Kakashi didn't want to explain too much to a twelve-year-old. This mission of his was partly official and partly personal, with his friendship with Uchiha Obito being one of the reasons. However, Sasuke was ultimately not Obito.
Naruto had a face that reminded people of others. Tsunade saw him and thought of her younger brother, Sai saw him and thought of Shin, and Obito saw him and thought of his younger self. Many people, upon seeing his back, would think of various relatives, including but not limited to fathers, older brothers, younger brothers, and sons. It was as if Naruto had a constant, weakened version of Kotoamatsukami cast on him, making everyone want to chat with him and reminisce about the past.
Sasuke didn't have this ability, and Kakashi had no intention of making small talk. He simply gestured for Sasuke to follow him.
The two left the hospital and soon arrived at a cave in the village's back mountain.
Kakashi spoke bluntly, "The Shadow of Fire has ordered me to help you awaken your Sharingan. I'm not entirely sure how your clan awakens it, so I can only provide some assistance. If you don't mind, let's get started?"
Sasuke didn't fully trust Kakashi, a stranger, but he was desperate for power and the Sharingan. Being humiliated by Ino, someone he used to look down on, made him eager to awaken his Sharingan immediately.
Kakashi formed hand seals and explained, "I'll briefly explain the process. A portion of the Chakra in your eyes and body has been sealed. I need you to bypass this area, connect with your eyes, and then awaken them directly. To do this, I'll use Genjutsu to stimulate your spiritual energy. My Genjutsu skills are only average, so I'll need your cooperation. Remember, completely relax your body so my Genjutsu can affect you."
Sasuke thought seriously for a few seconds. Perhaps the two were naturally compatible, as he had a certain level of trust in Kakashi. It wasn't a high level of trust, but at this point, he didn't have many options.
"I understand. Let's begin."
Days passed.
Kakashi continued to train Sasuke in awakening the Sharingan, while Ino was fully focused on renting out properties. After obtaining the keys to fifteen vacant houses from the Yamanaka and Nara clans, she began searching for tenants.
What did the Yamanaka Clan do? They were in charge of intelligence work.
Ninjas didn't care much about the lives of civilians, but information about who needed to rent and who had money was readily available. This was one reason why Shikamaru handed the task to Ino and became a hands-off manager. His father was the leader of the Elite Ninja squad and an advisor to the Shadow of Fire, holding a high position but not dealing with such trivial matters.
Ino, based on individual needs and actual family income, made precise moves. After planning for two days, on the morning of the third day, she took her "clients" to view the properties.
"Everyone, look to my left. These three houses here are available for rent. Just look at the location—right next to the commercial district. Do you know the most famous flower shop in Konoha, the Yamanaka Flower Shop? It's located to the northwest of this street. If you walk 120 meters north from here, you'll reach the Ninja Academy. As parents, you surely want your children to receive excellent education and grow up in a safe environment, right? Let me tell you, the teachers at the Ninja Academy all live nearby, and even the weakest among them are Middle Ninja! Just think about it—your children will be taught and protected by Middle Ninjas. Is there any place safer than this in the Land of Fire?"
Ino was eloquent, passionately listing the many benefits of "school district housing."
From commerce to convenience to children's education, she highlighted the value of the properties from multiple angles. When villagers inquired about the rent, she avoided giving a direct answer, only hinting that the rent here was relatively high and that they should be mentally prepared. By the end of the morning, five out of fifteen houses had been rented out.
For her, selling these properties would have brought her even greater profits. Lack of money wasn't an issue—she could provide loans, and even generational loans weren't out of the question. Ino wasn't worried about people defaulting on their payments. Would a few civilians dare to fight with a ninja? Sure, she might not be able to defeat Kaguya Otsutsuki, but she could certainly handle a few civilians. However, she felt it was unnecessary to go that far. Selling houses now would be too unethical.
The Konoha Crush Plan orchestrated by Orochimaru was only about half a year away. By then, the village might not be completely destroyed, but at least several blocks would be devastated by those giant snakes.
During the original "Return to the Mist" incident, Uchiha Itachi and Kisame had merely strolled through the village without causing much trouble. But now, things might be different. Sasuke looked so miserable—what if a butterfly effect occurred?
If Kisame unleashed a massive water prison, half of Konoha could be destroyed again.
After the water prison incident, three years later, the "rice carriers" would arrive. Persuading people to buy houses in a disaster-prone village like Konoha would be downright immoral. Ino had her limits—renting was fine, but buying was unnecessary.
"Ugh! Why can't I make you understand? These houses are for rent only, not for sale!" Several villagers, excited by the convenience of "school district housing," kept clamoring to buy, but Ino firmly refused.
She spent the entire noon trying to explain, but the more she refused to sell, the more determined they became to buy.
Her resolute attitude indirectly proved the value of the properties. Initially, only five houses had been rented out, but by the time she parted ways with the house-hunting group in the afternoon, all fifteen had been rented. One-third of the rent had to be handed over to her clan, and the remaining portion was split, with 40% going to Shikamaru. The amount wasn't huge, but at least it was a stable income. Before Orochimaru caused chaos, the rent could somewhat compensate for her increasingly thin wallet.
After settling the rental matters, she headed to the Nara household to discuss the financial details. However, upon arriving, she learned that Shikamaru had been taken out for training by his family elders.
Wow! Even someone who usually complains about trouble could be so intense when he got serious!
She left a note detailing the rental arrangements and then hurried home. She needed to train as well.
Putting aside other things, Ino had been practicing Water Release these past few days and felt she was close to leveling it up to lv2.
Judging by the Eight Ninja Rules, Ino's stats were already on par with stronger Low Ninjas like Kankuro and Temari. However, in an actual fight, she estimated she still wouldn't be able to defeat Temari.
Temari was a full three years older than her and Shikamaru. While the difference in strength between a 53-year-old and a 50-year-old might not be significant, the gap between a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old was enormous. Temari was naturally skilled in powerful Wind Release Ninjutsu, had specialized Ninja Tools, and even a Summoning Beast. If they were to face off now, Ino stood no chance. Temari had already been a ninja for two years, completed numerous missions, and mastered a wide array of Ninja techniques. Meanwhile, Ino and her peers hadn't even graduated yet. How could they possibly compete? Ino's stats were sufficient, but her repertoire of Ninja techniques was still lacking.
In the original timeline, Shikamaru managed to push Temari to her limits through meticulous planning. That was truly impressive, and one had to admit it.