Chapter-3

"Of course, it's just that I like to see you every day to cheer me up. Are you free tonight?" The question nearly caused the Uzumaki to stumble while carrying boxes of bandages down the stairs. The brown-haired teenager's smile only grew wider. "Ara ara, how shy he is..." she thought with an internal smile, observing him efficiently fulfill her request.

"I think so, Mei..." Naruto replied, placing everything on the table and arranging it in a box.

"Well, dinner at my house tonight, you know it." Mei smiled broadly and winked at Naruto as she placed her order. She retrieved several silver coins from her sleeve and placed them on the store's table as payment. "Bye~" With a cheerful farewell, she exited the store, leaving behind Naruto, who noticed that she had once again overpaid. After multiple attempts to explain that it wasn't necessary to pay extra, he realized she considered it a tip.

"Damn lucky brat," grumbled Tenzo, entering through the back door with a load of wood. He deposited the wood in a corner of the shop and glanced at Naruto, who seemed to be staring at the door in puzzlement. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, noting the boy's unusual silence.

"It's strange." Naruto scratched his cheek, transferring the silver coins into a box.

"What? Did women rain riches on you?" The old man walked behind the bar, heading toward the cash register to inspect the recent earnings. He asked the question with a hint of annoyance. "If you manage to remain a virgin at 15, I'll be surprised. Make the most of it." A mischievous smile graced Tenzo's face as he spoke, only to be met with Naruto's furrowed brow.

"Old pervert, that's not what I mean, well not at all," she sighed, taking her apron off and hanging it on a coat rack. "In my town I wasn't exactly popular with the girls… the only girl who really liked me I looked like a freak," he said dejectedly, earning a dubious look from Tenzo.

"Weird, girls usually like your type, you know the typical cute jerks that make girls laugh, blonde hair, blue eyes, and those cat marks are just a bonus. If that doesn't appeal to girls nowadays, I don't know what it is," he spoke calmly while counting the money from the box.

"Thanks… I guess," shrugged Naruto, smiling. "Hey man, I've been working here for a week now! How long until I can pay off my debt?" he asked anxiously, eager to explore the area and find a way back home.

"In fact, six days ago you paid off your debt."

"What?"

"On your first day, you sold a lot and drained the account. You collected more than 30 times what you owed me."

"What?"

"And in these six days... well," Tenzo smiled as he counted the money. He hadn't seen so many silver coins in one place in a long time. With this, he could finally retire and enjoy life on the beaches surrounded by beautiful women—a great life.

"Old son of a-" Before Naruto could finish his sentence, a loud banging echoed on the shop door. "Old man, go back," he swiftly turned around, taking cover behind the store's bar.

"Don't be offended, kid, but they're going to kill you. Leave this to me," without paying much attention to the young boy, Tenzo's serious gaze focused on the door swinging open. Several men dressed in black armor with red accents entered, armed with spears and swords. Their identity was clear—soldiers of the fire nation.

"Stay down," was Tenzo's final instruction, given as he observed the soldiers taking position in front of the two occupants of the store.

"…"

With a dismissive snort, Naruto crossed his arms, fixing a serious look on the fire soldiers.

"Hazumo, we have come for the quota that the Lord of Fire demands from the taxpayers who now inhabit this land, under the rule of the great Fire Nation," spoke the squad's leader, an elderly man displaying formidable musculature—a survivor of battles long past.

"We have paid this month's fee, Mr. Zen," replied Tenzo calmly. He retrieved a sheet of paper from the bar and handed it to the soldier. "As you can see, I am punctual with all my payments, as the great Fire Lord requires." The old man's tone remained even and composed, never wavering.

But his response was to witness the document burn as a flare erupted in the soldier's hand. "Well, this time the fee increases. Unless you want your place to end up in ashes, you will pay us," he said, a smug grin on his face. The soldiers beside him lowered their spears, aiming them at the old man. Tenzo held his head high, though a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, betraying his unease.

"Well, old man, go eat or sleep, or whatever senile old people do," unexpectedly, Naruto grabbed Tenzo and ushered him toward the back door of the store, urging him outside. With a smile, Naruto turned his attention back to the soldiers. "Gentlemen, I can only ask you to leave this store, whether willingly or by force." The firebenders responded with mocking smiles, not taking the young blond seriously. After all, six experienced soldiers against a 12-year-old boy seemed like an obvious mismatch.

"I'll forget what you said, if you pay the rent." The general took a step forward, his fist ablaze with fire as he aimed it at the blonde.

"No," came the simple response, further fueling the soldiers' annoyance.

"Pay the rent!" The soldiers assumed attack positions, united in their intent.

[ Note:- There will be 10 advance Chapters uploaded on P@treon and the first tier will be 7 days trial so go there and enjoy.

here's the link:- patreon.com/Alzero