NOVEL WEB Chapter 12: 12
The familiar ache in Ren's head, a sign of reality bending to his will, subsided as quickly as it had come. He felt no drastic changes to his core self, just an undeniable, innate mastery over art. The "Ticket of Skill" had integrated flawlessly, making him a mangaka of unparalleled talent.
He decided to put his new skill to the test immediately. Stepping out of his room, he found Nonko and Koyuzu just emerging from the hot spring, their faces flushed and relaxed. Koyuzu, a small, mischievous grin on her face, immediately bounced towards Ren.
"Ren-kun! Thank you for letting me live here!" she chirped, her eyes sparkling. "And thank you for letting me meet Nonko! She's so soft!"
Ren suppressed a knowing smile. He had expected as much. If his memories of the original series were correct, Koyuzu's fascination with women's breasts stemmed from her desire to transform into a more "grown-up" figure, a running gag in the anime. That, and she simply enjoyed fondling them.
Koyuzu, seemingly sensing that Ren had something to discuss with Nonko, quickly scampered off, leaving them alone.
"Nonko-san," Ren began, "could I borrow a few blank manga pages from you?"
Nonko, still basking in the post-bath warmth, didn't hesitate. "Of course, Ren-kun! Come on in." She led him into her room, a faint blush rising on her cheeks as she took in the chaotic state of her workspace. Piles of sketches, half-eaten snacks, and discarded reference books littered every surface. Even Nonko, usually oblivious to her surroundings when immersed in work, felt a pang of embarrassment. I'll clean this later, she vowed silently, and keep it clean. Ren-kun will be visiting more often now, or I'll invite him.
Ren, unfazed by the mess, quickly found a stack of blank pages. "Thanks, Nonko-san," he said, grabbing a handful.
"Anytime, Ren-kun," she replied, a soft smile on her face.
As soon as Ren left, Nonko, her body finally succumbing to the exhaustion of two sleepless nights, collapsed onto her futon and instantly fell asleep. The deadline was met, her mind was at peace, and sleep claimed her.
Back in his room, Ren wasted no no time. He pulled out the blank manga pages and his drawing tools. The moment his pen touched the paper, it was as if a dam broke. His hand moved with incredible speed and precision, lines flowing effortlessly, panels forming with perfect composition. He wasn't just drawing; he was channeling.
Minutes blurred into an hour, then another. The first chapter of his Naruto fanfiction materialized on the page, complete with intricate details and dynamic action. Ren stared at it, astonished. He was drawing like a printing machine, maintaining an impossibly high quality. His skill was truly beyond anything he could have imagined.
He realized, however, that his memory of the original Naruto story was hazy at best. Rather than trying to recreate the shonen epic, Ren decided to lean into his own preferences. He loved harem stories, so much so that he had been a fanfiction author in his previous life, writing for fun in his spare time. This Naruto, in this new world, would be his Naruto. He hated changing character genders, but for this, he made an exception. The female version of Sasuke would be the first girl in Naruto's harem, with others to follow. Even in this first chapter, he subtly hinted at a harem ending. This would be the real Naruto of this world.
He continued drawing, lost in a creative trance. Chapter after chapter flowed from his pen. Yuuna, curious about his intense focus, tried to break his concentration a few times, floating around him, even whispering his name. But Ren was in the zone, his passion as a creator consuming him entirely. Eventually, Yuuna, tired of being ignored, simply curled up on her futon and fell asleep, watching him.
When Ren finally emerged from his creative fervor, he blinked, disoriented. The moon had risen high in the sky, then begun its descent. He checked the clock. Almost nine hours had passed. He hadn't eaten, hadn't moved. It was already past midnight. He had drawn straight through the evening, completing fifty chapters of his new Naruto.
He realized he needed to control this boundless passion. While it allowed him to create at an incredible pace, he couldn't neglect his basic needs. He truly enjoyed drawing, especially now that his mind's eye could translate directly onto the page.
He looked at the stack of completed manga pages, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. He had used a surprising amount of Nonko's blank pages. He decided then and there: when he became a successful mangaka, his first salary would be spent on a date with Nonko. Not just any date, but one where he could also buy her all the supplies and tools she needed for her own manga work, paying for everything.
For now, though, he still had school tomorrow. He carefully stacked his fifty chapters, then finally, exhausted but exhilarated, he fell asleep. Tomorrow, he would ask Nonko about scouting his story, about how to get it published. The new Naruto was ready to take this world by storm.