Seeing the Third Raikage still frowning in confusion, Haruki instead felt more and more at ease.
Good. So he hasn't read them.
"All of those were novels I wrote," Haruki finally explained. "They're extremely popular—and extremely profitable. That one billion ryō was my author's income."
With that, he clarified the origin of his wealth, making it clear that the money was obtained legitimately.
When he first arrived in this world, he had already begun thinking about how to become stronger.
After realizing he had no cheat ability, average talent, and no clan inheritance, he understood that the only path left to him was external assistance.
The best kind of external assistance was money.
Unfortunately, making money in a world like this—one where even terrorists dreamed of peace—was far from easy.
It wasn't until he remembered the future literary works of the legendary Jiraiya that he found a viable path. From then on, he spent years writing books—taking advantage of his status as a child to freely enter bathhouses and entertainment districts for "research," then blending those experiences with the unique traits of the shinobi world to produce those infamous sensational novels.
The results spoke for themselves.
They sold extremely well.
"Novels…?"
The Third Raikage was momentarily stunned.
"Writing books is that profitable?"
He turned to Dodai, silently asking for confirmation.
Recalling the dozens of sensational novels he had personally purchased with his private funds, Dodai replied with a complicated expression:
"If he really is the author behind those books… then producing one billion ryō wouldn't be difficult at all."
What shocked him even more was the realization that all those writers were actually the same person—and that person was only ten years old.
Those books had first appeared five years ago.
Which meant this kid had already possessed that kind of mindset at the age of five.
A rare talent, without question.
Though puzzled by Dodai's strange expression, the Third Raikage didn't pursue the matter further. His attention returned to the intelligence Haruki had mentioned.
"So, what exactly is this intelligence?"
Taking a deep breath, Haruki spoke seriously:
"I was sent here by Danzō Shimura. My mission was to infiltrate Kumogakure, become a spy, and steal information. But I was forced into it. My parents have long since died, and now that I'm about to become a ninja of the Hidden Cloud, I intend to be one for life."
That was the truth.
He had originally been from Konoha. Because he showed unusual maturity and successfully refined chakra at the age of three, Danzō's people took notice and brought him in for training. At five, he was sent to Kumogakure to replace the grandson of an elderly man.
That grandson had been taken away by Danzō's agents.
The old man himself had long since been secretly bought over and turned into an informant—and had died a year ago.
Haruki revealed this identity not recklessly, but deliberately.
Some things, when confessed in advance, were called declaring one's stance and abandoning the darkness.
When revealed after the fact, they were nothing more than excuses—or lies no one would believe.
He had no intention of letting his identity be exposed later, only to be watched, tortured by Kumogakure's infamous interrogation methods, then subjected to genjutsu or memory extraction.
That would be fatal.
Being a spy was far too dangerous.
He wanted to be a good person.
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere froze.
The Third Raikage, Dodai, and A all turned solemn.
Though Haruki's heart was pounding wildly, he still met the Third Raikage's gaze head-on, clearly expressing his stance and resolve.
Dodai and A said nothing, silently waiting for the Raikage's judgment.
"Well said."
The Third Raikage finally laughed.
"You'll be a member of Kumogakure for life—and my student."
Though the boy's background was problematic, it wasn't a serious issue.
After all, Haruki had confessed openly, handed over one billion ryō, and presented three terrifying weapons. His sincerity was undeniable.
More importantly, the Third Raikage valued his mind.
Someone who could design such weapons at this age might produce even greater ones in the future. His potential value was immeasurable.
If he truly wanted to be a spy?
Then the Third Raikage could only say—send more like him.
As the Raikage laughed, Haruki finally relaxed. His legs went weak, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.
That pressure had been overwhelming.
Dodai and A also let out silent breaths of relief. They had grown quite fond of this kid—especially because of those infamous novels.
If those books were to stop updating forever, it would be a terrible loss.
"Lord Raikage," Dodai said after some thought, "we might be able to turn his identity to our advantage—feeding Danzō Shimura information that benefits us."
As the Raikage's chief advisor, Dodai naturally looked for angles to exploit. In his view, Haruki's spy background was a usable asset.
"You'll handle it."
The Third Raikage nodded, approving the proposal.
As long as it benefited the village, nothing was off-limits.
"Take him for a full examination. See if Danzō left any hidden measures on him—that man is dangerous.
"And everything that happened here today is classified. No one is allowed to speak of it. This is top-level village intelligence."
He gestured to his son and added one final instruction.
"Student takes his leave."
Haruki finally let go of the last bit of tension in his chest and followed A out of the room.
After they left, the Third Raikage walked over to the wall and used a kunai to pry out all the deformed projectiles. Then, he coated his fingers in Lightning Release chakra and stabbed into each impact crater one by one—deliberately destroying the marks and making them look like the aftermath of Hell Stab training.
Even though this was his private training chamber, spies were difficult to identify these days. With strange ninjutsu in play, someone might still find a way in. If anyone deduced something from the bullet impacts, it would be troublesome.
Understanding his intent, Dodai sealed the three weapons back into storage scrolls and walked over.
"A very clever kid."
The Third Raikage smiled as he finished destroying the evidence.
"Extremely clever," Dodai agreed wholeheartedly.
Whether it was the weapons, the novels, or today's careful maneuvering, all of it demonstrated extraordinary intelligence and courage.
"How long would it take to fully develop these weapons?"
The Third Raikage's expression turned serious. He knew these weapons were far from mature. Materials were one issue, structural design another—and all of Haruki's ideas would require enormous manpower, resources, and time.
Dodai had already anticipated the question.
"At least five years to develop them properly. Mass production would require huge quantities of steel, explosive tags, and the training of large ninja units—altogether, no less than ten years.
"The principles behind these weapons are too simple. Once deployed, the enemy will quickly analyze and replicate them. We'll only gain a one-time advantage. If we use them, we must push forward in a single decisive strike."
"Ten years…" The Third Raikage sighed softly. "Then they won't be usable in this war."
He felt a trace of regret.
No one knew how many lives Kumogakure would lose in the coming Great Ninja War.
The previous war had already cost them dearly—especially due to the betrayal of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, which had gravely weakened the village.
Not only had the two brothers and their troops defected, becoming enemies, they had also killed many Kumogakure shinobi during their rebellion—including the Second Raikage himself.
Even defeating Kinkaku and his forces back then had come at a heavy price.
This upcoming war would be no easier.