"No problem, I'll cover it!"
Tamura Hao replied without hesitation. For him, any problem that could be solved with money was no problem at all.
"Alright! Alright! Alright! From now on, our training resources are on you. If you ever need anything, just come to me. As long as it doesn't go against my principles, I'll get it done for you!"
Yeyue Ai grinned happily. With his junior's support, his future training was now secured.
The foundation of ninjutsu lies in the body. The stronger the body, the greater the power one can draw from ninjutsu. Therefore, enhancing physical strength is critical.
But the human body has its limits. Training alone can only go so far. Only with the help of this high-grade secret medicine could one push their potential further, even to the point of surpassing their natural physical limitations.
"Brother, if you get your hands on such good stuff again, just say the word. I'll make sure you're compensated generously."
Tamura Hao was genuinely pleased. While Yeyue Ai was counting on his financial help to grow stronger, he didn't mind in the slightest. There was no issue.
A well-functioning team should have those who contribute wealth, those who contribute strength, and those who contribute resources.
That Ai was willing to offer this secret clan medicine—a substance that couldn't be bought on the open market—was more than enough.
Standing nearby, Fukai appeared increasingly confused. It felt like there was some major secret being discussed that he was completely out of the loop on.
"You all seem to be enjoying yourselves."
A tall, muscular figure entered the room. It was the Third Raikage.
"Teacher!"
"Father!"
"Lord Raikage!"
The three quickly greeted him. However, the Third Raikage's eyelids twitched slightly when he heard Tamura Hao call him "teacher."
This disciple of his… was a dangerous one. If he wasn't careful, he'd get dragged into trouble and have his name ruined.
Suppressing the urge to expel this little menace, the Third Raikage said sternly, "Take off your shirt. I'll help break your bones."
Seeing Tamura Hao's stunned look, Yeyue Ai explained, "To master the Yeyue clan's heirloom hand blade, one must go through full-body bone-breaking training. Only by creating fine cracks in the bones can the medicine penetrate deeply, strengthening them once they heal."
"Understood, Teacher. I'm ready!"
Tamura Hao didn't hesitate. He stripped down immediately, signaling his readiness to the Third Raikage.
An opportunity like this couldn't be missed. A little short-term pain was nothing compared to the long, bitter path of someone like Might Guy or Rock Lee in Konoha.
The Third Raikage didn't waste words. He struck swiftly, using precise control to create hairline fractures across Tamura Hao's body. He even managed to crack the spine without damaging the spinal cord. Then he carefully lowered the groaning youth into a special medicinal bath.
This bone-breaking regimen wasn't about fully shattering bones. It was about introducing microfractures so the medicine could seep into the marrow and reinforce the skeleton.
But this process required extreme precision. One wrong move could cripple a person. At present, only the Third Raikage in all of Kumogakure could perform it flawlessly.
He repeated the process for his son Ai and nephew Fukai, submerging both of them in the medicinal bath as well.
Naturally, this entire procedure had been designed primarily with his son and nephew in mind. He was willing to use everything at his disposal to improve their strength and potential.
One was his heir to the Raikage title. The other was his preferred candidate for becoming the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki. Both would one day become pillars of the village. The stronger they were, the better.
"Teacher, doesn't the skull need to be cracked too for optimal medicine absorption?"
Once he recovered slightly, Tamura Hao raised the question. A regimen like this should be comprehensive. Any weak points were unacceptable.
"The skull already has natural sutures, so there's no need to strike it."
The Third Raikage rolled his eyes. Even he wasn't confident enough to touch the skull. Cracking the spine without paralyzing someone was already the limit of his medical precision. The skull was completely off-limits.
Besides, the human skull has joints—sutures—that remain unfused during development, allowing some diffusion of medicine. The jaw and teeth also provide channels for absorption.
"Teacher, don't you want your own tub? Money isn't a problem. My income doesn't just come from writing novels. I also opened the Entertainment District. Construction's nearly complete, and I'm projecting a net profit of 100 million ryo a month."
Tamura Hao said this with full confidence. He had never intended to rely solely on novel sales forever. That was a saturated market.
Copycats were inevitable. He had anticipated this years ago and funneled his early profits into the culinary and entertainment sectors, using transformation techniques and proxies to conceal his identity.
"Little Sheep Hotpot City?"
"That's yours?!"
Yeyue Ai and Fukai were shocked. They both knew about the Entertainment District carved out from a hillside in the village. It had started with a single hotpot restaurant and quickly became the most popular dining spot in Kumogakure. They were regular customers themselves.
Since then, the district had expanded and evolved, drawing more visitors and interest. But the owner had remained a mystery—until now.
Three years ago, this kid was only seven!
The Third Raikage was surprised too. He had heard a report from Tutai about unrest in the Entertainment District's leadership. The absence of its founder had caused cracks in internal management.
"Are you actually pulling in 100 million ryo?"
The Raikage's eyes narrowed.
"Now that you're involved, Sensei, I'm willing to give the Raikage Office 50% of the tax revenue. I also want to promote the Entertainment District concept globally—especially into other ninja villages. I'll need your support and that of the village to do it."
Tamura Hao smiled. He had foreseen the risk of others trying to steal the district out from under him, which is why he had hidden his identity and drafted a long-term plan. But now that the Raikage was backing him, he had nothing to fear.
If anyone wanted to try anything funny now, they'd have to weigh that against a Hell Stab from the Raikage.
And by aligning the village's interests with his own, the entire project would become far more secure. With the Raikage's help, he could expand into the entire Land of Lightning and, eventually, the world.
"You're trying to rope me in again. Fine. Submit your proposal to Tutai later."
The Third Raikage chuckled, then nodded. He agreed to the partnership. He then added seriously, "These medicinal baths are only effective during preadolescence. Once the bones fully mature, the effect drops sharply. Besides, my body's long since passed the point where medicine like this makes a difference."
He had already tempered his body during his training with Black Lightning. That's how he forged the Lightning Release Armor, which earned him the title of strongest shield.
In terms of raw physical strength, he was second to none in the current ninja world. Even the First Hokage, famed for his chakra and vitality, didn't match him in pure durability.
"The bath will take three hours to complete. After that, a medical ninja will come to heal the fractures. You should be able to walk afterward."
With those words, the Third Raikage left. He was far too busy to linger.
"Which author are you?"
Once the Raikage was gone, Fukai asked quietly.
After Tamura Hao mentioned making money from novels, he had a hunch. As a reader himself, Fukai was very familiar with the bestselling authors.
He just didn't know which one this boy was supposed to be.
"All of them."
Tamura Hao didn't hide it. Since Ai had brought Fukai to enjoy the bath, it was clear he trusted him. Plus, Fukai was Hao's team leader. They'd be together for the long haul. It was better to be transparent.
"All of them?"
Fukai blinked. He didn't recall any pen name that sounded like "All."
"Haha… ahh—!"
Yeyue Ai burst out laughing, only to wince in pain. His body spasmed from the fractures, but he still wore a wide grin.
Fukai looked at his cousin, confused. He didn't understand what was so funny.
He knew Ai was also a fan of those novels. In that regard, they were both hopeless otaku.
"I mean I wrote all of them."
Tamura Hao sighed. It was a little embarrassing, but they were all guys here, so there was nothing to be shy about.
"All of them?! Agh—!"
Fukai was stunned, then gasped in pain as the realization hit him. His face twisted in shock.
"How is that even possible?!"
It took him a while to recover. Even then, Fukai looked dazed.
This kid was only ten years old!
"Maybe it's because I have the mindset of a Kage."
Tamura Hao shrugged. If Uchiha Itachi once had the mindset of a Hokage, then he—Tamura Hao—had the purest Hokage mindset of all.