Seeking Help from Changpu
"I'm not afraid of Naruto suffering… I'm afraid of Naruto driving a Range Rover."
This sentence perfectly captured Sasuke's current mood.
With the graduation exams finally over, the entrance of the ninja academy became lively once again. Parents had come to pick up their children, chatting, laughing, and fussing over their kids.
Naruto, however, had no interest in the bustle. He wanted to leave immediately, ignoring the curses and complaints thrown his way.
Feng Xu, though, stopped him.
"Let them curse. Use it to temper your heart. This is how you will master the Nine-Tails' power without losing control."
So, to eventually master the Nine-Tails' power and become the Fifth Hokage, Naruto dove into the crowd.
Everywhere he went, parents scolded, cursed, and tried to chase him away—but Naruto ran straight into the chaos, laughing all the while.
The scene quickly turned comical: Naruto weaving through the crowd as a chorus of angry parents shouted after him.
Feng Xu's corruption value soared.
[Darkness Value +600]
[Current corruption level: 2200]
By noon, after being scolded senseless, Naruto finally followed Feng Xu's plan: he returned home to grab his manuscript, then headed straight to Ichiraku Ramen.
"Yo, Naruto! Good afternoon! Here for ramen?"
The familiar voice rang out, accompanied by the cheerful clang of a ladle against a pot. The man behind it wore a broad, infectious smile.
Naruto couldn't help but grin back, the irritation from earlier scolding swept away by the warmth of the ramen shop.
"Yes! I'd like a deluxe signature ramen from Hand-Pounded Uncle!"
Hearing the words, Ayame, who stood behind Teshiga, widened her eyes.
"A deluxe ramen… costing 100 ryo? Naruto, did you find treasure in the street today?"
Naruto beamed with pride, scratching the back of his head.
"I got first place in the graduation exam! I'm officially a full-fledged ninja now!"
Both Teshiga and Ayame stared in amazement, and then genuine happiness spread across their faces.
"Congratulations! You finally graduated after repeating a year for two and a half years! This bowl is on me today—consider it a graduation gift!"
Naruto ignored the slight jab at his repeated years and cheerfully accepted the gesture.
"Thanks, Uncle Hand-Pounded! But replace all the toppings with Naruto rolls, please!"
Feng Xu's voice rang suddenly in Naruto's mind.
"Don't forget to ask Changpu for help with your manuscript."
Naruto froze. His joy turned to nervous hesitation. He had been dreading showing "Little Imperial Uncle" to Changpu.
Ayame noticed his expression and tilted her head, curious. "What is it, Naruto?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Uh… I wrote a novel. Could Sister Changpu help me submit it?"
"A novel!?"
Changpu reached out for the manuscript. Behind her, Teshiga leaned closer, curious.
"'Young A-Ming'? Could it be… a story Naruto wrote about himself?"
Changpu's mischievous smile widened.
"No, no! Just a coincidence! Same name, that's all!" Naruto waved his hands frantically.
But glancing at the pages, he quickly added with a pleading look:
"Please… don't look inside yet, at least not now!"
Changpu chuckled. "Alright, alright. I won't peek. Let's eat before your noodles get soggy."
She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Naruto with a sense of impending ridicule.
"Sister Changpu…" he muttered, dreading what she might think.
Ignoring his nerves, Naruto channeled his anxiety into eating, slurping the ramen voraciously.
"Slow down, slow down! You'll choke, you child!"
Ayame, worried, ladled him a bowl of pork bone soup. Ten minutes later, the entire ramen, soup and all, was gone.
Emerging from the kitchen, Changpu's cheeks flushed. The 20,000-word, ten-chapter manuscript could be read in about ten minutes.
"So… Ayame? Do you think Naruto's writing could be accepted by a publisher?"
Ayame, still flustered from the stove's heat, glanced shyly at Naruto. "Hmm… not bad. Actually, it's quite good. I never imagined Naruto could write a novel like this. No wonder he sneaks into the women's bathhouse and reads… magazines."
"Sneaking into the women's bathhouse? Reading magazines?" Naruto's confusion was evident.
Ayame blushed, realizing she had almost said too much. Naruto quickly interrupted.
"Sister Changpu, stop talking. Let's hurry! I need to finish my next draft if this one gets approved!"
Ayame nodded and said no more. After removing his apron and headscarf, Naruto walked out.
"After you finish, make sure to show it to your older sister for review—she'll check for typos."
The manuscript had already won over Changpu. Naruto had gained his first fan.
Soon after, Ayame returned with a man, a fawning smile on his face.
"Look, he wrote the novel… about a boy you call a monster."
"What monster! Don't be ridiculous!" Naruto protested.
The man ignored him, stepping forward eagerly.
"You must be Naruto Uzumaki, author of Young A-Ming? Pleased to meet you. I am Kishimoto Hirohiko, your editor."
Even if Naruto was called a monster, Kishimoto's praise and enthusiasm reassured him.
"Hello, Mr. Kishimoto. So… my manuscript's approved, right?"
Kishimoto bowed repeatedly. "Yes! Your work is excellent. Let's finalize the contract. Your book will get full promotion and is sure to be a huge hit—perhaps even surpass Intimate Paradise!"
Naruto, hearing such unusual praise, couldn't help but feel proud.
Meanwhile, Feng Xu received a message from the system.
[Master Personality Trust Dependence Score: 40%]
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