Hokage’s Office.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was smoking his pipe while reviewing documents.
A shadow flickered, and Kakashi appeared within the office.
“Oh, it’s Kakashi.” Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe, looking at Kakashi with a smile.
“What is it?
Did that Naruto kid cause trouble again?” “No, it’s not about Naruto.
It’s about a new manga shop.” Kakashi spoke with a rare seriousness.
“I believe this matter is of great importance and must be reported to you.” “Oh?” Sarutobi Hiruzen’s hand, still holding his pipe, paused slightly.
Kakashi was calm and composed by nature.
It was rare to see him wear such an expression.
Kakashi explained the entire situation to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He then handed over the Gentleman’s Cane and said, “This is the reward I obtained from that book, Sailor Moon—Part 1.
It’s Tuxedo Mask’s cane.
It can defend against and even reflect ninjutsu.” “Such an incredible thing exists?” Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, his expression uncharacteristically grave.
He took the Gentleman’s Cane and examined it carefully.
“This cane possesses some kind of peculiar energy, entirely unlike any chakra signature I’ve ever sensed…” Known as the “Professor of Ninjutsu,” he had mastered over a thousand different techniques and dabbled in numerous fields.
Yet faced with this cane, he felt completely in the dark.
Sarutobi Hiruzen attempted to test its function.
But he found he could not activate the cane’s ability at all.
“That’s one of the curious properties of this item.
Only I can use it.
Even if someone else obtained it, they could not operate it.” Kakashi explained.
This was, of course, a feature of the God-Tier Manga Shop system.
Rewards customers received from the manga shop, If it was an item, only its designated owner could utilize its intended functions.
If it was a skill, the owner could not impart it to others by any means.
Essentially, whatever reward one received from the manga, only the recipient could ever use it themselves.
“Interesting.” Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled.
“Well then, Kakashi, give me a demonstration.” “Yes!” Kakashi personally demonstrated the abilities of the Gentleman’s Cane for Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Having witnessed the cane’s miraculous power firsthand, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
“It is indeed a fine item.
Regarding this manga shop you mentioned, what else have you learned?” Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally understood the potential dangers of this manga shop.
This shop could grant people mysterious powers full of unknowns.
It might even allow an ordinary person to become a powerhouse—an opportunity countless individuals could only dream of.
However, the risks were equally apparent.
Just this once, Haruno Sakura had summoned a Danger Beast with terrifying destructive power.
What if the next summoning produced a monster on par with a Tailed Beast?
Or what if some individual with ill intentions toward Konoha obtained a terrifying ability?
The resulting catastrophe would be immeasurable.
Most importantly, the very existence of this manga shop stirred a sense of crisis within him.
It offered civilian shinobi the chance to alter their destinies, to become strong, and potentially challenge the entire ruling class.
That was not something he, as Hokage, wished to see.
“That is the extent of what I have learned.” Kakashi said, “Lord Hokage, shall I investigate further?” “Hold for a moment.” Sarutobi Hiruzen retrieved a wooden box and opened it, revealing a crystal ball within.
He said, “Let us observe first, then decide.
If what you say is true, then the owner of this manga shop is certainly no ordinary individual.
We cannot afford to offend such a person rashly.
We must first observe carefully.” “Understood.” Kakashi nodded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen formed hand seals, and the crystal ball began to shift.
But even after a long while, it showed only darkness.
Nothing could be seen.
“How can this be?” Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned.
His own Telescope Technique had never failed before.
Why couldn’t he even peer into a simple manga shop?
Sarutobi Hiruzen began to intensify the spiritual energy used for the surveillance, attempting to break through this mysterious force that blocked his vision.
At that moment, Shendai, inside the manga shop, felt a flicker in his senses.
Not only was he invincible within the manga shop, but his perception was also omnipresent within its bounds.
Someone was attempting to investigate the interior of the manga shop.
Naturally, it could not escape his notice.
And he knew the source of this probing power: Sarutobi Hiruzen in the Hokage’s office.
It was just that Sarutobi Hiruzen overestimated himself.
Forget about him—this manga shop, bolstered by the system’s power, could not have even the slightest scrap of information detected by a being at the level of an ancient saint.
“Oh?
Want to take a peek?” The corner of Shendai’s mouth curved upward slightly.
He directed a surge of domineering spiritual energy to devour the source of this probing power.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen in the Hokage’s office was still manipulating the crystal ball to perform the Telescope Technique.
Sweat beaded continuously on his forehead.
He kept increasing his probing force, yet it felt as though he were pressing against an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not breach it.
BOOM!
At that instant, a powerful surge of spiritual force suddenly rebounded from the crystal ball.
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt as though a thunderclap had detonated inside his brain.
His mind was struck hard by the backlash, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, splattering it across the documents on his desk.
Kakashi quickly moved to support Sarutobi Hiruzen, exclaiming, “Lord Hokage!
Are you alright?!” “No…
it’s nothing.” Sarutobi Hiruzen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said weakly, “I cannot believe the owner of this manga shop possesses such terrifying power.
Not only did my Telescope Technique fail to penetrate his defenses, but he detected me immediately.
That was merely a warning.
Otherwise, I would not have escaped with only this much injury.” “What?” Kakashi was shocked.
“How did he do that?” To counterattack someone as powerful as Sarutobi Hiruzen using spiritual force from halfway across Konoha Village?
How terrifying was that?
“I do not know either.
I only know that this person’s spiritual power has reached an unimaginable level.
His strength is definitely far, far above my own.” Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with lingering fear in his eyes.
Even when faced with Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara, he had never felt such pressure.
Yet just a single contact—one that could not even be called a confrontation—with a manga shop owner he had never met, and such a thought had taken root in his heart.
“That…” Kakashi’s eyes trembled violently upon hearing this.
Even the Third Hokage admitted he was utterly outclassed.
Such a person likely didn’t exist anywhere in the current shinobi world, did they?
The manga shop owner, who looked no older than twenty, was that terrifying?
He was suddenly very glad he hadn’t rashly reported this to other Konoha shinobi.
Otherwise, if someone provoked such a fearsome figure, it could very well bring an unimaginable disaster upon Konoha.
Sarutobi Hiruzen regulated his breathing for a moment.
Once his complexion improved slightly, he activated the Telescope Technique once more, saying, “This time, I will observe the manga shop from a distance, externally.
If I do that, I should not anger its owner.” Having learned his lesson, Sarutobi Hiruzen abandoned any notion of peering inside the manga shop.
He would merely observe from afar, seeing who entered and what they might emerge with.
The scene outside the manga shop gradually materialized within the crystal ball.
Within the crystal ball’s image, a beautiful woman dressed in a special jonin uniform woven with white bandages, carrying a vibrant flower basket, was walking toward the manga shop.