Chapter 50 – One Piece’s Foreshadowing

Jinguu Akira blinked. To be honest, this was the first time anyone had ever asked him for an autograph.

Although a bit surprised, he casually accepted the pen and paper Endou handed over, signing his name with a fluid motion as he said,

"Good thing I practiced my signature before. Otherwise, what I scribbled down now might've looked awful. But still—this is my first time, and I'm giving it to a guy. I have to say, I'm actually pretty disappointed."

As he spoke, he raised an eyebrow at Endou.

"Your first time?"

Endou was momentarily stunned, then quickly caught on and couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"…Professor Jinguu, you're really something. But I promise—I'll take good care of your 'first time'!"

He carefully slipped the autographed notebook into his pocket, looking absurdly serious about the whole thing.

"Alright, showing off in front of Professor Jinguu the moment we arrive—what kind of behavior is that?"

Kojima, who had been watching from the side, couldn't help scolding his student.

"…Apologies for the embarrassment, Professor."

The forty-something Weekly Shounen reporter bowed deeply, his expression sincere.

"You're too kind. Now then—shall we begin the interview?"

"Of course."

A smile broke across Kojima's stern face. He gestured for Jinguu Akira to sit at the other end of the long table and began setting up his voice recorder and other tools.

Endou immediately took a seat beside his mentor, now serious as well, pulling a large notebook from his bag and readying his pen to record every word Jinguu said.

"First, let me congratulate you on debuting at just sixteen, and having your very first manga pass the Weekly Shounen JUMP serialization meeting. You've made history."

"Thank you!"

Jinguu leaned back comfortably in his chair and accepted a cup of coffee from Ogata with a smile, responding politely to the reporter's flattery.

Kojima suddenly gave a knowing smile.

"…I just received some news a moment ago, so I have another thing to congratulate you for."

"Oh? What might that be?"

"The latest issue of Weekly Shounen's sales and reader survey results are out. Compared to the previous issue, total sales have risen by 6.5%. And your manga, Naruto, ranked number one in the reader popularity poll! By the way, the three other new serializations that debuted alongside yours… let's just say they're lagging far behind."

"Number one?"

This time, Jinguu Akira was genuinely surprised. He knew Naruto was a national-level manga, and in this world where many famous works didn't exist, it was bound to do even better. But Naruto wasn't the kind of manga that instantly captivated readers—it was one that gradually revealed its depth through escalating conflicts and intricate ninjutsu.

"You seem shocked."

Kojima didn't miss the flicker of astonishment in Jinguu's expression.

"I am. I always believed Naruto could become a phenomenon like Dragon Ball, but I honestly didn't expect the early chapters to receive this kind of response."

Jinguu raised an eyebrow and smiled as he replied.

Kojima's eyes gleamed with excitement. As a reporter, he lived for people who dared to speak boldly. It didn't matter whether Jinguu's confidence was real or an act—what mattered was that it made for good headlines.

He motioned for Endou to make sure all of this was written down. Even if it didn't make the final article verbatim, it was gold for their material.

Ogata, acting the part of a manager, didn't stop Jinguu's remarks either. In the manga industry, strength was everything. You didn't climb by currying favor, so offending a few people here and there didn't matter.

"By the way, among the reader votes, quite a lot came from female readers too~"

"Maybe I should post some selfies, then. That might boost the female readership even more. Consider it my contribution to Weekly Shounen's revenue."

"Hahaha!! Professor Jinguu, you're really funny."

Kojima burst out laughing. But when he looked at Jinguu's face, he started to feel like that might not be a bad idea. There were no idols among mangaka. Most of them weren't exactly ugly, but very few had looks that made people do a double take. Perhaps this man in front of him could really become a rare blend of idol appeal and artistic prowess.

"What inspired you to use 'ninja' as the theme for your manga? Honestly, there are quite a few ninja-themed works out there, but Naruto feels completely different from the rest."

"I'll answer the second part of your question first. Naruto is a manga with a fully developed worldview and an extremely detailed framework. Before I even started drawing, I had already completed the blueprint for the entire Naruto universe. Of course, some parts still need to be discussed with the editors to refine them further. What I've shown so far is just a tiny corner of the world I've built. As the story progresses, you'll see countless kinds of ninjutsu and plot twists that no one could predict. I hope readers will continue to support it… As for the first part of your question—honestly, ninjas aren't the only theme I've considered. In my mind, I've also got pirates, magic, and even a world about Shinigami. Maybe once I get a little free time, I'll turn one of those ideas into a new manga."

Jinguu explained smoothly. Of course, what he was talking about were One Piece and Bleach. He was deliberately teasing them now, so that when he eventually started publishing those works, it wouldn't feel abrupt. Especially One Piece—that was a manga he absolutely couldn't pass up. It was arguably the most legendary and successful manga of all time. The only reason he hadn't touched it before was because it hadn't been completed in his original world. He couldn't bring himself to taint it with an imitation. But when he discovered recently that the stories stored in his mind would continue updating on their own, he made up his mind—One Piece would be next.

"Professor Jinguu, to think you have so many ideas… You really are a genius."

"You flatter me. I just like to daydream and let my imagination run wild."

Jinguu replied humbly.

I'm just a glorified cheater uploading nature's files…

That was his true thought.

"Then, could you tell us a bit about how Naruto's story will progress from here? As you said, it's a fully realized world, so it's bound to get more and more exciting."

"It will be exciting, no doubt. But as for the plot development itself… I can't really reveal that. If I do, the editors will probably kill me," he joked. "But one thing I can guarantee is this—just like Weekly Shounen JUMP's core themes, Naruto will be built around friendship, perseverance, and hard work. What I want to tell readers—besides dazzling ninjutsu and creative storytelling—is that no matter how hard life is or how badly the world treats you, don't give up. Like Uzumaki Naruto, no matter how low you start, you have to keep chasing your dream. I believe everyone has a dream. Naruto's is to become Hokage."

Jinguu suddenly grew serious, holding up one finger and speaking with clarity and conviction.

"Oh? To hear something so full of life wisdom from someone your age is… honestly surprising."

"Don't let my age fool you. I've been through quite a bit. In fact, I might've gone through the biggest turning point of my life not too long ago."

"Could you elaborate on that?"

"Sorry. That's personal. I'd rather not talk about it."