Winter was approaching, and Shinobi Tavern had been open for some time now.
With the "spontaneous" promotion efforts of the ninja school teachers,
Word spread like wildfire.
More and more people in the village became aware of this peculiar tavern.
The novelty of the Shinobi cards, the ever-changing scenery of the tavern, and the rumoured green liquid said to cure kidney deficiency
All made most of those who came here reluctant to leave, quickly becoming regulars at the tavern.
With the rapid increase in the number of customers, the workload at the tavern also gradually increased.
So, Natsuhiko asked Umino Sensei for help again and recruited several upright employees for the tavern.
After all, he and Kushina couldn't work as waiters here daily.
Gradually, the management of Shinobi tavern also started to improve.
The only regret was that the Shinobi cards were initially introduced as teaching aids for students in Konoha.
Many people had a preconceived notion that this was something for children.
Similar to playing hide-and-seek, kicking cans, or flipping ropes.
And the setting of the Shinobi arcade machine, although more entertaining, deepened this impression.
Two grown men are commanding small figures on the table to fight.
Players enjoyed it.
But to onlookers, the imagery was indeed too unreal to bear.
Yet despite this, the Shinobi cards offered an unprecedented gaming experience, deeply attracting the interest of many adults.
And for those who wanted to relax in the pleasure district every day but couldn't afford it, or their bodies couldn't take it, they could conveniently relax by playing cards.
So, just like what the ninja school teachers did at the beginning, many people openly disdained the Shinobi cards, but secretly found them fascinating.
Since they were embarrassed to appear openly at the tavern, they chose to disguise themselves as they usually did when going to the pleasure district.
As a result, although Shinobi's tavern was crowded, most of the customers either wore hooded masks to conceal their identities or directly used transformation techniques to change their appearance...
It seemed as if something illicit was happening here.
Even the originally regular customers quickly became infected and assimilated with this trend.
It was like everyone on the streets wearing masks, and feeling a strange sense of shame when one's mouth was unobstructed.
With everyone in disguise, except for the staff, it felt odd.
However, what these folks didn't know was that Natsuhiko had arranged a lot of barriers for the tavern before it opened, including one called the Disillusionment Barrier.
Natsuhiko adapted this barrier from the detection barrier often used in public baths to detect transformation techniques.
In addition to its original functions, it was directly connected to Natsuhiko's brain, allowing him to see through the disguises of transformation techniques.
This meant that their disguises could have been more effective in Natsuhiko's eyes.
As a result, he noticed quite a few familiar faces.
Umino Sensei and other ninja school teachers, of course, as well as many classmates from his generation.
Like the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho: Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza.(The novel is originally Chinese, so the naming sense of the author is tilted in that direction as well)
Even more surprising was the appearance of Asuma, that little guy.
No one knew where he learned his transformation techniques, but he managed to bypass the age detection barrier set up by Natsuhiko and sneak into the bar to play cards every night.
But since Asuma's grades didn't drop, Natsuhiko didn't bother with him.
He came in on his own merits, so why drive him away?
And who knows when this leverage might come in handy in the future?
"Asuma, you wouldn't want your parents to know you're at Shinobi's tavern playing cards every day..."
And because everyone was using transformation techniques, they didn't know each other's identities.
So Natsuhiko also witnessed some magical scenes.
Like Umino Sensei humbly asking Asuma, who was full of himself, for tips on playing cards.
Ninjas from the Shimura and Uchiha clans drink together like good buddies.
Ordinary ninjas, who were nothing special, were admired by clan ninjas for their excellent card skills.
The dream that the First Hokage had of everyone setting aside prejudices and becoming as close as a family was inadvertently realised by the Shinobi tavern.
It made Natsuhiko think about how he would give a speech after achieving his goals in the future.
"Friends, today I tell you, in the present and in the future, though we face various difficulties and setbacks, I still have a dream. This dream is deeply rooted in the dream of Konoha."
"I dream that one day, this village will stand up and truly embody the essence of the Will of Fire: the truths we hold to be self-evident—that all men are created equal."
"I dream that one day, in this small tavern, the children of commoners will be able to sit down with the children of ninja clans and share brotherly affection."
"I dream that one day, all patrons will be judged not by their status, but by their skill in cards."
...
However, Natsuhiko's reverie didn't last long before he remembered that a person's fate in the ninja world was uncertain, and his face darkened again.
But what he didn't expect was that shortly after, this trend of disguise underwent a terrifying transformation.
What made him laugh and cry even more was that he was the one who started it all.
To showcase the power of various legendary cards and attract them to spend money, Natsuhiko and Kushina would occasionally duel in the central arena of the tavern as a demonstration.
The show became popular because of its superb card skills and luxurious decks.
Even the two of them were given very cheesy nicknames by everyone.
Because Kushina would fall flat on her face every time she lost, her red hair falling, leaving a long red afterimage.
So everyone jokingly called her the Red Comet.
And because of Natsuhiko's unfathomable card skills, various means of coercing spending, coupled with his silver hair and the white coat he often wore,
He gradually came to be known as the White Akuma by everyone.
After one demonstration duel that was no different from usual,
Natsuhiko looked at Kushina's fallen red hair and thought of everyone's nickname for her. He couldn't help but jokingly say:
"Just by looking at your hairstyle, I can tell you're not very good at cards."
"If your hairstyle doesn't have four or five horns, or three or more colours, you don't deserve to compete with me on stage?"
To his surprise, someone in the audience heard this and thought they had discovered Natsuhiko's powerful secret.
So, rumours about hairstyles affecting card skills quickly spread among the player community...
Everyone concluded as to why Natsuhiko had silver curly hair.
He said he had returned to basics and no longer needed colourful hairstyles.
After hearing everyone's speculation, Natsuhiko couldn't help but joke to himself:
Are you sure you're talking about playing cards and not being Saiyans?
At first, everyone just joked around and didn't take it seriously.
But then there were several instances of "my card skills skyrocketed after I changed my hairstyle!" "I dyed my hair and drew double yolks when I pulled cards!" and so on.
People's minds began to waver, and they changed their hairstyles with the idea of trying it.
After all, they were using transformation techniques to change their hairstyles, and no one knew their real identities.
So, there was no need to worry about being socially dead.
Soon, there was another group of people in the tavern with colourful and angular hairstyles, who looked like they knew how to play cards at a glance.
And some even awakened a new hobby.
They came to the tavern daily but didn't play cards; instead, they gathered to discuss how to make their hairstyles and clothing even fancier.
Under the suggestion of Natsuhiko, they even began to call themselves the Kill-Matte Tribe.
But as I mentioned earlier, these folks thought nobody knew their identities, so they let loose.
However, they needed to learn that Natsuhiko was fully aware of their identities.
What's more interesting is that Natsuhiko could even adjust the Disillusionment Barrier's effect.
He could reveal only their faces, while their hairstyles and clothing remained in the Kill-Matte style.
Watching the usually dignified teachers and classmates of the same generation with colourful hair and non-mainstream attire,
Natsuhiko had to hold back his laughter daily, finding it difficult to be composed.
He felt like he was going to burst out laughing sooner or later.
So, in the end, he chose not to keep this effect on all the time, fearing that he might accidentally reveal the trick and be chased down by a group of angry folks.
But before cancelling it, he recorded these images using photography.
Apart from occasionally revisiting them for a laugh, he also planned to give them as gifts to the descendants of these folks in the future.
Like Yoruka, as well as Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.
They would surely be delighted.
After all, what child wouldn't be interested in seeing their father's appearance when he was young?
(End of this chapter)
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