C9 It Wasn't Her Fault!

Tiantian was rooted to the spot in shock.

She couldn't help but laugh at her earlier assumptions—how silly they seemed now!

It was obvious that Tenno had noticed the little girl's fine clothes and her prestigious family background, and he saw an opportunity to make some money off her.

A thousand taels of silver was what an ordinary person might live on for an entire month!

And this little girl was only five years old. How on earth could she come up with such a large sum on the spot?

Yet, the next moment, Hinata's response left Tiantian utterly astounded.

"Is this really just one thousand taels?" Hinata inquired.

She pulled out ten banknotes from her coat pocket and handed them over to Tenno.

Though she was clueless about the Kunai's purpose, a thousand taels was a trivial amount for her.

Helping Tenno brought her joy.

"If you need more, I have it," she offered innocently.

"There's no need for that," Tenno replied, accepting the banknotes from Hinata.

He then placed the Kunai into her small hands.

"This is a special Kunai I've crafted."

"It might be pricey, but it's a quality item."

"Just channel your Chakra into it, and you'll discover the capabilities of this Clone Kunai."

"Its power may not be overwhelming, but it'll certainly protect you from being pushed around."

Although a thousand taels was a considerable amount, the Kunai was worth every bit of it.

In the marketplace, such a Kunai, even priced at two thousand taels, would cause a frenzy among eager buyers.

Tenno simply preferred not to sell his handcrafted Ninja tools to strangers, which is why he hadn't rushed to complete the task assigned by the system.

Fate had it that he encountered Hinata, who could comfortably afford it.

As Tenno explained, he escorted Hinata back to the Hyuga family's domain.

"We'll leave you here then!"

Tenno and Tiantian stood at the family's entrance, bidding Hinata farewell.

With a deep, respectful bow, Hinata expressed her gratitude, "Thank you so much."

Tiantian beamed and replied, "No thanks needed. We're friends, after all!"

"See you later, Hinata. Let's play together again when we get the chance!"

Hinata paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face, before she whispered, "Are we friends?"

So this is what friendship feels like!

Getting lost today didn't seem so bad after all.

She was incredibly fortunate to have made good friends with Tenno and Tiantian!

What a wonderful turn of events!

"Hinata!"

Just then, a stern voice cut through the air, freezing the sweet smile on Hinata's face.

Her father, the current head of the Hyuga clan, approached with a grave look. "As a key heir to the main house, why did you act without permission?"

"Do you realize how many have sacrificed themselves for you and the main house? It's time you grew up, Hinata!"

"I'm sorry," Hinata murmured, her head drooping once more.

Tenno, who hadn't gone far, spun around to confront Hyuga Hiashi, "You're mistaken!"

"And you are? Daring to meddle in Hyuga affairs?" Hiashi scoffed, clearly unimpressed by Tenno.

Hinata quickly interjected, "Father, they're my friends! They're the ones who brought me back."

Hiashi's impatience subsided. "Given that you've returned my daughter, I'll let this incident slide."

But Tenno was not pleased.

Unintimidated by an elite Jonin like Hiashi, he stood his ground. "I stand by my words. Hinata is not to blame for this."

Hiashi bristled with irritation.

He glared at Tenno, his voice sharp, "What did you say?"

Tenno didn't back down. "The Hyuga clan members sacrificed themselves because they weren't strong enough. Hinata is not at fault here!"

Hinata's eyes widened in shock, her whole being rooted to the spot, her emotions a whirlwind.

All her life, she'd been groomed to be the perfect heir to the main house.

So many had laid down their lives for her.

For the first time, someone was telling her none of it was her fault.

Though unsure if Tenno was correct, in that moment, she felt a deep sense of understanding from someone who truly grasped the fear she carried as the heir to the main house.

She thought to herself, "Thank you, Tenno!"

"You're just a child, what could you possibly know?" Hyuga Hiashi barked sharply.

Perhaps Hyuga Hiashi didn't want to waste time arguing with a six-year-old, so he took Hinata by the hand and headed towards the Hyuga family compound, paying no further attention to Tenno and Tiantian.

Once they were away from the Hyuga family's territory, Tenno and Tiantian didn't dwell on the incident. They headed to the training grounds as they normally would, to practice Body Techniques under Guy Might's tutelage.

A notification chimed from Tenno's system, signaling a completed mission.

"Mission accomplished!"

"System reward: Primary Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi blueprint has been distributed!"

Hearing the name Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, Tenno perked up instantly. It was considered a lesser Artifact in the Naruto World, but still a formidable weapon.

Tenno was intimately familiar with the three Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi that had made their mark in the Naruto World. These swords were Orochimaru's Katana of Emptiness, Itachi Uchiha's Ten Fist Sword, and Sasuke Uchiha's Plover Blade, each with its own distinctive abilities.

Orochimaru's Katana of Emptiness was crafted from the world's toughest material, allowing him to draw an exceptionally sharp blade from his mouth. The Ten Fist Sword, hidden within the Uchiha family's ocular jutsu, could only be accessed through the Sharingan Bloodline Limit, and had the power to seal anything. The Plover Blade, when enhanced with Lightning Escape, became more powerful and sharp, paralyzing those it pierced, rendering them immobile.

The capabilities of these three Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi were indeed formidable. And while Tenno only held the blueprint for a primary version of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, he was confident that the sword he would forge would be nothing short of powerful.

Upon returning home that evening, Tenno wasted no time in accessing the system, eager to delve into the blueprint's details. He took this task very seriously, knowing that aside from the Kunai, this would be the first weapon he crafted with true combat prowess.

This will have a crucial influence on his combat strength going forward!