The shimmer of the dimensional veil parted like mist as Kakashi passed through it.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the world changed. Chakra currents dimmed, his senses bent, and the silence inside pressed in like a second skin. Not oppressive—just… complete. Artificial.
It felt like stepping into a genjutsu designed by something far more advanced than chakra.
The shop stretched wide and open, walls lined with black lacquered wood and shelves lit from beneath. Pill bottles glowed faintly on polished platforms. Scroll racks stood tall, each item tagged with crisp, professional labels. Weapons hovered behind transparent glass cases, suspended in midair.
And at the center, behind a smooth obsidian counter, stood a man.
Silver-haired. Calm-eyed.
Ryuu.
Kakashi didn't speak. His single visible eye moved slowly across every surface. The man behind the counter wasn't suppressing his chakra.
He had none.
"Welcome," Ryuu said, his tone level. "You must be Hatake Kakashi."
"You're well informed."
"I have to be. I sell understanding."
Kakashi stepped forward, scanning the store's layout. His eyes landed on a glowing shelf of chakra pills and another of scrolls bearing elemental symbols.
"I assume this is your doing."
"It is," Ryuu replied. "This store exists outside your world. It simply anchors to wherever my roulette chooses. Right now, it chose yours."
Kakashi picked up a scroll.
[Earth Release: Mud Wall – Intermediate] – 400 ryo
Chūnin-level performance
5 hand seals
Enhanced durability
Low chakra cost
He turned it over. The chakra ink shimmered with authenticity. Real jutsu.
Another shelf bore mastery progression:
[Body Flicker Technique – Basic: 150 ryo]→ Intermediate: 450 ryo→ Expert: 900 ryo→ Master: 1,800 ryo→ Perfection: LOCKED
Progression-based power sales… dangerous, Kakashi thought. But smart.
He moved to another table—glass-domed pills. He scanned labels.
[Chakra Expansion Pill – Grade C] – 120 ryo
Gradual chakra reserve increase
Mild nausea side effect
Ideal for mid-level shinobi
[Sensory Enhancement Powder] – 90 ryo
Temporarily boosts perception
Popular among trackers
Kakashi's eye narrowed as he turned back toward Ryuu. "This kind of power… these are not items you should be selling freely."
"They're not free," Ryuu said evenly. "Everything comes at a price."
"Who regulates you?"
"No one."
Silence fell.
Then Kakashi's gaze shifted—finally—to the shelf behind the counter. A row of thin books. Each one bore a strange cover. Drawings. Manga-style illustrations.
Titles lined up from Volume 1 to Volume 72.
He stepped closer, frowning.
"Are these… books?"
Ryuu said nothing.
Kakashi lifted Volume 1 from the shelf.
The label beneath it read:
[Naruto – Volume 1] – 50 ryo
Subject: Konoha, Genin Era
Status: Classified Cultural Record
Access: Restricted until Purchase
He flipped it open.
Blank.
"Pages are sealed," Ryuu explained. "You only see what you pay for."
Kakashi gave him a sharp glance. "Why would I pay to read a children's book?"
Ryuu stepped forward. His eyes glinted faintly. "Because it's not fiction to you. It's your history. And your future. But only if you're brave enough to face it."
Kakashi paused. His instincts screamed trap.
But curiosity — that old, festering thing in his chest — itched louder.
He reached into his pouch and dropped a stack of coins.
"Volumes One through five."
Ryuu took the ryo, nodded, and tapped the books lightly.
The seals shimmered.
[SYSTEM ALERT]Customer: Hatake Kakashi
Item: Naruto Manga Volumes 1–5
Emotional Threat Level: Moderate
Timeline Disruption: Low
Store Points Awarded: +240
Owner Bonus: Memory Absorption Initiated (Vol. 1–5)
Kakashi opened Volume 1.
The bell test. Team 7's formation. His first meeting with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Every expression… every line… it matched perfectly.
His fingers twitched as he turned to Volume 2.
Zabuza.
Haku.
The fight on the bridge.
A panel of Naruto crying over Haku's body stirred something deep in his chest. A memory. A feeling of helplessness. His eye lingered on himself, drawn on the page — mask on, eyes cold, standing between his team and death.
Then Volume 5 — the chūnin exam announcement. Orochimaru's name whispered.
He closed the book slowly.
"…This is real."
Ryuu nodded once. "You've only scratched the surface."
Kakashi's voice was quieter now. Measured. "And if I keep reading?"
"Then you'll know more than you're supposed to. Knowledge is power. Power changes everything."
Kakashi looked at the sealed Volume 6.
Then he turned away.
"I'll be back."
He walked toward the door — slower this time. Thoughtful. Tense.
Just before he left, he stopped and said without turning:
"If this gets into the wrong hands…"
Ryuu's voice answered softly. "Then we both find out what they'll pay for it."