____________
Konohagakure, the next day:
"Sakumo… What do you think?"
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen asked while smoking his pipe. His expression looked somewhat troubled.
Sakumo set the open manga volume aside, his expression serious.
"Hokage-sama, for us, this manga is an opportunity to correct mistakes we haven't even committed yet."
Sakumo looked toward the window, where young Kakashi was training enthusiastically outside.
"If Kakashi is destined to become that man in the manga, then I will make sure he reaches that future with a heart… not as just a weapon."
"Hm? But Kakashi in the manga clearly has a heart and carries the Will of Fire."
Hiruzen exhaled smoke from his pipe as he spoke. On the open manga page on his desk was an image of Kakashi revealing the Sharingan again in his battle against Zabuza.
"I know that. But something about him still worries me. I don't know how to explain it, but there's a sad story behind that smile."
Sakumo admitted quietly.
He knew that Kakashi's story in the manga was anything but ordinary. He was simply waiting for the big reveal.
"I agree with you on that… everyone suffers… and Naruto manga reveals all of it in detail. So do you think we can prevent that suffering because of the manga?" the Hokage asked.
"No. But we can reduce its severity," Sakumo replied.
Hiruzen stared deeply at the manga pages before speaking again.
"Don't worry. I've already decided not to take any action against the art store. I spoke with Danzo about this as well."
"In any case, there's nothing we can do about it. That terrifying ability that summons everyone into the store is beyond our understanding."
"That means he's forced us to read his manga willingly. We can't argue, and we can't even refuse."
"Hah… if what we must do for peace is read manga, then that's fine by me. I truly don't mind. In fact, I enjoy reading manga. It's first-class entertainment."
"But I can't guarantee that Danzo won't do something… he's crazy, especially when it comes to his interests."
"So far, everything is fine, since he hasn't appeared in the manga yet. But when he does, things may not stay the same."
Hiruzen looked deeply at Sakumo before saying,
"You have a fairly good relationship with Rubiro, the one who abandoned his identity as a shinobi of Konoha. Talk to him. Tell him not to cross the red line. Some secrets must not be revealed."
"I've already spoken to him," Sakumo replied.
"He told me he draws what his own judgment dictates, not what others tell him to draw. He isn't afraid of anything."
"He also told me that we will be extremely grateful for his manga in the future…"
"What does he mean by that?"
Hiruzen asked while looking at the manga pages.
On the manga page, Sasuke was trying to evaporate the Demonic Ice Mirrors with the Uchiha clan's Fireball Jutsu in a terrifying display of power—yet with no effect.
Naruto also tried using Multiple Shadow Clones to destroy the ice mirrors, but he failed, and all of his clones were destroyed thanks to Haku's speed within that domain.
Then came the scene where Kakashi explained the origin of Haku's power, identifying it as a Kekkei Genkai:
A deep lineage, superior genealogy passed down by ancestors.
'This is only the first secret being revealed… but it doesn't seem the manga will stop here. How many secrets will be exposed? How many trump cards will become known to enemies before allies?'
'Will this manga hasten the arrival of the Third Great Ninja War… or delay it…?'
'I truly don't know…'
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he thought about it.
...
Meanwhile, in a dark underground basement, Danzo was burning manga pages.
Once a manga volume leaves the protection of the art store, it becomes nothing more than ordinary paper—easy to tear or burn. Unlike inside the store, where affecting it is impossible.
"Sakumo Hatake… you are naive. If we don't control Uzumaki Rubiro, Konoha will be the next victim of his revelations."
"No, Konoha's future will no longer be as planned. He has already revealed the most important event that changes the course of the village's history!"
"The Kyubi's attack!"
"That's right. The Kyubi incident should have changed everything. It may even be the fundamental reason behind the downfall of the useless Uchiha clan in the manga—except for that brat Sasuke…!"
Danzo was extremely aware of these matters and especially sensitive regarding the Uchiha clan.
Even if it had not yet been openly acknowledged in the manga, he had already anticipated the annihilation of the Uchiha clan.
Not because he was a prophet or a top-tier manga analyst… but because he himself had deep plans to influence the Uchiha clan and drive them toward extinction in the future.
Seeing the village's future in the manga only confirmed it for him.
Although Kakashi's Sharingan had disrupted his calculations slightly—since he had not expected that—it did not confuse him for long. He quickly found a reasonable assumption.
Kakashi may have obtained the eye from a fallen comrade.
That was Danzo's assumption.
"If Naruto manga continues on this path, Konoha will definitely be in danger."
"Uzumaki Rubiro… he is a disaster!"
Danzo ground his teeth before calmly giving an order.
"Do everything you can to lure him out of the art store. We must eliminate him."
"Understood!"
Dozens of elite Root members nodded before vanishing like mirages, rising upward…
Toward the surface.
...
[—
"I can't die here… I have a dream I must fulfill," Naruto said in pain.
'To become the best ninja in my village and have everyone acknowledge me!!'
Haku remembered Naruto's dream that he had told him earlier.
'Dream…'
Haku's memories returned to the past, to when he first met Zabuza.
"Hehe… what an unfortunate child."
"A brat like you is not wanted by anyone… You will die with neither freedom nor dreams."
Young Haku smiled before saying,
"You have the same eyes as me…"
…
"Please don't hate me."
"I want to protect someone precious to me. To work for that person. To fight for that person. To make that person's dreams come true."
"That is my dream."
"For that, I can become a shinobi. I can kill you."
—]
Even after a full day had passed, young Zabuza was still stuck on this scene.
His fingers trembled as he read Haku's words for the hundredth time.
I want to protect someone precious to me… this is my dream.
For a child living in a village that glorified killing and considered emotion a weakness, these words were a cultural shock at their core.
That was how the manga worked. The old policies by which the villages raised their youth were being erased, little by little.
Simply interacting with the manga was erasing everything that came before.
Momochi Genma, who was with him, was deep in thought.
His thoughts were interrupted when the boy spoke.
"Father…" Zabuza whispered, pointing to the scene of adult Zabuza meeting young Haku.
"My counterpart says the child will die without dreams. Are humans just tools for killing?"
Young Zabuza felt pain for young Haku's situation—abandoned, homeless. But the simple fact that his future self took him in eased the sadness slightly.
In the manga, he saw himself (the adult version) as a "savior" for that orphaned child. Meanwhile, in reality, he was still searching for his own path.
"If I become a shinobi, do I have to find someone to protect to become strong?"
"Tsk… Zabuza, stop daydreaming."
Genma said with an irritated expression. He was annoyed at how much the manga pages were making his son emotional.
He wanted his son to learn from the manga and become stronger, but he didn't want to see him become soft.
Wouldn't that make him weaker instead of stronger?
At the very least, he wanted him to reach his future achievement.
Momochi Zabuza. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!
That was Genma's dream—for his lineage, for his son to become one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.
"Haven't you realized yet?" he said after thinking for a moment.
"Realized what?" Young Zabuza trembled.
"Haku is just a tool to Zabuza. He has no real importance."
"Even Haku himself understands that."
"What!?"
Young Zabuza trembled when he heard that.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 94: Sharingan's Secrets. Orochimaru Enters!
Chapter 95: The Uchiha Bloodline! Endless Suspense!
Chapter 96: Awakening the Beast! The Kyubi's Chakra!
Chapter 97: Inevitable Clash! The Strongest Spear vs. Blue Ice!
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BlackStar_BH:
The chapters currently available on Patreon are up to Chapter 122.
There are 30 advanced chapters available now:
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In the coming days, chapters will be made available for all tiers, reaching up to 50 advanced chapters… Enjoy!