Naruto: Blacksmith

Unlike his past life, where balloons were tied to wooden boards and shot with guns, this booth's activity was different—and a bit more challenging.

The balloons were released into the sky, carrying small gift boxes. Participants had to pop the balloons with shurikens to claim the boxes, which could then be exchanged for prizes.

If a player accumulated 10 gift boxes, they could trade them for basic rewards, but the grand prize required 50 boxes. Even the lower-tier boxes could be exchanged for dolls worth over 1,000 Ryo.

However, there were restrictions: official ninjas couldn't participate; only Academy students or regular villagers were allowed.

After listening to the rules, Naruto asked about the price.

"100 Ryo for ten rounds of shurikens."

Kuro raised an eyebrow.

100 Ryo?

For perspective, a bowl of ramen cost only 70 Ryo. This little game was more expensive than a full meal.

Though, considering the prizes on offer, 100 Ryo didn't seem unreasonable. The real challenge, however, lay in the difficulty of the game.

First, the distance between the player and the balloon was nearly five meters. Second, participants had to wait for the balloon to rise five meters before throwing their shurikens.

Five meters…

Recalling what Itachi's training manual mentioned: even an experienced ninja would find this challenging. For an Academy student or an ordinary person, hitting a moving balloon at that distance was more a matter of luck than skill.

Even so, Kuro said nothing.

It was a business, after all. If winning valuable prizes were easy, the booth owner wouldn't make any money.

Besides, Naruto didn't have financial issues. Though both relied on village subsidies, Naruto's was significantly higher due to being the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. Despite this, most villagers refused to sell him goods because of their prejudice.

Without hesitation, Naruto paid the 100 Ryo for ten shurikens.

"Kuro, get ready to witness the skills of the future Hokage," he said confidently, rubbing his hands together.

Kuro rolled his eyes but held his tongue.

If I recall correctly, this guy couldn't even hit a stationary target two meters away in the Academy. What's he going to do with a moving balloon now?

Naruto's first shuriken throw was a disaster, his posture all over the place. Yet, miraculously, he hit two balloons with a single shot.

!!!

"What do you think?" Naruto turned around, beaming with pride. "My shuriken skills are amazing, right?"

What the hell?!

Kuro's eyes widened.

This definitely isn't Naruto. Who is this? Another transmigrator?

However, that initial performance was sheer luck. Of the remaining eight shurikens, none hit their mark.

Well, they did hit something: the signboard of a second-floor shop, far from the intended target.

"Is this the future Hokage? Wow, that's really funny!"

Naruto frowned.

"That was just bad luck! I'll get it next time. Hey, boss, ten more shurikens!"

Unconvinced, Naruto continued to try.

He threw a total of 60 shurikens… and missed every single one.

Still unconvinced, he didn't give up.

After 70 rounds, his arm was exhausted, and he no longer had the strength to continue.

"I'm just in bad shape today. I'll definitely get it tomorrow," he muttered.

The booth operator shook his head, smiling.

"Sorry, but this booth will only be here during the festival. If you want to keep playing, you'll have to do it now. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until next year."

"Damn it."

Naruto clenched his fists in frustration, then looked at Kuro with a pleading expression.

Kuro raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't look at me. I'm worse than you with shurikens."

What's the point? I can't even hit a stationary target 50% of the time. Do you think I'm going to hit a moving balloon? No thanks, I don't need that kind of humiliation.

"Boss, give me 50 shurikens."

At that moment, a girl's voice interrupted them from behind.

Along with the voice, a small hand extended toward the booth.

The hands were petite and pale, holding a 500 Ryo coin. The arm was wrapped in the sleeve of an elegant light-blue kimono.

Hearing the voice, Kuro turned his head and saw a girl about his age approaching.

She wore a light-blue kimono with delicately embroidered flowers. Her black hair was tied into two perfectly formed buns, and her rosy cheeks gave her an endearing charm.

For a moment, only one word came to Kuro's mind:

Adorable.

Tenten?

Kuro hesitated, unsure.

The girl bore a striking resemblance to Tenten, but her age didn't align with his memories, and this attire was far from what he associated with her.

"Could you let me take a turn?" the girl asked politely, smiling.

"No problem," Kuro replied, stepping aside.

As the girl approached the booth, a faint fragrance wafted to Kuro's nose.

"Thank you!" she said, bowing slightly in gratitude.

Kuro shook his head.

"It's nothing."

Unbeknownst to her, Kuro discreetly plucked a strand of her hair during the bow. Before he could ponder further, the system's notification rang in his mind:

[Special Material "Wealthy Girl's Hair" detected.

With this material, you can forge the following special accessories:

- "Soul of the Weapons"

- "Tucao Service"

Do you wish to proceed with the forging?]

It's definitely Tenten.

Kuro glanced at the strand of hair in his hand and smirked mischievously.

Meanwhile, Tenten had already begun her turn.

With an elegant and precise stance, she retrieved the fifty shurikens from the belt of her kimono and began throwing them one after another. Her movements were fluid and graceful, exuding confidence.

The weapons sliced through the air, popping the balloons one by one.

She didn't miss a single shot.

The entire process was flawless no hesitation, no mistakes.

The crowd was utterly captivated, and Kuro was no exception.

This isn't just skillit's a performance.

"I'll take that one," Tenten said calmly, pointing to a large double-bladed axe among the prizes.

"Of course, of course," stammered the booth operator, still in awe, as he hurried to hand her the prize.

The crowd erupted in applause, except for Naruto, who sat on the ground, drawing circles in the dirt.

Kuro patted his head to console him, then joined in the applause.

Afterward, Kuro and Naruto continued exploring various stalls, meeting new people along the way.

They played until the early hours of the following morning, their night ending with the grand fireworks finale. Finally, exhausted but content, they bid each other farewell and returned home.

________

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