When it came to this subject, Uchiha Shingen was suddenly wide awake.
He smoothly turned around, walked right back to Jiraiya’s side, picked up the teacup that was still warm, and plastered his face with an incredibly bright, welcoming smile:
“Tell me the details.”
Jiraiya naturally wasn’t willing to let go of such a brilliant potential collaborator.
He cleared his throat and said:
“As you well know, I am a best-selling author.
The Make-Out series sells like hotcakes across countries large and small all over the shinobi world.”
“Calculating an entire year’s worth of manuscript fees and royalties…
altogether, it comes out to a few hundred million Ryo.”
“I have the writing chops and the distribution channels; you have concepts and creativity that far surpass this era.”
“If we join forces, the new book we launch will undoubtedly dominate the entire shinobi world.
The royalties we rake in might even surpass a billion Ryo!”
“As long as you are willing, I can add your name right after mine!
No—we will be listed equally!”
Hearing this.
The way Shingen looked at Jiraiya completely changed on the spot.
This wasn’t some third-rate smut author; this was a walking God of Wealth!
Just by offering a few words of inspiration, he could earn hundreds of millions of Ryo a year.
This was basically making money while lying down!
He loved slacking off at the Police Force, yes, but there was absolutely no reason in the world to refuse free money that was being practically shoved into his face.
Shingen grabbed Jiraiya’s outstretched hand with a vice-like grip:
“You probably didn’t know this, but I’ve actually always had a dream of becoming an author.
I just never had the opportunity.”
“With such a passionate invitation from you, how could I possibly refuse?!”
Seeing Shingen change his tune faster than flipping a book page, Jiraiya snapped out of his excitement and inwardly cursed himself, realizing he had probably offered way too high of a cut.
But right now, he genuinely viewed Shingen as a soulmate.
He desperately wanted to draw more inspiration and that era-transcending vision from this man’s brilliant mind.
Gritting his teeth, Jiraiya swallowed the financial pain.
Showing a blatantly heartbroken expression, he proclaimed:
“The one who truly understands me is Shingen-kun!”
The two hit it off immediately.
Over the next few days, Jiraiya rented out a room right next to the bookstore.
He set up a small tea table by the entrance and spent all day deeply discussing the new book with Shingen.
Since it concerned a massive fortune of several hundred million Ryo, Shingen was bursting with enthusiasm.
After unceremoniously dumping all his patrol duties onto his subordinates, he dove headfirst into their fervent developmental discussions.
Such behavior naturally caused Tezuka and the others to click their tongues in wonder.
However, after finally recognizing Jiraiya’s true identity, the entire squad—including Shisui—very rationally kept their mouths completely shut.
“Should we…
maybe inform the Captain about Lord Jiraiya’s true identity?!”
Watching Shingen and Jiraiya engaged in an incredibly heated debate from afar, Shisui hesitated. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
If initially he was just worried about getting caught buying a banned book, now he was genuinely anxious about Shingen and Jiraiya meeting up so frequently.
As one of the prime candidates with the highest hope of becoming the Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya’s status and position went without saying.
And as the most dazzling rising star in the Police Force recently, Uchiha Shingen, in a certain sense, represented the entire Uchiha clan.
These two prominent figures meeting up so frequently…
even if they claimed it was just to “write a book,” who in their right mind would actually believe that?!
“There’s no need.”
Tezuka crossed his arms, adopting the profound posture of a man who had completely seen through everything:
“Don’t you understand how the Captain operates by now?!”
“He doesn’t just have the personality of a Nara; his brain is definitely built like a Nara’s too.”
“He must have seen through Lord Jiraiya’s disguise ages ago.
The reason he isn’t bringing it up now is probably because of the Clan Head and the higher-ups.”
“You should be able to see it, right?!”
“Whether it’s Lord Clan Head or Lord Third Hokage, both sides possess the genuine intent to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha.”
“Captain Shingen thoroughly reading every single issue of Make-Out Hell previously…
it was probably all in preparation for this very day!”
“It was all to secure an opportunity to make contact with Lord Jiraiya!”
Shisui was utterly stunned by this monumental revelation.
His mind flashed back to the casual remark Shingen had made, and suddenly, he experienced a profound epiphany:
“So that’s what Captain Shingen meant when he said the secret to becoming Hokage could be found inside Make-Out Paradise?!”
Then what on earth was I doing trying to buy a banned book at eight years old?!
The corner of Shisui’s mouth twitched violently.
He shook his head, desperately tossing the memory of that painfully embarrassing scene out of his mind, and looked toward the tea stand in the distance.
In his eyes, Shingen’s figure became increasingly mysterious, increasingly magnificent!
Is this the world you see with your eyes?!
Captain Shingen!
Shisui’s eyes sparkled with deep reverence.
Beside him, Tezuka sank into deep thought for a moment.
As the subordinate who had followed Shingen the longest, he naturally understood his captain’s style best.
He couldn’t help but start analyzing Shingen’s hidden intentions.
He muttered to himself:
“Based on Captain Shingen’s usual MO, right about now he should be…
passing the buck upward!”
Thinking of this, Tezuka turned to Shisui and instructed:
“Shisui, write down the full cause and effect of this situation clearly, and report it directly to Commander Yakumi of the South District!”
Shisui hesitated for a moment.
“Big Brother Tezuka, the fact that Captain Shingen hasn’t actively brought this up himself…
does it mean that the timing isn’t right yet?!”
“Perhaps we should wait a little longer?!”
Tezuka pondered this briefly, nodded lightly, and decided to suppress the matter for the time being.
Afterward.
For several days straight, Shingen and Jiraiya practically lived at the teahouse in Konoha’s South District 4, engaging in intense, passionate discussions about the upcoming launch of their new book.
One of them had absolutely zero intention of hiding his actions, while the other was completely oblivious to the massive political implications of their meetings.
Naturally, this behavior could not be hidden from the eyes and ears of those paying close attention.
Soon enough.
The news reached Danzo’s ears.
The Root Base.
A dark, subterranean lair.
Several Root Jonin sat around a large conference table.
In each of their hands was a fresh, newly printed report, meticulously detailing the exact contents of the conversations between Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya.
The more they read, the more colorful the expressions beneath their masks became.
After a very long silence…
Someone finally couldn’t help but speak up:
“Lord Danzo, no matter how you look at this report, it just seems like they are genuinely discussing creative writing…
and for that specific genre of banned books.”
“Forgive my bluntness, but expending so much energy closely monitoring this kind of nonsense is purely a waste of time…”
“Fools!”
A sharp reprimand brutally cut off the Root Jonin’s words.
Everyone felt a sudden, biting chill sweep over them.
They instantly retracted their dismissive attitudes and looked up at Danzo, who sat formidably at the head of the table.
“I originally thought Jiraiya’s return to Konoha this time was merely Hiruzen planning ahead for the unstable situation in the shinobi world.
But looking at it now…
Hiruzen, you are far more greedy than I ever imagined!”
Bang!
Danzo slammed his palm heavily onto the table and abruptly stood up.
His already intimidating aura surged outward without restraint.
The blazing fury in his heart had ignited and could no longer be contained!
He swept his gaze around the room.
Seeing only blank confusion in the eyes of his subordinates, he said sternly:
“Why is it that the absolute first person Jiraiya contacts upon returning to Konoha is a member of the Uchiha?!
And not just anyone, but the most dazzling rising star the Military Police Force has seen recently?
And during such a politically sensitive period?!”
“There is only one truth!”
“And that is: Hiruzen has already reached a secret alliance with the Uchiha, and he intends to officially bring the entire clan under his direct command!”