Naruto: Clan Simulation and Bloodline Evolution from Scratch

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*****

Ximen Zhen smiled slightly—so it seemed that Yugao Uzuki had taken the tulip after all.

In the simulation, he had also gifted her a tulip, though the real Yugao couldn't possibly have known that.

So he had purchased an extra one in advance, as a token of thanks for her past help.

Now that he could train his chakra on his own, there might never be another chance for them to interact again.

After a simple breakfast, Ximen Zhen eagerly began his physical training and chakra refinement.

Now, he could openly practice these things—and given his youthful nature, being obsessed with training was only natural, wasn't it?

As for writing his book, he planned to relax in the afternoon and write at night.

If he spent around two to three months per book, he could publish at least three volumes before Hiruzen Sarutobi's death—more than enough to make a name for himself.

Just as Ximen Zhen was immersed in his training, a knock sounded at the door.

He looked over in surprise—it was Tenten, smiling and waving.

"Tenten? What brings you here?"

He glanced down at his sweat-soaked self and said, "Come in and have a seat. I'll go wash up…"

"No need! We're both shinobi. I train in taijutsu too, so a little sweat isn't a big deal," Tenten said casually.

To prove her point, she even leaned in and sniffed him lightly. "See? You don't smell at all. You're always clean, Ximen-kun."

Only then did she realize how overly familiar her action had been. She instantly looked flustered.

"Alright then, I'll at least wash my face—give me a moment."

Ximen Zhen respectfully gave her some space. When he returned, he had resumed his usual elegant and pristine appearance.

Tenten rested her chin in her palm, smiling as she looked at him. No matter how she looked, Ximen Zhen just didn't seem like an ordinary person.

"Want something to eat? I've got rice crackers and some dango today," Ximen Zhen offered.

His words snapped Tenten back to reality. She quickly sat up straight and said, "I actually came to talk about the reward for the fragmentation kunai."

"If you have any conditions, feel free to state them. We can negotiate," she added.

Last night, after returning home, Tenten had spent the whole evening discussing it with her family.

She'd tried her best to fight for better terms for Ximen Zhen, but once her parents learned he was an orphan, they immediately wanted to slash the price.

Tenten had nearly gotten into a huge argument with them. In the end, she had to stress how highly valued he was by the Hokage just to make them back down.

Even so, she was still dissatisfied with the price they offered.

So today, Tenten was feeling uneasy—afraid this would ruin her relationship with Ximen Zhen.

To her, maintaining a good relationship with him was far more important than a bit of profit.

"Negotiate?"

Ximen Zhen shook his head. "There's no need. Whatever price you offer, I'll accept."

"This blueprint was meant to repay you for saving my life. I'd have given it to you for free."

"We'll have many chances to work together in the future. I can earn money then."

Tenten was dumbfounded. Was Ximen Zhen saying… he could design even more ninja tools?

Of course! Why hadn't she thought of that?

She smacked herself on the forehead, berating her own lack of foresight.

If she'd used that logic yesterday, maybe she could've gotten double the reward for him.

"I know you want to thank me," Tenten said, "but business should be kept separate from personal feelings."

"How about this: for this deal, we give you a little less. But for our next collaboration, we'll give you an extra 10% of the profits. Sound fair?"

Seeing Ximen Zhen nod, Tenten breathed a sigh of relief. "Here's the plan: starting today, we'll pay you 150,000 ryo monthly. Then, at year-end, we'll give you 30% of the total profits. Okay?"

She held out one fist and opened the other palm to indicate "fifteen"—that was already the best she could offer.

But Ximen Zhen shook his head again.

Tenten panicked and was about to increase the offer when she saw Ximen Zhen gently reach for her open hand, folding it into a fist.

Her heart relaxed slightly. If he was suggesting 200,000 ryo, she could bite the bullet and—

Before she could finish the thought, Ximen Zhen brought her closed fist under the table and said with a smile, "100,000 ryo is enough."

"W-Wait a minute!"

Tenten quickly interrupted. "100,000 isn't enough! You need funds to open your lecture hall, to buy writing supplies, to eat and stay nourished while training…"

Before she could finish, Ximen Zhen leaned halfway across the table, his face nearly touching hers. Tenten froze, her cheeks flushing red.

Looking her straight in the eye, he asked, "Tenten, be honest. The offer your parents gave was 100,000 ryo a month, right?"

"The extra 50,000—you're covering that yourself, aren't you?"

"Don't look away. Look me in the eyes."

Tenten stared into his eyes, the excuses she had prepared completely vanishing from her mind. In the end, she simply nodded with her lips pursed.

She had a monthly 100,000 ryo allowance for ninja tool expenses. She had planned to take part of that and supplement it with her mission earnings to give Ximen Zhen an extra 50,000.

How did he know that? Simple—in the second simulation, she had done exactly the same.

Tenten had merely followed the same path again due to her nature.

Ximen Zhen finally let go of her hand, sat back down, and said seriously, "Tenten, you're a professional ninja."

"If you use your own money to support me, you might not have enough resources to properly prepare for battle."

"Do you think your safety is worth less than 50,000 ryo in my eyes?"

His tone was firm. Tenten bit her lip in frustration and muttered, "I was just trying to look out for you…"

"I know, and I'm grateful," Ximen Zhen said softly. "That's why I want to look out for you too. 100,000 is more than enough for me."

Tenten nodded, but she still looked a little disappointed.

She had come wanting to do something meaningful for him, but in the end, she'd accomplished nothing. It left her feeling a little defeated.

But how could Ximen Zhen possibly let her stay down like that?

He smiled and said, "If you really want to help me, there's actually something you can do."

"What is it?" Tenten's eyes instantly lit up.

"Teach me some taijutsu!"

Ximen Zhen said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I can't learn ninjutsu, but you can teach me chakra-based combat techniques, right?"

The moment he finished speaking, Tenten jumped up, grabbed his arm, and started pulling him toward the door.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go train outside the village!"

(End of Chapter)