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

The atmosphere on the deck instantly shifted from a shonen action anime to a late-night gourmet show channel after Akimichi Torifu's shout of "Disintegration."

Kakashi glanced at his short sword, which had just pierced through the flesh of a sea monster and ended its life. The blade still bore traces of lingering lightning and a few drops of dark blue blood.

He was silent for a moment.

Then, he walked to the makeshift bucket by the ship's side, carefully washed the blade clean, and wiped it spotless with a spare cloth until the blade reflected his listless eyes.

After doing all this, he walked up to Akimichi Torifu.

"Senior Feng Qu".

His voice remained as calm as ever.

"Um!"

Akimichi Torifu responded without even looking up. He was intently using a small boning knife to carefully cut along the thin layer of fat beneath the sea monster's skin. His focused expression made it seem as if he were not processing food, but dismantling the world's most sophisticated bomb.

"Along this line,"

Qu Feng used the tip of his knife to touch the sea monster's skin, which was as smooth as blue silk. There was a barely visible shallow mark. "Cut it open. The depth must be three inches, no more, no less. The cut must be clean, a single, continuous stroke, without any pauses in between. Can you do that?"

"...Okay," Kakashi replied.

This requirement was more demanding than any swordsmanship test he had practiced at the ninja academy.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched this scene from a short distance away, his fingers gently stroking the inside of his teacup.

Kakashi gripped the hilt of his sword and took a deep breath.

He closed his eyes, recalling the movements of his father, Sakumo Hatake, as he butchered a Konoha porcupine on the farm—a pure skill akin to that of a master butcher.

When Kakashi opened his eyes again, a glint of light flashed in them.

He bent down, his wrist as steady as a rock, and slashed out with the dagger.

"laugh--"

A perfect straight cut, neither too sharp nor too shallow, precisely unfolds along the mark drawn by the wind.

Akimichi paused for a moment, turned his head, glanced at the cut, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.

"Not bad, Kakashi."

"Um!"

Kakashi responded calmly, but his hands didn't stop moving.

A fragrance that could make one's soul tremble filled the deck.

It's not just the aroma of meat, but a complex fragrance that blends the salty freshness of the deep sea, the subtle aroma of burning charcoal, and the aroma of some secret sauce.

Kakashi precisely peeled away the tough outer skin of that enormous creature, revealing tender, pinkish-white meat underneath, with beautiful marbling, just like top-grade Wagyu beef.

"alright!"

With a powerful roar, the last perfect piece of tenderloin was separated.

He looked at the various kinds of meat piled up in front of him with satisfaction, like a general inspecting an army.

"Let's grill!"

This command was more effective than the Hokage's orders.

Asma couldn't wait any longer and was the first to rush up and grab the biggest grill.

He imitated his father's usual way of grilling meat at home, carefully laying out evenly sliced ​​pieces of meat on the scorching hot grill.

"Sizzle—"

The moment the sliced ​​meat came into contact with the hot grill, it produced a delightful sound.

The beautiful white fat melted quickly, turning into golden oil that dripped onto the charcoal below, igniting a small cluster of bright flames and pushing the domineering aroma to its peak.

"Hey! Asuma! That piece is overcooked! You need to feel it with love, listen to the meat's call with your heart!"

Obito Uchiha frantically fiddled with his grill on the side, while also giving Asuma professional advice on his rude behavior.

He had almost singed his eyebrows while handling internal organs because he hadn't controlled his fire jutsu properly, and now he was eager to get revenge elsewhere.

"Shut up, do you even know anything about barbecue?"

Asma roared back without turning his head, his tongs flashing with a surprisingly methodical movement, "This is called caramelization! It's the source of the flavor!"

"Tch~"

"Senior Feng, this way is ready!"

"Obito, hurry up! The next batch is coming out!"

"Asuma, grill! The fire's not hot enough!"

"Sizzle—"

The sound of grease dripping onto the charcoal fire was like the most beautiful music in the world.

"Glug."

I don't know who swallowed first.

Then, a chorus of swallowing sounds filled the deck.

Even Kakashi, who had maintained his composure throughout, couldn't help but twitch his nostrils a couple of times, and his eyes seemed to brighten slightly.

"alright!"

Akimichi Torifu used a huge pair of tongs to pick up the first piece of meat that was roasted to a crispy exterior and tender interior, sizzling with oil.

The piece of meat was as big as half a washbasin, with its edges roasted to an enticing golden brown, while the lean meat in the middle was a beautiful pink, so juicy it looked like it might overflow at any moment.

Under the intense gaze of everyone, Qu Feng closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the fragrance, and revealed a devout expression like that of a believer on a pilgrimage.

Then, he opened his mouth and bit down without hesitation.

"Click."

That was the sound of biting into the crispy outer layer.

Everyone held their breath, staring intently at him.

Akimichi Torifu's chewing motions started slowly, then became faster and faster. His eyes suddenly opened, flashing with a terrifying light.

"Ugh—Ooh o ...

He let out a roar that was incomprehensible yet filled with bliss, as if his very soul was trembling.

"This is it! This is the taste! The energy is perfectly locked in the fibers of the meat, and after being grilled at high temperature, the fat layer transforms into sweet oil, soaking into every inch of lean meat! This is simply... simply a gift from the sea!"

He was so excited that he danced with joy, and tears even welled up in his eyes.

The surrounding teenagers stared in disbelief.

For the first time, they realized that eating a bite of meat could evoke such a rich range of emotions.

After the initial excitement subsided, Akimichi Torifu carefully used tongs to hand a piece of meat to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hiruzen, give it a try!"

His voice was loud and sincere, "This is the fruit of our victory!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him, then at the pairs of eyes around him staring at him expectantly, and nodded with a smile.

He picked up another piece from the grill and put it in his mouth.

The meat is tender and melts in your mouth, with a rich meaty aroma that explodes on your taste buds.

It is truly top-notch.

"Mmm, it's delicious."

He calmly commented, "Everyone has worked hard, let's eat."

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh!"

"Dinner's ready!"

A thunderous cheer erupted from the deck.

The boys no longer cared about etiquette and rushed towards the grill.

"Hey! Obito! That piece is mine!"

"What do you mean 'your'? I saw it first!"

"Asuma, don't steal it!"

"Kakashi, you're way too fast!"

Some people even showed amazing fighting power. One of them occupied an entire grill by herself, eating with both hands, her mouth full of oil, her eyes narrowed into slits with happiness.

The scene once again descended into joyful chaos.

A barbecue feast was transformed into an entertainment program by these energetic teenagers.

Sarutobi Nami and Shimura Sota, abandoning all pretense of modesty, joined the food-grabbing frenzy.

As a medical ninja, Tachibana Shiori was still trying to maintain the last vestiges of her professionalism, eating in small bites, but her bright, sparkling eyes had already betrayed her true feelings.

On the deck, all that could be heard for a moment were the sounds of chewing, swallowing, and the occasional triumphant laugh of someone who had snatched a good piece of meat.

Even Kakashi, who is usually calm and composed, kept moving his mouth under his mask, eating at a speed no slower than anyone else.

"Take the wind," Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly as he chewed, "and when we get back, give Sakumo a suggestion."

"Hmm? Hokage-sama, please speak!"

Qu Feng immediately came over, looking expectant, as if waiting for the highest instructions.

"Konoha Ecological Farm is a good place to start a new breeding project."

Looking at the shimmering sea in the distance, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "I think the topic of 'Large-scale Aquaculture and Sustainable Development of Deep-sea High-Energy Organisms' is very valuable for research."

"Deep sea...high-energy creature?" Akimichi Torifu was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes burst out with a light ten times brighter than when he was grilling meat.

Does the Hokage mean... that we can eat seafood of this caliber every day in Konoha from now on?!

"I understand, Hokage-sama!"

Excitedly, Toru slapped his thigh. "I'll go back and discuss it with that guy Sakumo! No! I'll write a letter right now!"

Seeing that Torifu instantly got into work mode, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly.

He turned to look at Zhishui and found that the other person was looking at him with a look of inquiry and a deeper understanding.

"What's wrong, Shisui?"

"It's nothing, Hokage-sama."

Shisui smiled and shook his head. "I just think that being able to come up with the idea of ​​using hunting as team training, discovering new economic growth points along the way, and ultimately making everyone happy... I could never learn your way of thinking in my entire life."

Hiruzen Sarutobi simply smiled upon hearing this.

It's just a basic skill for office workers.