After experiencing the wonders of pure chakra, Tamura Hao burst into laughter.
He raised a hand to cover the upper half of his face. His left eye gleamed through his fingers as his laughter grew louder and more unrestrained.
"Hahahaha—!"
After enduring for so long, it was finally time for me, Tamura Hao—
No.
For Tamura Ri-Tian to rise!
Looks like my parents really did name me well.
"From today onward, I—Tamura Ri-Tian—enter the stage!"
"I will use the most efficient, the most scientific—no, the most ninja-academic methods to grind all of you down!"
"Or be ground down by all of you!"
Just as Tamura Ri-Tian was laughing maniacally and envisioning his glorious future—
"Xiao Hao! Did you eat a dead rat or something?! Why are you cackling like a lunatic?!"
A thunderous roar descended from upstairs.
Tamura Ri-Tian jolted violently.
"Sorry, Aunt Ruth! I was reading a really exciting part of a novel—I'll keep it down!"
He hurriedly responded, then slammed the window shut.
Low profile. Low profile.
He still needed to grow quietly. No showing off.
That name—Tamura Ri-Tian—was far too arrogant for now.
He'd stick with Tamura Hao for the time being.
Calming himself down, Tamura Hao connected his consciousness to the jade fragment, consumed destiny power, and boosted his comprehension to refine chakra—while attempting to further optimize the chakra extraction process.
Chakra was fundamentally different from internal energy systems in novels from his previous life.
There was no dantian.
Chakra didn't exist until it was actively refined.
The process was as follows:
Spiritual energy + physical vitality
Combined at a 1:1 ratio
Converted into chakra
Special chakra types were exceptions—such as the Sharingan's ocular chakra, which heavily favored spiritual energy.
But Tamura Hao had no kekkei genkai, no Yin–Yang Release.
Only Lightning Release.
Which meant he had to follow the orthodox 1:1 method.
Fortunately, because he had lived two lives, his mental strength far exceeded that of his peers.
This allowed him to refine chakra faster, more efficiently, and with greater control.
That was why he'd mastered chakra threads early, and learned tree-walking and water-walking long before most students.
Now, his goal was to refine and improve the chakra extraction technique itself—and see just how powerful the comprehension boost really was.
Meanwhile—
Inside the Raikage's Office.
The Third Raikage stared at his newly accepted disciple's personal file…
Then at the crate of "yellow-cover masterpieces" beside it.
His face gradually twisted into something downright terrifying.
Nearby, Dodai stood with eyes lowered, nose aligned with heart, doing his utmost to reduce his own presence.
As for A?
He was nowhere to be seen.
He definitely wasn't stupid enough to appear before his father today.
"Is it… too late to regret this?"
After a long moment, the Third Raikage covered his face.
He felt his lifelong reputation slipping away.
No wonder that brat had insisted on securing the master–disciple relationship before revealing all this.
The calculation had been flawless.
Dodai remained silent.
This wasn't something he could comment on. The Raikage had to process it himself.
"Is it really… that profitable?"
After calming down slightly, the Third Raikage stared at the books again.
He truly couldn't comprehend how such depraved filth could generate so much money.
Dodai finally spoke.
"According to sales investigations, his books have an extremely wide audience—men, women, all age groups."
"He's also incredibly productive. One book per month, around one hundred thousand words."
"Each volume sells for ten thousand ryō."
"As a top-tier contracted author, his revenue split with the publisher is nine-to-one."
"He takes ninety percent."
"At least seventy percent of Kumogakure's ninja are his readers. Among civilians, no less than thirty percent."
"Other villages are likely similar. Major cities as well. Even nobles purchase them."
"Preliminary estimates place his assets at two billion ryō."
"And that's sustainable income. Even books written years ago continue selling."
"If he maintains this output, his income will surpass the village's revenue within a few years."
Dodai himself had been shocked.
He'd known those authors were rich—after all, he personally spent twelve thousand ryō every year buying their books.
But this level of income?
It far exceeded imagination.
"That profitable…?"
The Third Raikage was genuinely stunned.
He knew the village's finances intimately.
Yet a single individual earning more than an entire ninja village?
That was absurd.
"People today are under enormous pressure," Dodai explained.
"Especially ninja, who live alongside death."
"They need an outlet—to release their darker impulses."
He didn't add that after reading those books, his own mind often felt strangely clear.
Sometimes even reaching a state of calm detachment—
Perfect for thinking.
"He's only ten," the Third Raikage muttered.
"Five years ago he was five."
"How could a child write this kind of thing?"
Dodai couldn't truly explain it either, but he had some guesses.
"Possibly learned in Konohagakure."
"There are rumors that Hiruzen Sarutobi once used secret techniques to spy on bathhouses."
"And his disciple, Jiraiya, is infamous for voyeurism—he's been chased through the streets by women more times than we can count."
"He even clashed with the Uchiha Police Force over it."
"After arriving in Kumogakure, ages six and seven, he used his youth to soak in women's bathhouses."
"He also worked in entertainment districts—likely for research."
"At the Academy, he was diligent, frequently borrowing books from the library—mostly history, especially records of ninja villages and clans."
Everything lined up.
Painfully so.
The Third Raikage's face twitched.
His regret deepened.
Should he… clean house now?
Before his reputation was permanently ruined?
After a long internal struggle, he clenched his teeth and issued an order.
"Classify all information related to this aspect of him as the village's highest-level secret."
"Equal to the confidentiality of the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails."
"Also—he's been practicing swordsmanship nonstop."
"Assign Fukuroi as his jōnin team leader."
That brat had immense potential—and immense earning power.
For the village, sacrificing personal reputation was acceptable.
That was the resolve required of a Kage.
Of course, if it could remain hidden—
That would be even better.
This master–disciple relationship must remain secret.
Otherwise, one day his reputation would truly be finished.
He didn't have Hiruzen Sarutobi's thick skin.
"Come up with a reasonable explanation for today's events," the Raikage added.
"Danzo Shimura isn't easy to fool."
"The ten billion ryō is likely already leaked—or will be soon."
"But we can use that."
"It's time to eliminate the spies we've already identified."
Dodai nodded slowly.
He already had a plan.
After all—
This was Kumogakure.
Not Danzo's Konoha.