Is This the World You See, Captain Xin Xuan?

Speaking of this, Uchiha Shingen was no longer sleepy.

He nimbly turned around and walked back to Jiraiya's side, picked up the still-warm cup of tea, and plastered a smile on his face:

"Tell me more."

Jiraiya naturally didn't want to let such a good potential partner slip away, so he cleared his throat and said:

"You know, I am a bestselling author. The Make-Out Hell series is a hit in every nation across the ninja world."

"My annual royalties, when all is said and done, amount to several hundred million ryo."

"I have the writing skill and the distribution channels, while you have ideas that are ahead of this era."

"If we join forces, our new work will surely sweep the ninja world. The royalties we bring in might even exceed one billion ryo!"

"As long as you're willing, I can add your name after mine—no, we shall be listed as co-authors!"

Upon hearing this.

The way Uchiha Shingen looked at Jiraiya changed instantly.

This wasn't some third-rate smut writer; this was a walking god of wealth!

Providing a few words of inspiration could net him hundreds of millions of ryo a year—it was basically making money while lying down!

He might like to slack off at the Police Force, but there was no reason to refuse such free money.

Uchiha Shingen grabbed Jiraiya's outstretched hand:

"You might not know this, but I've always had a dream of being a writer, I just never had the opportunity."

"Since you've so kindly invited me, how could I refuse?!"

Seeing Uchiha Shingen change his tune faster than he could, Jiraiya immediately snapped back to reality, thinking to himself that he'd offered too much.

But he had already come to regard Uchiha Shingen as a kindred spirit, and he wanted even more inspiration and that visionary perspective from him.

Gritting his teeth, he endured the pain in his wallet and put on a pained expression:

"Only you understand me, Shingen-kun!"

The two hit it off immediately.

Over the next few days, Jiraiya rented the room next to the bookstore, set up a tea table at the entrance, and spent his days discussing the new work with Uchiha Shingen.

With hundreds of millions of ryo in royalties at stake, Uchiha Shingen was full of enthusiasm.

After dumping his patrol duties at the Police Force onto his subordinates, he buried himself headfirst into the discussions for the new book.

Such behavior naturally made Tezaku and the others click their tongues in wonder.

But after recognizing Jiraiya's identity, even Shisui and the others wisely kept their mouths shut.

"Should we tell the Captain about Lord Jiraiya's identity?!"

Shisui looked at Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya, who were deep in intense discussion, and hesitated for a moment.

If at first he was only worried about his own secret of buying smut books being discovered, now he was worried about the implications of Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya meeting up.

As one of the most promising candidates for the Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya's status went without saying.

As a rising star in the Police Force, Uchiha Shingen represented the Uchiha clan in a certain sense.

Even if these two were meeting to write a book, who would believe that if word got out?!

"No need for that."

Tezaku crossed his arms, looking as if he had seen through everything:

"Don't you understand how the Captain operates by now?!"

"He's not just like the Nara clan in personality; he has a bit of their intellect, too."

"He must have seen through Lord Jiraiya's identity long ago. If he hasn't mentioned it, it's probably because of the Clan Head and the others."

"You should be able to see it, right?!"

"Whether it's the Clan Head or the Third Hokage, both have the intention to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha."

"Captain Shingen reading every single issue of Make-Out Hell might have been for this very day!"

"To get an opportunity to make contact with Lord Jiraiya!"

Shisui was stunned by his words. Recalling the casual remarks Uchiha Shingen had made, he suddenly realized:

"So when Captain Shingen said he could find the secret to becoming Hokage in Make-Out Paradise, this is what he meant?!"

Then what does that make me, having started buying smut books at the shop when I was eight?!

Shisui's mouth twitched violently. He shook his head, casting aside the awkward memory, and looked toward the tea stall in the distance.

He only felt that Uchiha Shingen's figure in his eyes was becoming more and more mysterious, more and more towering!

Is this the world that your eyes see?!

Captain Shingen!

Shisui's eyes shimmered with brilliance.

Beside him, Tezaku fell into deep thought for a moment.

Having followed Uchiha Shingen the longest, he naturally understood his captain's style and could not help but try to fathom Uchiha Shingen's intentions.

He muttered:

"Following Captain Shingen's usual methods, at a time like this, he should... pass the buck upward!"

Thinking of this, Tezaku turned to look at Shisui and said:

"Shisui, write down the cause and effect of this matter clearly, then report it to Chief Commander Yaowei of the South District!"

Shisui hesitated for a moment, pondered for a while, then shook his head and said:

"Brother Tezaku, Captain Shingen didn't bring this up himself. Does that mean... the timing isn't ripe yet?!"

"Perhaps we should wait a little longer?!"

Tezaku pondered for a moment, nodded slightly, and decided to hold off on the matter for the time being.

Afterward.

For several days in a row, Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya spent their time in a teahouse in the South Fourth District of Konoha, engaged in intense discussions about the release of a new work.

One had no intention of hiding, while the other was completely unaware of what this signified; naturally, such behavior could not escape the eyes of those with ulterior motives.

Very quickly.

This matter reached the ears of Danzo.

Root organization base.

A dark underground lair.

Several jonin of the Root organization sat around a conference table.

In each of their hands was a brand-new report, detailing the contents of the conversations between Uchiha Shingen and Jiraiya.

The more they read, the more fascinating the expressions beneath their masks became.

After a long while.

Finally, someone could not help but speak up:

"Lord Danzo, no matter how you look at this report, it sounds like they are discussing creative writing—the kind of... forbidden books."

"Forgive my bluntness, but wasting energy on such things is simply a waste of time..."

"Foolish!"

A sharp rebuke cut off the Root jonin's words.

Everyone felt a chill wash over them; they immediately reined in their dismissive attitudes and looked up at Danzo, who sat at the head of the table.

"I originally thought Jiraiya's return to Konoha was merely Hiruzen making early preparations for the situation in the ninja world, but it seems you are even greedier than I imagined, Hiruzen!"

Bang!

Danzo slammed his palm heavily onto the table and stood up abruptly.

His already intimidating aura was now unleashed without restraint, for the rage in his heart had surged, uncontrollable!

He scanned the room, seeing only the bewildered gazes of his subordinates, and snapped:

"Why is it that after returning to Konoha, the first person Jiraiya contacts is someone from the Uchiha clan?! And the most dazzling newcomer in the Konoha Police Force at that? And during such a sensitive period?"

"There is only one truth!"

"That is that Hiruzen has already reached a cooperation with the Uchiha, wanting to truly bring them under his command!"