*Cough cough*, anyway, firearms might have great potential.
Let's design them first.
Matchlock and flintlock guns are inconvenient, so let's design a firearm that activates ammunition with Chakra. And it would be best to use Space-Time Ninjutsu inside the magazine. Every time you fire, it would summon new ammunition, and you could even summon special ammunition filled with Exploding Tags. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Tenten should like it. Even though she's still young, with her talent as a weapon master, she probably won't refuse new Ninja Tools.
By then, everyone will be familiar with each other. Once Tenten graduates and joins Team Guy, Xia Mu can naturally get to know Might Guy.
Eight Gates is beckoning!
"Hey! Xia Mu, your smile is a bit lewd." Shino reminded him.
"Ah? Oh, I was just thinking about something happy." Xia Mu explained awkwardly, continuing to draw the design blueprints with his head down.
Although Shino was confused, he didn't press for details. He just didn't quite understand what kind of happy thing could make someone show a lewd expression, like Naruto sometimes does when he fantasizes about Sakura Haruno.
After school in the afternoon, Xia Mu said goodbye to his friends and then waited near the school gate.
Students from other grades left the school one after another, and before long, Xia Mu finally saw her.
He saw Tenten with a pair of small bun hairstyles, wearing a slightly smaller pink short jacket and dark green capri pants. She looked adorable and cute, yet also capable.
As expected, everyone is very cute when they are young.
Sasuke is, and Tenten is too.
Xia Mu didn't step forward immediately but quietly followed behind. He just didn't notice that Shino, who should have already gone home, was actually hiding behind a utility pole not far behind.
Shino looked at Xia Mu's back and hesitated for a moment: "Originally, I thought Xia Mu was acting strangely and planned to quietly check on him out of worry. I didn't expect Xia Mu to actually follow a girl, just like Hinata hides and follows Naruto. No wonder he showed that lewd smile earlier. It seems he has a girl he likes. As a good friend, I must follow and see!"
Thinking this, he wasn't in a hurry but walked leisurely.
He had already left a female bug on Xia Mu, so finding Xia Mu was very easy. There was no need to follow so closely, lest Xia Mu discover him.
How could Xia Mu know he was being followed by Shino? He just followed confidently behind Tenten.
Until he saw Tenten walk into a Ninja Tools shop, calling out with a tender voice: "Dad, I'm home."
Xia Mu confirmed that Tenten was home, and her family really did run a Ninja Tools shop. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so rich. Judging by the number of Ninja Tools Tenten lost during the Chunin Exams, it would be enough to bankrupt the three members of Team Kakashi, right?
He walked straight in and saw the Ninjutsu Shop Owner with a prosperous face showing a chrysanthemum smile at Tenten.
Tenten's parents weren't mentioned in the original work. They were likely ordinary people, and it's unknown if they passed away before Tenten graduated. However, Tenten has a very good personality. Besides worrying about her strength, she is basically always optimistic and not ill-mannered like Sakura Haruno. So, she is likely not an orphan.
The Ninjutsu Shop Owner saw Xia Mu, realized he was just a little kid, and immediately put away his smile: "Little fellow, what do you want?"
Xia Mu, however, walked directly towards Tenten, showing what he considered a brilliant smile: "Hello, my name is Xia Mu, and I'm in the first year. May I know your name?"
Tenten was momentarily stunned but still replied: "Hello, my name is Tenten."
Xia Mu took the opportunity to compliment her: "Tenten? Your name is very cute, and you are very cute too."
Tenten suddenly being complimented made her blush a little. She was clearly shy. Being called cute by elders was nothing, but being called cute by a boy her age was the first time.
Seeing this, the Ninjutsu Shop Owner's eyes showed fierceness, and his tone was like fingernails scraping glass: "Kid! What exactly do you want!"
This kid isn't trying to hook up with his precious daughter, is he?! Seeking death!
Xia Mu took the opportunity to pull out the design blueprints and hand them to Tenten: "I designed two special types of Shuriken and wanted to ask if your shop would be interested. But Shopkeeper Uncle, you're not a Ninja, so you definitely won't understand. I'll show them to Tenten."
The Ninjutsu Shop Owner was furious: "My family runs a Ninja Tools shop, and you say I don't understand Ninja Tools?"
Xia Mu ignored the Ninjutsu Shop Owner. Seeing Tenten flipping through the designs, he started explaining beside her:
"First is this Poison Shuriken, made from brittle wood or ceramic pieces, filled with poison or knockout drug inside. After throwing it, if the enemy blocks with a Kunai, the Shuriken will shatter. Even if they don't block, you can use hand seals to detonate it. It's like releasing poison right in their face, the effect is definitely not bad!"
"There's also this Steel Wire Shuriken, with a steel wire mechanism installed inside. It's not thrown to hit the target, but to embed itself in the ground or tree trunks around the enemy. When the mechanism is activated, it shoots out hooked steel wires that can hook onto the enemy's clothes or skin, successfully restraining them and creating an opportunity for attack!"
Tenten nodded repeatedly as she looked through them.
Don't look at her young age, she truly has talent in Ninja Tools. Not just in using them, but also in Ninja Tool design, she has great insight.
The Ninjutsu Shop Owner leaned over and took a look, then snorted: "Kid, you do have some ideas, but your concept is already exposed. Even if I don't buy your design, I can still make it..."
"Dad! How can you be like this!"
Tenten, however, put her hands on her hips and scolded him, "Xia Mu definitely worked hard to design these. Even if you don't buy them, you can't plagiarize his designs. Besides, I like these two Shuriken. I must buy them, and I won't sell them after they're made. I'll use them myself!"
The Ninjutsu Shop Owner immediately backed down: "Dad was just scaring him. If Tenten says buy, we'll buy!"
He said that, but he was shedding silent tears. He didn't expect his own daughter to speak up for an outsider. It was all this brat's fault!
Only then was Tenten satisfied. She smiled at Xia Mu and said: "Xia Mu, how much are you planning to sell these two designs for?"
Xia Mu looked serious: "I don't know either. Tenten should understand this better. Tenten, you're so cute, you wouldn't cheat me, right? I trust Tenten."
"Cute and stuff..."
Tenten's face turned red again. After thinking for a moment, she said, "How about this? I think both of these Shuriken are very good. I'll buy each design for 20,000 ryo, for a total of 40,000 ryo. How does that sound?"
Xia Mu was a bit surprised and asked uncertainly: "Is it really okay to give so much? Should we ask your dad?"
When he taught Shino one-handed hand seals before, he only got 100,000 ryo, and he had specifically asked and knew the price was set by Shino's dad, which was already a high price.
He didn't expect these two Shuriken design blueprints to sell for 40,000 ryo directly.
Tenten, however, confirmed: "I think it's worth this price, so feel free to accept it. Besides, you can design such good Ninja Tools at such a young age. I believe you can design even better ones in the future. When that happens, you must sell them to me!"
Oh, this price is for making friends, right?
She understands social dynamics at such a young age?
Xia Mu stopped talking nonsense, silently accepted the money the Ninjutsu Shop Owner reluctantly handed over, and then stated his purpose for today: "So Tenten, we are friends now, right? Can I come visit you often in the future?".