Partnership

In the ninja tool shop, Tenten's father stared at the enhanced kunai, torn over what to make of it. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

The reason was that the kunai in his hand was twice as good as the ones they made. If its maker could mass-produce it, their ninja tool shop would probably have to close down. The gap in quality was simply too great for them to compete.

He also wondered whether this was some new manufacturing process that could vastly improve ironworking. That made him eager to obtain whatever new method might exist.

After wrestling with it for a while, Tenten's father asked her solemnly, "Where did you buy this kunai? Take me there so I can have a look!"

"Haha, you really didn't notice, Dad! Isn't there a mark on that kunai? Look closely and you'll see," Tenten said smugly.

Tenten's father hurriedly examined the mark on the kunai. What he saw was a familiar emblem-their own. His brow furrowed even further. "What's going on? Have people making counterfeits of our products already surpassed our craftsmanship? How is that possible...?"

"Hahaha, you've got it wrong, Dad! We made this ourselves," Tenten explained excitedly.

Her father looked surprised. "Which craftsman made it? I'll give him a generous reward and promote him to head craftsman..."

Grinning, Tenten pulled Tianyun Hyuga in front of her father. "He made it! Go on, Dad, make him head craftsman!"

Tenten's father already knew Tianyun Hyuga. After all, the Third Hokage had personally sent someone to tell Tenten not to teach the New Gentle Fist to anyone else. He would have been a fool not to pay attention to Tianyun Hyuga.

But now that Tenten claimed Tianyun Hyuga was the craftsman who had made the kunai, he found it hard to believe. Skilled craftsmen were not a dime a dozen. How could a five-year-old be that accomplished? He scolded her, "Don't talk nonsense. Tianyun is only a child. How could he be the craftsman who made this kunai?"

Tenten looked even more pleased with herself. "Don't get the wrong idea, Dad. I didn't say Tianyun forged the kunai. I only said he made it. Don't mix those up..."

"Forged? Made?" To Tenten's father, they meant the same thing. He frowned. "Tenten, can you explain yourself more clearly? I don't understand what you're trying to say!"

Tenten finally stopped teasing her father and explained honestly, "Tianyun has a special ninjutsu that can improve weapons. The kunai you're holding is one I gave him, and he enhanced it. Isn't that an amazing ability?"

Her father grew serious this time. Looking at the calm-faced Tianyun Hyuga, he said, "My name is Tiesheng. Tianyun, could you show me that ninjutsu that strengthens weapons?"

Tianyun Hyuga glanced at Tiesheng. "I could, but I don't like wasting my energy. So I'll need payment before the demonstration. I assume you won't object, Mr. Tiesheng?"

"How can you talk to my father like that?" Tenten protested.

Tenten was about to continue her outburst, but Tiesheng quickly stopped her. "That's enough, Tenten. Young Tianyun is right. I should pay him first. Don't interrupt. This is between us."

After being scolded by Tiesheng, Tenten glared sulkily at both him and Tianyun Hyuga. "Do whatever you want! I'm going back to my room to rest. I don't want to see either of you again..."

Tenten stormed off. Tiesheng immediately turned and fetched a stack of money from inside the shop, then took a kunai from the display and handed it to Tianyun Hyuga. "Young Tianyun, this is one million. Will that be enough? If not, I can get some more."

"One million? That'll do. I'll use it once so you can see," Tianyun Hyuga said, accepting the money and kunai.

He tucked the money into his clothes, then waved the kunai around just as he had before. After spending twenty seconds putting on a show, he handed it back to Tiesheng. "Here, take a look..."

Tiesheng had an exceptionally keen eye for weapons. Before he even took the kunai, he could already tell that it truly had become stronger.

Once he held it and examined it, Tiesheng confirmed that the kunai was twice as sharp and hard as before. His eyes began to shine as he looked at Tianyun Hyuga.

But Tianyun Hyuga's next casual remark sent his excitement plummeting. "This is a bloodline ninjutsu. You won't be able to learn it, Mr. Tiesheng."

The disappointed Tiesheng glanced at Tianyun Hyuga, then suddenly thought of a promising idea. "Young Tianyun, how about we go into business together? You enhance the weapons, and I sell them. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty. What do you think...?"

"Fifty-fifty? Are you sure...?" Tianyun Hyuga looked at Tiesheng in surprise.

Tianyun Hyuga truly had not expected Tiesheng to be so generous as to offer him half the profits. Before coming here, he had planned to ask for thirty or forty percent. After all, the other party would provide the materials and handle the sales, while he only had to do a little work. Asking for too much would be excessive.

Tiesheng spoke firmly. "Rest assured, young Tianyun. This will be a long-term business arrangement. How could I let you lose out? As long as you're willing to work with me, I'll give you half the earnings from now on."

Since Tiesheng was being so generous, Tianyun Hyuga stopped deliberating. "Deal. From now on, you and I are on the same side, Mr. Tiesheng."

"Now I can tell you that my chakra is currently limited. I can only make ten weapons the size of a kunai each day. If it's a large weapon, one will exhaust all my chakra."

"So I won't be able to supply many weapons over the next year or two. Once I'm a little older and my chakra reserves start increasing, I'll be able to make more. I hope you'll understand, Mr. Tiesheng."

Tiesheng was somewhat disappointed, but since Tianyun Hyuga had said as much, he could only accept it. After all, Tianyun Hyuga was a prodigy of the Hyuga Clan and had the Third Hokage's attention. Tiesheng did not dare try anything against him.

Seeing Tiesheng's disappointment, Tianyun Hyuga smiled. "You seem to have forgotten the saying that scarcity makes things valuable, Mr. Tiesheng!"

As a businessman, Tiesheng immediately understood what Tianyun Hyuga meant. You little slyboots, he grumbled inwardly, but aloud he nodded and said, "I understand what you mean, young Tianyun. I'll do my best to provide premium weapons for you to enhance."

That was exactly what Tianyun Hyuga wanted. He did not want to waste time making ordinary weapons. Now that Tiesheng understood his meaning, he nodded in satisfaction and began discussing how they could earn more money.