Was the knowledge learned at the ninja school useful? It could be useful during exams or certain special missions, but when facing those who played with snakes, carried rice, or danced, it was truly useless.
Whether she was listless or not, Ino was at least taking notes. Some people didn't even bother to make a gesture, like the two guys behind her. The leaner one was sprawled on the desk, fast asleep, while his companion, a 1.5-meter-tall, 60kg chubby guy, was constantly munching on snacks.
The sound of "crunch crunch crunch" from his teeth chewing on puffed snacks filled the room. The twenty-seven students and one teacher in the classroom seemed to have grown accustomed to the noise. The chubby guy was enjoying his snacks without a care in the world.
When Ino, sitting in the front row, turned around and stared at him with dead-fish eyes, the chubby guy hesitated for two seconds, then flashed a gentle smile. He even offered her the bag of chips in his hand. As Ino slowly reached out, he solemnly raised a finger, indicating she could only have one chip—no more.
The chubby guy clearly didn't care about classroom discipline. Why was he eating in class? Don't ask—it was all for the sake of training. Ino, who respected the diligent and responsible teacher, moved quietly. She quickly glanced into the chip bag, then overlapped her thumbs, with the left thumb slightly higher than the right, forming a standard "Mi" hand seal.
"Perception!"
The world around her instantly became clearer in her perception. The sound of people breathing, the peripheral glance of Iruka looking their way, the note-passing, doodling, and nose-picking in the classroom—all the information usually filtered out by the brain suddenly flooded in.
Ino had always had some talent in perception. Her sales background made her sensitive to people's emotions, and after her transmigration, the fusion of two souls further enhanced this ability. Ignoring the useless information, she effortlessly used her perception to pick out the largest chip in the bag. Under the astonished gaze of the chubby Choji, she slowly placed it in her mouth and chewed it with relish.
Though it was the largest, it wasn't by much. Most people wouldn't even notice the subtle difference, but for a top foodie like Choji, even without strong perception, his rich experience and intuition allowed him to sense the difference.
"Ah?! You..." Despite being as fat as a pig, Choji, whose family name was "Butterfly," took promises very seriously. Having the largest chip taken away, he felt a pang of heartache, his face twisting in distress.
"You two are so childish, like little kids," commented Nara Shikamaru, who was lying lazily beside Choji, his family name meaning "Deer."
"Hmph, acting all mature. You're only one day older than me," Ino retorted with a slight smirk, flashing a victorious look at the two before turning back to her notes.
It had been three months since her transmigration and memory fusion. As a descendant of the famous ninja clan alliance "Ino-Shika-Cho," it was no surprise that her future teammates for a long time would be these two behind her.
The tacit understanding between teammates should be cultivated early. Who knows? That tacit understanding might just save her life at a critical moment in the future.
Ino was very concerned about her own life.
The previous Ino had only a casual relationship with the two boys behind her. At the age of 12, boys usually played with boys, and girls with girls. It was difficult for a girl like her to get along with these two boys. Their familiarity was more due to their fathers being close, exchanging greetings during festivals and nodding at each other when they met at school.
After Ino transmigrated, she consciously sought to change this situation. Having worked in sales, she didn't need to sell houses, construction materials, or furniture to her peers. By engaging in daily interactions, their relationship naturally grew closer.
The three were heirs to their respective families—Ino-Shika-Chō, each distinct and separate. If one family were to merge with another through marriage or other means, the foundation of their alliance would collapse. Romantic feelings were impossible; their families would never allow it. This made it convenient for Ino to build relationships with them without any misunderstandings. Now, the three shared a simple friendship.
Shikamaru, with his high IQ and strong sense of caution, was a top-tier smart person. Ino didn't go out of her way to please him, so their relationship remained neutral, slightly better than that of classmates.
After Ino promised to introduce a pretty girl to the chubby Chōji, they became good friends. Facing countless protagonists across the multiverse, she could proudly say that she had a chubby best friend from the very start.
Dealing with a chubby kid, especially a young one, Ino had her methods. Eating and drinking together to build rapport was a timeless strategy.
She said, "Let's go eat barbecue after school. I heard Yakiniku Q is offering a 10% discount today."
Chōji's eyes lit up with excitement, and he slammed the table. "Really? Are you treating?"
When it came to treating, Ino felt a bit uneasy. She was practically broke. The previous Ino had spent most of her money on clothes and shoes, leaving her with little to spare. Plus, Chōji could eat a lot—twenty plates of barbecue in one sitting. She was worried about her wallet, but she couldn't back out now.
"Hehe, my treat, my treat," she chuckled awkwardly. While Chōji was lost in his daydreams about the delicious barbecue, she whispered to Shikamaru, "Hey, I might be a bit short on cash today. Can you help me out later?"
Shikamaru glanced at Chōji out of the corner of his eye. "My allowance has already been eaten up by this guy."
Ino and Shikamaru sighed in unison. Having a chubby best friend had its downsides—he could eat way too much.
Mentioning money, Shikamaru lost his desire to nap. The Ino-Shika-Chō families were renowned in the ninja world, and now they were among the top clans in the village. Their families weren't poor, but as kids, their allowances were limited, and they were personally broke. Chōji's stomach was like a bottomless pit—always eating or on the way to eat. Shikamaru's allowance had been completely devoured, and now he was unusually serious.
He asked, "We can't take on missions yet, and our allowances are limited. Do you know any ways to make money?"
As someone who had been jobless and struggling to find a place to live just three months ago, Ino casually replied, "Rent out unused houses?"
She paused, surprised by her own words, and Shikamaru also started thinking seriously.
"Do you have any vacant houses?"
"Your family has one too?"
The two exchanged glances again, both thinking, "Huh? This idea seems feasible!" They didn't own houses themselves, but their families did.
Konohagakure had endured three Great Ninja Wars, and the cost of victory was the loss of numerous shinobi. The Ino-Shika-Cho clans had many members who had perished in the wars, leaving numerous houses vacant for years. Renting them out wouldn't be a difficult task.
Now, in a time of peace, not all villagers were shinobi. Civilians, merchants, blacksmiths, and monks all had housing needs, so there was a market for rentals.