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Tenten walked.
One foot after the other, mechanically, her mind a cacophony of thoughts and echoes. Naruto's words reverberated in her head, each repetition like a hammer striking the same spot, over and over.
She tried to push them away, to find a counterargument, a rebuttal, but nothing came.
His observation, innocent yet so piercing, had unearthed something she had buried deep within.
The morning air was cool, but she barely felt it.
Her steps, initially slow and pensive, gained momentum.
Her hands, clenched into fists, swung by her sides.
The training ground, usually a place of focus and discipline, now felt like a cage, trapping her with her own swirling thoughts.
"Why did it have to be him?" she thought bitterly.
Why did Naruto, of all people, have to see through me?
Everything about her suddenly seemed empty now.
Tenten hadn't just settled for becoming a weapon specialist; it was more than that—it was a connection to her mother.
But as she reflected, it all felt like a hollow justification.
Even though she had a passion for weapons, it didn't mean she couldn't have pursued healing instead.
But circumstances held her back, similar to how Lee was unable to use chakra, and Neji lacked the resources to fully utilize his talents.
The realization that she might have settled for what was within reach made Tenten's blood simmer with frustration. It felt like an insult, a dismissal of her potential.
In her team, she had felt somewhat normal, but the truth hit her hard: she was just like them, individuals whose ambitions were restrained by fate's cruel grip.
"Damn you, Neji, and your damn fate nonsense," she muttered under her breath.
Tenten had prided herself on being unreadable, on keeping her dreams and disappointments locked away.
Yet, this boy, hardly more than a stranger, had unwittingly cracked her facade.
As she walked, her gaze fell upon a tree. It was tall, robust, its bark rough and scarred from numerous training sessions.
Without thinking, she stopped in front of it. Her breathing was heavy, not from physical exertion, but from the weight of unshed emotions.
Her hand instinctively reached for a kunai, a movement refined by countless hours of practice.
With precision, she launched it, watching as it buried itself into the tree's bark.
She retrieved it, only to strike once more. Each thrust carried a storm of questions: why, how, what if.
What if she had broadened her focus within the medical field beyond just medical Ninjutsu? She could have been an on-field surgeon, providing critical care in the heart of battle. Or perhaps a poison maker, crafting toxins that could turn the tide of conflict. Maybe even a pill pharmacist, developing medicines that could bolster her comrades on the frontline.
And what if she had taken a year to hone her control further? What if she stopped shackling herself with the mindset of defeat?
As Tenten continued to hurl her kunai and shurikens with increasing speed, her thoughts were interrupted by a memory of Naruto's words.
When you throw, you don't really give off that super awesome vibe of you saying 'I can do this' even though you really can, you give off that vibe saying 'I have to do this.'
The recollection fueled her anger, sending her weapons flying faster and with more intensity.
"Why?" she thought with each strike.
Why couldn't I be what I wanted to be?
Why did I have to settle?
The kunai's rhythm was relentless, but the tree remained, steadfast.
With each strike, her frustration grew.
The physical exertion began to take its toll, her arm aching, her breath ragged.
But she couldn't stop.
The tree was her opponent now, a stand-in for all the dreams she couldn't reach, for the healer she couldn't become.
"I am strong," she thought, her strikes growing more forceful.
"I've worked hard. I've made a name for myself. Why isn't that enough? Why does his observation unsettle me so?" She wanted to scream, to let out all the frustration, the anger, the sense of inadequacy.
But then, as her arm raised for another strike, she paused.
The kunai hovered in the air, her arm trembling.
The tree in front of her bore the marks of her outburst, the bark chipped and scarred. But it was still standing, still strong.
Not like her.
Tenten lowered her arm, the kunai slipping from her grasp.
Her breaths came in short gasps, her body covered in sweat.
She leaned against the tree, its rough bark pressing against her back.
Her eyes closed, and for the first time in what felt like hours, she allowed herself to feel the full weight of her emotions.
"I am not who I wanted to be," she admitted to herself.
"But that doesn't mean I've failed. I've just...
________________________________________
The bell above the door jingled as Naruto pushed his way into Higurashi Weapons, the familiar scent of metal and oil greeting him. The shop was lined with all manner of weapons, from sleek kunai to massive swords. At the counter stood Mr. Higurashi, polishing a particularly menacing-looking axe.
"Oh, Naruto, why are you here?" Higurashi asked, a playful twinkle in his eye.
"Don't tell me, my daughter has caught your eye."
Naruto looked genuinely confused, his brows knitting together.
"Higurashi-san, how else would I see your daughter if she didn't catch my eye?" he asked earnestly.
Higurashi couldn't help but sweat drop at Naruto's response.
Of course, the academy student was too dense to understand the subtle implication. "What do you want?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track.
"I want to get a weapon," Naruto said, his voice filled with a determination that seemed at odds with his usual cheerful demeanor.
"A weapon?" Higurashi looked surprised, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Did my daughter rub off on you?"
Naruto's cheeks flushed a bright red. He had come to buy a weapon to test out his new 'Weapon Master' feat.
[ Feat: Weapon Master - Passive ]
[ Level: N/A ]
[ Description: The 'Weapon Master' feat grants the user unparalleled mastery over any chosen weapon, transcending conventional combat skills. Upon wielding the selected weapon, the user gains instant proficiency and heightened combat capabilities. ]
[ Passive Boosts: ]
- [ Instant Mastery: Immediate, intuitive understanding of the chosen weapon. Attack precision and skill with the weapon are maximized. ]
- [ Weapon-Related Skills: All skills related to weapons are upgraded to Level 10, achieving mastery without specific form. ]
[ Active Boosts ]
- Master's Strike: Once per combat, you can declare a Master's Strike. This attack automatically hits and deals critical damage. This ability resets after a short or long rest. ]
- [ Enhanced Combat Efficiency: Attacks with the chosen weapon are executed with supreme proficiency and effectiveness. ]
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[ Note: ]
- [ Post Level 10 Requirement: Beyond Level 10, mastery requires specific martial form for further skill enhancement. ]
Before either could continue their conversation, the door creaked open again. Both men turned to see Tenten standing there, her appearance strikingly different from her usual composed self. Her hair was disheveled, strands sticking out at odd angles, and her clothes were stained with sweat and bits of bark. There were traces of dirt on her face, and her eyes held a mix of exhaustion and lingering frustration.
"You got some nerve coming here asking for a weapon," Tenten said, her voice carrying an edge that confused both her father and Naruto.
Higurashi looked between his daughter and Naruto, a puzzled expression on his face. "Tenten, is everything alright?"
Naruto, still red-faced and now slightly intimidated, stammered, "I-I just came to buy a weapon, Tenten. I didn't mean to-" Naruto began, but Tenten's voice thundered through the shop, cutting him off.
"Shut up!" she shouted, her voice sharp as the blades surrounding them. She marched up to the counter, her movements swift and decisive. Her hand reached out, gripping a sword that lay there.
"You think I wanted to give up?" Tenten's voice cracked with emotion, her eyes fiercely locked onto Naruto's. "I never did, Naruto. I never gave up. My dream wasn't just to be a medic like Tsunade. No, it was to be like Tsunade-a woman of strength, a legend, a beacon for others. I didn't give up on being a medic. I chose my own path!"
She unsheathed the sword with a flourish, the metal gleaming under the shop's lights. "You see this sword? I made it. I poured my heart and soul into it. So, tell me, am I abandoning some childhood dream, or am I forging my own destiny?"
Her voice crescendoed, filled with a passion that shook the very air. "In 3 months, Naruto, at the Chunin Exams, I will show you and the world-I haven't settled. I haven't given up. I chose to be a weapons specialist, not because it was all I could do, but because it was what I chose to do!"
With a swift, fluid motion, she cut her own hand with the sword, a line of red appearing against her skin. Her father gasped, and Naruto's eyes widened in alarm. She threw the bloodied sword towards Naruto, who caught it instinctively, his hand trembling.
But Tenten's voice rose above their concerns, filled with a furious determination.
"Naruto, I never gave up on anything. I didn't settle for second best. I chose this path to become my own kunoichi, to be a woman that others would look up to. I will be Tenten, the strongest weapon specialist in the world!"
Her declaration reverberated through the shop, the weapons on the walls seeming to resonate with her words.
As Tenten's glare met his, a system notification flashed before Naruto's eyes, startling him.
[ Alert: Chain Quest ]
[ Quest Name: Tenten's Awakening ]
[ Description: Tenten is on the verge of unlocking the class "Herald of Hephaestus." Fight her and force her to awaken ]
[ Reward: A Loyal Ally in Tenten, ? ]
[ Failure: Tenten's Death ]
[ Action Required: Acceptance or Declination of Quest ]
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[ Author Note:
I want to explain why the failure includes Tenten's death. It's simple; she'll work herself to the breaking point just to prove that her dream wasn't something she settled for, that just because she couldn't be a medic, just because she couldn't be the next Tsunade, that didn't mean she gave up. She wanted to prove to Naruto that she didn't settle for second best, that she made this path her fate, that this was her passion. Her dream wasn't to be the next Tsunade, her copy, but what her legacy represented: a woman who can be an idol to the younger generation, like her role as the big sister.
Anyway, if Naruto declines, Tenten throws herself into training until her breaking point, until the Chunin exams happen and, due to her pushing herself and not resting and recovering, loses to Temari and then commits suicide.
Obviously, Naruto is going to accept the mission, but what do you guys think is the second reward which is represented by a "?"