____________
Kirigakure,
While the thick mist wrapped the village like a gray shroud, the atmosphere inside the Art Store was far warmer and clearer than the outside world.
Rob's Kiri clone sat in the private section, leaning back in a comfortable chair, his blue eyes fixed on the ceiling as he recalled the scene from that day—when the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and the Third Mizukage, Hozuki Mizuro, had attempted to display their power before him.
Five days ago, Rob's Kiri clone had mocked their arrogance internally.
With a single motion, backed by the authority of the Art Store, their bodies had frozen in place. Even the greatest killers of the Mist could do nothing but move their eyes.
'What? What did you do?!'
'Why can't I move?!'
'Wait! I can't even speak!'
'Impossible… What kind of jutsu is this?! Genjutsu?!'
'No—he's simply suppressing us! He didn't do anything!'
'His eyes are normal! He didn't use any dojutsu!'
'How?!'
Their thoughts were as clear as day to Rob's Kiri clone. He shrugged before speaking as he leaned back into his seat.
"Here, I am not merely an author," Rob Kiri clone had said calmly, yet with crushing weight.
"I am the judge. Your lives are in my hands, and I can take them whenever I wish. Do not consider this a threat—because it is not. It is simply self-defense."
"Enjoy the rest of the volume in silence."
That moment completely erased Mizuro's arrogance. They had no choice but to sit and follow the volume's events in silence.
The Third Mizukage was boiling inside, furious at being unable even to speak. He had never expected the situation to reach such a point.
Even watching Zabuza and Haku dominate their enemies in the manga failed to improve his mood.
Meanwhile, Akibino and Hoshigaki Kubo (the two Mist Swordsman) felt deeply humiliated—not only by Rob. Yet they soon adapted to the situation.
Watching "Haku"—that child who seemed to belong to a clan unworthy of existence—crush Uchiha Sasuke even after he awakened the Sharingan filled them with grim pleasure.
'Haha! Even a Uchiha descendant is no match for a mere runaway from our village!'
'Dead~ Tsk tsk! I thought he would be something special…'
'What?! Did he awaken the tailed beastinside him?!'
'The Kyubi?!'
In the end, they were shocked by Naruto's terrifying transformation.
Even Ao, the Mizukage's assistant, was sweating cold sweat.
He had realized that the "Art Store" was not merely a political threat—it was a divine entity that could not be suppressed.
…
Back in the present, Rob's Kiri clone guarded the store in perfect calm, indifferent to the emergency meeting being held by Kiri's leaders at that very moment.
As a true entity derived from the original Rob, he possessed independent judgment, yet remained a branch of Rob's great tree. As long as the original existed, he would remain alive to guard the Art Store.
"No one will be able to stop the march of manga…"
Rob's Kiri clone said with a smile.
…
Konohagakure,
Five days after the volume's release, the Senju residence was hosting an intriguing conversation.
Uzumaki Mito, nearly a hundred years old, did not look like an elderly woman awaiting death. She sat before Tsunade, an immense vitality radiating from her—supported by the Strength of a Hundred Seal, making her appear to be in her forties.
"Grandmother… this is unbelievable," Tsunade said as she held Mito's hand in shock and joy. "Even with our medical abilities, your body now possesses life energy that defies nature."
Mito smiled with dignity and looked toward the distant direction of the Art Store. "That boy, Rubiro… He does not wish for my death right now. He is helping me in strange ways that even I, with all my long experience, cannot fully comprehend."
She paused before adding with certainty:
"He is extremely powerful, Tsunade. Hiruzen should not worry about me—he should worry about him, because he is incomprehensible. He does not need my protection, nor Orochimaru's, nor even yours. He could crush Danzo and everyone else if he wished… but he simply does not want to."
"Is that really true…" Tsunade was stunned. Who could have imagined that Rubiro—the one who had come years ago asking to learn basic medicine—would become such a terrifying existence?
"Well, what interests me most about him is his manga… It's truly amazing!"
Tsunade did not want to dive deeper into Rob's mystery now. Her mind was consumed by the final scene of Volume Three.
"Naruto's final scene… it felt like a real monster had been awakened. I can't wait—I want to read Volume Four right now!"
"The Kyubi… it seems the manga is going to show the world the true horror of that tailed beast…"
Mito sighed. No one in this world knew the Kyubi better than she did, having lived with it for decades.
…
Meanwhile, inside the Hatake household, Sakumo was flipping through the final chapter with intense focus, stopping at his future son's words:
[— Manga Scene —]
"Do you hear me, Zabuza? You seem to think I survived in this world only because of the Sharingan."
Kakashi spoke mockingly, then revealed the shocking truth:
"I am a former ANBU. The kind of ninja I was… not just copying… I'll show you my own technique."
[— End Scene —]
Sakumo's eyes narrowed. 'Kakashi became part of ANBU? At what age? And what darkness did he go through to reach that point?'
He looked out the window at his young son Kakashi, training relentlessly—climbing a tree, sweat covering his small face.
'He's learning from his counterpart…' Sakumo smiled, then felt a sharp pain in his heart.
'Kakashi… it seems I failed you greatly as a father in the manga world…'
He clenched his fist, vowing never to let his son face that fate alone.
…
Far away at another training ground, Jiraiya was watching his genius student, Minato, as he skillfully tried to break through his defenses.
Beside them, Kushina sat, opening Volume Three for the tenth time, her expression gloomy.
"It seems Naruto will surpass you someday," Jiraiya said as he effortlessly dodged Minato's attack.
Minato replied while breathing lightly, "I know. He's strong."
"He's not just strong," Jiraiya added. "He values bonds. Sasuke didn't die, did he?"
Minato shook his head sadly. "I don't know… but Naruto let the beast inside him take control. That's dangerous."
Jiraiya said seriously, "There's no other way to defeat a monster like Haku—except by becoming a monster yourself."
Hearing this, Kushina returned her focus to the final scene she had been reading:
[— Manga Scene —]
Sasuke stood before Naruto and took all the needles in his place.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock.
"What's… with that face… You moron…" Sasuke said weakly.
"Why?" Naruto asked—internally meaning: 'Why did you save me…'
"How should I know…" Sasuke recalled all the moments he had lived with Naruto so far.
"Pft… I hated you…" He said.
"But… why..? Why me?"
"I never asked for your help!!!" exclaimed Naruto.
"I don't know. My body just moved on its own… Idiot…" After saying that, Sasuke collapsed, and Naruto caught him.
"That man… My brother… I told myself I wouldn't die until I killed him…" After saying that, he closed his eyes, losing all strength.
Seeing this, it felt as if Naruto had lost his soul; Sasuke's dead face reflected in his tear-filled eyes.
"He landed a blow on me and, without flinching, died to protect you."
"To protect a precious person, knowing it was a trap, he was still able to jump in. He is a shinobi who deserves respect." Haku said, then added, "Is this your first death of a friend? This is the way of the shinobi…"
"Shut up…" Naruto placed Sasuke's cold body on the ground. 'I hated you too…' he thinks.
"I won't forgive you!!" A terrifying aura began to pour out of Naruto, causing Haku to tremble unconsciously.
Naruto's eyes turned into fox eyes, sharp fangs appeared, and his breath became a blood-red mist.
"I'll kill you!!!"
[— End Scene —]
"Don't… don't let it take control…"
Kushina whispered as she wiped her tears.
For some reason, she felt every ounce of pain that boy on the page was experiencing—as if the threads of her fate were tied to his scream.
…
[System Notification: +120,000 — Massive emotional explosion and overwhelming anticipation for Volume Four!]
Seeing this notification, Rob felt happy as he looked at his growing Art Coin bank, which continued to rise even days after the latest volume's release.
"Well then, it's time to draw Volume Four… In the meantime, why don't we open a new Art Store?"
At that moment, Rob finally set his eyes on the last of the Five Great Villages.
Kumogakure!
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 97: Inevitable Clash! The Strongest Spear vs. Blue Ice!
Chapter 98: Summoning the Strongest Marine Soldier!
Chapter 99: Subjugation! Art Store — Kumogakure!
Chapter 100: Withdrawal! The Beginning of Volume Four.
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BlackStar_BH:
The chapters currently available on Patreon are up to Chapter 124.
There are 30 advanced chapters available now:
5 chapters in the Silver tier ($5 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Gold tier ($10 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Platinum tier ($15 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Diamond tier ($20 subscription), and 10 more chapters in the Emperor tier ($30 subscription)
On Patreon and Ko-fi, too.
In the coming days, chapters will be made available for all tiers, reaching up to 50 advanced chapters… Enjoy!