Chapter 17: A Change in Values

With the initial introductions out of the way, Wu was given the unique opportunity to witness Saizo's forging process. Customers were typically forbidden from entering his smithy, but Saizo had been in the process of instructing Tenten on the basics of Blacksmithing. She had a passion for the art, so while he hadn't planned for her to follow in his footsteps, Saizo couldn't refuse his daughter's desire to learn.

Compared to her father, Tenten's craftmanship could only be described as terrible. However, considering she was only nine years old, turning ten in a few months, that wasn't particularly surprising. Saizo had developed his craft over twenty-seven years, so the dango-haired girl still had a ways to go and much to learn. Fortunately, her ability to use Chakra gave her quite the advantage as, despite her young age, she had no problems handling a hammer or working the forge's bellows. She even considered them a form of training, the 'correct' mentality, from Wu's perspective.

The only problem with Tenten's passion for forging, weapons, and Shinobi tool production, at least according to her parents, was that she prioritized it over things like making friends. She had brought over others before Wu, but they couldn't appreciate Tenten's passions nor her desires to become as powerful as her two role models, Senju Tsunade and her mother, Liling. Most children were content with playing around and enjoying their youths, so outliers like Tenten ultimately found themselves ostracized or forced to compromise just to fit in.

Instead of giving in to peer pressure, Tenten chose the 'correct' path by focusing even more on her passions. She did start to look down on some of the other children, especially girls her age, but, unlike Tenten's parents, Wu didn't see any issues with this. In his mind, the exceptionally should not be shackled by the mediocre, so if Tenten's classmates weren't willing to make an effort, they 'deserved' her derision.

While Wu didn't express his opinions aloud, it was clear to both Liling and Saizo that there was a bit of chemistry between him and their daughter. Perhaps it was not in the romantic sense, but it was apparent to them that Wu appreciated their daughter's efforts. Thus, when it came time for Wu's scheduled departure, the duo insisted he stay for lunch, accompanied by the promised ice cream.

As fate would have it, Wu really liked ice cream.

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With nothing else planned for the day, Wu meandered through the streets of Konoha, memorizing the layout of the buildings and taking note of their inhabitants as he made his way back to the Sarutobi Estate.

Though it had been a few months since his arrival in Konoha, Wu still didn't understand the purpose of gathering together so many people in one place. The average person was weak and lacked the will to improve themselves, so it seemed like a tremendous waste of resources to gather them together in the name of 'prosperity.' How could a society be viewed as 'prosperous' if the majority of its members leeched off the efforts of a few, extraordinary people? What was the point of anything if the mundane continued to propagate in peace while the competent succumbed to the burden of their 'expectations' and 'responsibilities?'

Recalling the nightmare he had a few days prior, Wu wondered if he, too, would one day find himself shackled by mediocrity. The girls around him were trying to improve, but Wu could easily imagine them squandering it all the moment they achieved their initial goal. The truly exceptional did not need a penultimate goal to aspire toward. They improved themselves because self-mastery was the most worthwhile of all pursuits, vesting the pursuant with infinite opportunities for further growth...

Interrupting Wu's contemplative reverie, the former noticed an elderly woman carrying a wicker basket filled with fruits and vegetables, a kind smile on her face. Wu generally wouldn't bat an eye at someone clearly in the twilight years of their life, but this granny stood out like a sore thumb due to the form of another person overlapping her. To the people around her, she appeared like any other old lady, but in the eyes of Wu, she was a young woman doing her best to blend in.

Having witnessed an identical phenomenon when Kurenai attempted to surprise him with the Transformation Jutsu, a technique that allowed the user to transform into people, animals, and even inanimate objects, Wu immediately narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He was fairly used to seeing older women pretending to be young, but this was the first time he was witnessing a young woman pretending to be decrepitly old...

Though a Shinobi in his position might have tried to detain the woman for questioning, Wu simply observed her for a few seconds before returning to his musings. He was technically a resident of Konoha, but ousting spies was the duty of Konoha's Detection Division and Barrier Team. There was a good chance both groups were monitoring the woman, so apprehending her risked jeopardizing an ongoing investigation...

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Seeing Wu briefly observing their target before going about his business, a man wearing a cat-like mask and a beige cloak muttered, "He really is a perceptive boy, isn't he?"

Responding to the man's words, another, wearing a dog mask, nodded his head and mused, "It's almost uncanny. The real question is, why didn't he make a scene? He clearly noticed our target..."

Shaking his head, the man wearing a cat mask replied, "Who knows? Just include it in the report to Lord Hokage. If he deems it worth looking into, the teams observing that boy will take action."

Offering a curt nod, the man wearing a dog mask abruptly vanished from his position. He hadn't explicitly been given an order, but matters related to the security of Konoha were to be reported upon as soon as possible...

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As Wu neared his destination, the region of Konoha where most of the wealthier clans were located, he was stopped by the appearance of a familiar girl with short, platinum blonde hair, teal eyes, and a naturally haughty expression. He immediately recognized the girl as Ino. What surprised him was the fact she was wearing a muted green tank top that exposed her abdomen, form-fitting white shorts, leggings, and a pair of high-quality Shinobi sandals. A stark contrast to her usual, excessively girly attire.

Failing to notice Wu's presence, as she had grown complacent after several hours of waiting, Ino was equally oblivious to the fact that her quarry had immediately turned around and made a detour. Wu could guess what she wanted based on her outfit, and he had absolutely no intention of wasting the remainder of his weekend pandering to some wannabe princess.

After entering the Sarutobi Estate from the back entrance, typically reserved for servants and branch members of the Sarutobi Clan, Wu immediately made his way over to his usual training area. Because of his arrangements with Naruto, Kiba, Choji, and even Shikamaru, this was the last weekend he had to himself for the foreseeable future. Thus, even if it was for a day and a half, Wu intended to make the most of his remaining time alone...

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With the weekend passing in the blink of an eye, Wu found his path to school blocked by the same blonde he had avoided two days prior. Wu had actually anticipated this, but Ino's outfit, once again, caught him off guard, as she was now wearing a red t-shirt under a white tank top, dark blue shorts, purple leggings, and a completely different pair of expensive sandals. It gave her a somewhat boyish appearance, but it also exhibited at least a budding desire to 'get serious.'

Without beating around the bush, Ino, standing with her arms crossed and a clearly annoyed expression on her face, asked, "Where were you on Saturday? I waited for six hours outside the Hokage's mansion, and you never showed up. Didn't you say you were free in the afternoon?"

Instead of refuting Ino's words or making excuses, Wu nodded his head, admitting, "I was. However, I don't recall making arrangements with you, so why did you wait for six hours?"

"You...!"

Raising her right fist, Ino 'really' wanted to punch Wu but ultimately reined in her anger. It was easier for her Ego to assume Wu simply hadn't known she was waiting than to accept that he might have avoided her, so, after a moment of silence, she revealed, "My Tou-san finally gave his permission. I wanted to surprise you last Saturday, but I guess you'll have to wait until this afternoon to see what I'm capable of."

Adopting a faint smile, Wu replied, "So it would appear..." before quickly adding, "Nice outfit, by the way. It's a marked improvement over those dresses and skirts you wore previously."

Though she had secretly been expecting one, Ino was slightly surprised by Wu's abrupt compliment. If she was being completely honest, she felt a little insecure wearing such 'casual' clothing, but, after a lot of thinking, she realized that the opinion of her 'friends' didn't matter nearly as much as she pretended they did. Only nine graduates per year were permitted to become fully-fledged Genin out of the gate, so, with several other heirs and heiresses in her class, it wasn't difficult to guess which nine would be chosen. If not for her inordinate effort, even Sakura would be passed over for someone like Kaia...

Upon realizing that her 'friends' would no longer remain as such once she graduated, Ino began looking even further into her future. The traditions of their Clans dictated that she would inevitably be teamed up with Choji and Shikamaru, forming the infamous Ino-Shika-Cho Formation. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were virtually guaranteed to form another team, so, by process of elimination, the final squad would consist of Wu, Sasuke, and Sakura. Kaia might replace the latter, but Ino doubted it as Kaia was the next in line to oversee the Inuzuka Clan's kennels.

Not wanting to lose out to Sakura, of all people, Ino's teal eyes exuded an intensity that hadn't been present previously as she smiled in response to Wu's compliment. The latter immediately noticed this, his smile becoming marginally more sincere as he mused, "It appears your outfit isn't the only thing that's changed..."

Though she felt gratified by Wu's remark, Ino snorted in response, retorting, "Why do you know?" before turning around as if she was going to walk away. Instead, she waited for a few moments before looking back and asking, "Why are you just standing there? We're going to be late if you don't get your act together."

Resisting the urge to take off running, leaving the temperamental blonde in his dust, Wu just smiled before falling into step with the beaming brat. She seemed pleased by the fact he was listening to her, but the truth of the matter was that Wu simply couldn't be bothered to antagonize her...

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(A/N: Since a lot of people have been asking, I've decided to explain my thoughts on the matter. You see, not even I know who will be in the harem, as I never limit my stories to what I 'want' or 'expect' to happen. Most of my stories focus on the characters, the world around them, and how their actions shape the plot. In other words, Wu could end up with just about any heroine, as, if you haven't noticed, he doesn't really care about any of them. He isn't aiming for anyone, so the only way someone can end up in his harem is if they actively pursue him or if they are placed there due to developments within the plot. It's that simple.)

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