Some fans who are addicted to comics still experiment quietly, thinking, 'What if I do Saitama's workout too? How strong would I be?'
Peter Parker, wearing his Spider-Man suit, squatted on the roof of a high-rise building. He eagerly looked around to ensure he was alone. Although no one could see his face, performing these exercises in broad daylight was still a bit embarrassing.
Peter condensed his thoughts and prepared to practice secretly at night. 'Would I go bald by doing these exercises? I really hope not. More power is much appreciated though' he wondered.
Last time he was defeated by Green Goblin, Peter, who desperately wanted power, had fallen into deep thought. He needed to be stronger to protect the ones he loved.
He flipped through the rest of Shonen Jump. A new character appeared in the 12th chapter of One Punch Man: Speed-o'-Sound Sonic. Under Light's depiction, his speed seemed incredible.
What disappointed Peter was that this ninja was defeated with one punch (well, a chop to the groin), and then there was a long wait for the next chapter.
The new issues of Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul made Peter feel a little uncomfortable. The former described what happened to Mikasa in her childhood, forcing her to realize that the world is cruel.
The latter made him even more horrified. The newly introduced "Gourmet" Ghoul, Shuu Tsukiyama, ran a restaurant that provided various "cuisines" made from humans.
"Light is a pervert," Peter shuddered. "Does he really have to draw it like this?"
Peter's ideals were extremely incompatible with the dark world shown in Tokyo Ghoul. He hastily flipped past it to check out the new comics.
The colorful title page showed a dark night where a huge fox wreaked havoc on a village. The fox that caught his attention had nine tails and looked vicious.
There was a caption beside it. Peter murmured as he read:
"In the old days, there was a demon fox that harmed the world, known as the Nine-Tails. When the fox waved its tails, it caused landslides and tsunamis."
"There was a ninja who sacrificed his life to seal it away, dying from exhaustion. This ninja was called the Fourth Hokage."
"Naruto."
"Ninja? Is it Japanese ninjutsu?"
Peter murmured softly and turned to the next page. This was the beginning of the text, and the headline was simple and clear: Uzumaki Naruto.
'It should be the protagonist's name.'
At the beginning of the manga, someone appeared in front of an old man and shouted: "Lord Hokage! Naruto is playing a prank again! He's painting on the Great Stone Faces of the past Hokages!"
This old man, the Third Hokage, sighed, "That kid is making trouble again?"
Peter's interest was immediately piqued. A mischievous protagonist was rarely seen in serious comics. As he read on, he saw that Naruto didn't know he was wrong after being caught; instead, he was rather proud.
Others couldn't deface the monument under heavy security, but he did it. This implied a very high level of skill, which made Peter chuckle.
Peter didn't hate such a protagonist. On the contrary, this kind of unassuming and energetic underdog was more popular with Americans.
Then Naruto was tied up by his teacher, Iruka, who punished the class with a surprise test on the Transformation Technique.
"It's interesting, this Transformation Technique," Peter laughed.
Naruto didn't transform into his teacher like the others. Instead, he used his "Sexy Jutsu," causing Iruka to spray a nosebleed. Peter couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Afterward, Iruka ordered Naruto to clean up the graffiti on the Hokage Monument. Naruto said it was fine because he was alone anyway.
Just this sentence made Peter's heart throb. 'Is he an orphan?'
Later, Naruto shouted with confidence in the Ichiraku Ramen shop: "I will become Hokage! I'll be recognized by the whole village and become the strongest Hokage, surpassing all previous generations!"
"A dream?"
Peter raised his head and looked at the blue sky. His dream was to save more people, but he didn't seem to have the same unwavering confidence as Naruto.
"It seems to be a positive comic book," Edward Vance nodded to himself in a building in the distance, taking a sip of coffee.
Then the plot suddenly shifted. Naruto, who failed the Clone Technique exam, sat alone on a swing in the distance. There was a huge contrast between his loneliness and the excitement of his classmates who passed the exam to become Genin. At the same time, parents whispered in the background.
"This kid failed again."
"It's better this way. It would be terrible if he became a ninja."
Edward frowned. This mischievous teenager not only had no parents but was isolated by the entire village.
A heavy feeling filled his heart, and Edward continued to read.
Under Mizuki's persuasion, Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals. In reality, Mizuki wanted to frame Naruto and escape with the scroll himself.
Iruka chased after him. Naruto was convinced that by learning a technique from the scroll, he would be allowed to graduate. Just then, Mizuki revealed a shocking secret.
"Naruto, you are the demon fox! You killed Iruka's parents and destroyed the village! That is the truth that has been forbidden for twelve years!"
"So that's it."
Edward suddenly realized why Naruto was isolated. Many people in the village held a grudge against the demon fox. Naturally, as the vessel, Naruto suffered from their cold glares.
"So in order to get attention, he played pranks. His seemingly indifferent heart was actually in great pain."
The story continued. Naruto collapsed upon hearing the truth. Mizuki took the opportunity to throw a huge shuriken to kill him, but at that moment, Iruka threw himself in front of Naruto, taking the blade in his back.
Edward saw the clever use of the Transformation Technique in the earlier battle and couldn't help admiring the imagination of the author, Light Inksworth.
In the manga, Iruka was injured and pinned against a tree by Mizuki. Naruto was hiding behind the tree, listening.
"Iruka, you are too stupid. If that monster learns the ninjutsu from the scroll, he will use it to destroy the village!"
"No! Naruto worked hard! Although he is clumsy and mischievous, he is not the demon fox! He is a member of Konoha! He is Uzumaki Naruto!"
Iruka shouted solemnly, denying Mizuki's hatred.
Behind the tree, Naruto couldn't help crying, tears streaming down his face. Seeing this, even Edward's eyes, usually hardened by cynicism, started to moisten.
"It is always true feelings that move people. I think I am still affected after reading thousands of comics."
Edward wiped the corners of his eyes and sighed from the bottom of his heart.
At the climax of the chapter, Mizuki was about to kill Iruka, but he was defeated by an angry Naruto using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. Thousands of clones filled the forest, beating Mizuki to a pulp.
In the end, Iruka gave Naruto his own forehead protector, signifying his graduation.
"It's over? There were 60 pages in this chapter!"
Edward saw Iruka taking Naruto to eat ramen in the final panel and reluctantly closed the issue. He reached for the next new manga.
He opened a document on his computer, his fingers clattering across the keyboard. Every time he finished a good comic, he wrote the review immediately before starting the next one, so the emotions wouldn't blend.
This had been his habit for many years.
There was no doubt that this was a moving and humorous comic. Edward could conclude that from the first chapter alone.
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
"This setting is interesting."
After Professor Charles Xavier finished his classes, he sat alone in his office and picked up the two comic magazines Jean Grey had just bought.
One of the comics made his eyes shine.
Kurosaki Ichigo was a high school student who liked to fight but had a secret: he had been able to see ghosts since he was a child.
One night, he met a girl who called herself a [Soul Reaper] from the [Soul Society]. Her name was Rukia Kuchiki, and she had come to Karakura Town to exterminate evil spirits known as Hollows.
When the two met, she used a spell called [Kido] that only Soul Reapers could use.
Then Rukia used terrible drawings to explain the concept of Wholes and Hollows, and the duty of a Soul Reaper.
It was at this time that a Hollow attacked. Charles looked at the creature. Like Ichigo in the comic, he initially thought it might be human, but it was a monstrous beast wearing a bone mask.
Rukia fell into a bitter battle protecting the Kurosaki family. Desperate, she offered to transfer her powers to Ichigo. He resolutely stabbed himself with her sword, becoming a Soul Reaper, and defeated the Hollow with a massive blade.
As the first chapter of Bleach ended, Professor Charles closed the magazine and thought to himself:
'Bleach doesn't seem as emotionally moving as Naruto, nor is it as philosophical as Tokyo Ghoul or Attack on Titan, but it is very similar to One Punch Man.'
It wasn't a satire, but it had a wild, uninhibited style. The setting of souls and the afterlife was fascinating.
'I always feel that the mutant gift comes from the soul, not just the genes,' Charles mused. 'This comic tells a story of the soul, which is quite inspiring.'
After thinking for a while, Charles opened Weekly Shonen Sunday. The first thing that came into view was a white and blue cat.
"This is very educational."
He saw the story where Nobita, unprepared for an exam, went to Shizuka to show off his memory skills using the bread, only to eat too much and lose everything due to diarrhea.
The "black technology" of the Memory Bread wasn't what caught Charles's attention, but the lesson behind it.
There was no violence, no dark reflection on society, only happiness and a simple moral lesson.
"This is a comic that can accompany countless people through their childhood."
Charles made his decision. He projected a mental thought: 'Jean.'
"Professor, what's the matter?" Jean Grey, who was flipping through her own copy of the magazine, heard the Professor's voice in her mind.
"When you have time, buy 10 more copies of Weekly Shonen Sunday."
"10 copies? Why?"
"I think the younger children need it. Especially kids like Jenny. They should read the manga called Doraemon."
Jenny was the youngest girl in the school, only eight years old, and often frightened by her powers.
"Okay, Professor."
After Jean cut the telepathic link, Charles began to read the second feature in Sunday.
Clatter.
Charles knocked on the table lightly after reading the three chapters of The Terminator. He shook his head, feeling disappointed. "Why does this feel... ordinary? Light drew so many unique comics, but this one seems generic."
It described a future world controlled by robots known as Skynet.
The machines wanted to exterminate mankind but faced stubborn resistance led by John Connor. As a result, Skynet sent a Terminator robot, the T-800, back to 1984 to kill Connor's mother, Sarah, to prevent his birth.
This time-travel plot wasn't uncommon in Charles's opinion. Many superhero comics involved time travel and dystopian futures (like Days of Future Past). Compared to the innovation of Naruto or Doraemon, this felt clichéd.
Charles was a little confused. It was too ordinary.
Light Inksworth, far away in Hell's Kitchen, would have laughed if he knew Charles's thoughts.
The Terminator was a famous science fiction film series in his past life. It was a masterpiece of cinema.
However, its impact relied heavily on special effects, Arnold Schwarzenegger's presence, and the novelty of the era. As a silent comic in 2008 Marvel—a world where Tony Stark was building suits and Reed Richards was going to space—killer robots weren't exactly groundbreaking.
Naturally, it seemed unremarkable.
Light did not publish this comic to earn massive Fan Value. His goal was different.
He wanted to extract Skynet.
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Word count: 2012
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