Naruto: SSS-Rank Romance System

"Just what nonsense have you been spouting? Go to hell!" Tayuya didn't believe Naruto's nonsense at all.

"I'm serious," Naruto replied, his tone returning to calm. "If you go back now, you'll probably just gather dust in some corner."

"The Sound Four no longer exists. So, what's the point of your existence?"

"You..." Tayuya clenched her fist. "Impossible! You're lying again! Damn it!"

Naruto paused for a moment, then shrugged.

"I don't need to lie to you. Orochimaru has plenty of capable subordinates; he doesn't need you. Do you really want to go back? Or have you already thought about the consequences of returning?"

"Enough!" Tayuya punched a tree, leaving a gaping hole. "No matter what you say, I will never betray Lord Orochimaru!"

She raised her flute horizontally, her eyes brimming with murderous intent.

"If I kill you, I can go back!"

Hearing this, Naruto paused slightly and let out an indifferent "Oh."

"That's not happening."

"No one asked for your opinion, idiot!" Tayuya was on the verge of breaking down.

She couldn't beat him, and she couldn't run away either.

What's wrong with this guy?! No, I have to get rid of him. If I keep listening, my resolve might waver. What kind of nonsense is he even saying?

Fine, fine! He's just a genin anyway. For the sake of that red bean bread, I'll scare him off!

"How much are you willing to pay?"

"Huh?"

Seeing Naruto's puzzled expression, a hint of smugness crossed Tayuya's lips as if she had found his weakness.

"Oh? Hesitating at the mention of money? And you dare talk about buying my soul? Ha!" Tayuya taunted deliberately. "My soul is very expensive."

"Whatever Orochimaru offers you, I can give you three times as much," Naruto said calmly. "Sell me your soul, and I'll pay triple."

"I only want money," Tayuya replied.

Naruto remained silent for a moment, then took a deep breath, as though making a difficult decision.

"How much would it take for you to sell your soul?"

This question left Tayuya stunned. How much, indeed?

Her sharp mind, accustomed to tactical battles, quickly estimated a price Naruto couldn't possibly afford.

She thought she could scare off this lunatic with an outrageous number and then find a way to escape.

Since Uchiha Sasuke had already fled, even if she was the last member of the Sound Four, the mission was still technically complete. As Orochimaru's subordinate, she had no time to play house with this idiot.

"One thousand... no, ten thousand ryō!"

Without a word, Naruto pulled out a bundle of ten thousand ryō bills, fanning them out like a blooming flower in his hand.

"Where did you even get that money?!"

Tayuya was dumbfounded. After a brief moment of panic, she forced herself to stay composed.

"I... I changed my mind! Who would sell their soul for a measly ten thousand ryō? I meant thirty thousand!"

Without hesitation, Naruto raised his other hand, revealing another bundle of money.

"Fine! Fifty thousand!"

With a rustle, another wad of cash appeared in Naruto's hands.

Tayuya froze, her mind blank for a long moment before her lips moved.

"One hundred thousand..."

The pile of cash in Naruto's hands grew thicker, far exceeding one hundred thousand ryō. He began tossing the money into the forest.

When he was halfway through, Tayuya finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it!" Tayuya crouched on a tree branch, her face filled with frustration.

She regretted accepting Naruto's food in the first place and lamented how she suddenly understood the value of money.

If she hadn't foolishly waited for that barbecue meal, spent a month following Naruto around, eating and drinking, maybe things would have been different...

This was like falling into a devil's trap, ensnared step by step.

But after eating so much, she couldn't forget the taste. She had even planned to go back and find more money to buy food, but now this guy...

She probably couldn't return to Orochimaru either. She'd have no value there. A useless pawn belonged in the trash heap.

But with this guy, there was an endless supply of food!

Naruto continued tossing money without hesitation.

"Stop throwing it! Stop!" Tayuya finally broke down, crouching on the tree branch and hugging her knees as she cried.

"Why are you doing this? It's not even my money!! I can't spend it all!"

"You're not great at handling money, are you?" Naruto suddenly stopped throwing the cash and said, "Do you even know what a million ryō is?"

"Shut up!" Tayuya shouted with a sobbing tone, her temper like a bristling, spiky wildcat.

Naruto wasn't angry. He leaped over to the branch where Tayuya was sitting, standing right in front of her. Looking down at her, he calmly asked again.

"One hundred thousand ryō. Sell me your soul. What do you say?"

"Shut up! Say that again, and I'll kill you! Sob... my money!"

"Tayuya, Orochimaru doesn't need you anymore," Naruto said, his eyes emotionless as they settled on her curled-up figure.

"Sell me your soul, and you'll be my only debtor."

"Do you know what that means?" Naruto's tone was unhurried, like someone luring a stray, aggressive black cat with food.

"Infinite debt."

Tayuya froze, slowly raising her tear-filled eyes to meet Naruto's gaze. Her red hair brushed her shoulders. She showed neither anger nor tears, only stared at him for a long time before asking:

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Naruto replied, looking down at her. "Sell me your soul and faith, and in addition to the one hundred thousand ryō, you'll gain unlimited borrowing rights."

"Can I not repay it?" Tayuya asked after a brief pause.

"Unfortunately, no," Naruto said, his eyes narrowing into the sinister grin of a villain. "Debt implies obligation, and I gain the right to control your life."

"The higher your debt, the greater your obligations, and the more control I have."

"For instance, if you owe me a hundred ryō, you'd peel an apple for me."

Tayuya seemed to understand. Sitting on the branch, she tilted her head up at Naruto, her expression disdainful.

"I'm not doing that."

"True. A hundred ryō lets you refuse any request you don't want to fulfill," Naruto explained. "At a thousand ryō, you can somewhat refuse. At ten thousand, you must comply with general demands. At a million..."

At this, Naruto leaned closer, their faces inches apart. He stared into her eyes and smiled sinisterly.

"I'm looking forward to the day I completely control your life."

"Are you a devil?" Tayuya instinctively leaned back, avoiding his piercing gaze.

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