Talking Nonsense

However, Takizawa Dan understood that the other party was running a business to make a living, so he let it slide.

Besides, he was here to purchase their goods, not to pick a fight; at the end of the day, the quality of the merchandise was what mattered most.

Moreover, although the shopkeeper was a bit of a smooth talker, one thing he said rang true: scrolls like these, provided they met all other criteria, did indeed become more stable in their efficacy after being stored for a few years.

It was much like cigars or fine wine; they required a period of maturation after production, and using them immediately would surely be a bit harsh or irritating to the senses.

With that thought in mind, Takizawa Dan silently retracted his inner complaints and began to examine the scrolls laid out on the table.

Just as the shopkeeper had claimed, there were four scrolls, and they were all of different types.

Takizawa Dan took a quick look at the categories and was immediately caught by surprise.

Among these scrolls, there was actually an A-rank scroll—none other than "Wind Style: Great Tornado"!

"Wind Style: Great Tornado," as the name implied, could generate a massive tornado in the air. Its power was immense, capable of destroying houses within its range or uprooting large trees entirely.

If it were to hit a person, there would be only one outcome: they would be pulverized on the spot, with absolutely no chance of survival.

By way of comparison, it was of the same type as "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu," though its destructive power was greater and its activation speed significantly faster. After all, air was omnipresent; as long as it flowed rapidly, it could form wind, whereas waterfalls were not found everywhere.

Looking at the scroll, Takizawa Dan smiled with satisfaction, mentally deciding to make this item his own.

As for the remaining three scrolls, Takizawa Dan inspected them as well. One of them provided thirty minutes of continuous invisibility, which was quite decent and could have miraculous effects at critical moments.

The other two were rather mediocre, and some were even identical to the six scrolls he already possessed.

It seemed the production process for these scrolls was quite standardized, likely crafted by a fixed group of people.

Still, the more the better; Takizawa Dan figured that since he was stocking up on scrolls, he might as well take a few more.

In any case, his personal ninja pouch still had plenty of space to store many items.

With that, Takizawa Dan nodded at Tsunade: "Sister Tsunade, I've checked them; there are no issues. We'll take them all."

"Mm." Tsunade nodded with a smile and looked at the shopkeeper. "You heard him, we'll take them all. Wrap them up for us and calculate the total."

"Right! Right away, I'll calculate it for you immediately."

The shopkeeper was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly signaled his wife to pack the scrolls while he began tallying the price.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime big order; securing this meant he wouldn't have to worry about food and drink for quite some time.

A moment later, the shopkeeper presented the calculated price to Tsunade and Takizawa Dan.

"Please take a look, the total is three thousand two hundred ryo!"

The shopkeeper said with a beaming smile.

"What! Three thousand two hundred ryo? You aren't joking, are you?"

Takizawa Dan exclaimed directly.

It wasn't that he was trying to haggle or act dishonestly, but the price the shopkeeper had quoted was truly outrageous!

In Konoha, a Chunin's monthly income was only one thousand ryo!

And that one thousand ryo was enough for a Chunin to support their entire family and even live a fairly comfortable life!

The purchasing power of currency in the ninja world was quite high!

This three thousand two hundred ryo was likely higher than a Jonin's monthly salary; probably only Tsunade's salary could compare to such a sum.

"Fine, I understand. I'll have someone send the money over in a couple of days."

Tsunade nodded and reached out to take the items from the shopkeeper's wife.

"That... Lord Hokage, please wait a moment. I don't mean to doubt your reputation, but you see... our shop is truly very small, and we have never had a policy of allowing credit..."

The shopkeeper's expression shifted, and he hurriedly stepped in to stop her.

"I am the Hokage. Can't you make an exception just this once?"

Tsunade's expression immediately turned sour, and she said unhappily.

This ninja really didn't give her any face. She had already said as much, and she had even brought her student along to make a purchase, yet he had rejected her outright?

"Ahem... the thing is, Lord Tsunade, your daily habits are well-known throughout the village." The shopkeeper scratched his head, looking very awkward. "To be honest with you, your name is on the blacklist of every small shop in Konoha. As long as you're buying things, paying on the spot is fine, but credit is simply out of the question..."

Once the shopkeeper finished speaking, Tsunade immediately understood the reason.

To put it bluntly, it was because her reputation for gambling was so notorious that the higher-ups, in order to control her spending and prevent her from starving to death, had even resorted to paying her salary on a daily basis.

Even so, Tsunade still went to the casino to gamble twice a day. Under such circumstances, even if she were granted credit, how could she possibly have the money to pay it back?

In fact, she truly didn't have any money on her today; otherwise, why would she have suggested credit in the first place?

"Sister Tsunade, let it go. We'll go back and apply to the higher-ups, then come back with the cash to pay. Besides, leaving the items here, I doubt anyone would dare to take them."

Seeing the atmosphere turn tense, Takizawa Dan quickly stepped forward and whispered his advice in Tsunade's ear.

In truth, he hadn't expected this matter to become so troublesome.

Moreover, this shopkeeper was truly short-sighted; to offend Tsunade over such a small amount of money—a person like this would surely not last long in business.

With Takizawa Dan acting as a mediator, Tsunade's gaze finally cleared up a little.

Giving the shopkeeper one last deep look, Tsunade turned and walked away.

Takizawa Dan shook his head and, amidst the awkward gazes of the shopkeeper and his wife, followed Tsunade outside.

Outside the shop.

"That shopkeeper was truly outrageous! If I ever find any dirt on him in the future, I'm definitely going to give him a piece of my mind!"

Tsunade stood with her hands on her hips, looking thoroughly dissatisfied.

It was understandable; she was hailed as a princess by countless people and enjoyed endless prestige. When had she ever been treated with such rudeness in a dilapidated little shop like this?

"Alright, Sister Tsunade, although his behavior was excessive, he didn't actually do anything wrong. Not allowing credit is his principle, so let's just respect that."

Takizawa Dan hurriedly tried to persuade her.

"Sigh, forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore. The more I think about it, the angrier I get!" Tsunade shook her head. "Let's go, Takizawa Dan, we're going to the higher-ups to get an advance on my salary!"