This was the very work that had enlightened Hiruko in his past life. Moreover, he felt that the "Landlady" archetype was a perfect fit for the social climate of the shinobi world.
"What on earth are you making me write? Is this... a novel?" Kakuzu stared at Hiruko, utterly speechless.
"Exactly, a novel. I took a walk around earlier and confirmed that the sailors in this town are bored out of their minds on their ships. They need spiritual solace," Hiruko explained.
"But they can't bring women on board, and most are barely literate—they can't stomach professional books."
"So you're making me write this filth."
"Does it make money or not?" Hiruko tempted.
Kakuzu steeled himself and began writing the content Hiruko dictated. However, he made a silent vow: if this didn't turn a profit soon, he would hack Hiruko into ten thousand pieces.
Hiruko sensed the fury in Kakuzu's eyes but didn't care. He knew that for Kakuzu, the only thing that mattered was the bottom line. As long as the Ryo flowed, all sins were forgiven.
Overall, it was a masterpiece designed to make readers cast aside the troubles of the mortal world and immerse themselves in pure enjoyment. Once you let go of the suspense and dove in, it was like stepping into a dreamlike realm.
Through Hiruko's superhuman brainpower, the adaptation was flawless. For someone of his caliber, weaving spicy elements into a natural, logical plot was child's play. An outsider wouldn't even notice the "demonic" influence; they would simply be lost in the fantasy.
As they reached the end of the story, Hiruko had a sudden flash of inspiration. He asked Kakuzu to sketch a few of the most beautiful women he had encountered in his long career as a ninja.
Characters like the sultry "Landlady" or his former flame, Zhenhui, were all women Kakuzu had crossed paths with on his blood-soaked journey. With his exquisite artistic skill, Kakuzu captured their most alluring moments on paper.
Hiruko was genuinely impressed. He silently marveled that Kakuzu, despite his grim exterior, had actually enjoyed quite the "colorful" life. He had to admit, the man's talent for drawing was stunning; every portrait was lifelike. The "Landlady" sketch, in particular, radiated an indescribable mature charm.
Soon, Hiruko held the finalized "Special Edition" manuscript.
"Alright, stop sulking. Let's go sell it!"
"Do you really think people will buy this?" Kakuzu asked. He had lived half a century and seen every storm, but this kind of adult fiction was a first for him. He was a conservative ninja with zero interest in the affairs of men and women. In fact, for reasons best left unsaid, he was currently "out of order" in that department anyway.
Hiruko didn't bother arguing. He decided to let the market speak for itself.
They wandered the town until they spotted an target: a strong young man with protruding temples—clearly a laborer. They cornered him in an alley. Hiruko calmly flashed the manuscript.
The young man turned as white as a sheet. Before he could even wet his pants, he blurted out, "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I'll give you whatever money I have! Just don't hurt me!"
"Brother," Hiruko asked with a grin. "Wanna buy a special novel?"
Just like that, the first copy sold for a staggering 1,000 Ryo. It wasn't because of the threat of a kunai; the moment the man saw the exquisite hand-drawn illustrations and the gripping plot, he agreed instantly. For a high-quality manual like this, 1,000 Ryo was a steal, and he definitely had the "demand."
From any angle, this era was ripe for such content. If Hiruko had more time, he would have added a zero or two to the price tag. But the sales weren't the core of the mission; they were just the catalyst.
Kakuzu looked at the 1,000 Ryo. His expression was still stiff, but he couldn't hide a flicker of delight. "It actually sold... With the leftover paper, I can probably churn out twenty more."
"You're an interesting fellow." The amount was small to Kakuzu, but he relished the process of accumulation. Watching wealth grow bit by bit was a primal joy for him, and his attitude toward Hiruko softened considerably.
Without waiting for Hiruko to prompt him, Kakuzu demanded a "reprint." With his black thread-like tentacles, he became a human printing press, rapidly duplicating nine more copies. They found more young men on the streets and sold out in minutes.
20,000 Ryo, just like that. It felt good.
However, the sun was setting, and they only had two days left. Even with Kakuzu working at full speed, they couldn't hit ten million Ryo through manual labor. They needed to scale.
"We take this money and find a printer," Hiruko said. "Lower the quality if we have to; the key is volume."
Kakuzu nodded, his trust in Hiruko's efficiency growing. "But in my experience, a legitimate printing shop won't touch this stuff."
"We don't need a legitimate shop," Hiruko countered. "Where there's a market, there's a way. No one wants a losing deal, but plenty will take an illegal one."
They stopped at a small inn, using a bit of their profit for a quick breakfast. Hiruko did a lap around the town, his eyes sharp. He eventually zeroed in on a shifty-looking character with a "rat-like" face.
Hiruko approached him directly. "Friend, where can I get a massive amount of 'books' printed?"
The man looked them up and down, his eyes filled with suspicion. "That's an awkward question to ask a stranger, brother."
Hiruko smiled and shoved 10,000 Ryo into his hand.
The man's eyes crinkled. "Follow me."
He led them through a labyrinth of back alleys before stopping at a secluded courtyard. He didn't go in; he simply pointed and hurried away.
Hiruko and Kakuzu fetched their manuscript and knocked. A young apprentice, about thirteen, opened the door with a wary look. "Who are you? I don't know your faces."
Hiruko didn't blink. "We're with Big Brother Saito."
The name "Saito" acted like a magic word. The apprentice relaxed slightly but still didn't let them in. "What do you want?"
"The usual. One thousand copies. I'll pick them up this afternoon," Hiruko said with absolute confidence. Saito was the king of the local underground printing scene; Hiruko had gathered that intel before even knocking.
The apprentice hesitated—a thousand was a big order—but the "Saito rule" was absolute. "Fine. Pick them up this afternoon. But you know the drill: deposit first."
"Understood."
As they walked away, Kakuzu asked, "You know them?"
Hiruko shrugged. "Never seen them in my life. I picked this town at random."
Kakuzu frowned. "Then how did you...?"
"I just figured everyone should have a friend named Saito," Hiruko smirked. It was one of the most common names in the world, after all. Kakuzu wanted to argue, but the logic was annoyingly sound.
At one in the afternoon, they returned. The mountain of books was ready. The quality was lower than Kakuzu's hand-drawn originals, but the content was what mattered. They hauled the heavy bundles away.
Hiruko didn't go far. He found a local distributor and, after some haggling, closed a deal. Despite the uneven printing quality, the payout was roughly 255,000 Ryo. Cash and goods were cleared on the spot.
Once the money was in hand, Hiruko tossed a small pouch containing a significant bonus back into the printer's courtyard.
Kakuzu watched the "wasteful" gesture with a twitch of his eye, but his tone was oddly gentle—more like a friend than a rival. "Why give them more?"
"Protocol," Hiruko explained. "We'll need them to print more later."
Kakuzu accepted the reasoning. "What's next? More writing? Or leveraging these resources?"
Hiruko looked at the remaining cash and drafted a bold plan. He began a cycle of "insane" printing. Driven by the unique demands of the harbor market, their wealth snowballed. Within a few days, they hit the ten-million-Ryo mark.
Being powerful ninjas helped; no one dared interfere with their business. Hiruko's path to profit was terrifyingly smooth.
Kakuzu was now fully submerged in this "new-era" wealth-building. Hiruko could see the man's hunger for this new knowledge. He had successfully lured the legendary miser into his orbit.
With Kakuzu settled, Hiruko returned to the Dragon Vein.
He stood at the Sun Altar, his hands resting on the hemispherical, lens-like device. Purple Dragon Vein chakra leaked out, swirling around him like a Tailed Beast Shroud, illuminating his face in an eerie glow.
Sasori was already there, his patience at an end. He was more than ready for the adventure.
To prevent Sasori from triggering a catastrophe out of curiosity, Hiruko had only told him the truth two weeks ago: they were going to travel to a parallel dimension.
"Only I can navigate the transit," Hiruko warned, "because..."
A single relevant follow-up question: Why is Hiruko the only one capable of navigating the Dragon Vein's temporal passage, and what specific world is he targeting for their first jump?
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