Mysterious Boss

"Little customer, the boss said this matter could be either big or small, but he still wanted to meet you. However, you have to go alone."

The Waitress spoke to Genma, drawing an unfriendly look from Kurenai.

"Kurenai, just wait here for me. I'll go by myself."

Genma said calmly with a smile. Though he was quite surprised that the owner behind this strange store had noticed him, he did not want Kurenai to worry any more.

Under Kurenai's somewhat angry gaze, Genma stood up to leave. Seeing the two of them like this, the Waitress found it amusing and could not resist teasing, "Don't worry, little miss. Our boss may be a little strict normally, but he's a good person. He won't do anything to your boyfriend~"

"Hmph!"

Kurenai turned away in a huff and refused to look at Genma until his figure disappeared from sight.

At this moment, with both Genma and the Waitress gone, Kurenai secretly followed after them. She had not told Genma beforehand; this was entirely her own idea.

Genma could see how strange the whole store was, and naturally, so could she. How could she not worry about the boss behind it?

Besides, the Waitress was one of the store's people. How could her words be trusted completely?

As a ninja, Kurenai caught up to Genma after a few stealthy movements. The Waitress did not notice a thing, but Genma sensed her presence immediately.

However, he did not stop her right away. Having gradually come to understand Kurenai's temperament, Genma had begun learning to think from her perspective.

This was something she did of her own accord, and it was also one way she expressed her love. If he stopped her from doing it, that would mean he was being too controlling.

This was not his previous world, where domineering Overbearing CEOs with strong controlling tendencies were popular with girls. This was a harsh world, where love and family were all the more precious, making people cherish them deeply.

Precisely because people here treasured love more than in the world he had once lived in, he could not ignore his other half's expression of affection.

After all, no one was born knowing everything. People needed to support each other in order to go farther.

So to Genma, love was something between two people, and it should be nurtured by both of them together.

There was not much harm in Kurenai following him anyway. At worst, if she was discovered, she could just run.

"Little customer, the boss is inside~"

The Waitress's voice suddenly rang out, pulling Genma back from his thoughts.

"Oh, alright. Thank you for the trouble~"

With that, he entered what appeared to be an office by himself.

Genma's completely unhesitating entrance made the hidden Kurenai terribly nervous.

But the Waitress was still outside. If Kurenai came out, she would be discovered, which would put her in an equally bad situation.

To guard against any unexpected developments, Kurenai slipped one hand into her ninja tool pouch, keeping her nerves taut at all times.

Once inside the office, Genma finally met the owner of the Clothing Store. He was somewhat different from the merchant Genma had imagined, yet somehow he also felt perfectly fitting.

If one called this man the merchant behind the scenes, though, it would be a waste of his scholar-like tranquility.

The boss was a man with long jet-black hair, fair skin, and a refined, gentle demeanor. A neatly trimmed tuft of beard rested on his chin, and he wore a white kimono. He was holding a scroll, seemingly having reached a particularly brilliant passage, his eyes shining with eagerness.

Yet overall, this appearance did indeed suit the mysterious nature of the store.

Seeing the other man absorbed in his reading, Genma did not interrupt him immediately. Instead, he looked around at the office furnishings.

There were no documents strewn everywhere as he had imagined, nor was the room filled with antiques. It was filled entirely with books.

Bookshelves lined three walls of the room, while a desk stood by the window. A tea set and some pastries sat atop it, making the place seem like an ideal spot for the soul to rest.

The mysterious Clothing Store owner looked thoroughly at ease. It seemed the lingering flavor of the book had passed, and he took a sip of tea.

"Oh, how rude of me. I did not realize such an esteemed guest had been waiting all this time."

"Not at all, not at all. I was the one who barged in so abruptly."

"Please, sit here. I didn't expect such an esteemed guest to be so young~"

After the two sat down, the Mysterious Boss began preparing the tea set.

It seemed that people of taste and status in this world all loved fussing with tea sets. Watching the Mysterious Boss's practiced movements, Genma became even more convinced of this thought.

"Why did you propose such an idea, esteemed guest? I am truly exceedingly curious and hope you can enlighten me."

"Ahem, Boss, you're being far too polite. Can't we speak more casually? This atmosphere really isn't very pleasant—it makes it hard to have a proper conversation~"

The Mysterious Boss examined Genma for a moment, then relaxed. Even his body, which had been tense from politeness, loosened somewhat.

"I nearly forgot your age, esteemed guest. To me, someone capable of such an idea ought to be a person who has tasted all the bitterness and sweetness of life. Perhaps I truly should set everything aside and treat you with the utmost respect."

"That's not nearly so exaggerated. It was just a little cleverness, nothing worth mentioning~"

Hearing the Mysterious Boss speak this way, Genma modestly brushed it off again, though many doubts arose in his heart.

"Then why do you think an idea like mine could only come from some great person? Didn't you think I was just a young man trying to come up with a crooked scheme to get a bargain?"

"That was indeed possible before. Now, I do not think so. You truly possess a maturity unlike others your age. However, this store's principle is to place the other party in the highest position and ourselves in the lowest before we have fully understood the situation. That is why I treated you that way just now."

The Mysterious Boss smiled. From Shiranui Genma's perspective, there was an indescribable shrewdness to him.

Although what the man did always appeared to put himself at a disadvantage first, no matter what, he never ended up losing out.

It was the first time Genma had seen such a way of handling things. Even in his previous world, it would have been exceptionally rare.

But did this not also reveal that the boss was deeply calculating as well?

His earlier respect had all been a form of testing. Besides, to someone with a good mindset, it was only the loss of a negligible amount of face.

Thus, even as Genma marveled at how extraordinary this owner was, he grew a few degrees more wary.

"What should I call you, Boss? And what did you do before this?"

Feeling as though his background was being exposed step by step, Genma began actively seeking information as well.

Although Genma's question was rather direct, the Mysterious Boss did not find it particularly rude. Instead, he was the first to feel embarrassed. "Ah, look at me. I forgot that communication has to begin with mutual trust. I was so focused on learning about your remarkable qualities~"

Scratching his head, the Mysterious Boss apologized, "My name is Tony. I used to be a ninja too, though I was merely a ninja skilled at trade—not someone of any real standing~ And you, esteemed guest? Ninjas in the Land of Fire ought to be from Konohagakure, right? Could you tell me your name?"

Shiranui Genma was stunned—not only by the other man's identity, but also by his openness.

Was it really okay to reveal all that without reservation?

It left him in an awkward position: making something up felt wrong, yet he could not keep concealing things either.

From Tony's gaze and tone, Genma could tell that he genuinely did not care about such information.

Still, although the man before him had once been a ninja—one of those rare Merchant Ninja who excelled at business in Genma's previous life—Merchant Ninja did not seem to be on the lists of people the villages guarded against closely. During wartime, they even often worked with them, making them a relatively neutral presence.

But that did not mean he could let down his guard. After thinking it over again and again, Shiranui Genma made his choice. "My name is Shiranui Genma. As for anything else, I choose to withhold it. I can only tell you that I read often, and that I've read a great many books."

Having lived in an age of information explosion, he had once been able to read several million, even tens of millions, of words in just a few weeks. Most of it had been rather mindless, admittedly, but it was still something incredibly unbelievable that he had truly done—and something he had every confidence in.

It might not have been worth mentioning in his previous life, but in this world, it was not something to scoff at. On the contrary, it offered many advantages.

Hearing Genma say that, Tony immediately looked enlightened. "No wonder. To know the affairs of the world without ever leaving home is no ordinary ability. Sometimes, when reading, one can be misled by the information within—or come across new knowledge. Someone who can pick out useful knowledge from books and put it into practice is truly remarkable."

"Eh, it's not that exaggerated. Brother Tony, don't dwell on it anymore. Just tell me—do you agree to my proposal or not? If you do, I'll tell you what benefits it will bring and the meaning behind it. If not, then we'll part ways here. How does that sound?"

"Oh, that won't do. It's a small matter; of course I agree. It wasn't easy meeting such an interesting person as you—I have to seize the opportunity~"

Though it sounded a little strange, the other man seemed to welcome him, so Genma stopped dwelling on it. "Since you agree, I won't keep anything hidden. Set up a VIP status for customers who spend a certain amount. This has many benefits and some drawbacks, but overall, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. As for the advantages, it would make those with this status think of your shop first whenever they wanted to buy something in the future..."

After Genma patiently explained the benefits of the Membership System and the reasoning behind it to Tony, the look in Tony's eyes gradually shifted into astonishment, mixed with a trace of fervent excitement.

That look made Genma very uncomfortable, so he cleared his throat. "Is Brother Tony satisfied? To be honest, my beloved has been waiting outside for quite a while. I need to go out."

There was really no helping it. The moment satisfaction was mentioned, Tony looked like some lecherous fool, his lips curling up into a deeply suggestive smile. It was downright creepy.

And Kurenai really had been waiting for a long time. If she waited any longer, she might barge in herself. Staying any further would not be a good idea.

"Oh, you already... have a beloved? Did you bring her here to buy clothes?"

"Yes, so..."

Tony gave Genma a look that said, I understand, and smiled.

"Understood. I'll see you out, then. While I'm at it, I'll let Xiao Tao and the others know that you're the first VIP of my Kasumi Boutique!"

"Xiao... Tao? Is she the young lady who received us?"

"Yes, she is. She's my capable assistant. Aren't you going to reunite with your beloved? What are you still standing around here for!?"

Tony seemed to have suddenly become broad-minded, leaving Genma somewhat confused again.

But geniuses were always different from ordinary people. Tony was considered one of the rare geniuses in this world as well.

Generally speaking, there were two naming styles in Naruto: one was Japanese-style, while the other had a European or American flavor.