Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

This scene caused a barely perceptible smile to appear on the lips of Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was also observing this scene from the distant flagship using a telescope.

"This child..."

He muttered to himself, "They still need someone to give them a push."

The aroma of roasted meat quickly filled the air on the sea breeze.

It must be said that the products from Hatake Sakumo's ecological farm are indeed top-tier hard currency in the ninja world.

Whether it's the tender and juicy pork belly or the crisp and refreshing vegetables, they are far superior to ordinary ingredients.

Obito, while chewing on a large piece of grilled meat, mumbled indistinctly, "Wow! Delicious! Kakashi, your dad is a genius!"

Shinnosuke was holding a skewer of grilled mushrooms, eating them in small bites with a blank expression.

Just as the atmosphere was getting along well, an accident occurred.

"Oh! What's this? Chili powder?"

Obito noticed the delicate little glass jar that Tachibana Shiori had brought on the table next to him. "The color is so beautiful! It looks really cool!"

Without even looking at the label, he unscrewed the lid and generously poured the contents of the largest and fattest piece of pork belly in his hand onto the meat.

The dark red powder evenly covered the entire piece of meat, making it look incredibly appetizing.

"Art should be accompanied by vibrant colors!"

Obito admired his masterpiece with satisfaction, then took a bite.

next second.

He froze completely.

His eyes widened like copper bells, and his face visibly changed from normal skin color to red, and then to liver color.

Three seconds later.

"Waaaaaaahh ...

A blood-curdling scream shattered the tranquility of dusk.

Obito, like a cannonball, launched himself from the spot, frantically slapping his mouth with both hands, and ran wildly across the deck without any order.

"Water! Water! My mouth! My mouth has turned into a fireball! This is an exploding work of art!"

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.

Asuma paused for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter: "Hahahaha! Obito, you idiot! You deserved it!"

He laughed so hard he almost fell over, and tears were welling up in his eyes.

However, out of cheap curiosity, he still leaned over, dipped the tip of his chopsticks into a tiny bit of the red powder, and put it in his mouth.

The smile froze.

Although his reaction wasn't as exaggerated as Obito's, he still covered his mouth, unable to speak, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"Cough...cough! What...what the hell is this?!"

Chaos erupted on the deck.

Even the usually composed Sarutobi Nami was amused.

He precisely controlled the water in the bucket, forming a gentle stream of water, and brought it to Obito's mouth.

Obito felt as if he had been granted a pardon and grabbed the stream of water, giving it a good soaking.

The instigator, Ju Xilin, stood to the side with a smug smile on her lips.

Kakashi looked at the jar with great interest, and like Asuma, he used the tip of his chopsticks to pick up a tiny bit of powder, barely more than dust, and put it in his mouth.

He closed his eyes and savored the moment.

After a while, he narrowed his one exposed eye slightly.

"Hmm...interesting."

He commented, "The initial sensation is a domineering burning heat, which turns into a lingering stinging pain after three seconds, and finally leaves a strange numbing sensation at the back of the tongue. The spicy characteristics of the three different plants are perfectly blended and layered. Xilin, your pharmaceutical skills have improved again."

All eyes turned to another person who might have tasted this human weapon of mass destruction—Shinnosuke Sarutobi.

He was still sitting in the corner, and the plate of melon that Lin had handed him earlier had been sprinkled with some red powder.

He had just finished eating the last piece.

His complexion remained unchanged.

It still looks like it's been frozen for a thousand years.

However… there seemed to be a suspicious blush creeping up behind her ears.

"smell……"

He put down the plate and, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, gave a two-word evaluation.

"It's acceptable."

The entire room fell silent.

Even Obito, who was still drinking water, stopped what he was doing and looked at him with a strange expression.

In this strange atmosphere, the ship trembled slightly, accompanied by a long, drawn-out whistle.

They have arrived at the port.

Everyone rushed to the ship's side.

A small town, unlike any other village in the ninja world, appeared before them.

The streets were adorned with lanterns, and men and women dressed in various yukatas strolled leisurely along the way. A faint, unique smell of sulfur and the aroma of food filled the air.

This is the Land of Hot Springs, the most famous hot spring resort in the ninja world.

Peaceful, pleasant, and full of the breath of life.

Right there on the dock, a figure stood straight, completely out of place with the relaxed atmosphere around him.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, wearing sunglasses, with his hands behind his back, standing like a javelin.

That familiar, cold and hard aura could be smelled by Hiruzen Sarutobi even from hundreds of meters away.