I spent the first day like that, and from the second day onward, I also renovated the house a bit. I only fixed the bathroom and the toiletāit didn't take much time.
After that, I went outside to get a sense of the geography and gather information. I went to the town center to check the market prices of goods and see if there was anything else I could make and sell at the smithy. While there, the owner of the ninja tool shop recognized me and greeted me warmly.
"Jin! Long time no see. I heard you were sick. Are you all better now?"
It seemed the setting was that I had been ill.
"I'm fine now."
"See? What did I tell you? I said you should just focus on your smithy work. You wore your body down by not resting at night, writing strange novels."
Listening to the shop owner, I learned a lot of information. Apparently, my main job was blacksmithing, but I suddenly started causing a stir by writing strange novels, so the village treated me as an eccentric.
"Anyway, because you were sick, we're short on shuriken and kunai, so I'd like to place an order. I'll take 200 of each. Oh, come to think of it, we're also short on kitchen knives, so I'll order a few more of those as well."
"Understood."
The structure seemed to be that I would make the items and the tool shop would sell them on my behalf. Since I didn't have to run the business myself, I could save time, so it wasn't a bad deal.
Having received the order, I walked around the town center, talking with the villagers and gathering more information. Although I was treated as an oddball, it didn't seem to be a bad image, as they smiled and chatted with me. The young women of the village especially liked meāit seemed this face still worked its charm here as well.
Having gathered enough information, I returned home and began making the newly ordered kunai. Using the same method as before, I made five, selected the best quality one, and continuously duplicated it with [Material Duplication].
"This is so convenient."
Worried that delivering the order too soon would seem suspicious, I stayed home for two days and, to fit my concept, created a sturdy typewriter to write novels. In the Naruto world, I wouldn't do things like digging underground to make a laboratory. This world has too many overpowered eye abilities, so I could get caught, and the space was too small for training.
"Hmm... I need to go out one day and scout for a training location."
After two days, I loaded the finished items onto a cart and went to the town center to deliver them. The shop owner seemed quite surprised.
"You made them awfully fast. I thought it would take at least two weeks."
"I had some pre-made."
"Thank goodness. We were in a real bind because of the shortage."
Fortunately, my excuse worked, and I got through without any problems. The owner looked at the items, went into the back of the shop for a moment, then came out and handed over the payment for the delivered goods.
"Here you are. Upon inspection, the quality has improved. So I added a bit extra. I look forward to working with you."
"Thank you."
Having received the payment, I looked around the shop while I was there, examining various ninja tools. I especially scrutinized the explosive tagsāthey seemed similar in some ways to my [Talisman Art] ability, so I thought I might be able to make them as well.
After checking the explosive tags, I left the shop and headed to a bookstore. I wanted to know the level of novels published in the Naruto world and also check if there were any books on basic jutsu. Since I knew nothing about jutsu, I needed to start from the basics.
Fortunately, I found a basic jutsu textbook used at the Ninja Academy. I bought that textbook along with a few popular novels and was about to head home. On the way, I saw some village children throwing rocks at a kid, bullying him, so I quickly stopped them.
"You little brats!"
"Uwah! It's an adult, run away!"
The children ran away as soon as I said something. I helped the child who had been hit by the rocks to his feet and brushed off his clothes. Looking closely, the kid was Naruto. With his yellow hair and whisker marks, it was unmistakable.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it happens all the time, so I'm fine."
Naruto said it happened all the time and that he was fine. A six-year-old, saying that with a smile.
'Huh... Konoha really is pathetic.'
I was dumbfounded. Just then, Naruto's stomach growled.
Growl
"Are you hungry?"
"Uh-huh... a little."
"Really? Then wait a moment."
I left Naruto by a nearby tree for a moment, quickly moved to a lunchbox shop, and bought two lunchboxes. Knowing the original story, it was obvious that if I took Naruto with me, he'd be turned away at the door, so I did it this way.
"Here, eat this."
When I handed over the lunchbox, Naruto began eating ravenously. He must have been very hungry. Seeing that, I felt a pang of sympathy.
After Naruto finished the lunchbox, he thanked me.
"Bro, I ate it well, ya know. Thank you."
I held out the remaining lunchbox and said, "Take this and eat it for dinner."
"Wow~ Thanks, Brother Blacksmith."
It seemed Naruto knew who I was. Since Naruto recognized me, it seemed most of the villagers knew who I was. Probably because of my appearance or because I had a reputation as an oddball. Or both.
"And if you're hungry, come to the smithy. I'll make you a meal."
"R-Really, can I?"
Naruto asked again, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. Do you know where it is?"
"Yeah, I know."
From that day on, Naruto began coming to the smithy regularly at lunchtime, getting a meal, and then leaving. I made meals for Naruto without any complaint and also packed him a lunchbox for dinner.
One day, while eating together, Naruto asked me, "Bro, do you hate me?"
"No, not really. Why do you say that?"
At that, Naruto hesitated for a moment, then said, "The villagers don't really like me."
"Maybe because I came from another region, I don't feel that way at all."
"I see. I'm glad. There are people who don't hate me."
At my words, Naruto smiled brightly. I felt somehow healed by Naruto's innocent smile. So I patted Naruto on the head.
'Well, this isn't bad.'
Honestly, it was a stroke of divine luck that Naruto hadn't developed a mental illness. For most people, growing up treated like that, they would probably have some kind of mental issue.
No matter how much you hate him, you shouldn't treat a jinchuriki, who is an important military asset for the village, this way. If Naruto had harbored hostility toward the village, trained his power, and then defected or fled to another country, I wonder how they would have dealt with that.
'If it were me, I would have defected right away and thrown a few Tailed Beast Bombs.'
And because Naruto came to eat every day, a problem arose for me. Naruto was being watched by ANBU, and every time Naruto came to eat, the watchers followed him. Because of that, I couldn't do anything during the day.
So I spent my days working at the smithy, and in the evenings after they left, I secretly went to a place far from the village and trained in jutsu. Whenever I had spare time, I read the novels I had bought earlier.
As time passed, I was able to acquire [(D) Ninjutsu]. The ninjutsu I used was definitely different from what other ninjas used. For one thing, I don't have chakra. So I used the mana that fills my body instead, and the firepower was enormous compared to what ordinary ninjas use. If I had practiced near home, I would definitely have been caught. My mana was clearly a higher-level power than chakra.
'Hoo... I need to adjust this a bit.'
Moreover, I didn't need to form hand seals. Because I have [No Incantation]. With [No Incantation] now at EX rank, it applied not only to magic but to all abilities. So I only needed to learn the flow of power, which made the learning speed incredibly fast. In just two days of training, I seemed to have mastered the basics.
'Now that I roughly understand the principles, shall I go acquire the necessary jutsu?'
Of course, I intended to steal and read them. So in the dead of night, I used Stealth and secretly moved to the Hokage Tower, where the Hokage conducts business. Even walls were no problem for me. Because I have the Marvel Vision ability [Density Control].
I moved around, looking for a place where jutsu scrolls were stored. Eventually, I found a place guarded by ninjas with considerable amounts of chakra in their bodies. I figured it was there, so I passed through the wall and entered. Inside the room, I saw various kinds of jutsu scrolls, so it seemed to be the right place.
Wondering if there might be traps, I checked with my [Naked Eye]. There were no traps set with jutsu or anything like that in the room, but there were some fake scrolls. As long as I didn't touch those, it seemed like there wouldn't be a major problem.
I immediately took the real scrolls, excluding the fakes, opened them all, had the nanomachines quickly input them, then put them back in their places. After that, I returned home.
'The one I need to learn fastest is the 'Shadow Clone Jutsu'.'
There was a reason I wanted to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu quickly. I wanted to send clones to each of the clans in Konohagakure so that they could learn the clan's jutsu. Because clones made with the Shadow Clone Jutsu can transmit the experiences and memories they've learned.
That was how, in the latter half of the original story, even Naruto, who had little talent for jutsu, was able to learn difficult techniques quickly with this ability. Also, if something happened and I had to be away for a long time, I could utilize my clones. So, starting from the evening of the next day, I began practicing the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
The Shadow Clone Jutsu requires splitting the user's mana evenly with the clones. For example, if you make two clones, the original and the two clones each take one-third of the mana. In other words, the mana amount becomes 1/n.
But as I practiced, I discovered an interesting fact. Thanks to my [Mana Efficiency] ability, which reduces mana consumption by 90%, even if I summoned one clone, I didn't have 50% remainingāI had 95% remaining.
Moreover, because the [S2 Organ] quickly replenished the reduced mana, even if I made an enormous number of clones, I didn't run out of mana or suffer shortages. This technique was a perfect match for me.
"This is completely awesome."
Having learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu, I created a large number of clones and split them into training groups and acquisition groups to operate them. I stayed at home, working at the smithy and feeding Naruto. Then one day, Naruto said to me, "Bro, you know what? Today, Old Man Hokage (Sarutobi Hiruzen) came and told me to enroll in the Ninja Academy."
Looking at Naruto's expression, it didn't seem like he really wanted to go.
"Really? Judging by your face, it doesn't look like you want to?"
When I asked why, Naruto made a shocking statement.
"Yeah... I just want to get a part-time job at your smithy and live there."
"Why do you think that?"
"Honestly, I'm scared of people. I don't know if I can do well at the Academy. So I thought maybe it would be better to just help you out and live that way."
If even Naruto, with his strong mental fortitude, was saying things like this, I could only imagine how hard it had been for him.
"Naruto, this is an opportunity. If you get strong at the Academy and can protect the villagers, they'll see you in a new light."
At my words, Naruto's expression brightened a little.
"Do you really think so?"
"But you'll have to work hard. Think about it."
"Okay."
To cheer Naruto on, I made him a delicious meal. After Naruto left, I suddenly had a visitor. The visitor was Hiruzen.
"Hokage-sama, what brings you here?"
Hiruzen sat down on the bench in front of the house without a word. So I first offered him a cup of tea. Then Hiruzen spoke.
"I heard Naruto is quite attached to you."
Hiruzen seemed to have heard about Naruto and me from the ANBU.
"I just felt sorry for a kid with no parents, who had to catch fish from the river and drink spoiled milk, so I started sharing my meals with him since I eat alone anyway. I don't think he's that attached to me."
When I told him the truth without hiding anything, Hiruzen seemed a bit surprised.
"He catches fish from the river and eats them? Is that true? I gave him a living allowance..."
This bastard seemed to know nothing. Or perhaps he just didn't care.
"Once, Naruto and I went to the town center together because he said he wanted to buy me a candy to thank me for making him meals. The villagers overcharged him. They charged him ten times the normal price. So I told him not to spend the money he received and to save it instead. I don't understand why the villagers hate Naruto so much."
I knew why, of course, but I pretended not to.
"Hmm... I see... You came here on the lord's orders, so you might not know the reason. Then, how about this? You take care of Naruto from now on. I'll provide you with more than enough for his food expenses. How does that sound?"
'This bastard, he's trying to push the responsibility onto me because it's too hard for him to handle.'
Since I didn't know the village circumstances, didn't hate Naruto, and was a blacksmith who didn't know any jutsu, he probably thought I was the perfect candidate. I thought about it for a momentāconsidering Naruto, it might actually be for the betterāso I simply agreed.
"Hmm... Very well. It's been lonely living alone, so I'll do that."
"Then, I'll now tell you the real reason I came."
Finally, it seemed he was getting to the main point.
"As I see it, Naruto is quite attached to you. So I want you to persuade him to enroll in the Academy."
"Why must I do that?"
"I can't tell you the details, but Naruto is an important person to the village. That's why he needs to become strong."
Hiruzen didn't tell me Naruto's secret.
"Important to the village, yet the villagers hate him... That's quite an ironic situation."
"I'm sorry I can't tell you. You'll learn in time. Anyway, I'm entrusting Naruto to you."
Hiruzen handed me an envelope of money.
"This is this month's living allowance for Naruto."
"I see. Understood."
Hiruzen left like that. I got up and went to Naruto's house. Naruto seemed a bit surprised by my sudden visit.
"Huh, Bro, what are you doing here?"
"Pack your things. The Hokage gave permission. Let's live together from now on."