I'm Inside Naruto Manga

The weather was stifling, reaching its peak of accumulated heat at midday. The hustle and bustle of cars in Los Angeles mixed with exhaust fumes and oppressive warmth, creating a gigantic steamer effect.

In a beautifully decorated restaurant, the cool breeze from the air conditioning provided a comfortable relief. Logan and David were sitting in an elegant window seat. The heat from the other side of the glass relentlessly radiated through. Logan glanced at the remaining sweat on David's forehead, as they had just sat down.

The private room had two rows of seats. Logan and David sat together, and opposite them are three faces that are unfamiliar to him.

That's right, after everyone else had gradually arrived at the hotel, this small Fresno fan club decided to have lunch together at a restaurant near the convention and get to know the 'newcomer' along the way.

This was Logan's first offline gathering, or rather, it was a meeting with David's ACG friends, often referred to as a 'face-to-face' meeting—though they weren't familiar with each other yet.

A bespectacled man with a gentle demeanor smiled shyly. He was the oldest of the five, known as 'Cat Lover'. There was the newcomer, Logan, among them, so everyone only stared at each other. This is a situation unique to otakus who are not good at socializing with strangers.

Cat Lover was the first to speak, "Well, let's introduce ourselves first. I'm Cat Lover in the group. As my ID suggests, I like cats and cute animals. My real name is Nicholas Gallagher, and I'm a senior in college."

In fact, this senior is not very good at raising the mood, but who told him to be the oldest. After saying this, the other party looked at Logan, his eyes with a subtle envy. It might be the envy of an average-looking guy meeting someone who was almost as handsome as Kakashi... His expectant look made it clear that it was Logan's turn.

David, wanting Logan to get along with the group, let out a hearty laugh and patted Logan's shoulder, "Hahaha, this is..."

"Hello everyone, I'm 'Ninja' who just joined the group today. I'm a high school sophomore like Fat Man, and my name is Logan Howlett." Logan said confidently, while subtly removing David's hand from his shoulder.

David was suddenly looked awkward, while the two women who noticed the gesture couldn't help but smile.

"Well, as for my hobbies..."

A multitude of terms flashed through Logan's mind, like silent assassination techniques, stealth, cool shuriken throws...

'Sure enough, I have been out of touch with the mainstream society for too long. I can't even name normal hobbies. Rooftop parkour, forest parkour? Both seemed odd.' While he thought of this, Logan's expression did not change. Then, he pretended to be embarrassed, and scratched his head, "I don't really have any special interests..."

"Oh, I see." Nicholas sighed with an expression of goodwill. Although his words were meaningless, it was a gesture of politeness.

Once the conversation started, the atmosphere relaxed, and it was time for the girls, the shining star of the group, to speak.

A girl who was notably shorter and with a more youthful appearance cleared her throat. She was wearing a beige dress with her hair styled in double ponytails, tied with bows, giving off a youthful and lively vibe.

'A lolita with a delicate face and double ponytails. She seems to be a character from a light novel harem...'

"I'm 'Philosophical Orange' in the group. I'm a middle school student. My real name is Julia Butler. As for my interests… hehehe."

This youngest member of the group didn't show the shyness typical of her age when facing older peers. She spoke in a voice that didn't sound childish, creating a surprising contrast.

As for the last three 'hehehes', Julia blushed, but she still managed to say them boldly.

David and the others seemed to have an understanding of the preferences of 'Philosophical Orange', but they didn't speak it out explicitly. One signal, and Logan could clearly feel the 'otaku' atmosphere among the four people.

In other words, everyone was getting into the groove, ready to reveal their true selves.

Logan cautiously glanced at the cute middle school girl. Considering her online name, he naturally had a premonition.

"Hello Logan~ I am 'Lovely Sakura' in the group. I'm a high school senior and I like to dance to anime music, then record videos to post on a bullet screen website, but I don't really have much popularity haha..." The last person to introduce herself was the pretty girl David had mentioned several times.

To be honest, she had a good figure, and her makeup was in line with the current internet celebrity style. The girl wasn't unattractive and would be considered a beauty even when going out. However, perhaps because Logan had high expectations before coming, seeing her in person made him a bit disappointed.

Today, the art student girl named Sophia Fraser is wearing a JK uniform, small shoes and black over-the-knee socks, and her makeup were genuinely nice. Despite her cute and endearing appearance, Logan couldn't muster much enthusiasm upon seeing her. Compared to the girls he had met before, such as Diane or Sumika, or even Mai, this girl seemed to be missing something, yet also had something extra.

'Hmm, so the cliches of light novel characters have really become too mainstream?'

Everyone has finished the introduction, and the dishes that were ordered before are slowly being served. The ACG-loving otaku adhered to basic principles: eat, drink, and enjoy each other's company. Since Logan was easy to get along with, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Seeing this, David was relieved and turned his attention to chatting with Lovely Sakura.

As they ate and talked, everyone discussed their journey from Fresno to Los Angeles. Although it took considerable effort, the anticipation of the upcoming international-scale Manga Convention kept everyone's spirits high. Most of their conversation revolved around this Manga Convention.

Logan mainly listened quietly, occasionally contributing his somewhat rusty and uncertain knowledge of the 2D world to the conversation. Having just fought with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen from the Naruto World, his body was still recovering from the devastating techniques. At this moment, in this peaceful and long-awaited discussion, it felt pure and delightful.

After finishing their meal, they lounged on the soft sofa. The sunlight outside spilled onto the asphalt road, making the glass feel warm to the touch. In the cool air conditioning, the group members, relaxed, felt a twinge of drowsiness.

It can't be helped. If they weren't out for fun, this weather would be perfect for a nap after a meal.

Seeing that there was still time before the afternoon event, David jokingly suggested they start on a second meal. Miraculously, everyone agreed enthusiastically, and they began their second round of eating.

The guys had a drink in hand, while the middle schooler and Lovely Sakura enjoyed ice cream. The endless chatter finally quieted down for a moment.

Nicholas, the college senior, suddenly remembered something and said to Logan, "By the way, I was going to ask, Logan, since your ID is 'Ninja', do you also watch Naruto?"

"Ah." Logan took a sip through his straw. He thought about it, realizing that the ID 'Ninja' might be quite cliche. Then, he said vaguely, "Well, I'm following it..."

"Oh, that's a coincidence!" Nicholas's excitement was momentarily visible behind his glasses. Logan sensed that he might have hit a nerve, and Nicholas began rummaging through his bag.

"But since Naruto is so popular right now, it makes sense that you're following it." He pulled out a manga volume, placing it on the table, "This is the latest single volume published in our country. I managed to get someone to buy it for me. By the way, there are more volumes, but they are in Japanese raw and have no translation yet. I've been considering about translating them..."

Nicholas's speech sped up, and his previously gentle demeanor was gone. His eyes were practically sparkling with the eagerness to discuss the series with Logan all night.

"Uh, well..." Logan understood the excitement of liking something, but his identity didn't seem to be quite right for this. Looking at himself and the scene where he was being analyzed seriously... He had tried it before, well... Logan turned to look at David, who, upon hearing this, had already rolled up his sleeves, ready to talk extensively about this popular series.