Extra chapter to make up for the day I didn't post. I didn't specifically plan it to be an extra chapter, but I got inspired and ended up writing two extra chapters, so I'm posting this one to make up for it.
***
On the next day, Yujin once again went to the bookstore. He was really enjoying reading romance books. The more he read, the more he realized how true and deep his feelings were for Tsunade. Often, he found himself reading a scene and noticing something similar that had happened between them, or how he wished it would happen between them.
However, a problem was arising – his constant book purchases were significantly depleting his financial reserves. He was starting to get worried, especially because in the coming days he had to be ready for anything given the situation with Mito. He planned to be present on the day to help with anything needed, including protecting her in case of an attack.
Even with money running out, he still decided to buy two more books to read until the day of the ritual. It wasn't enough, but he also had training to do.
Today, the bookstore was empty, which was not very normal. There were usually three or four people choosing books to buy. Because of this, the store manager was ready to help him choose something.
"Good morning, Yujin. The usual? A romance book?"
Yujin looked around and nodded. He began to walk through the store, listening to the manager's recommendations and picking up books to browse. One book caught his attention; it was a biography of the Hokages of Konoha, from the First to the current Third.
He wanted to buy a romance book, but out of curiosity, he decided to buy the biography to learn more about Tsunade's grandfather and great-uncle, as well as the current Hokage, who happened to be her Sensei.
With a book decided, he continued to wander around the store, looking for something interesting. Normally, he would decide to buy the first book that caught his attention, but since this would be the last one he bought for a while, he decided to be more critical and find something better.
After ten minutes, he approached the corner Jiraya had taken him to before and frowned. He had never asked the manager about the books on that shelf after that book Jiraya recommended, but he was curious.
"Manager, what kind of books are on that shelf?"
The manager was constantly looking at the store's entrance, waiting for another customer, while accompanying Yujin and recommending books. But with the question, he smiled and answered.
"Let's just say I need to keep the kids away from there."
He smiled in a meaningful way, as if he wanted to convey something with just a look, and Yujin immediately understood.
"Is it about the book Jiraya recommended before?"
"What book?"
Yujin's quick and strange response left the manager bewildered. What do you mean, what book?
"Her Place; the book Jiraya recomme-"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Leaving that aside, what kind of books are there?"
The manager was left speechless by Yujin's strange reaction. Remembering the content of the book, however, he squinted his eyes and had a wild guess.
"They are books with content similar to a book called Her Place; I don't know if you've heard of that book. It has inappropriate content for children."
Yujin frowned upon hearing this and looked at the shelf. He was intrigued why someone would want to buy this kind of book, so he approached the manager and asked quietly.
"Why would someone want books like that? They are totally immoral."
The manager smiled meaningfully, finally understanding Yujin's mindset. He knew Yujin liked purer romances, but only now realized that Yujin himself was also a pure person.
"There are various reasons why someone would buy something like this. For sexual relief, for example. Or to learn from the author of the book."
Yujin frowned again and understood what kind of relief someone could get from these types of books. But learn what exactly?
"Learn what?"
The manager approached Yujin and spoke in a low voice.
"You know, learn how to satisfy your partner. Both men and women buy these books. The authors usually share their experiences while writing, so you end up learning some tricks."
As he explained, the manager made a strange gesture; the gesture of a finger entering and exiting a hole made with the other hand. Yujin was speechless; he didn't expect that this kind of thing existed. What he knew about sex was briefly taught by his master, and it was little. He also had no experience, so the act was practically mystical to him.
Even when he read the book Her Place, he was unsure of how much he should read, so he skipped almost all of the sexual content since the story was bothering him. He mostly read the dialogues, which were usually filled with vulgar words and strange moans.
The manager's words, however, gave him a new perspective on this type of book. Although the story of the book still bothered him, learning about sex didn't seem like a bad thing.
He hesitated for a moment as he looked at the bookshelf and finally asked the manager in a low voice.
"Is there something less... immoral? How about a normal romance story with that kind of content? Let me be clear, purely for educational purposes."
The manager smiled meaningfully, nodding as if he had understood something. He went to the bookshelf and observed carefully.
He had read all the books in the store, so he knew exactly what he was looking for.
Unfortunately, of the more than a hundred books on the shelf, few were the type Yujin wanted. When he saw the manager picking only ten books from the shelf, out of more than a hundred, Yujin was horrified and asked in a trembling voice.
"Just these?"
The manager smiled bitterly and explained in a low voice.
"Usually, the authors of this type of content end up writing the most absurd things. For example, this one here-"
"No, I honestly don't want to know. But... Why do you think this happens?"
Although he didn't want to know what was in the books, he was curious about why these books were written like this.
"We all have a dark side within us. These authors end up releasing that dark side through writing and end up writing this kind of content. Personally, I don't like it much either, but some of my customers like it, so I end up getting many of them, even from outside the village, to sell. I read them to know what I'm selling. Do you want me to try to find more of these in the future for you?"
Yujin looked at the books in his hand, and took a deep breath, thinking about what went on in the minds of these authors to write such immorality. Even the manager could see that Yujin was shaken, so he spoke in a low voice.
"Her Place is one of the most normal ones on this shelf. Jiraya was kind to you."
Yujin was again speechless as he looked at the shelf. If Her Place is one of the most normal ones, what kind of obscenities exist in these books? He swore never to pick any book from that shelf to read without the manager's approval.
***
After choosing a book, Yujin went to eat something and thought about what to do in the next few days. Two days later would be the ritual, and he would be there to help in any way he could.
Before that, however, he wanted to do something else – meet the Hokage personally to get to know him.
Before, he had no reason to meet the most powerful man in the village, but the issue with Orochimaru was making him uncomfortable. For some reason, he felt malice from him, something that didn't make much sense.
He could also sense the thick aura of death around him, as if he spent a lot of time with dead bodies. Although there was a war going on, it still seemed strange.
For these and other reasons, he was somewhat concerned about the Hokage's perception of him. Hiruzen, the Hokage, is Tsunade's master and someone important to her. He didn't want to have a conflict with him, so he planned to have a conversation to clarify things.
Remembering the biography book he bought earlier, he decided to read the book first to have a better understanding before meeting him.
In the book, there was the history of the Hokages, how the village was founded, the problems that followed soon after, and how the problems were being solved. There were many stories about these people, and Yujin was impressed. They were all incredible people; strong, determined, just, and admirable.
Before, he saw the Hokages as feudal lords. Although he knew they were the strongest ninjas in the village, he didn't know they were so respectable.
People have two reactions to someone strong: fear or admiration.
He expected the Hokages to instill fear in people, but knowing their deeds, he found out he was wrong.
Yujin thought this way about the Hokages because in the world he came from, feudal lords, kings, and sultans were the leaders of the people, and they were usually common people. Military leaders, usually stronger, who learned martial arts from childhood, were generals. They didn't have a very good reputation, with rare exceptions. People fear the strong; that's a fact in any world.
But in the Leaf Village, the strong were revered and respected because they were the ones who protected the village's peace.
In the ninja world, not every place is as prosperous as the Leaf Village. Even the other hidden villages are not as prosperous.
Having learned what he could about the Hokage, Yujin went to meet him at the academy.