In the past, when he showed his books to others, their reactions were always... complicated.
He had no idea how this one would be received, but he couldn't leave Raj out of it.
'We're in this together, after all.'
Raj nodded tearfully in agreement.
'Remembering the wellspring is a noble virtue, but please, don't drag me into this now! You're not going to reveal that the book's outline was my idea anyway...'
Circumstances were stronger than people.
At that moment, Raj deeply understood the feelings Kakashi must have experienced when facing him.
But it was useless.
Feeling deep empathy didn't stop Raj from bullying Kakashi.
After all, that stubborn kid would betray his teammates if he wasn't taught a lesson.
'Hmm, it's definitely not for the Points.'
Jiraiya led Raj away.
Not far from where they stood, a Yamanaka Clan Chunin fell into deep thought, then couldn't help but sigh.
'Lord Jiraiya has truly fallen so low that he's seeking validation from a cat. How pathetic! Next time Lord Jiraiya asks me to read his manuscript, I'll just pretend to like it...'
Jiraiya and Raj were well aware of his presence, but since he was only doing his duty and meant well, they didn't bother chasing him away.
Now that they were leaving, they had even less reason to care.
But if Jiraiya knew what he was thinking right now, heh, he'd be sent to Orochimaru's side without a second thought!
For the first time, Raj reluctantly perched on someone's shoulder.
This time, it was forced upon him, offering no Points and even carrying some risk.
'What if people criticize the manuscript...?'
'Hmm, that shouldn't happen.'
Comforting itself with these thoughts, Raj couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease.
Jiraiya had completely forgotten about the poor soul in the camp who was handling administrative tasks alongside his Shadow Clone.
His mind was now consumed by a single thought: finding someone to read his work and validate it.
'Newcomers are always like this,' Raj thought wryly.
Watching Jiraiya dart around like a headless fly, he couldn't help but chuckle aloud-Lord Jiraiya was truly "young" at heart.
After pacing in circles, Jiraiya finally approached Naoki.
It wasn't anything personal against Naoki; after careful consideration, he seemed the most available.
Asking him to read the manuscript wouldn't disrupt his regular duties, unlike asking Shibi, which might hinder his intelligence-gathering efficiency.
Naoki had just woken up.
Never particularly robust, he was utterly exhausted from the night's frantic activity and was about to stretch his legs when Jiraiya burst in, Black Cat in tow.
Whether from lack of rest or something else, the veteran Special Jonin looked rather pale.
As Raj watched suspiciously, Naoki cautiously asked, "Another mission?"
"It's not a mission," Jiraiya said, his smile radiant.
"I just came to check on you and brought a little something as a reward."
The master and disciple shared an almost identical, deceptively earnest smile.
Minato, however, had perfected the technique.
This wasn't a matter of skill, but simply that Minato was more handsome and possessed a naturally kinder face.
Naoki fell for it, feigning being moved.
Jiraiya then pulled out ten manuscript pages and handed them over.
"Here," he said.
"They're still warm from the ink. I just finished writing them-perfect for reading."
Naoki froze, the fleeting feeling of being touched vanished completely.
After a moment's hesitation, he took the pages.
He'd never read Jiraiya's books, but their reputation among Konoha's ninja was well-known.
They were... well, rather naive and dull.
As educational material, they seemed too advanced, yet they lacked appeal for adults.
Utterly useless.
But with the man standing right in front of him...
Naoki took a deep breath and began to read carefully.
The opening chapter featured a commoner underdog, just as rumored, relentlessly promoting his trademark themes of hard work and perseverance.
Naoki adjusted his mindset, mentally rehearsing how to flawlessly portray the emotion of "fascinated."
He mentally simulated the subsequent scenes, then confidently looked down at the page.
Logically, the next part should introduce the enemy...
'Holy shit, is this character based on Lady Tsunade?'
Naoki's eyes widened.
Though Lady Tsunade had left Konoha, the legend of her punch capable of demolishing a house still circulated.
She was Konoha's princess, a woman of both beauty and danger.
'What a brave warrior!'
In this world, Jiraiya was probably the only one daring enough to write about Tsunade like this.
He was stunned.
Regardless of the story's quality, this unconventional narrative alone had hooked Naoki.
'I'm following this!'
"What do you think?" Jiraiya asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Fascinating!" Naoki replied without hesitation, flipping to the next page.
"A black wildcat steals her clothes?"
He glanced at Raj.
'Lord Jiraiya must have written this because of Raj. Otherwise, given his cautious nature, he wouldn't have been so reckless.'
After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Lord Jiraiya, did anyone else... contribute to this book?"
"Yes, Raj helped me come up with the ideas," Jiraiya nodded.
'Just as I suspected.'
Naoki sighed inwardly, mentally lighting a candle for Raj.
'That cat truly has no fear of death, daring to mock even Tsunade. It's a pity Lady Tsunade isn't in Konoha anymore; the scene would have been spectacular. What a shame...'
He continued reading, page by page.
Setting aside the borrowed character archetypes, the opening chapters were remarkably well-written.
He found himself engrossed, and by the end, he was left with a lingering sense of wanting more.
"Lord Jiraiya, the book is excellent, but there's just one thing..."
"What is it?"
"Well, nothing really. It just feels too short. It's over before you've even gotten into it."
Life in the camp was often dull outside of missions.
Having such an engaging novel to read was a rare treat, but ten pages felt far too brief.
"Hahahaha! I'll do my best to write more," Jiraiya laughed heartily, genuinely delighted to be urged to write faster for the first time in his life.
Raj, however, didn't share his enthusiasm.
Raj felt a chill run down his spine, especially when Naoki gave him a meaningful glance upward, followed by lingering questions.
All signs pointed to one terrifying possibility: this damn dog thought the characters in the book were based on his opinions!
He could explain it away if only one person thought that, but when everyone seemed to share the same idea...
'Shit, I'm doomed!'
Raj took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
His only hope now was that Tsunade wouldn't think the same way.
She knew Jiraiya's true nature and would surely understand what kind of person he really was.
'Stay calm, stay calm... everything will be alright.'
Jiraiya put away the manuscript without showing it to anyone else, but Raj's heart continued to race with anxiety.
At times, he desperately wanted to find Jiraiya and destroy the manuscript or have his name removed.
But he knew Jiraiya would never agree.
One look at Jiraiya's face, beaming like a chrysanthemum, told him there was no hope.
Raj could only pray that Tsunade, being more reasonable, wouldn't come and beat him up too.
The chances were slim, but it was the only comfort he could cling to.