The store's silence was immaculate. The walls shimmered with soft ambient light, and faint arcs of chakra-light flickered through the air like lazy fireflies. Ryuu stood behind the black-marble counter, watching the door like a man watching a game board — empty for now, but not for long.
It didn't take long.
The door pulsed once. Reality parted.
Naruto Uzumaki stepped inside.
Ryuu blinked.
The boy was shorter than he remembered from the anime. Younger too. But that hair — that blinding mop of sunshine — and those sharp blue eyes, wide with confusion, confirmed it.
Naruto looked around, his nose twitching.
"...Ramen?"
He froze, then instinctively reached for his kunai. "Oi! What is this place?! Who are you people?"
Rem and Ram didn't move. They stood behind Ryuu like statues, unreadable. Ryuu simply raised a hand.
"No need for violence. You're in no danger here. You're my first customer."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Customer for what?"
"Your future," Ryuu said calmly. He motioned to the shelf behind him. "Start with the books."
Naruto took cautious steps forward and squinted at the shelf. He blinked.
A bold title read: "Naruto – Volume 1"
He frowned. His hand reached out and opened the cover.
Then the world began to fall away.
He read the first volume in near silence, eyes darting, hands tightening as the pages turned. The Shadow Clone trick. The battle with Mizuki. His loneliness etched into panels. Iruka-sensei's sacrifice.
By the end of Volume 1, his hands were trembling.
He opened Volume 2.
Zabuza. The bridge. Team 7 missions. Kakashi's Sharingan.
By the start of Volume 4, he saw Haku's death — the boy who smiled as he died to protect a dream — and something inside Naruto cracked.
He slammed the book closed.
"How—how do you know all this?! These moments—this isn't just made up!"
"Because it's your story," Ryuu said. "Written from start to finish."
Naruto's breathing hitched. "Start to…?"
He stared down at the unread stack. Volumes 5 to 72.
He didn't touch them.
"How much?" he asked, voice shaky.
"First four volumes," Ryuu said, "fifty ryo. Consider it a discount for being my first customer."
Naruto fumbled with his coin pouch and tossed the money onto the counter.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]Customer: Naruto Uzumaki
Emotional Impact: Moderate
Purchase: Naruto Volumes 1–4
Timeline Disturbance: Low
Store Points Earned: +180
Owner Bonus: Memory absorption initiated
Ryuu staggered slightly.
His mind surged with scenes — from Naruto's eyes. Pain, fear, confusion. Shadow Clones flickering. Kakashi's soft rebuke. The feel of Haku's blood on his hand.
And yet… he smiled.
It wasn't overwhelming. It was useful.
Naruto looked at him with a hundred questions brewing. But his face went blank. "I'll be back," he said hoarsely, gripping the books to his chest like lifelines.
And he left.
The door vanished behind him.
Ryuu exhaled.
"One thread pulled."