Intimidation and a Deal

The invitation from the Shinbu Clan was delivered by Shinbu Kosuke himself.

"I think I'm starting to understand why you said it pays to make a name for yourself early during the exam. I have no idea how that little head of yours works. How can you be so smart?"

Lu Zeming patted Shinbu Kosuke on the shoulder and gave him a meaningful look.

That look plainly said, It's not that I'm too smart. You're just so bad that you make me look good.

Shinbu Kosuke gritted his teeth. If he could have beaten Lu Zeming, he would have given that round, rosy baby face a good squishing.

That evening, Lu Zeming appeared at the Shinbu Clan estate.

The Japanese dry-landscape garden was quiet and elegant, with an air of Zen.

Lu Zeming saw it differently. All he saw was money.

Inside the main house, a stern-looking middle-aged man in a navy kimono sat at the head of the room.

Shinbu Kosuke, who had accompanied Lu Zeming there, took the initiative to introduce them.

"This is my father. Father, this is Lu Zeming, the one I told you about!"

Lu Zeming was a little disappointed. The man he had really wanted to meet was the Shinbu Clan Head, Shinbu Teiichi.

Then again, he was still a nobody. Why would one of Kusagakure's most important figures meet him personally?

"Hello, sir!"

Lu Zeming greeted him casually.

Shinbu Mutsuto took an immediate dislike to his manner.

"Did your parents never teach you etiquette?"

Lu Zeming sat down on the tatami nearby and idly fiddled with the Ikebana arrangement on the table.

"Etiquette isn't about going through the motions. If my respect is sincere, I'm sure you can feel it."

"Hmph! Smooth talker. I hear you've received quite a few invitations lately."

"You want to know where I'm leaning, right? I've had so many offers that it's hard to choose. Do you have any advice, Mr. Shinbu?"

"Offers?"

"Oh, job invitations."

"The Shinbu Clan invited you here. I'm sure you know what that means. Serve our clan, and you'll be satisfied with both the jutsu and the funding we provide."

"Jutsu? Can you offer any forbidden jutsu? I'm very interested in those."

Shinbu Mutsuto's mouth twitched. Inwardly, he had already begun cursing.

Just what I'd expect from a common-born ninja. Forbidden jutsu don't grow on trees. Why would we hand one over to some green kid?

Shinbu Mutsuto's face darkened. "I see you're not serious about this."

Lu Zeming waved a hand. "Working myself to the bone for someone else is out of the question. But I'd be very interested in doing business with the Shinbu Clan."

Disdain showed on Shinbu Mutsuto's face. He doubted a common-born ninja had anything that could interest him.

He was already rising to see his guest out when a medicinal fragrance reached his nose. It left him feeling refreshed, and even seemed to stir the chakra inside him.

Shinbu Mutsuto focused on the pill in Lu Zeming's hand.

"What's that?"

Lu Zeming smiled confidently. "A Super Soldier Pill I made myself!"

Shinbu Mutsuto could no longer stay calm. Soldier Pills were immensely important to ninja!

They served as high-energy rations that sustained a ninja's strength and extended the time they could keep using chakra. They were a core strategic resource.

And Shinbu Mutsuto had never seen a Soldier Pill of such high quality.

"Quick, bring it here. Let me see!"

Shinbu Kosuke, who had been kneeling at the lower end of the room, hurried over and handed the Super Soldier Pill to Mutsuto.

Shinbu Mutsuto studied the pill closely and even brought it to his nose. The shock in his eyes slowly gave way to greed.

"You made this yourself?"

At those words, Lu Zeming quietly raised his guard.

"You aren't thinking of stealing my formula, are you?"

Shinbu Mutsuto sneered. "The Shinbu Clan would never do such a thing. We'd simply like you to stay with us for a while so we can discuss how this Soldier Pill is made."

"And if I refuse?" Lu Zeming asked.

"That isn't up to you!" Shinbu Mutsuto turned and called outside. "Guards!"

In an instant, four figures appeared in the hall and surrounded Lu Zeming.

Shinbu Kosuke hurried in front of Lu Zeming and pleaded with Mutsuto. "Father, please don't! He's my friend. He even saved my life!"

Shinbu Mutsuto looked at his son in bitter disappointment.

"That soft heart of yours will never amount to anything. If you won't move, don't blame me for being ruthless. For the sake of the clan, what's one son's life?"

Lu Zeming clapped and laughed. "Hahaha! You two seem less like father and son than lord and vassal. Anyway, I know what happens to an innocent man carrying treasure. I wouldn't have come alone to discuss a deal without something to rely on."

Lu Zeming formed a one-handed seal and said a single word: "Go."

Four Kunai shot out like lightning and killed the four men in an instant, then stopped in midair before Shinbu Mutsuto's face.

Shinbu Mutsuto swallowed, his mind reeling.

What kind of jutsu was that? No hand seals, no chakra fluctuations. Those Kunai flew silently, killed, turned, and stopped in midair as though they had minds of their own.

Shinbu Kosuke was even more shocked. He had thought he had a fair grasp of Lu Zeming's strength. He had never imagined Lu Zeming still had another ace up his sleeve.

Just how strong is he?

Shinbu Kosuke pushed his chaotic thoughts aside, turned, and begged Lu Zeming not to hurt his father.

Lu Zeming patted Shinbu Kosuke on the shoulder. "You shouldn't have gotten involved. Now you're caught between us. Well, if the Shinbu Clan doesn't want to work with me, I'll go see the Shinomiya Clan. Maybe they'll be interested in my Super Soldier Pills."

With a casual beckoning motion, Lu Zeming drew the Soldier Pill from Shinbu Mutsuto's clenched hand into his own palm.

Shinbu Mutsuto did not dare move. The four Kunai hovered less than an inch from his face, ready to take his life.

Lu Zeming turned smoothly to leave.

"Wait," came a voice from behind the room.

Lu Zeming was delighted. The man I came to see is finally here!

Shinbu Teiichi strolled out from behind the room and asked, "What kind of deal do you have in mind?"

"Ten thousand ryo per pill!"

Shinbu Mutsuto snapped, "Why don't you just rob us? They cost only about a thousand ryo each on the market!"

"Then why don't you buy them there?"

Shinbu Mutsuto had no answer.

Lu Zeming went on. "My Super Soldier Pills use rare medicinal ingredients and an exclusive formula. They're ten times as effective as ordinary Soldier Pills. One can keep someone going for six days, two let them challenge someone above their level, and three could let them go toe-to-toe with someone of Kage Level."

"Why should we take your word for it? We haven't tested the pills. We'll know how effective they are once we do!"

Lu Zeming tossed the pill over.

"Go ahead."

Someone soon took the pill away for testing. About fifteen minutes later, a researcher returned and nodded to Shinbu Teiichi.

Lu Zeming made no attempt to hide the side effects.

"All medicine has side effects. Take one, and you'll probably be bedridden for a week. Take two at once, and you'll be down for half a year. Take three, and you'll be ruined. Of course, not just anyone can go toe-to-toe with someone of Kage Level."

Shinbu Teiichi did not consider those side effects particularly serious. After all, he would not be the one taking the pills.

To him, ninja had always been expendable. As long as they achieved their objective, a few sacrifices were nothing.

"The price is still a little high."

Lu Zeming was secretly delighted. Once a buyer started haggling, the deal was already eighty percent done.

Lu Zeming smiled. "If the price is too high, we can trade for jutsu instead. Ten pills for a C-rank jutsu, a hundred for B-rank, a thousand for A-rank. If you can offer an S-rank forbidden jutsu, I'll give you fifty thousand pills, though delivery might take a while."

Lu Zeming was willing to spare no expense to get his hands on jutsu!