belamy20

Chapter 173: This is a Masterpiece!

Added 2025-02-06 01:43:59 +0000 UTC

After Sasuke finished speaking, he turned around and walked straight to the inn’s front desk.

This room was uninhabitable.

Too messy!

It had to be changed!

Otherwise, his inspiration would be ruined!

“Sasuke?!”

Jiraiya looked at Sasuke in confusion. He didn’t see anything wrong with his room.

Wasn’t it just fine?

Sasuke approached the front desk, pulled out his money pouch, and addressed the innkeeper.

“I need a room.”

His purpose was straightforward, and his eyes were fixed on the innkeeper.

“Alright,” the innkeeper said, pulling a key from behind the counter and handing it to Sasuke. He gave a quick glance at Sasuke’s pouch.

“Pay when you check out,” the innkeeper said indifferently.

“Thanks.”

Sasuke took the key.

Attached to it was a small tag with the room number.

With the key in hand, Sasuke headed into the inn. He immediately spotted Jiraiya standing with his arms crossed, waiting for him.

“Lord Jiraiya, come with me.”

Sasuke waved the key in Jiraiya’s direction before heading toward his new room.

Jiraiya took a long look at Sasuke, then followed.

Soon enough, Sasuke found his room and unlocked the door. The air inside was far better than in Jiraiya’s room.

Now this is more like it!

After stepping in, Jiraiya followed him inside.

Once inside, Jiraiya scanned the room and frowned slightly.

“This isn’t much different from my room,” Jiraiya said with a pout. The layout was almost identical, and he thought Sasuke was being wasteful.

“Not much different?”

Sasuke’s mouth twitched. Was this renowned author so lost in his writing that his brain wasn’t functioning properly anymore?

“Lord Jiraiya, let me cut to the chase. I’m going to provide you with some writing material to satisfy your cravings.”

Sasuke walked over to the table, took out a blank scroll, and casually unrolled it.

“Wait.”

“Lord Jiraiya.”

“Could you get me some paper and a pen? Writing on a scroll isn’t ideal.”

Sasuke turned to Jiraiya and beckoned with a finger.

+20

A number flashed before Sasuke’s eyes, indicating the system had scored this as a show-off moment.

“You…”

Jiraiya studied Sasuke closely but couldn’t find anything remarkable about him.

“Let’s hope you don’t waste my precious paper!”

Jiraiya turned and left the room.

“I won’t, Lord Jiraiya. Once you see the material I write, you’ll be utterly captivated!”

Sasuke shook his head with confidence. He had read countless books and was confident in his skills.

“Let’s hope so,” Jiraiya muttered as he walked back to his room.

To be honest, he wasn’t entirely convinced by Sasuke’s claims. After all, Sasuke was just a twelve- or thirteen-year-old kid. How much could he possibly know?

Jiraiya returned to his room and grabbed a red notebook from his desk.

This notebook was where he jotted down his thoughts and ideas. Once a notebook was full, he would compile and publish its contents.

With the notebook in hand, he walked back to Sasuke’s room.

“I must be out of my mind, trusting a kid who hasn’t even fully grown up. What kind of material could he possibly have…”

Jiraiya shook his head in exasperation as he walked, but since he was already halfway there, he decided to see it through.

The two rooms weren’t far apart.

From the time Jiraiya grabbed his notebook to his return, only a few minutes had passed.

“Lord Jiraiya, you’re back. That was quick!”

Seeing the silver-haired man at the door, Sasuke couldn’t help but feel that Jiraiya looked particularly sleazy.

He seemed worlds apart from the heroic figure Sasuke remembered from the anime.

Maybe…

It was because their first meeting had involved Jiraiya shamelessly gathering “inspiration” at the hot springs.

This man’s shamelessness was so ingrained that he didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.

“Sasuke, let me make this clear: if you’re messing with me and don’t have any good material, you’ll regret it!”

Jiraiya tried to sound threatening, but his tone lacked any real menace. It was more of a casual remark.

Sasuke, of course, paid it no mind.

However…

This wasn’t enough.

Sasuke couldn’t pass up the chance to flaunt a little.

“Lord Jiraiya, if what I produce fails to meet your expectations, what exactly do you plan to do?”

Sasuke smirked, his tone brimming with nonchalance, as if he didn’t take Jiraiya seriously at all.

+30

The number in Sasuke’s vision jumped again, scoring yet another boastful moment.

“Young man, for someone your age, you sure talk big. Want me to teach you a lesson?”

Jiraiya chuckled, not taking Sasuke’s provocations seriously.

Sasuke seemed like just a cocky kid in his eyes.

“Lord Jiraiya, you might want to take that back. I’m not so sure you’d win in a fight against me.”

A proud smirk tugged at Sasuke’s lips as he uttered something that the original Sasuke might have said on a whim.

+40

The number leaped again.

“Well, well, your confidence is bigger than I thought. Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Jiraiya calmly regarded Sasuke.

For a moment, it was like seeing his younger self—so confident and unaware of the world’s harsh lessons.

“This kid hasn’t been humbled by reality yet,” Jiraiya thought, tossing the notebook onto Sasuke’s desk.

“Write your so-called material. Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Jiraiya didn’t believe Sasuke could produce anything worthwhile. The only reason he even brought the notebook was curiosity—to see what kind of nonsense Sasuke would come up with.

“I’ll write one chapter first. It’s free. If you’re interested in more, the rest will cost you.”

Sasuke’s tone was calm as he looked at the notebook.

Now, who should he write about?

Let’s go with Bingo!

Sasuke decided that this story might resonate more with Jiraiya.

He’d read this tale countless times before. While he couldn’t recite it word for word, he remembered the plot clearly.

Chapter One: The Landlord’s Tale…

Sasuke began writing furiously. With his S-tier speed stats, his hand flew across the page, and he quickly finished a chapter.

The story was intense and emotional, perfectly capturing a tale of love and heartbreak.

“Lord Jiraiya, take a look.”

Sasuke leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs arrogantly as he slid the notebook toward Jiraiya.

+20

The number flashed again.

“That fast?!”

Jiraiya’s eyes filled with doubt. He was now even more convinced that Sasuke was messing with him.

No one could write anything good in such a short time.

Writing required patience and care. Rushing wouldn’t yield quality work!

But curiosity got the better of him.

Jiraiya picked up the red notebook, his preconceived notions telling him that Sasuke’s work would be a joke.

This little punk needed a lesson.

Jiraiya started reading.

At first, it was just a simple setup.

Boring.

Dull.

Jiraiya was ready to dismiss Sasuke entirely when suddenly—the landlord appeared.

And then…

Jiraiya’s eyes widened, his pupils shrinking as shock spread across his face. His breathing quickened, and his cheeks flushed.

“What…”

Jiraiya swallowed hard, his entire body heating up as he became more engrossed in the story.

And then—it ended.

It ended right at a critical moment!

“Masterpiece!”

“This is a masterpiece!”

“Sasuke!”

“You’re a genius!”

Jiraiya gave Sasuke a thumbs-up, his earlier disdain now completely gone.

“Sasuke.”

“Write more.”

“I have to know what happens next!”

Jiraiya, unable to contain his excitement, pushed the notebook back toward Sasuke.

+70

The number ticked up again.

“Alright.”

Sasuke had initially wanted to tease Jiraiya with, ‘Want to know what happens next? Stay tuned!’

But for the sake of the points…

He decided to write another chapter.

Once again, Sasuke’s S-tier speed kicked in. His pen flew across the page, crafting another compelling chapter.

This time, he ended with the tantalizing phrase:

Want to know what happens next? Stay tuned!

“All done!”

Before Sasuke could speak, Jiraiya snatched the notebook and began reading eagerly.

This time, Jiraiya took his time, savoring every word as if it were a rare treasure.

When he finished, he looked up with frustration.

“Again?!”

“You ended it here?!”

“What happens next?”

“Sasuke!”

“Write the whole story in one go!”

+70

The number jumped again, matching the previous boost.

“I’m done.”

Sasuke spread his hands, feigning an innocent expression.

Of course, Jiraiya wouldn’t dare hit him now—he couldn’t risk losing this newfound talent.

Jiraiya, in mere moments, had gone from author to reader, utterly captivated.

“Genius.”

“An absolute genius!”

In Jiraiya’s eyes, Sasuke had gone from a typical Uchiha to someone in a league of his own.

Jiraiya couldn’t possibly beat him up now!

He couldn’t bear to!

If he beat him up, who’d write books for him?

In just this short time, Jiraiya had gone through a complete transformation—from an author to a reader.

What could he do?

Sasuke’s writing was just too captivating!

A genius!

An absolute genius!

Jiraiya didn’t even know how to describe it. From his impression, the Uchiha clan never seemed that interested in women.

But this Sasuke?

He was on a whole different level!

Deep understanding!

Exquisite detail!

A completely different kind of person!

"How could you run out already, Sasuke? You just said you had tons of material, and yet after only two chapters, you’re done?"

Jiraiya asked, launching a soul-searching question.

His eyes bore into Sasuke, filled with urgency.

Impossible!

"Jiraiya-sama, you have to understand the rules. This story is serialized—two chapters a day."

Sasuke raised two fingers at Jiraiya, then pointed to the red notebook on the table.

"Today’s content is already finished!"

+80

The number in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped again.

"You..."

Jiraiya felt like he almost choked.

This kid was truly wicked! He clearly had plenty of material, but he was deliberately dragging out the updates! This called for punishment!

“Hoo!”

Jiraiya took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to calm his restless emotions.

"Sasuke, tell me, what will it take for you to release more chapters?"

Jiraiya was starting to figure out Sasuke's game. This kid was out to torment him!

And now he was hooked.

The story was so captivating it had become addictive. Every moment, he wanted more. Not reading it left him restless.

Yet this author was a serial procrastinator!

"Jiraiya-sama, first answer me: how do you find my material?"

Sasuke smiled faintly, leaning back with one leg crossed over the other. Everything was proceeding according to plan—Jiraiya was already on the verge of becoming his pawn.

"You’re a genius!"

"You’re an absolute genius!"

"I’ve written books for years, but I’ve never seen a work as dazzling as this!"

Jiraiya spared no praise, looking at Sasuke as though he were gazing upon the rising star of literature’s future.

"Jiraiya-sama, I have thousands of ideas like this," Sasuke said nonchalantly.

+100

Instantly.

The number in front of Sasuke's eyes surged again, with the system clearly marking this as showing off.

Jiraiya's eyes widened.

He looked at Sasuke as though he were a starving man who had just stumbled upon a feast.

"Are you serious, Sasuke?"

Jiraiya's voice trembled. If he could collaborate with such a literary genius, who needed to worry about finding inspiration anymore?

"You don’t have to believe me," Sasuke replied without directly answering.

But it was precisely this kind of response...

...that made Jiraiya believe him!

An hour ago, Jiraiya might not have bought it, but after reading those chapters, he was completely enchanted.

Recalling his earlier doubts about Sasuke now felt like an invisible slap across his face.

He had been too narrow-minded!

Jiraiya silently reflected on himself.

"Jiraiya-sama, that’s it for today. I need to rest. You can leave now."

Sasuke waved dismissively, issuing an unmistakable eviction notice. After that, he held up two fingers again.

"Tomorrow."

"There will be two more chapters!"

With that, Sasuke completely ignored Jiraiya.

+60

The number in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped yet again.

"F-fine!"

Jiraiya could see that Sasuke meant it. There would be no more updates today.

Deflated, Jiraiya had no choice but to trudge back to his room with the red notebook in hand.

Back in his room, Jiraiya repeatedly reread the two chapters he already had.

The more he read, the more excited he became.

"The plot is incredible!"

Jiraiya's admiration for Sasuke grew deeper, not because of his identity or power, but for his sheer talent.

"But it’s just too little."

"It’s far too little!"

"But."

"Sasuke is only releasing two chapters a day."

"How long will it take to get through those thousands of ideas?"

"It’s torture!"

Jiraiya groaned, tugging at his silver hair as the vivid scenes from Sasuke’s story replayed in his mind.

Those scenes,

like a movie,

played out in his imagination.

"Too brilliant!"

Jiraiya took a deep breath, glancing at his own writing again.

"Trash!"

All at once, his own work seemed worthless.

He only wanted to read Sasuke’s!

"It’s agony!"

Jiraiya lost even the will to write and collapsed onto his bed.

He just wanted to sleep.

That way, morning would come faster, and he could read the next chapters sooner.

But…

He tossed and turned.

He couldn’t fall asleep!

...

Meanwhile.

After Jiraiya left.

Sasuke’s expression returned to calm.

The plan was now in motion.

Jiraiya was walking step by step into the trap Sasuke had laid out.

Appealing to his interests!

It was the perfect strategy for success.

Sasuke opened the system panel.

Current System Points: 20,590 points.

He had hit 20,000 points.

Sasuke felt a stir in his heart.

Scrolling down.

[Lottery]

A red slot machine appeared before Sasuke, with a countdown timer displayed at the bottom.

Time Left: 06:11:02

The numbers ticked down bit by bit.

Only six hours left.

"I’ve decided!"

Determination flashed in Sasuke’s eyes. After much internal debate, he had made his choice.

Draw!

A guaranteed SSS prize every 100 draws.

Let’s see what treasures I can pull!

If the results are good,

then it’s worth it!

Having already earned 20,000 points, spending 10,000 was nothing to hesitate about!

At once, Sasuke willed it.

He pulled the handle labeled 100 Draws, with the glittering golden SSS enticing him.

Buzz!

Sasuke shuddered slightly.

Current System Points: 10,590 points.

The slot machine spun rapidly, the reels a blur.

It had never spun this fast before—he couldn’t even make out the letters.

Moments later.

Ding!

A system notification sounded in his mind.

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [Consolation Prize] x88! You've gained 10 system points x60 and 5 system points x28!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

Ding!

With the final system prompt, the results of this round of the lottery were announced.

+10

...

A stream of "+10" notifications kept flashing before Sasuke's eyes, rapidly jumping across his vision and completely obstructing his view.

All 88 times.

Current system points: 11,330.

Sasuke's lips twitched.

What kind of odds are these?

The chances of winning a consolation prize were over 80%!

This system was practically a leech.

Ding!

Just as Sasuke was silently complaining in his heart, another electronic notification echoed in his mind.

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [2B Prize] x6! You’ve gained two random special abilities and four additional purchase attempts in the system store!"

Suddenly, Sasuke felt a profound energy envelop him and surge toward his throat.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the special ability: Parrot Throat!"

Parrot Throat: Grants extraordinary linguistic abilities, enabling the host to mimic any sound and become a vocal virtuoso in the world of Naruto!

"Enjoy showing off!"

Immediately afterward, the energy shifted again, surging toward Sasuke's right hand.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the special ability: Phoenix Hand!"

Phoenix Hand: Grants extraordinary artistic abilities, allowing the host to bring imagined illustrations to life and become a renowned artist in the world of Naruto!

"Enjoy showing off!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for gaining three additional purchase attempts for the item [Experience Pack] in the system store!"

"The system store has been updated!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for gaining one additional purchase attempt for the item [Attribute Pack] in the system store!"

"The system store has been updated!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

With the rapid succession of notifications, Sasuke felt subtle changes coursing through his body.

There was no time to be shocked.

No time to think.

The relentless ding sounds continued.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [3B Prize] x2, gaining two random system store items!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the [Experience Pack]!"

"The item has been delivered!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the [Upgrade Pack]!"

"The item has been delivered!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

Buzz!

Sasuke’s body trembled once more as the notifications continued.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [2A Prize], gaining a random attribute!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the attribute: Water Element!"

"Enjoy showing off!"

Buzz!

Sasuke’s body shuddered as a special elemental energy coursed through him.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [3A Prize], gaining a random genjutsu!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"

Bringer-of-Darkness Technique: A genjutsu that creates a sensory illusion, depriving the target of all light and plunging them into darkness.

Trait 1: This technique does not require hand signs and can be cast directly using the Sharingan.

Trait 2: It only affects the target, leaving the user unaffected.

Trait 3: Continuous use consumes chakra.

"Enjoy showing off!"

Ding!

With the final notification, Sasuke felt a strange energy surge into his eyes, making his pupils itch.

It was an odd sensation.

No hand signs were needed.

As long as he willed it, he could unleash the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique with his Sharingan anytime!

"Wow!"

Not bad at all!

Just as Sasuke felt a flicker of excitement, another notification sounded in his mind.

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for winning the [SS Prize], gaining a random secret technique!"

Ding!

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the secret technique: Shadow Imitation Jutsu!"

Shadow Imitation Jutsu: The Nara clan's signature secret technique, which extends the user's shadow to connect with the target, forcing them to mimic the user's movements.