Uzumaki Keiko's resentment deepened as she watched the five stunning beauties following behind Uchiha Raizen. It seemed everyone was allowed to take the mission except for her. It made her wonder if Raizen was just patronizing her when he called her beautiful and cute.
If I'm so beautiful and cute, why won't he let me take the mission when I'm being this proactive? Keiko simply couldn't wrap her head around Raizen's reasoning.
Seeing the sheer gloom on her face, Raizen reached out and patted her head with a smile. "Keiko-san, the women's hot spring inn still needs you to manage it."
"As for the mission... let's talk about that later, alright?"
In truth, Raizen wasn't lacking for women right now. He hadn't even finished the "rotation" for the eighteen girls Kakuzu delivered, and now Orochimaru had sent five more. Between them and the wives at home, his schedule was packed. He simply didn't have the bandwidth to sample the "home-cooked meal" that was Uzumaki Keiko just yet.
"Raizen-sama, Keiko will wait for you."
"Whenever you are ready, Keiko is prepared to give her all to help revive the Uchiha clan," she said with firm determination. She believed that if she stayed persistent, she would eventually move Raizen's heart.
"Keiko-san, take these." Raizen decided he couldn't leave her empty-handed after such a sincere display of gratitude. He reached into his storage and produced two bottles of Papaya Nutritious Juice.
"Raizen-sama, these are...?" Keiko stared at the bottles. A possibility flickered in her mind, but she dared not be certain. These were items worth a million Ryo each! Why would Raizen give them to her so casually? Two bottles meant two million Ryo.
"Didn't you want to grow?"
Raizen smiled. "This is the Papaya Nutritious Juice that makes it happen. Take them, Keiko-san. Not only will they help you develop, but they'll also beautify your skin, returning it to the radiance of your eighteen-year-old self."
"But... Raizen-sama, this is too precious! Keiko cannot accept this!" She was moved to tears, her sense of propriety struggling against her desire.
"Take them, Keiko. Haven't you wanted them all along?"
"You're one of my own. Giving you a few bottles is no problem at all. To me, even ten million Ryo is just pocket change." Raizen didn't give her a chance to refuse, firmly pressing the bottles into her hands.
Clutching the juice, Keiko's eyes overflowed with tears. "Thank you, Raizen-sama. Keiko has no way to repay such kindness, other than to serve you for the rest of my life."
"Just focus on managing the inn well for me," Raizen said gently, wiping the tears from her face.
"Thank you, Raizen-sama! I'm going now!" Keiko was desperate to try them and see the transformation for herself.
"Go on. You'll be an eighteen-year-old beauty when you come back," Raizen nodded.
Keiko turned and hurried toward her room. Once she was gone, Raizen turned his attention back to Guren and her team.
Before he could speak, Guren asked curiously, "Those two bottles... can they really return a woman to her prime at eighteen?"
Raizen nodded with a confident smile. "Absolutely. If you don't believe me, you can see for yourself when Keiko returns."
"However, I forgot to mention one point. I'm happy for you all to accept the mission, but for safety's sake, I need to implement some protective measures. After all, this is our first meeting, and we don't know each other yet."
"If you're unwilling, you're free to decline the mission and leave. I won't force anyone."
Raizen watched them quietly. The other four women clearly looked to Guren as their leader, waiting for her reaction.
Guren frowned. "What kind of 'protective measures' are we talking about?"
Raizen chuckled. "A seal. A cursed seal that grants me control over your life and death."
Guren immediately shook her head. "No. This is a transaction; I won't let you hold my life in your hands. We would effectively become your slaves. That is impossible."
Raizen shrugged and waved his hands dismissively. "Then there's nothing to be done. I only know one type of control seal. Without it, I'd be worried about my own safety."
"One must always be wary. You aren't wrong, and neither am I. If you won't compromise, our deal ends here."
"You may leave immediately, or you can stay and enjoy the hot springs to wash away the day's fatigue. My prices are fair and honest."
Guren bit her lip, deep in thought. "A death seal is out of the question. However, we could accept a partial chakra suppression seal for the duration of the mission."
"That would minimize the threat to you while allowing us some basic self-defense."
Raizen remained silent, feigning deep contemplation. In reality, whether Guren had her chakra or not didn't matter much to him. But as a businessman, he naturally enjoyed haggling for the best possible leverage.
[Ding! Partner's Red String is now in stock. Please check the mall!]
The long-awaited system voice rang in his head. Raizen opened the mall and checked the description:
Partner's Red String:When tied to a member of the opposite sex, it immediately becomes invisible and intangible to everyone except the Host. The target will develop an extraordinary level of affection for you and will never betray you.
Raizen's eyes sparkled. The price? A mere 5,000 Ryo each. Without hesitation, he spent 25,000 Ryo to purchase five strings.
"Raizen? Have you decided?" Seeing him dazed, Guren nudged his shoulder.
"Mhm!" Raizen snapped out of it and looked at Guren. "Actually, you don't need to suppress your chakra, and we don't need the death seal either."
Raizen reached into his pocket and pulled out the five red strings. "I was just testing your reaction earlier. I believe in 'trusting those you use.' I believe in you all. Let's sign the contract."
"To mark the beginning of our friendship, I'll give you each a magical gift first."
"What gift?" Guren asked, suspicious.
"This. A magical red string. Once tied, it will vanish right before your eyes," Raizen laughed.
"I don't believe in such fairy tales," Guren said, looking at the string. It looked perfectly ordinary to her, so she didn't feel any danger.
"Don't believe me?"
Raizen smiled and stepped closer to Guren. "Give me your hand."
Guren stared at the string once more. Seeing no signs of chakra or hidden traps, she slowly extended her slender hand. Looking at her fair, delicate wrist, Raizen's smile grew exceptionally bright.
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