Life Is Always Full of Drama, Tayuya's Frustration, and a Strange Mission in the Land of Rain
"Mm," Naruto replied.
He knew this was something Tayuya could say, so he didn't say anything more and simply agreed. What she offered was kind; accepting it was the right thing to do.
Further discussion is pointless; this is both a product of her personality and a result of his own actions. It started with endless debt, and the process wasn't smooth, but he eventually managed to trick her into his arms.
Name your price. Sell me your soul, and I'll pay three times the price.
One thousand. No! I've changed my mind, ten thousand taels! I meant fifty thousand. One hundred thousand taels!
Get out of here! Stop throwing it! Waaah!! There's so much you can't possibly pick it all up! That's my money.
The higher the debt, the greater your obligations, and the greater my rights!
So, I'm really looking forward to the moment when I have complete control over your life!
You wouldn't want to lose 200,000 taels of your savings, would you? Hmm?
No! Don't steal my money!
Five hundred thousand taels! Will you talk or not?
Waaaaah! I told you! I told you everything!
I'm your debtor, I won't restrict your freedom. I never knew you had this kind of hobby—staying home naked?
It's none of your business!
Okay, do as you please.
Let me go!
I'll let you go in a bit, don't move.
I don't want to stay here anymore. I'll pay you back all the money I owe you.
That won't do. This isn't about money; it's not calculated that way.
I was just lying to you! I just wanted to get some food and drink from you.
I know I only gave you money because I like you. It doesn't matter if you lied to me, I don't care. You have many admirable qualities, like being able to install air conditioners; girls who can install air conditioners are super cool.
I... I know more than just these.
Here are some flowers for you.
A girl who has never been cared for suddenly encounters someone who always tries to cheat her out of her life, who smiles and says he doesn't care about money.
Love is not simply about giving; it's about being noticed and cared for. She just doesn't have any particularly outstanding qualities; she's neither considerate nor gentle.
But Naruto still found a good point: he said he liked it, so she believed him. Even something as absurd as installing air conditioning was considered a good point, but at the time she firmly believed it.
She didn't care much about many things, and even after learning about the importance of money, she remained like a blank sheet of paper. She was separated from the world by a barrier, feeling unfamiliar and indifferent.
Unable to comprehend emotions, joy or sorrow, and unable to grasp anything except the little money in their hands.
So she wholeheartedly believed that Naruto, who would play childish debt games with her forever, praise her for being good at fixing air conditioners, and stay with her all Naruto, liked her.
Unnoticed villainous supporting characters are always ignored, but when Naruto's gaze fell on her, the feeling of being cared for made her realize that the world is not always cold.
Eighty million taels of silver couldn't buy her beloved. She never thought of possessing him. As long as he sat on the high platform, there would be people who would travel thousands of miles to love him.
This is the love she gives, and the affection she reciprocates.
As dawn broke, Naruto washed up, bought breakfast, and sat in the living room on the first floor watching TV. The TV programs were more interesting than he had expected, thus adding another hobby to his list.
About an hour and a half later, Tayuya also woke up. She dawdled around in the bathroom on the second floor, and when she saw him watching TV, she slowly went downstairs.
"You're awake?" Naruto looked at her and smiled, his smile growing wider and wider.
"What are you laughing at!" Tayuya looked like a little lion who had just woken up, with all her hair red.
She felt that Naruto must be laughing at her performance last night, mocking her poor health. She didn't know how many times she went to bed during the night, but she struggled to fall asleep.
"It's nothing, cough cough." Naruto immediately stopped laughing and turned his attention to the TV. "Breakfast is keeping warm in the kitchen. Go and eat first."
Tayuya gave him a complicated look, then silently went into the kitchen. When she came out, she placed a glass of water on the table in front of Naruto.
"Thank you," he said, almost bursting into laughter again.
"Laugh if you want!" Tayuya said sullenly. "Anyway, you were just lying to me about us possibly having kids in the future."
"I'm not lying to you," he said without turning his head, continuing to stare at the television.
"Impossible! I've read the book, there's no... without that thing, you can't have a child." Tayuya, biting her lower lip. "You're definitely not giving it to me on purpose."
"Huh???" Naruto was surprised. "How is that possible? Didn't you try it? I wanted to too, but you were too fast."
"Ah! You're not allowed to say that!" Tayuya wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground.
In the following days, Tayuya tried many more times, but the results were still unsatisfactory. She became increasingly unsure how to face Naruto, and spent her days hiding in her room, refusing to see him.
Naruto, however, didn't seem to care. Differences do exist between people. It didn't matter, as long as he was normal.
Even if it's extraordinary, it won't be a problem, anyway.
It was already noon after breakfast. The two hesitated for a moment and decided not to have lunch. After changing their shoes in the entryway, they went out together. The streets were still bustling with activity, lined with shops.
"After leaving Konohagakure, where will you go?" Tayuya asked. "What is the Land of Snow? Is it a country where it's snowy all year round?"
"You've never been there?" Naruto turned and glanced at her.
"No." Tayuya shook her head. "I haven't been to any very far places. The farthest place I've been Land of Demons, but I didn't stay there for very long before I left."
"That country is a bit... indescribable, strange."
"Oh, the Land of Snow used to be quite cold, but now it should be like spring all year round," Naruto explained. "You can go if you want, but it's a bit far and you'll need to take a boat."
"Then I won't go." Tayuya lingered beside him, her gaze wandering aimlessly among the crowds on the street.
"Why?"
"I don't want to take a boat, and I don't want to go to a place where it's spring all year round," Tayuya said. "The Land of Hot Water is pretty much spring all year round, so it's not interesting."
"Alright." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. It was better not to go to the Land of Snow, to avoid any trouble.
"Have you ever been to the Land of Snow?" she asked casually.
"I went once, for a mission," Naruto replied. "It was too far. The first time I went, the ship sank in the deep sea, and I almost didn't make it back."
Upon hearing this, Tayuya turned and glanced at him.
"But nothing serious happened. I ended up in an abandoned island nation, but after contacting Konohagakure, I was taken back," Naruto added.
"However, I probably won't stay in the Land of Snow in the future. That place is a bit remote, unless the transportation is more developed. For now, I'm more inclined to stay in the Land of Grass or the Land of Rain."
"The Land of Rain is dangerous," she said.
"It's not dangerous, it's all taken care of." He patted Tayuya's head. "Remember that old man who was with me last time? He's very capable, he took care of everything."
"Oh, oh." Tayuya not quite.
The two strolled around Tanzaku Town, found a place to sit down, and ordered some food for a simple meal.
Two days later, the two parted Tanzaku Town. Tayuya had a new direction to take, while Naruto still had his mission in the Land of Rain to complete.
After traveling for two days, Naruto arrived in the Land of Rain.
In less than a year, the Land of Rain has undergone considerable changes. While not quite earth-shattering, it has certainly become more vibrant with life.
The towering steel High Tower were gradually repaired, and large numbers of high-rise buildings were put into use. The electrical systems also seemed to have been upgraded, and even a complete sewage system was established.
Clutching the mission document, Naruto successfully met with Nagato and Konan.
The two didn't seem to have changed much. Nagato looked emaciated, but he didn't seem as weak anymore. Konan was wearing ordinary clothes, not the red cloud-patterned robe Akatsuki Organization.
"Where did the Pervy Sage go?" he asked curiously.
"Jiraiya- sensei left the Land of Rain a long time ago, probably because he had something to take care of," Konan replied, her tone neither warm nor cold.
"Is that so?" Naruto raised an eyebrow and held up the mission sheet in his hand. "Giving Konohagakure a mission? Hmm, are you guys... insane?"
There's one more chapter; if there's no "Little Black Room" (a term used to describe a situation where someone is placed in a dark room), I'll explain.
The personalities of all the female protagonists in the book come together to form a complete "she". Tayuya, Temari, and Sakura do not have the concept of first blood.
It doesn't involve stock trading, nor is it simply a harem; it's a philosophical concept of pure love.
Because the protagonist doesn't care, Tayuya, Temari, and Sakura all have broken and distorted personalities, and their relationship with the protagonist is one-sided.
Only Hinata and Ino are complete and independent because they are loved, have the ability to love, and have a desire to possess the protagonist.
Therefore, only Ino and Hinata are special.
Therefore, in terms of the female lead setup, it can be seen as a dual female lead setup, with the other female leads being fragments that supplement the concept of "she".
In simpler terms, it means that Tayuya, Sakura, Temari have become part of the main group, and no matter what the protagonist does or doesn't do, their feelings for him will not change.
Their characters are prominent yet underdeveloped, and their personalities are fragmented. They possess personalities that Ino and Hinata would never have.
Ino and Hinata have rich and full personalities, representing two different yet complete girls. The others complement them, and together they form a complete "she".