Chapter 22: Raikaken, the Genius Novelist
"It's done!"
Minato Namikaze interrupted their conversation, saying, "Try my Fire Release: Jet-Black Deliciousness Style Four!"
"You're making up names no one else understands," Kushina Uzumaki said, rolling her eyes as she took a roasted fish.
"Couldn't help it," Minato Namikaze scratched his head, smiling.
Hoshikawa quietly took a bite of his roasted fish.
Eating roasted fish is better than eating dog food.
"How does it taste?" Kushina Uzumaki asked Hoshikawa.
During their chat, she had already learned about the handsome child's situation.
A war orphan, currently living with the Yūhi family. His experience was a bit like hers, quite tragic.
"Delicious," Hoshikawa said, nodding emphatically.
"Next time, if you get a chance, you can try my cooking," Kushina Uzumaki said with a beaming smile.
"Okay," Hoshikawa naturally agreed.
Although encountering Kushina Uzumaki was unexpected, maintaining a good relationship with them had no downside.
Especially with Minato Namikaze.
He might be able to save his life in the Third Great Ninja War thanks to him.
"Kushina," Minato Namikaze lightly coughed, reminding her.
Kushina Uzumaki, just like last time, had snuck out by trapping the ANBU guards with a sealing jutsu.
According to what she said, she was planning to do it again.
"What?" Kushina Uzumaki clenched her fist and asked, "Is my cooking not good?"
"It's delicious," Minato Namikaze immediately replied.
"That's more like it." Kushina Uzumaki understood his underlying meaning, but it was just so boring inside the barrier.
Hoshikawa felt like he was inexplicably fed another mouthful of dog food.
The meal ended with casual conversation.
Hoshikawa bid them farewell and returned to Konoha Village.
Night had fallen, and the streetlights on both sides of the road illuminated the path.
He kept feeling like crows would fly by at any second, followed by the appearance of Itachi Uchiha.
Fortunately, the Uchiha Clan Massacre was still far away, and he wasn't a ninja of the Uchiha clan anyway.
As Hoshikawa walked, he opened his Talent Panel.
The progress bar for the E-rank entry 'Seven Ninja Tools' had already reached 70%.
His proficiency with explosive tags was faster than he had imagined.
Perhaps this was the power of "cash."
As the saying goes, happiness is created with money.
The progress bar for the E-rank entry 'Scholar' was also nearing completion, just waiting for the final dance of the term exams.
"I'm home!"
Hoshikawa casually pushed open the door and began to change his shoes in the entryway.
Kurenai Yūhi heard the sound, hopped off the sofa, and scurried out like a little white rabbit.
Shinku Yūhi, sitting across from her, couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
He felt his status was severely threatened.
"Hoshikawa, why are you home so late?" Kurenai Yūhi asked, hands on her hips, displeased. "And you didn't tell me beforehand!"
That last part is the key, isn't it?
Hoshikawa looked at her adorable pouting face and said with a smile, "I met Minato Namikaze."
"Who's Minato Namikaze?" Kurenai Yūhi didn't immediately react.
"You actually met Minato?" Shinku Yūhi asked, surprised.
"I met him at the Fourth Training Ground," Hoshikawa casually made up. "Maybe he saw my extraordinary bones, so he invited me to eat roasted fish."
"It's probably because Lord Hokage mentioned you to him," Shinku Yūhi mused.
"Eh?" Kurenai Yūhi widened her eyes. "Lord Hokage knows about Hoshikawa already?"
"What do you think?" Shinku Yūhi patted her head and said with a smile, "He did beat Asuma."
"It was a spar," Hoshikawa said seriously.
"Alright, come inside and talk." Shinku Yūhi glared at him, then pulled Kurenai Yūhi and turned to leave.
"…?" Hoshikawa couldn't help but pause.
What's going on?
I didn't park a noisy scooter outside your house.
"Uncle Shinku," Hoshikawa closed the door and came into the living room, stating directly, "I want to learn kenjutsu."
Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki were younger than him, and he didn't know Kosuke Maruboshi, so his only option was Shinku Yūhi.
"Why do you suddenly want to learn kenjutsu?" Shinku Yūhi asked, surprised.
"I don't have enough chakra right now, so I can't learn new genjutsu. I want to learn kenjutsu for self-defense," Hoshikawa had prepared his excuse in advance.
Shinku Yūhi nodded slightly.
The reason was sound; he had no reason to refuse.
This is a genius, alright.
Shinku Yūhi said with some emotion, "I'll teach you kenjutsu in a bit."
"Ah?" Hoshikawa subconsciously looked skeptical.
"You brat!" Shinku Yūhi couldn't help but puff out his cheeks and glare. "Is there a problem with me, a genjutsu ninja, knowing some kenjutsu?"
Kenjutsu is a type of taijutsu, and taijutsu is one of the fundamental skills for all ninja; genjutsu users must learn it.
Otherwise, if their genjutsu failed, they'd simply be waiting for death.
"No problem!" Hoshikawa quickly stood at attention and said seriously, "Thank you, Uncle Shinku!"
"I want to learn too!" Kurenai Yūhi raised her little hand.
"Kurenai," Shinku Yūhi said in a gentler tone, "Once you've mastered genjutsu, I'll teach you."
"Okay." Kurenai Yūhi understood the vast difference between herself and Hoshikawa.
Wanting to learn everything might lead to learning nothing at all.
"You wait for me outside first." Shinku Yūhi stood up and went to his room.
Hoshikawa waited for a while, then saw him emerge with two wooden swords.
"The sword style I'm teaching you is called Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu. Though it's a basic style, it shouldn't be underestimated," Shinku Yūhi casually tossed a wooden sword to him, adding, "If you study it diligently, you can even create your own secret sword techniques."
Hoshikawa immediately thought of Kosuke Maruboshi, whose Konoha-ryu: Willow was a combination of Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu and genjutsu.
"So, let's start with the simplest," Shinku Yūhi said, swinging his wooden sword.
"Understood," Hoshikawa nodded with a serious expression.
Night fell, and moonlight spilled onto the earth.
After two hours of learning, Hoshikawa finally triggered a new entry.
[E-rank Ninjutsu Entry: Kenjutsu Ninja (Not Acquired).]
[Trigger Condition: Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu reaches Beginner proficiency.]
[Current Progress: 5%.]
With the lesson over, Hoshikawa took a shower and returned to his room.
Though a bit tired, he didn't go straight to sleep. Instead, he took out a pen.
After long deliberation, he began to write the ideas and outline for a novel.
The work he chose was Taimanin.
Another two days passed.
Morning.
Hoshikawa jogged on the streets as usual. After two laps, he entered the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore.
He quickly met Tsuchibashi and presented the ideas and outline for his Taimanin.
"That fast?" Tsuchibashi asked casually. "What's your friend's name?"
"Raikaken," Hoshikawa paused, "That's his pen name."
"Pen name? I get it." Tsuchibashi showed a knowing smile.
What do you get?
Hoshikawa's scalp tingled. He couldn't imagine how socially dead he'd be if his "friend" was exposed.
Tsuchibashi smiled and began to read.
But soon, his smile vanished, replaced by a very serious expression, and finally, one of immense delight.
"Your friend is an absolute genius!" Tsuchibashi said, his voice excited. "This ninja setting is unheard of! It's sure to be a massive bestseller!"
....
For advanced chapters:
Get early access to 80 advanced chapters before anyone else!
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God