Chapter 33: No deal
With the finals a month away, most of the genin started practicing and preparing for the duels. At this point, Naruto had already met with Jiraiya. Meanwhile, Daniel was summoned by the Hokage and was even escorted by an Anbu.
"You can enter through here," the Anbu said, before going on his way, leaving Daniel in front of two closed doors. He opened one of the doors and, as he closed it behind himself, he was struck by the sight of a meeting room. There, he saw the three Elders and the clan leaders of the Nara, Akimichi, Hyuga, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Aburame, all sitting at a square table, waiting for him to enter.
"Welcome, young Daniel. I summoned you here today to discuss some matters with you," Hiruzen started. Daniel could grasp what this was about since he had been advertising his product, presenting it in the form of a sphere pill before he could officially sell them.
"Is this regarding the Chakra Pills?" he inquired as he stood amidst them.
"I'm afraid so," Hiruzen said, brushing his beard. "We've already witnessed the effects of your pills ourselves, and we believe that all of us in Konoha can benefit greatly from your research," Danzo added.
"Did he just tell me to hand over my cash cow?" Daniel thought.
"Yes, I concur," Koharu said. "Indeed, your research will yield great benefits to Konoha, not only in increasing our might but also in other fields as well. The Akimichi could improve their three-colored Pills, for one, among other benefits other clans could gain," Homura added.
"Shameless..." Daniel thought as he quietly listened. "I nearly forgot how much scum these guys are. Well, except for the elder trio. I don't think I'd ever forget that," Daniel mused.
"I don't follow. Are you guys asking me to give you my research on how I made the pills, or what?" Daniel responded, as a brief silence fell over the room. Hiruzen and the clan leaders kept silent, letting the elders speak.
"You would be doing a great thing for the betterment of the village," Koharu said.
"I was planning on selling them here in Konoha, though," Daniel answered. "As an orphan, I don't have much financial stability, unlike you guys who either belong to a clan or have nice-paying positions," he added. You could feel the tension rise as they took his response to be disrespectful.
"If I may speak, I believe we could reach a deal by having earlier access to purchasing your products. I believe this will not place you in a losing position," Choza said, with Inoichi and Shikaku agreeing to the proposal.
"We are all Leaf Shinobi, all of Konohagakure. Sharing your research will serve a great deal for us all," Danzo insisted. "A child such as yourself knows nothing about the weight we carry as Shinobi," he added.
Daniel was then ticked off by this, seeing them wanting to strip him of his work. "Are you asking or demanding?" he asked, looking Danzo in the eyes.
"Such insolence!" Koharu exclaimed, outraged.
"Says the old crone trying to steal a child's hard work," Daniel replied, knowing fully well that if they escalated this any further, he'd be relieved of the burden of hiding his powers and he'd end them in a flash if they tried anything. "I'm not giving you my research. In fact, I won't even sell you my pills," he said, looking at Danzo and the other elders.
With the finals a month away, most of the genin started practicing and preparing for the duels. At this point, Naruto had already met with Jiraiya. Meanwhile, Daniel was summoned by the Hokage and was even escorted by an Anbu.
"You can enter through here," the Anbu said, before going on his way, leaving Daniel in front of two closed doors. He opened one of the doors and, as he closed it behind himself, he was struck by the sight of a meeting room. There, he saw the three Elders and the clan leaders of the Nara, Akimichi, Hyuga, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Aburame, all sitting at a square table, waiting for him to enter.
The room fell into a tense silence as Daniel's words hung in the air. The elders exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and frustration.
Koharu's face twisted in anger. "Such insolence from a mere child!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.
Homura, trying to maintain a semblance of calm, leaned forward. "You must understand, Daniel, that this is for the greater good of Konoha. Your research could benefit everyone."
Danzo's eyes narrowed, his tone icy. "You are making a grave mistake, boy. The village's needs outweigh your personal ambitions."
Hiruzen, observing the escalating tension, raised a hand to calm the room. "Enough," he said firmly. "Daniel has made his decision. We must respect it, even if we do not agree with it."
The clan leaders, sensing the potential for conflict, followed Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi, understanding the delicate balance that needed to be maintained. They voiced their desire to purchase the pills instead of acquiring the Daniel's research data.
Daniel stood his ground, unwavering. "I'm not giving you my research, and that's final," he reiterated, his voice steady.
Hiruzen sighed, brushing his beard thoughtfully. "Very well, Daniel. You are dismissed," he said, signaling the end of the meeting.
As Daniel left the room, the elders continued to discuss, their voices low and filled with discontent. The tension in the air was palpable.
As Daniel left the meeting room, the tension among the elders and clan leaders remained thick. Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, and Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged thoughtful glances, silently agreeing that a different approach was needed.
Once the room had cleared, the three clan leaders gathered in a quieter corner to discuss their next steps.
"We need to handle this delicately," Shikaku began, his voice calm and measured. "Daniel's research is valuable, but we can't force him to give it up. We need to find a way to work with him that benefits both sides."
Choza nodded in agreement. "I believe we can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement. We should approach him again, but this time, we need to make it clear that we're willing to just buy his pills without putting him at a disadvantage."
Inoichi added, "We should also consider offering him support. He's an orphan, after all. If we can provide him with resources and stability, he might be more inclined to work with us."
The three leaders decided to approach Daniel again, this time with a more respectful and supportive proposal.
Later that day, Daniel received an invitation to meet with Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi at a local tea house.
As he entered the tea house, he was greeted warmly by the three clan leaders. They had chosen a private room, ensuring a relaxed and informal setting.
"Thank you for coming, Daniel," Shikaku said, gesturing for him to sit. "We wanted to discuss a buying those pills from you."
Daniel took a seat, "I'm listening."
Choza leaned forward, his expression sincere. "We understand your concerns from the previous meeting. We want to assure you that we're not here to take advantage of you. Instead, we want to buy your pills at a fair price and offer you support in your endeavors."
Daniel considered their words carefully. The offer was tempting, and the sincerity in their voices was hard to ignore. "Sure why not, but you can drop whatever support you're thinking of giving me" he responded.
Shikaku smiled. "Very well. But the offer is still on the table."
Daniel felt a sense of relief. This was a far cry from the demands of the elders. "Alright," he said, nodding. "Let's discuss the details."
[A/N I realised this now and I'm not sure if I should remove it or not. I usually write without any punctuation or paragraphs and live that stuff to A.I tools but as you see it adds in a little bit extra to what I write and it conflicts with what I have written at times and I usually correct this but I guess I didn't notice this one] [This paragraph below is the what I mean]
The meeting continued, with both sides negotiating terms that would benefit everyone involved. For the first time, Daniel felt hopeful about his future in Konoha, knowing that he had allies who respected his work and were willing to support him.