novel-bin Chapter 246 Has he really become a bestselling author?
Chapter 246 Has he really become a bestselling author?
Inside an izakaya in the Autumn Foliage Ward.
"well……"
A long, desolate sigh came from a corner booth, accompanied by the dull thud of a wine glass hitting the table.
Jiraiya slumped over the table, his once vibrant white hair now drooping. He clutched a pitiful sales report in his hand, his eyes vacant like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.
"Six hundred and twelve books..."
Jiraiya muttered to himself, his voice filled with an undisguised grief and indignation.
"It's been a whole week since it went on sale, and in the capital of the Land of Fire, with such a large population, only a little over six hundred copies have been sold, and..."
He looked up and gave Nishikawa Tetsu a resentful glance at him sitting opposite him.
"And of those, five hundred copies were bought by you to distribute to employees as part of the company culture!"
Jiraiya eventually found out about it, but Nishikawa Tetsu didn't think he could hide it from him for long anyway, since he was one of the Legendary Sannin.
Sitting next to his teacher, Yahiko scratched his head awkwardly, trying to comfort him: "Teacher, actually this book... is quite profound. After reading it, everyone worked harder than before, and they also deeply reflected on their previous lazy behavior."
Of course, Yahiko didn't dare tell Jiraiya that those people stayed up all night to write a 5,000-word book report because they didn't want to do social labor like cleaning toilets.
However, Yahiko actually read the whole book. He felt that the main characters in the book were similar to himself, Nagato, and Konan.
"Don't try to comfort me, Yahiko."
Jiraiya poured himself another cup of sake, drank it all in one gulp, and his face was filled with frustration.
"I've finally figured it out. In this superficial era, nobody's willing to calm down and appreciate the pure perseverance and resilience of a ninja. They'd rather spend money on those vulgar novels with pictures of pretty women than spend a few dozen taels on a masterpiece that cleanses the soul!"
At this point, Jiraiya looked at Nishikawa Tetsu, his tone becoming somewhat serious:
"Che, let's just forget about that collaboration merchandise plan we agreed on before. Let's not do anything like a Jiraiya-themed kettle."
"With my current dismal sales, not only will I fail to boost sales, but I'll also tarnish the reputation of your Konoha Home Appliances. I really can't afford to lose face like this."
Nishikawa Tetsu put down his teacup, looked at Jiraiya's lifeless expression, and smiled indifferently.
"Teacher, is it that you lack confidence in yourself, or in my business acumen?"
Nishikawa Tetsu leaned forward slightly, a cunning glint in his eyes.
"Dismal sales? That's because the marketing wasn't done well. In this world, there are no unsellable products, only products that aren't packaged properly."
"Believe me, teacher. Your book, 'The Story of Perseverance,' not only won't need to have its collaboration canceled, but tomorrow it will become the most sought-after bestseller in the entire capital, and bookstore owners will even be begging you to reprint it!"
Jiraiya paused for a moment, looking at him suspiciously: "What mischief are you up to now, kid?"
"How could that be? As everyone knows, I'm a respectable person and I never do illegal business."
Nishikawa Tetsu stood up and straightened his clothes.
"Let's go, teacher, and Yahiko too. Tomorrow morning, we'll stake out the biggest Kadokawa Bookstore. I'll show you what real business tactics are."
……
The next morning.
The sun had just shone on the streets of the capital, and a cool breeze still blew through the air.
However, what was happening in front of Kadokawa Bookstore, located in the most bustling part of the shopping street, was a truly astonishing sight.
"Don't push! Don't push! I've been queuing here since last night!"
"Boss! Open the door! I want to buy books! Ten books!"
"Leave me a copy! Anyone who tries to take it from me, I'll fight them to the death!"
The entrance to the bookstore was packed with hundreds of people.
There were well-dressed merchants, housewives carrying vegetable baskets, and even some gang members and laborers who couldn't even read properly.
Their eyes were all red, and they were clutching money tightly in their hands. They didn't look like they were there to buy books, but rather like they were there to snatch up discounted Gucci rice.
In a private room on the second floor of a teahouse across the street.
Jiraiya leaned against the window, watching the frenzied crowd below, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an apple, his jaw practically dropping to the ground.
"This...this...how is this possible?!"
Jiraiya rubbed his eyes hard and even secretly pinched his thigh.
"Ouch—that hurts! It's not an illusion! Yahiko, look! Are those people really here to buy my book? My book is so captivating that even an illiterate butcher is lining up for it?!"
Yahiko, equally bewildered, leaned against the window, watching the crowd below nearly fight over a spot, and swallowed hard.
"T-Teacher... If I heard correctly, that old lady who was pushing her way to the front even got the book title wrong. She was shouting 'Give me a copy of Nut Ninja Chronicles'..."
The two of them turned their heads at the same time, looking at Nishikawa Tetsu, who was sitting leisurely at the table drinking tea, as if he were a monster.
"Che! How did you do that?!" Jiraiya couldn't help but ask.
Nishikawa Tetsu put down his teacup, smiled slightly, and took out a newly printed propaganda poster that had been plastered all over the city's streets and alleys. He gently pushed it in front of the two of them.
"Hey you two, take a look at this."
Jiraiya and Yahiko went over to take a look.
The poster features the beautiful cover of "The Tale of the Gritful Ninja" on the left and the latest "Konoha Smart Rice Cooker" and "Konoha Double Door Refrigerator" on the right.
Between these two, a slogan is written in the most eye-catching and glaring red letters:
[A Collaborative Event! Knowledge is Wealth!]
Starting today, anyone who purchases the novel "The Tale of the Resilient Ninja" can enjoy a 10% discount on any appliance at any Konoha Home Appliance Store by presenting their purchase receipt.
[Note: Each voucher can only be used once, and quantities are limited, so it's first-come, first-served.]
"this……"
Jiraiya stared at the poster, and his brain went completely blank.
"9...1% off?"
Yahiko reacted instantly and gasped.
"A book only costs five hundred taels... but a brand-new Konoha refrigerator costs a whopping twenty thousand taels! A 10% discount means you save two thousand taels directly!"
"Buy a book for 500 taels, and you can save 2,000 taels by reselling it at an appliance store, making a net profit of 1,500 taels!"
Yahiko stared wide-eyed at Nishikawa Tetsu, his voice trembling, "Tetsu... this is too ruthless! This isn't selling books, it's clearly giving out coupons!"
"That's right."
Nishikawa Tetsu calmly flicked the poster.
"The people of the capital may not understand what literature is, nor what the perseverance of a ninja is, but they definitely understand what it means to make a good deal."
"Since the power grid was completed, household appliances in Konoha have become something that every household in the capital city dreams of. Refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines... these amazing gadgets that can greatly improve the quality of life are still being watched by many ordinary people due to their high prices."
"Now, I'm providing them with a legitimate and legal channel for discounts."
Nishikawa Tetsu looked at the people below who were frantically buying things, and a smug smile appeared on his lips.
"They're not buying books; they're buying tickets to a comfortable life."
"With this driving force, let alone a copy of 'The Story of Perseverance,' they can buy out even a blank draft paper."
Jiraiya's expression after hearing this analysis was truly fascinating.
Shock, disappointment, and ecstasy at seeing his book sell so well—albeit in such a surreal way.
"So... they don't care what I wrote at all, they only care about the 10% discount?" Jiraiya clutched his chest, feeling as if his literary dream had suffered a fatal blow.
"Teacher, don't worry about these details."
Nishikawa Tetsu comforted him:
"Regardless of their reasons for buying the book, at least it has reached their hands. As long as the number of buyers is large enough, someone will eventually pick it up and read it in their spare time. If even one person is moved by your words, then the book has not been written in vain."
"And..." Nishikawa Tetsu said with a wicked smile, "at this rate of buying, your royalties will definitely be an astronomical figure."
Upon hearing the words "astronomical figure," Jiraiya's literary arrogance vanished instantly.
"That's right! Who cares why they bought it? Selling it is the real skill!"
Jiraiya slammed his fist on the table, and the energy was restored.