The morning after retrieving the stolen scrolls, Naruto was sitting cross-legged on his bed, inspecting the recovered manga pages. He sighed in relief. "Not a single scratch. My babies are safe."
Jiraiya, sipping tea by the window, chuckled. "You're lucky they didn't set these on fire. That leader wasn't messing around."
Naruto leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Why would anyone go through all that trouble to steal a bunch of manga? It's not like I'm hiding state secrets in here."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Not yet, anyway. But you might be underestimating the impact your work is having. You've started something bigger than you realize."
Before Naruto could respond, a loud knock interrupted their conversation.
"Uzumaki Naruto!" a stern voice called from outside.
Naruto's heart sank. He recognized that tone. "Aw man… it's Granny Tsunade!"
Jiraiya snorted. "Better answer before she kicks the door down."
Tsunade's Ultimatum
Naruto opened the door to find Tsunade glaring at him, arms crossed and Shizune standing nervously beside her.
"What's up, Granny?" Naruto said, trying to sound casual.
Tsunade didn't fall for it. She stepped into the room, her presence commanding. "Don't 'Granny' me. I want answers, Naruto. Last night, an entire district reported strange chakra disturbances. And now I hear you and Jiraiya were involved in some kind of fight."
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Uh… well, you see—"
Jiraiya interrupted. "We were handling a small matter. Nothing to trouble the Hokage about."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Small matter? A warehouse full of stolen goods, masked intruders, and an explosion hardly sounds small. What are you hiding?"
Naruto froze. He couldn't exactly tell her the truth about the manga and the system.
"It was research!" Jiraiya said with a grin, deflecting smoothly. "Naruto and I were tracking rumors of rogue ninjas. You know how I am about uncovering secrets for the sake of Konoha."
Tsunade's glare softened slightly but didn't disappear. "Fine. But I'm warning you—if I find out you're causing unnecessary trouble, there will be consequences."
Naruto saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"
Back to the Drawing Board
After Tsunade left, Naruto slumped onto his bed. "Man, that was close. I thought she was gonna figure everything out."
Jiraiya laughed. "She's sharp, but even Tsunade wouldn't guess you're writing manga to shape the ninja world."
Naruto grabbed a blank scroll and his brush. "Speaking of manga, I need to work on the next volume. Gaara's arc is just getting started, and I've got ideas!"
Jiraiya leaned over. "What kind of ideas?"
Naruto smirked. "Let's just say I'm gonna introduce a villain that'll blow everyone's minds. Something even scarier than Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You're aiming high. Don't forget to balance the action with those funny bits. That's what makes your stories stand out."
Naruto nodded. "Got it. Now, time to get to work!"
The Shop's Expansion
Later that day, Naruto disguised himself using In Plain Sight and visited Ichiraku Manga House. Teuchi greeted him warmly. "Naruto! Business has been booming, thanks to you."
Naruto grinned. "Glad to hear it, old man. Got any feedback from the customers?"
Teuchi nodded. "Oh, plenty! They're loving Gaara's story so far, but everyone's begging for more frequent releases. Think you can speed up production?"
Naruto scratched his head. "I'll try, but you know—quality over quantity!"
Ayame chimed in from behind the counter. "People are also talking about some fake scrolls circulating. They're saying the story's been changed. Is that true?"
Naruto's jaw tightened. "No way! I got those scrolls back. Everything's legit now."
Teuchi patted Naruto's shoulder. "Good. Your fans trust you, Naruto. Don't let them down."
Naruto smiled. "I won't. Thanks, old man."
Trouble Brewing
As Naruto walked back to his inn, he noticed a crowd gathered near the village square. Curious, he slipped into the shadows and activated Trace Memory to get a sense of what was happening.
He saw glimpses of a man standing on a makeshift stage, holding up a scroll.
"This is the true story of the Sand Demon!" the man proclaimed, his voice loud and confident. "Forget the lies you've been fed. This version reveals the real truth!"
Naruto's blood boiled. "That jerk! He's spreading fake versions again!"
He clenched his fists. "Alright, buddy. Time to show you what happens when you mess with my work."