[Where did the Uchiha Clan come from, and where are they headed? Who is that mysterious man among them? Veteran manga critic 'The Masked Man Who Never Delays Updates' reveals all the secrets.]
[Is 'The Tragedy Ender', Raiden Hattori, really just a conflict between the Author and the editorial team? The president of JJump answers personally!]
[Shocking news: Naruto sales reach unprecedented heights…]
...
A red sweater, a black skirt that fell just past the knees… the clear, sunlit sky stretched overhead, casting a faint backdrop against the lovely silhouette on the ground.
Holding a small crossbody bag, her hair tied in an elegant knot, her lightly made-up cheeks seemed to glow under the sunlight slanting through the air.
She exuded a youthful freshness while carrying a natural, poised grace.
Hoshino Sumika stood there, rooted in the bustling streets of Tokyo's Harajuku district.
The sidewalks were packed with people. Rising slightly on her tiptoes, she peered into the distance, but beyond the noise and the indistinguishable sea of faces, she couldn't make out anything.
After waiting idly for a while, the refreshing early autumn breeze swept past, and the passersby couldn't help but pause in secret admiration as they walked by the girl who seemed like a scene straight out of a painting.
'Who is she waiting for? Please don't let it be a guy, damn it!'
Her pendant swayed gently as Sumika finally unlocked her phone. The screen showed no new messages.
Scrolling up, the last message from the other end of the inbox had been sent abruptly two days ago.
The contact's profile picture was the default blank, not even a photo, 'Hmph, he probably never even opened the app after registering.'
"So slow…"
Muttering under her breath, Sumika exhaled, already imagining how she'd punish him later, 'Should I say he stepped in with his left foot first today, or his right?'
Lost in her random thoughts, her gaze eventually settled on the dazzling array of bookshelves right in front of her.
Across from her stood a bookstore.
In the heart of a commercial district, any store, whether ordinary or eccentric, could thrive, and this one was no exception.
Thanks to Japan's deep-rooted manga culture, this ACG-focused bookstore was bustling with activity. All sorts of enthusiastic fans browsed the shelves, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they picked through the selections.
Sumika naturally noticed the display of bestsellers at the entrance, meant to catch the eyes of passersby. Though she was long accustomed to such scenes, the bold banners and the familiar faces on the covers, characters she knew all too well, always gave her a strange feeling.
One by one, today seemed to be a Naruto feature. Sumika's eyes swept over the neatly arranged manga volumes, each wrapped in thin, transparent plastic.
The colored pages, the black-and-white panels, the occasional glint of reflected light…
Swords clashing, dramatic poses, bold declarations… more than half of the covers featured Raiden Hattori in some form.
Sumika averted her gaze just in time, 'Yeah, looking at these too much might make me laugh.'
Seeing her boyfriend frequently appear in such settings, and in such a unique way, what did Sumika think of it all?
Well, it was kind of amusing.
But in the beginning, her feelings had been far more complicated.
'Chance encounters' in Tokyo's sprawling metropolis, flipping through pages on the subway during spare moments… sometimes in surprise, sometimes in worry.
Unlike most fans who could enjoy the thrilling battles purely as entertainment, Sumika couldn't shake the knowledge that the dangers on those pages might be real.
A seemingly harmless shuriken flying across the page? She feared it might actually pierce through flesh.
But time had passed. Sumika had worked hard to adjust her mindset. That day, under the eaves after the rain, she had let Logan go to fulfill the bonds he couldn't abandon. Now, she would wait patiently for his return.
Besides, through online forums, she had stumbled upon countless fan theories and analyses, things like 'plot armor' and 'main character privileges', which had, in a way, comforted her.
The streets buzzed with activity, and the lively chatter from inside the bookstore still reached her ears. Employees called out reminders not to crowd, while fans debated the merits of different works, some even squealing in excitement.
Sumika couldn't help but glance over, then lowered her head, covering a small laugh with her hand.
"That guy… he's got quite the fanbase, huh?"
The title of most influential Shonen manga wasn't just empty praise from the magazine, it was backed by solid sales figures.
And given that most of the prominently displayed covers featured Raiden Hattori, it spoke volumes about the character's popularity.
People crowded around the shelves, almost blocking the view from outside. It was amusing, but the only thing that slightly irked Sumika was the fact that a significant portion of his fanbase seemed to be female.
'It's a Shonen manga, for crying out loud…'
The trendy atmosphere of Harajuku flowed through the streets, but even that grew dull after a while. Spotting an empty seat inside, really just a low display platform next to a stack of ACG merchandise, Sumika glanced down the street once more before huffing and stepping inside.
Sitting down, she rubbed her calves and fixed her gaze on the endless stream of traffic outside.
Today's sunlight had traveled across the city, first refracting off the glass of distant skyscrapers before stretching its golden fingers all the way to this little corner of the bookstore.
Staring at that patch of light amidst the bustling streets created a peculiar sense of quiet.
Sumika occasionally stretched out a foot in her little leather shoes to tap at the sunlight, her fair calves glowing enticingly.
Time seemed to slow in this peaceful moment. After a wave of customers passed, the checkout counter cleared, and the store settled into a lazy calm.
Leaning on her hands, having tapped the sunlight enough, Sumika turned her attention to the shelves beside her.
Her red agate-like eyes scanned the manga titles. The store had dedicated entire sections to Raiden Hattori's side stories, as no publisher would miss the chance to capitalize on a character's popularity.
After the battle between the Uchiha brothers, seeing the explosive demand, it would've been a crime not to milk it for all it was worth.
Thus, JJump had conveniently released several 'memory arc' spin-offs.
'Anbu Arc', 'Land of Moon's Aurora Arc', 'Master and Student Arc'...
Sumika's fingers trailed lightly over the spines. She had read them all. Thanks to those faithfully recorded pages, she could look back and witness his journey as if she had been there herself.
Finally, her hand paused over one particular title, her gaze lingering on the words, 'Land of Fire's Envoy Escort Arc'.
This was their story.
Bathed in sunlight, the beautiful scene felt worlds away from their parting two months ago.
In this quiet moment, Sumika felt a sudden, serene curiosity.
She reached for the very last volume in the row, the newest release, Volume 40.
It was a sample copy, well-worn from countless readers, the edges of its pages frayed with age.
Sumika opened it once more.
Just as she had done many times before, the black-and-white world unfolded before her, telling its tale.