Success

Three Weeks Later –

I had been training my Earth nature chakra diligently, and so far, progress was steady. Every day, I refined my control, pushing myself further. But today, I decided to take a break.

Because today was a special day.

The third volume of Demon Slayer was going to release.

Over the past few weeks, I had heard whispers everywhere—within the Academy, on the streets, even among shinobi squads—about how quickly the story had gained popularity. Hokage's personal endorsement had only fueled the fire, turning the novel into an overnight sensation.

On its first day alone, the book had sold out entirely.

And now, as I walked out of my house and into the bustling streets of Konoha, I had only one goal—to witness it for myself.

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(3rd POV)

Kazeo locked his door and casually strolled toward the main market district. The scent of fresh dango and baked goods filled the air, but what caught his attention was the massive line of people stretching down the street.

The crowd stretched farther than he expected, with at least two hundred people waiting outside the bookstore before sunrise.

His gaze landed on the last person in line—a chubby man with a scar on his cheek. He looked like a typical civilian, dressed in simple clothes, but his arms were crossed and his expression screamed grumpy frustration.

Kazeo walked up and asked, "Hello, uncle! What's this long line for?"

The man's eye twitched.

"Uncle?" he repeated and his face darkened as if Kazeo had stabbed his pride.

For a moment, he froze, his brain spiraling into a mini identity crisis.

'Do I really look that old? No way! I'm barely in my twenties! My hair's still here, right? Right?! Dammit, is it the scar? Or do I just have that 'retired veteran' look?! Am I aging too fast?! '

Meanwhile, Kazeo just stood there, blinking.

The man let out a dramatic sigh forcing his thoughts aside

"Kid, listen. I'm NOT an uncle. I'm not even married yet! Call me 'Big Brother' got it?"

Kazeo tilted his head, unconvinced.

"You sure? You kinda give off 'tired old man' vibes."

The man grimaced. "What part of me looks old?!"

Kazeo shrugged. "Dunno, Everything?"

The man clenched his fists, inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. "Not gonna punch a child… not gonna punch a child…"

After a moment, he rubbed his temples and grumbled, "Forget it. Anyway, the line's for Demon Slayer—Volume 3 that just dropped."

Kazeo raised an eyebrow. "People are lining up this early for a book?"

The man snorted. "Apparently. I haven't read it myself, but a friend of mine won't shut up about it. Says it's 'something fresh'—plus, the Hokage personally endorsed it, so now everyone's obsessed."

Then, he jerked his thumb toward the back of the line.

"If you want a copy, stand behind me. Every bookstore in Konoha has a line like this. If you wait too long, you're outta luck."

Kazeo waved him off. "Nah, I don't need it. Just wanted to see the hype. Thanks for the info, Uncle."

And before the man could react, Kazeo bolted forward.

Behind him, a frustrated shout erupted.

"I TOLD YOU—I'M NOT AN UNCLE!"

Then, after a moment of silence, the man sighed, shaking his head.

"Damn kids these days… calling me old… Wait. Why am I even talking like I'm actually old?!"

Kazeo smirked and hurried toward the front of the line, leaving the fuming man behind.

His thoughts swirled as he observed the overwhelming demand.

Scarcity, Word of mouth, and Hokage's recommendation…

It was the perfect recipe for a bestseller.

He exhaled slowly. 'At this rate, I'll be a millionaire in another week.'

But the thought didn't excite him as much as he expected. Wealth wasn't his end goal.

What mattered was power.

--------

As Kazeo walked toward the front of the line, he eavesdropped on conversations, soaking in the reactions of people waiting for Demon Slayer - Volume 3.

The excitement was palpable—everyone from shinobi to civilians, kids to clan members—all talking about the book like it was a limited-edition jutsu scroll.

Chatter buzzed through the air, weaving together excitement, theories, and heated debates.

Kazeo leaned against a wooden post, listening. It was the best way to gauge how deeply his story had sunk into Konoha's heart.

A few spots ahead, two flak-jacketed chunin were speaking in hushed, serious voices—the kind reserved for war councils.

"Tanjiro's family getting slaughtered like that… I swear, I felt like I was standing there in the snow with him."

His teammate exhaled sharply.

"And Nezuko turning into a demon? That hit even harder. It's like—she's still his sister, but also his enemy at the same time."

The first chunin nodded grimly.

"If that happened to me, I think I'd lose my mind. But Tanjiro? That kid didn't break—he trained and got stronger."

His teammate scoffed.

"'Didn't break'? The guy split a damn boulder in half! I train every morning, and I still can't cut through a log properly!"

The first chunin let out a bitter chuckle.

"Guess we should take training more seriously, huh?"

Kazeo smirked. 'So, even trained warriors admired Tanjiro's willpower.'

Just as he was about to shift his focus elsewhere, he heard a young voice from behind him.

"Mom! Mom! I wanna carry Nezuko on my back like Tanjiro does!"

Kazeo turned his head slightly. A tiny boy, no older than six, was bouncing on his heels, excitement lighting up his face.

His mother gave a tired but amused chuckle.

"Sweetheart, we don't have demons in the real world."

The boy frowned, puffing out his cheeks in frustration.

"But what if I find one?! I'll be like Tanjiro! I'll train super hard and protect everyone!"

His mother sighed, ruffling his hair.

"Alright, alright. Let's just buy the book first before you go picking fights with imaginary demons."

Kazeo held back a chuckle.

'Looks like Tanjiro had a growing fanbase among the village's children.'

Then, from the other side of the line, a group of Konoha Academy students were arguing loudly.

"That mutated demon in the Final Selection—the one that kept eating Urokodaki's students?" one boy said, shaking his head. "That was terrifying!"

"Yeah, but Tanjiro still took it down! I thought he was gonna die for sure!" another added.

A third boy groaned.

"But the volume ended without showing who else passed! I NEED to know!"

The first boy gritted his teeth dramatically.

"If this volume doesn't answer my questions, I swear, I'll find the author and make him tell me!"

Kazeo, standing just close enough to hear, barely held back his laughter.

"If only they knew the author was right here…"

Just then, a deep sigh came from an older man further ahead.

The chubby bookseller, wiping sweat off his forehead after cleaning the outer part of store, muttered to himself.

"Kids these days… I swear, they act like this book is a life-or-death mission."

Then, he glanced at the polished glass window beside him, catching his own reflection. A faint frown crossed his face.

"Wait… do I really look old?"

Kazeo almost snorted. 'So even this guy was having an existential crisis.'

Before he could dwell on it, he overheard a different conversation—one that piqued his interest.

A tall genin from the Inuzuka Clan, his dog companion sitting at his feet, whispered to his teammate.

"I saw an Uchiha reading Volume 2 at the training grounds yesterday. Can you believe that? Even those guys are hooked!"

His teammate scoffed.

"Well, duh. Demon Slayer isn't just a story —it's about struggle, revenge, and survival."

Kazeo felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

'Even the elite clans of Konoha are invested, huh?'

The conversations buzzed around him, painting a clear picture—this wasn't just a book release. It was like a phenomenon.

Then, with a creak, the bookstore's wooden doors finally opened.

" Thank you for waiting! We now have Volume 3 of Demon Slayer available for purchase! "

The crowd surged forward, anticipation turning into a feverish rush.

Kazeo didn't move. He didn't need to buy a copy.

Instead, he simply watched, silent and unreadable.

"So it begins."

With that thought, he turned and disappeared into the streets of Konoha.

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One Week Later – Inside the Hokage's Office

Kazeo stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk, his posture straight but his eyes holding an unmistakable spark of curiosity and anticipation.

The old Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe before setting it aside. A warm smile spread across his face as he held out a sealed scroll.

"Congratulations, Kazeo," Hiruzen said, his voice carrying a tone of genuine amusement. "Your novel was a hit. Every single volume was sold out on the very first day."

Kazeo's expression remained neutral, but the flicker of satisfaction in his gaze didn't escape the Hokage's notice..

"That's good to hear, Hokage-sama," he replied, taking the scroll.

The moment his fingers touched it, Kazeo instinctively flared a hint of chakra to inspect it. The scroll felt no heavier than any standard sealing scroll, but he could sense a dense chakra signature within, an indicator of the wealth sealed inside.

His brows furrowed slightly. "This much?"

Hiruzen chuckled, stroking his beard.

"It contains 2 million ryō."

Kazeo raised an eyebrow. "2 million? But wasn't my profit supposed to be less than a million?"

Hiruzen waved a hand, as if brushing off his concerns.

"Ordinarily, yes. But the demand exceeded expectations. The book was such a success that the next batch is already being published. That amount includes your next profit as well—an advance, if you will."

Kazeo blinked, the flicker of surprise in his gaze quickly settling into satisfaction.

"That's unexpected," he admitted, a small smile creeping onto his lips.

Hiruzen smiled.

"So, when's the next volume coming?"

Kazeo thought for a moment before replying smoothly, "It should be ready in about four to six months, Hokage-sama. And thank you for the advance. Next time, you can either call me or just send the paycheck directly to my house."

Hiruzen's smile didn't fade.

"Ah! Thanks for reminding me, Kazeo" he said, his tone still light.

But then, his next words dropped like a hammer.

"Actually, starting next month, you won't be getting any money at all."

Silence

Kazeo froze.

"W-What?!" he blurted out, his usual calm demeanor cracking for the first time.

Hiruzen's smile remained, but his eyes held a glint of something unreadable.

Kazeo could feel it—this wasn't a joke.

( To be Continued....)