Buying Scrolls

Inside the scroll shop.

A burly ninja wearing a forehead protector was busy sweeping the floor.

Because it was still early and the shop had just opened, there were very few customers around.

When Tsunade and Takizawa Dan entered, they triggered the shop's welcome bell.

"Oh, good morning, guests! Welcome to my humble shop..."

The burly man bowed his head almost reflexively, reciting his standard greeting.

There was no helping it; as a mere genin, although he received a regular stipend from the village, it was barely enough to keep one person fed. After all, goods are valued by their scarcity, and the one thing a ninja village had no shortage of was genin—they were no different from common laborers.

Furthermore, his own abilities were unremarkable, and he could hardly guarantee his safety while on missions, so he simply opened this scroll shop. By working hard year-round, he could at least support his wife and child and maintain a living.

"Kudo, thank you for your hard work, opening up so early."

Tsunade looked at him and nodded.

In her eyes, it didn't matter if one's strength was poor; as long as one was diligent and worked hard to live, they were worthy of praise.

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, the burly man looked up in disbelief. He stared at Tsunade, his speech stuttering for a moment!

"Tsu... Tsunade-sama?!"

"How... how do you have the time to visit my humble shop today? This is my honor!"

For a low-level ninja like him, seeing the Hokage on a daily basis was simply impossible. To him, Tsunade was a high and untouchable existence!

He never imagined she would personally visit his shop.

"Haha, there's no need for talk of honor. Today, I'm just an ordinary customer. Just treat me like any other guest!" Tsunade laughed freely. "By the way, I need to pick out a few scrolls for the Ninjutsu Launcher for my new personal disciple, Takizawa Dan. Could you bring them out for us?"

Hearing Tsunade say this, the shopkeeper finally noticed Takizawa Dan standing beside her.

It couldn't be helped; Tsunade was simply too radiant. Anyone standing next to her would likely be overshadowed without even realizing it!

When he heard that Takizawa Dan had actually become Tsunade's personal disciple, the shopkeeper's eyes filled with uncontrollable envy and surprise.

Wasn't this kid the well-known deadweight of Konoha? How did he suddenly land such a great opportunity, not only being taken in as a disciple by Tsunade but also being brought here personally to pick out ninja tools?

Why didn't such a good thing ever fall into his lap?

Of course, he wasn't a fool. He knew that such high-level decisions were not things a mere genin and scroll shop owner could understand, so he wouldn't be stupid enough to ask directly.

Just then, the shopkeeper's wife and daughter walked out. The moment they saw Tsunade, they were so excited they couldn't find the words, their faces filled with such intense fervor that Tsunade actually felt quite embarrassed.

Takizawa Dan watched all of this from the side, finding it somewhat amusing.

He could tell that Tsunade likely suffered from social anxiety; at the very least, she seemed quite awkward and uneasy when dealing with strangers.

Fortunately, after a round of serving tea and water, the shopkeeper brought out all the scrolls in the shop that were compatible with the Ninjutsu Launcher.

Takizawa Dan took a look; there were four in total.

"Tsunade-sama, these are all the scrolls we have in the shop that fit your requirements for the launcher. I am truly sorry... because these things are rarely used, I don't have any extra stock. These are all I have at the moment. Of course, if you need more, I can order some in."

The shopkeeper rubbed his hands together, speaking with great shrewdness.

These few scrolls had been sitting in the shop for several years without anyone asking for them, to the point where he had begun to regret stocking them in the first place.

Not only had they failed to sell, but he feared he would eventually lose money on them!

Yet, Tsunade had told him she wanted them all! What did this mean? It meant Tsunade might very well become a major client in the future!

If he could secure a long-term, stable supply of these scrolls for Tsunade, his shop's income would undoubtedly increase significantly!

This was a win-win situation, and he could also earn the favor and face of the current Fifth Hokage—why wouldn't he do it?

Takizawa Dan watched the shopkeeper's eager expression from the side and found it quite funny, though he secretly admired the man's sharp business acumen.

Perhaps that was just how the world worked. Even if heaven might close one door on you, it would surely leave a window open, allowing you to achieve success in another field.

"Hmm... Takizawa Dan, take a look and see if you need them. I'll leave the judgment to you."

Tsunade pondered for a moment, but instead of answering directly, she turned to Takizawa Dan.

Although her usual style would be to buy all the scrolls here and gift them to Takizawa Dan to demonstrate her generosity and enthusiasm as a master, as well as her support for her disciple, she had learned from yesterday's test that this disciple of hers was likely a dragon among men. He could not be judged by common standards, and his future achievements might not even be inferior to her own!

Once she realized this, how could she possibly make decisions for Takizawa Dan without his input? Everything should be decided by him.

The shopkeeper, seeing Tsunade defer to him like that, immediately cast a look of surprise at Takizawa Dan.

To think this kid was the one leading the purchase? Truly remarkable.

"Ahem... Takizawa-kun, the scrolls in our shop are sourced directly from the highest-quality producers. After several years of maintenance, not only have they not suffered from dampness or damage, but their properties have actually become more stable. Please, buy with confidence. If any issues arise during use, you can come to me at any time to get your money back."

The shopkeeper was a clever man. Seeing that Takizawa Dan was favored, he immediately became incredibly enthusiastic toward him, completely shedding the air of someone who had previously treated him like air while fawning over Tsunade.

Takizawa Dan found it amusing. It wasn't that he was dissatisfied with the man's sycophantic attitude, but he couldn't help but roll his eyes and silently mock the offer to get his money back!

Ninjutsu scrolls like these were meant to be used for life-saving moments. If he were in the middle of a battle and found the scroll didn't work, would he even have a life left to claim a refund?

That was like selling a parachute and telling the skydiver they could come back for an exchange if it malfunctioned.

If that wasn't nonsense, what was?