (Sharingan active)
Ninjutsu: E-rank Three Basic Techniques, C-rank Fire Style: Great Fireball
Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Jag-Hang Technique, Sharingan Genjutsu
Taijutsu: Mastery in Shurikenjutsu, C-rank physical techniques
Extra Skill: Thunder Breathing – Full Sword Form
Seeing the stats brought a genuine look of pride to Riku's face. Years of hard work had paid off—he was far stronger now than he'd ever been during his academy days.
But he didn't spend any points.
Even with 1,310 Witness Points, the abilities available weren't particularly useful at his current level. With Orochimaru mentoring him, he already had access to a range of powerful ninjutsu. And purchasing something truly game-changing, like a fully awakened three-tomoe Sharingan, was still far beyond his budget.
"No matter how rich I get, I'm always broke where it counts," he muttered.
He closed the panel and pulled out a scroll from his tool bag. After unlocking its seal, a ninja sword materialized.
It was the sword once wielded by Oyuro.
During their battle, Riku had noticed its exceptional chakra conductivity—suggesting it was infused with chakra metal. He later confirmed it at the ninja tool shop. Although the amount of chakra metal was limited, it was still far superior to the standard katana he'd been using.
The katana he'd traded 10 Witness Points for had become chipped and uneven from constant sharpening after numerous battles. It was time to retire it.
With this new sword, Riku had a far more suitable weapon for what was to come.
He glanced around his sparsely used home. Since getting the place, he'd barely spent a handful of nights there. Originally, he planned to stay the night before heading off to the battlefield, but the dusty bed quickly changed his mind.
Instead, Riku made his way to Uzumaki Mito's residence, intending to let Kushina know he would soon be leaving.
It was Kushina who answered the door.
"You're awake," Riku said, pleasantly surprised.
Kushina's cheeks flushed at the memory of their kiss. She lowered her head shyly and murmured a soft "mm."
"I'll be leaving soon," Riku told her. "Master Orochimaru and I are heading to the Land of Hot Springs for a long-term mission. I might be stationed there for a while."
"What?" Kushina's eyes widened with shock and disappointment.
Riku reached out, ruffling her hair with a gentle smile. "Even if I'm gone for a while, I'll find time to come back and see you."
Kushina pouted slightly. She had been eagerly waiting for him all day. After everything that had happened, she'd cleaned herself up, put on her prettiest clothes, and waited for him to stop by.
She hadn't expected him to leave so soon.
Seeing her expression, Riku added gently, "We still have tonight. Want to go out for a walk?"
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Yes! Let's go right now!"
After getting permission from Mito, the two strolled through the streets of Konoha. Eventually, they wandered into the forest, walking in companionable silence, soaking in the rare peace and happiness.
It wasn't until nightfall that Riku escorted her back home.
At the gate of Mito's residence, Riku said softly, "Konoha's unstable right now. Stay close to Lady Mito and don't wander off. If anything happens, ring the signal bell. I'll come as fast as I can…"
He gave her a long list of instructions. Kushina simply watched his face, listening quietly.
Then, suddenly, she reached out and held his right hand.
Her eyes locked on the bandage wrapped around it.
"It's just a scratch," Riku reassured her with a small smile. "It'll heal in two days. No big deal."
But Kushina's expression turned serious.
Looking him straight in the eye, she declared, "Riku… I'm going to train hard too! I don't want to be a burden to you anymore!"
Riku pulled her gently into his arms and whispered:
"You've never been a burden to me. You're my pride… the reason I fight."