Inuzuka Hana looked at Shendai.
He seemed faintly familiar.
Suddenly, a spark flashed in her mind.
She remembered that she and Mitarashi Anko had been classmates.
She had often seen Shendai together with Kurenai Yuhi and Anko.
Back then, many classmates would jokingly ask Anko if this boy was her boyfriend.
Inuzuka Hana blurted out, “Boss, I recognize you!
Aren’t you Kurenai and Anko’s boyfriend?” SMACK!
Inuzuka Tsume cuffed the back of Inuzuka Hana’s head, wearing an expression that clearly said, “All that raising you, and you turn out this dumb.” She scolded, “What nonsense are you spouting?!” “Ah!
No, I’m sorry!
I said that wrong!
I meant… their friend.” Inuzuka Hana realized her blunder and quickly apologized.
Shendai smiled.
“We’ve grown up together since we were kids.” Inuzuka Tsume, whose mind was entirely consumed by thoughts of Digimon, could wait no longer.
“Boss, the three of us would like to read some manga.” Shendai said, “Inuzuka Kiba, this is your second visit.
For you two, it’s your first.
That will be twenty thousand ryo total.” Inuzuka Tsume didn’t waste any words.
She promptly paid the twenty thousand ryo and eagerly headed for the bookshelf to make her selection.
The three of them approached the shelf, but there wasn’t much choice left.
Only two manga remained: Digimon—Part 1 and Bleach: Soul Society Arc.
Inuzuka Tsume breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness—the one she most wanted to read, Digimon—Part 1, was still available.
Inuzuka Tsume and Inuzuka Hana decided to share one book together.
That left Inuzuka Kiba with the new volume, Bleach: Soul Society Arc.
“Don’t you think Ishida Yamato’s Gabumon looks a bit like Akamaru does now?
Gabumon’s next evolution is Garurumon, right?” “Leomon is so strong!
He took out so many Digimon with a single punch.” “Lots of Digimon in here are incredibly powerful.
Even a jonin wouldn’t stand a chance against some of them.” “Hahaha!
Gekomon is hilarious!
You know, he kind of looks like Lord Hokage’s summon.” Inuzuka Tsume and her daughter read happily, laughing or discussing the story from time to time, and guessing what the next stage of Digimon evolution might look like.
On the other side, Inuzuka Kiba was also completely absorbed by the Bleach manga.
The very concept of the Zanpakuto was fascinating.
Every Shinigami possessed their own Zanpakuto, capable of Shikai and the even higher-level Bankai.
Each blade had its own unique ability.
He couldn’t help but wonder what each Shinigami’s Zanpakuto ability might be.
The plot was even more gripping.
Right from the start, Kuchiki Rukia violated the laws of Seireitei to save the Kurosaki family, helping Kurosaki Ichigo unlock the power of a Shinigami.
Rukia, having helped Ichigo become a Shinigami but temporarily losing her own powers in the process, was forced to remain in the human world.
Together with Ichigo, she carried out the duty of dealing with Hollows.
But one day, Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji of the Gotei 13 arrived in the human world from Soul Society.
They intended to take Rukia back by force to face judgment.
Kurosaki Ichigo was beaten to a bloody pulp, left sprawled on the ground.
He could only watch helplessly as Rukia was taken away.
That feeling of utter powerlessness made Inuzuka Kiba, who had fully immersed himself in the story, red-eyed.
He secretly clenched his fists.
His heart began screaming alongside Kurosaki Ichigo.
He desperately hoped Ichigo could bring Rukia back.
Finally, Kurosaki Ichigo underwent training under Urahara Kisuke and successfully mastered his Hollow Mask and Bankai abilities.
Kurosaki Ichigo, Ishida Uryu, Sado Yasutora, and the others raced from the human world to Soul Society, ready to take on the entire Gotei 13 to rescue Rukia.
When Rukia was bound to that massive execution scaffold, When the Sokyoku’s fiery gaze stared down at her indifferently, moments from carrying out her sentence, Rukia slowly closed her eyes.
Tears streamed down her face, but she wore a smile.
“I’m not suffering… I’m not sad… and I have no regrets… Thank you… Goodbye…” At that very moment, Kurosaki Ichigo finally arrived.
Zangetsu in his hand blocked the Sokyoku’s attack as he gazed at Rukia.
There were no grand speeches.
Just a simple greeting, the same as always.
“Yo.” Seeing this, Inuzuka Kiba finally burst into tears.
In this moment, no matter what provocative line the author might have dreamed up, it would have felt redundant and clumsy.
Only this simple “Yo” could strike straight into the deepest part of the reader’s heart.
Inuzuka Kiba wept openly as he read.
But no one laughed at him.
Because the other customers were also deeply immersed in their own manga, unable to tear themselves away.
“Whew… finally finished.” Konohamaru had just finished reading Velvet Kiss at that moment.
He let out a long breath.
The scenes had been fragrant, but the plot was still somewhat cruel.
After reading it, he felt like his worldview had nearly been scarred.
[Customer Konohamaru has finished reading Velvet Kiss and obtained—”PSP4000 Game Console”!] [‘PSP4000 Game Console’—A handheld home gaming console released by Sony Computer Entertainment.
Pre-loaded with games including Dynasty Warriors and Resident Evil.] Hum— A brilliant light descended before Konohamaru.
The four at his table looked on expectantly.
Even the two spies disguised as Konoha shinobi set down their manga and watched closely.
Inuzuka Tsume and Inuzuka Hana stared with bright eyes.
They hadn’t received a reward themselves, but this was their first time witnessing such a phenomenon.
After a moment, the light faded.
Revealed was a sleek, dark silver PSP4000 game console.
“What’s this?” Konohamaru held the strange device in his hands, utterly perplexed.
Shendai explained, “It’s a PSP4000 handheld game console.
It has over twenty standalone games loaded on it.
All in all… it’s perfect for a boy your age.” “A game console?” Konohamaru stared blankly at the PSP4000 in his hands.
This… was a game console?
How do you even play with something this small?
Hearing that Konohamaru’s reward was a game console, even Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba, and Udon—who had been utterly engrossed in their own manga—couldn’t resist coming over to look.
Shendai smiled.
“Here, I’ll show you.” “Okay!” Konohamaru hurriedly handed the console over.
Shendai pressed the power button to boot it up to the main menu.
He selected Dynasty Warriors, started with the Shu Kingdom, and entered the game controlling Guan Yu.
“Eldest brother!
Yide, my younger brother!” “The enemy general trembles before me!
Let me strip him of his armor!” Guan Yu, brandishing the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, charged alone into the enemy ranks.
He rampaged through them.
Everything within his sight—enemy generals, enemy soldiers—was mowed down like wheat.
Shendai had played this series of games in his previous life and operated it with practiced ease.
Guan Yu’s skill combos flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water.
The special effects were dazzling, the action intensely dynamic.
For Konohamaru and the others, who had never even played something as simple as Tetris, the impact was akin to a nuclear explosion.
They were all completely stunned.
What?!
There was something this fun in the world?!
(End of Chapter)