Chapter 26 - 26: Danzo Shimura (2)

How did he become this strong in a short time?

Everyone secretly thought in their hearts.​​

"Akaba-kun, you are a prodigy."

Orochimaru sighed lightly.

He used to be the most talented student among his peers, but now he acknowledges someone equal or even above him. It was Akabane Kurama. That's why he needs to work harder.

"Hey, let's go back."

After the rematch, Chouki and Murasaki prepared to leave.

Akabane turned around and was about to go back to sleep, but he heard a cough: "Cough cough…Did you forget, I haven't drawn a lottery yet!"

Yoriko Gekko, A petite girl, was dressed in black that made her look gloomy, and she also doesn't speak that much, and also the reason why she is easily forgotten. 

Like a certain someone from a certain. Anime who have close to zero presence.

"Ah, haha… sorry about that.. come and take a draw."

Akabane's clone awkwardly took out the box and let her take her chance…

Yoriko grabbed a paper and read it with a disappointed tone.

"Thank you for your patronage…"

"Well… if you are willing to buy another copy, I can give you another chance."

The clone shamelessly tried to persuade her to buy another copy.

"Huh? Really?"

"Yep."

He nodded.

He is not certain of her luck, but that's the purpose of his lottery, to let people buy comics more than once.

Yoriko hesitated for a moment, then took out another hundred taels.

The clone handed the box again, and she got another one,

"Thank you for your patronage…"

Yoriko looked over him, her eyes full of sorrow. She is almost about to cry.

"Ah, this… I tell you what, if you buy another copy, I'll give you a small poster as compensation."

The clone said awkwardly.

Her luck must be at rock bottom…

"Ughh, why do I need more comics?"

Yoriko sighed. But she still paid although a little grumpy.

Akabane, who was helping to load the goods, heard this and nodded with a look of approval.

However…After her third chance, she finally won the third prize.

"Yeay! This means I get two posters, right? Cough.."

Akabane handed her poster himself.

After taking a look at her posters, she cheerfully smiles.

"Thank you, Akaba. I'm leaving too."

Holding the posters, she turned to catch up with the others.

One of his staff, who was loading the goods on the side, looked at them. He hesitated for a while but then asked: "Akabane-sama, why did she want to buy more than one copy?"

"Of course, one comic is enough for her, but after seeing her friends get another prize from the lottery, she couldn't help but feel jealous of them. It's just human nature."

Akabane knew it well.

Every game that he played in his previous life had this kind of marketing strategy to let people spend their money more than they should have."

Besides, 100 Ryō per copy was already a low price for a comic.

Before long, many customers came to buy his comics, and soon there were only a few more left for the 100th first customer.

…

Until the last moment, Akabane was there waiting for his last customer for the day.

The moment he was about to fall asleep due to waiting, but he heard footsteps coming at him…

The last customer?

Wanting to greet the person, Akabane slowly saw the person from the bottom to the top. He saw a pair of wooden sandals that were worn by a black-coat man.

Slowly moving his gaze to his face, he saw a man with a cold and fierce face.

Who is this?

Akabane felt familiar, but couldn't remember who he was.

"I want one."

His tone was indifferent.

Akabane immediately picked out a book and handed it to him, hoping that he would leave soon, but unfortunately, the man didn't intend to leave, so he took the book and stood by the door quietly reading it.

After reading a few pages, he closed the comic and coldly asked "Is this telling about Naruto Uzumaki or yourself?"

"Of course, it is about Naruto Uzumaki, and I am not a Jinchuriki."

Akabane answered with a smile.

But at the bottom of his heart, he became more and more certain that this man is not a good person.

"Not really, there is history about the Kurama Clan having a monster of their own."

He replied aggressively.

Akabane suddenly felt a terrifying chakra rushing toward him, making him unable to move.

Is this a murderous intent?

"My clan having a monster?"

"Yes, I'm aware that you knew about it."

The man's eyes became firmer. "looking at you, and knowing that you're not a hardworking person, why did you spend your time on such a useless thing as drawing a comic?"

"How can it be useless? This is a form of culture and moreover.."

Akabane finally understood the identity of the man whom he talked to and dared not to open his mouth again.

"You need a strong physique and mind to control your chakra Akabane Kurama! Why are you slacking like this?"

He sharpened his eyes and scolded Akabane.

At this current time, there is only one person on Konoha who was this stiff and bloodcurdling, the founder and the leader of Roots and notorious as the Darkness of the Shinobi.

Danzo Shimura.

Of course…

At this period, Danzo hasn't gained such a reputation as the Darkness of the Shinobi.

But his characters were always the same, cold and stiff.

"To be honest, I just have a passion for drawing and story-telling."

"If you want to make a scene, I already wasted my stamina on the previous one."

Knowing that he was talking to Danzo, he could uncover any layer of his heart, so it was better to just tell the truth.

"You are smarter than I thought."

Danzo nodded approvingly.

Then, he dropped a hundred Ryō, took the comics, and left the store.

Danzo did not reveal his identity, nor did he say everything, but he seemed certain that Akabane would notice to whom he talked to.

"huh.. not that I have genius friends now I have a genius mentor. I just want to live at ease…"

Akabane lamented in his heart.

Now that he had seen Danzo in person, he must agree that the rumor was precise, and the name of the Darkness of the Shinobi for him was well deserved.

But Danzo didn't come for his comic. He just wants to see his new student.

"Forget it, take one step at a time, you want to do something to me, don't blame me if I take it personally."

Akabane said secretly.

His idea is very simple. Just for the sake of having a peaceful life, whoever tried to cause him trouble, he'll take it seriously.

"That comic would be the 100th sale today, Tsunade, I'm afraid you won't be able to get your prize.."

Akabane glanced at the lottery box.

"Ahh, but yeah… I forgot I promised her one extra lottery…"

There was only one lottery left, which was specially left for Tsunade.

Hmm… this would only mean cheating.. but after all, she wouldn't care.

However, the longer Tsunade left, the more worried he was for Jiraiya. If he did according to what he guessed, Akabane must soon visit him at the hospital.

"Poor Jiraiya.."

As Akabane was about to sigh, suddenly, there was a figure in green clothes leaping down from above.

"Gyaaah!"

Tsunade jumped in front of Akabane and almost gave him a little heart attack.

Judging from the bloodstains on the corners of her clothes, Jiraiya must've been sent to the emergency room.

Akabane didn't dare to ask the details, but smiled slightly and said, "rest assured. I left one for you. It's your turn to draw."

"Really?"

"Yep, you happened to be the hundredth, because the last person didn't take his lottery."

And there indeed was one last lottery. When she took her lottery aggressively, Akabane almost dropped the box.

At first glance, she couldn't help exclaiming, "Only one last poster left!?"

But when she saw the prize…

"Wow, you are really lucky. Congratulations on your first prize."

In an exaggerated tone, Akabane gave her his biggest poster that was stored on a paper tube looking fancy.

"Woaaw.."

She just stared at the rolled-up poster for a while. Just by looking at the size of it, she knew that the poster was special.

She spread it out, and her eyes were gleaming in excitement.

"This.. this is!!!"