Chapter 4: Chapter 4 - Conditions
Upon entering the back, Mikumo was greeted by the sight of her mother preparing riceballs.
"Oh, you're back, good job. Want to help me make riceballs?"
Mikumo shook her head.
"No, I'm going to talk with uncle Sakumo."
Toka's hands paused upon hearing the strange utterance by her daughter.
"Sakumo-san?"
Toka thought for a moment before a light seem to go off in her head.
"Ah, is this about that ninja stuff? You're really serious about huh? Fine, go ahead, see what Sakumo has to say."
Mikumo was a little surprised to be found out by her mom so easily but breathed a sigh of relief regardless.
"Okay, thanks, mom."
Toka just sighed slightly and nodded.
"Don't worry about it, I'll support you in what you want to do, but you need to be sure that this is something you actually want to do. Your dad is looking forward to you taking over the store as well, so you'll need to tell him as well, got it?"
"Yes mom."
Mikumo went back out to the front of the store and looked in the direction of aisle 4. Making her way over, she saw two familiar figures standing next to each other talking when she arrived at the entrance to the aisle.
Sakumo was standing in the middle of the aisle talking with Nikumo. Sakumo noticed Mikumo peeking her head into the aisle and waved her over.
"Over here, Mikumo-chan."
Nikumo looked over as well, an unclear expression was on his face. Although Mikumo didn't know what Sakumo was talking to her father about, but she could guess.
Mikumo guiltily made her way toward the pair.
Nikumo was the first to speak.
"Miku-chan, I hear you want to be a ninja?"
Mikumo gulped nervously before answering her father.
"Yes, I do."
"I see..."
Nikumo didn't say anything else and started contemplating something with his eyes closed. Neither Sakumo nor Mikumo interrupted his thoughts as they both waited to hear what he had to say.
Nikumo soon opened his eyes and knelt down next to Mikumo.
"Does your mother know?"
"Yes, I told her today. She seems okay with it."
Nikumo sighed and then patted Mikumo on the head with a smile.
"I see. Actually if possible I don't want you to become a ninja, but this is my own selfishness. When I was young, I too dreamed of being a ninja, but I didn't have the talent for it. I am also okay with you being a ninja but this is a really delicate time."
Nikumo then stood back up and looked at Sakumo. Sakumo nodded at him as if urging him to continue.
"If you want to be a ninja, then there are two conditions. First, you must get your grandmother Towa's permission. Both your mother and I respect her deeply and it was her wish that our family stayed out of ninja business, so that's your first hurdle."
Mikumo nodded seriously at what her father said, she also knows what her grandma Towa is like from her memories.
"Secondly, you must gain the acknowledgment of Sakumo-san."
Mikumo widened her eyes upon the second condition.
'Gain the approval of a legendary ninja? Why did the difficulty climb so steeply for the second condition?'
Sakumo seemed to read Mikumo's thoughts and chuckled.
"Relax Mikumo-chan, I won't ask you to do anything crazy, but I will gauge your talent in ninjutsu personally. If I deem that you don't have enough talent to survive, then I'm sorry Mikumo-chan, I can only dissuade you from becoming a ninja."
Mikumo relaxed a little upon hearing Sakumo's clarification.
"I see. Okay got it, don't worry Sakumo-san, I won't disappoint you! If I wasn't confident in my own talent I wouldn't have thought to become a ninja in this chaotic time in the first place."
Sakumo was somewhat surprised by the mature words of the little girl in front of him but it didn't phase him as a professional ninja. He then had some anticipation on his face and spoke with a smile.
"I see, then I will look forward to it. Let's see, today is Thursday, I'm still off for another few days. Tomorrow I will take you to a training ground and gauge your potential. If you do well, maybe it'll be easier for you to convince your grandmother as well."
Mikumo nodded in agreement.
"Sounds good. I look forward to it!"
"Alright, I'll intrude no longer, I want to spend some time with Kakashi today. If your talent proves acceptable, you guys will be schoolmates, so I hope you can get along with him at that time."
Mikumo nodded happily.
"Of course, Sakumo-san! I also look forward to meeting Kakashi-kun."
"Alright, have a good day Mikumo-chan, Nikumo, I'll see you next time."
"Yep, thanks for your patronage. See you again. Also...thanks for this, Sakumo."
Nikumo patted his head shyly but had a wide smile on his face nonetheless.
"No problem, what are friends for? Ah, but since I'm helping you out, you won't mind giving me a discount on the Chakra induction paper, do you?"
Nikumo was a little stunned by Sakumo's teasing before laughing.
"Hahaha, you can have them, on the house! This brings your total to...2050 ryo."
Sakumo chuckled and waved his hand.
"It's okay, it was just a joke, I'm not so poor that I have to be stingy on supplies. Here, the original total."
Sakumo took out some money from his wallet and placed it in Nikumo's hand swiftly before he could reject it.
"Okay, I'll come by the store to pick up the little miss tomorrow afternoon, alright?"
"Yeah, got it."
"Yes, Sakumo-san. I'm looking forward to it!"
Sakumo nodded at Mikumo's firm response.
"Oh yeah, make sure you bring some training clothes. Something breathable and not too fluttery."
"So, no skirts?"
"Heh, indeed. No skirts. Spats or shorts are preferred for kunoichi."
"Okay, now you have to accept me Sakumo-san, or else you'll owe me a refund for the wardrobe I have to buy!"
Sakumo couldn't help but laugh at the absurd statement.
"I hope tomorrow goes well as well, or else I'll actually have to start being stingy on supplies."
After joking together, Sakumo left the store with his bag of supplies and food he bought.
Mikumo went back to helping her mom in the kitchen while her father manned the front of the store. It was another harmonious day in the Kashima general store.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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