"The story is not bad, and the artwork is passable."
Tsunade rolled up the manuscript paper. "The art style is quite fresh, and the plot is engaging enough to keep you following along. If it were to be serialized, it might have the potential to become a bestseller."
She changed the subject while narrowing her eyes slightly: "But why did you name the main character of the manga book after yourself?"
Shinichi explained calmly, "Tsunade-sensei, becoming a great chef has never been an empty dream for me. But reality is that I chose the path of a ninja, and I will firmly continue down it. Naming the manga's protagonist Shinichi is, in a sense, a way of entrusting a part of my longing, like watching another version of myself devotedly advancing in the world of cooking, achieving the dream I cannot personally pursue."
"Furthermore, if the manga is actually serialized, I plan to continuously upload some new dishes that I have created or improved in the story, along with the protagonist's growth journey. For example, the Mabo Dofu I drew this time is one of them. This will not only make the manga content more realistic and more attractive to cooking enthusiasts, but also be a way to share my understanding and passion for cooking in another form."
Shinichi's thoughts were, of course, not so simple.
The deeper calculation lies in the fact that in the story of the Cooking Master Boy, Shinichi sets the protagonist to have extraordinary knife skills (swordsmanship) and the talent to use fire to control ingredients in a subtle way (Fire Style).
At the same time, since the story is set in the Shinobi World, there are naturally many powerful enemies and exciting battles. The protagonist, Shinichi, will showcase his superb swordsmanship and Fire Style Jutsus to defeat various enemies.
As people are immersed in the thrill of the genius boy named Shinichi, who constantly challenges the pinnacle of cooking and defeats various powerful enemies, their blood would boil.
It's hard not to project this admiration and association onto the manga's author, the real-life prodigy ninja from Konoha with the same name, also renowned for his swordsmanship and Fire Style Jutsus.
Shinichi plans to continuously upload new dishes that he has personally developed or improved as the story progresses in the serialization, along with the creative ideas and flavor characteristics of the recipes. This directly links the fictional story with real-world creativity.
While readers marvel at Shinichi's culinary talent in the manga, they simultaneously receive the message that these mouthwatering and wondrous dishes are real and were created by the real Shinichi Higashino.
This continuous and concrete interweaving of reality and illusion greatly enhances the relevance and particularity of cognition.
This carefully crafted effect, combining the real and the virtual, has far more merits than simply boosting fame; it subtly accomplishes two things:
First, it expands the image and deepens public perception: it expands the public's understanding of Shinichi Higashino from the relatively singular and even potentially distant label of Ninja genius to a richer, more approachable, and humane dimension.
This multi-dimensional image of genius is more likely to gain widespread favor and recognition, and its legendary nature is more three-dimensional and full.
Secondly, positive feedback and cognitive enrichment: the focus, passion, integrity, never giving up, and constantly breaking through one's hurdles shown by the protagonist of the manga Shinichi will be subtly attached to the author Shinichi Higashino through the emotional power of the story.
Readers' love and admiration for virtual characters can be partially transformed into positive imagination and recognition of real people's character, which inadvertently creates a very favorable public image for them.
All of this, public attention, multi-dimensional understanding, and emotional identification, will eventually converge to become a valuable source of recognition to nourish his system talent, especially for the newly added blue talent, Gourmet.
When it comes to acquiring recognition, Shinichi's vision is never limited to ninjas.
While ninjas are indeed the mainstream of this world, Shinichi is well aware that the true foundation supporting this world is the millions of ordinary people.
They may not understand how difficult A-rank Ninjutsu is, or what winning the Chunin exams means.
Humans cannot imagine things they have never seen. They only needed to know whether a dish tasted good.
That was enough.
When that recognition spread, from one person's tongue to another's ears, from one household to a street, from a city to the entire Land of Fire, from the Land of Fire to the whole world, food might only be the first attempt.
The next step would be medicine.
It's not about high-end medical Ninjutsu, but about bringing medical technology down to the grassroots level, to the fields, and to all living beings.
To ensure that children from ordinary families no longer die from a cold or fever, that women giving birth no longer gamble with their lives, and that elderly people who have worked their whole lives don't have to wait to die when they get sick.
The education he received in his previous life had etched something into Shinichi's very being. What truly moves people is never something that grabs attention with its novelty, much less something that is high and mighty like a deity.
Rather, it's those who make people's lives better!
When they find that they eat better, can afford medical care, and can live better and longer.
People will be genuinely grateful to those who created all of this, and that gratitude transcends nationality, race, and ethnicity.
It will flow out from the cracks in the doors of every household, like a river, and converge into the deepest and broadest power.
That is what truly will never be forgotten.
That is the true power of all living beings.
Come from all living beings, and go back to all living beings.
...…
"You're saying all the ingredients inside are real?"
Tsunade's gaze fell back on the plate of glistening, fragrant Mabo Dofu on the manuscript paper.
She licked her lips. "Mabo Dofu? No wonder the name sounded so strange; I'd never heard of it before. So it's a new dish you created yourself?"
"Yes, Tsunade-sensei."
Shinichi smiled slightly: "Mabo Dofu is a new dish that I created after trying to integrate different flavor concepts."
How powerful was Mabo Dofu to the people in Japan in his previous life?
(Note: Mapo Tofu is commonly referred to as Mabo Dofu in Japan.)
To put it simply, Mabo Dofu, a dish originating from China, is so popular that it can be described as phenomenal. It has almost become synonymous with Chinese cuisine, and its status in Japan is so stable and its audience so wide.
TV shows such as Iron Chef, food columns, and street interviews reveal people's undisguised love for it.
A TV show personality once admitted on a program that, "I eat Mabo Dofu at least four times a week, and when I don't eat it, I'm always thinking about when to eat it next."
This immediately resonated strongly with the guests and audience present.
Its complex flavor profile, spicy, savory, hot, tender, and smooth, perfectly matches the people's pursuit of a rich, appetizing, impactful, and addictive taste experience.