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Chapter 288: Tsunade's Chicken Feast
Chapter 288: Tsunade's Chicken Feast
In a cozy tavern, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru sat side by side, indulging in a drinking session.
"It's been a while since the three of us had a drink together like this, hasn't it?" Jiraiya took a swig from his cup and laughed heartily. "It must have been after the end of the Second Great Ninja War."
Tsunade downed the contents of her cup and nodded in agreement. After the war, they had all gone their separate ways.
"Jiraiya, has all this time passed, and have you found that student who can change the ninja world?" Orochimaru picked up a snack and popped it into his mouth before posing his question.
"Haha! Good question. I have no idea," Jiraiya replied with a laugh.
The prophecy of the Great Toad Sage was too vague, and he couldn't be sure if any of the students he had taught was truly the child of destiny.
"Not knowing but still sounding so confident. You're as foolish as ever," Tsunade teased.
"He's just stirring up trouble as usual," Orochimaru commented, unsurprised by Jiraiya's response.
He believed that it was impossible for one person to change the entire ninja world. Even the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, hadn't been able to achieve that. The ninja world continued on its path regardless of his death.
"I may be stirring up trouble, but what about you? Trying to learn all the jutsu in the world and seeking immortality? That's impossible. No matter how much you research, human life will never be eternal," Jiraiya retorted bluntly.
"Instead of pursuing immortality, it's better to find a worthy heir to pass on your ninja way. That way, even if you die, you live on in another form," Orochimaru countered.
"No matter how you sugarcoat it, death is death. Saying that someone lives on in your heart is just a way to comfort children," Orochimaru rebutted calmly.
From the moment he was born, he had witnessed countless deaths. Not long after he was old enough to understand, his parents had passed away.
During the Second Great Ninja War, Orochimaru was already an exceptional jonin. He had led many Konoha ninjas on important missions, and during that time, he had seen many of his comrades perish before his eyes.
However, the loss that affected Orochimaru the most was the death of his disciple, Nawaki—Tsunade's younger brother.
Nawaki was not only Orochimaru's disciple but also had a personality that contrasted sharply with his master's. While Orochimaru always wore a cold and detached expression, Nawaki's face was perpetually lit up with excitement and enthusiasm.
Despite their differences, Orochimaru had a soft spot for this disciple. His own stoicism didn't mean he disliked others' cheerfulness; in fact, he felt a sense of ease when teaching Nawaki.
But the ninja wars were merciless. On a nocturnal mission, Nawaki, in his eagerness to pursue the enemy, had accidentally triggered a trap and died right before Orochimaru's eyes.
From that moment on, Orochimaru understood something profound: humans were fragile. And so, he dedicated himself to mastering jutsu to an extreme degree, striving to make himself less vulnerable.
Listening to Orochimaru's words, Tsunade was reminded of some unpleasant memories and downed several cups of sake in quick succession.
"You're becoming more and more callous, my friend," Jiraiya sighed after hearing Orochimaru's words.
"It's your thinking that's naive," Orochimaru said, taking a sip from his cup.
"A naive thinker and a poor conversationalist. You two are quite the pair," Tsunade quipped, taking a jab at both of them.
The three of them continued to drink and chat, their banter mostly consisting of good-natured ribbing. Despite the light-hearted bickering, the overall atmosphere remained pleasant.
"Haha, today has been fun. Shall we continue drinking tomorrow?" Jiraiya asked, his cheeks already flushed from the alcohol.
"I don't have time. I'll be researching jutsu tomorrow evening," Orochimaru declined Jiraiya's invitation.
"No, thanks. If it weren't for your invitation today, I would have been able to eat the chicken dish Muzuki made," Tsunade also declined without hesitation.
There was no way she would pass up the chance to taste Muzuki's cooking, especially her famous chicken dish, just to go drinking with Jiraiya.
"That would indeed be a significant loss, considering it's Muzuki's cooking we're talking about," Jiraiya acknowledged, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Muzuki?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he heard both Jiraiya and Tsunade mention that name.
But his thoughts weren't focused on some culinary legend. Instead, his mind turned to the content of the Konoha Report and his interactions with Danzo.
On the day the Konoha Report was published, he had been working within the Root Organization. Danzo, upon reading the newspaper, had lost his composure.
Initially, he had thought that they had merely lost an insignificant pawn, but it turned out that Muzuki was an exceptional jonin who had made significant contributions during the tailed beast battle.
Danzo couldn't contain his curiosity and used his authority to obtain the detailed report of that battle, learning how Muzuki had distinguished herself.
If Orochimaru recalled correctly, this Uzuki Muzuki was skilled in combining jutsu, resulting in powerful effects.
After a brief recollection, Orochimaru lost interest. His current research wasn't focused on ordinary nature transformation jutsu but rather on jutsu with more exotic and unique effects.
...
When Tsunade woke up again, it was already midday.
Feeling hungry, she called out, "Shizune, I'm starving. Is there anything to eat?"
"I'm preparing something, Lady Tsunade. Please wait a moment," Shizune replied.
After a quick wash, Tsunade passed by the table and caught a faint floral fragrance. Her senses, honed by years of training, led her to two wrapped packages on the table, their contents unknown to her.
"Lady Tsunade, your meal is ready," Shizune said as she rushed in with a tray of food.
She then noticed the two opened packages.
Shizune froze, her eyes widening. She had intended to eat one of the pastries later, as a special treat, and had deliberately left them behind when she went to cook, never expecting this outcome.
"Maybe they're just similar-looking bags, and Lady Tsunade mistook them for something else," Shizune tried to console herself.
She picked up the now-empty packages and examined them closely, spotting a few crumbs of pastry.
At that moment, Shizune's hopes were dashed. Undoubtedly, these were the pastries she had left on the table.
Her face fell, and she stared at Tsunade, her eyes void of emotion.
"Shizune, what's wrong?" Tsunade noticed Shizune's gaze and asked.
"It's nothing," Shizune replied softly.
"What do you mean, nothing? What's gone?" Tsunade asked, puzzled.
"The pastries... they're gone. Eaten by you, Lady Tsunade, who usually dislikes sweets," Shizune said, a hint of reproach in her voice.
"Oh, those two on the table? They were surprisingly tasty. Where did you buy them? I'll reimburse you so you can get more," Tsunade said, a look of realization dawning on her face as she reached for her purse.
"You can't buy them. Muzuki-sensei made them," Shizune said, her expression falling.
Seeing Shizune's dejected look, Tsunade also felt a bit embarrassed. While she usually didn't pay much attention to such matters, there was an indescribable sense of guilt that came with inadvertently taking a treat that a child had been looking forward to.
"It's no big deal, Shizune. Go ahead and eat your meal. When he comes, I'll ask him for more," Tsunade quickly suggested a solution.
"But it would be troublesome for Muzuki-sensei," Shizune shook her head.
Although she really wanted to taste more, she felt it would be inappropriate to trouble Muzuki for no reason.
"Nonsense! His questions are so complex and difficult; fifty thousand ryo an hour is not enough. It's only fair that he gives us some sweets in return," Tsunade waved her hand, indicating that it was not a problem.
At half past twelve, Muzuki arrived at Tsunade's residence again. This time, he didn't need Jiraiya to guide him and came on his own.
"Lady Tsunade, today's lesson will be for five hours," Muzuki said as he handed over a stack of fifty thousand-ryo bills to Tsunade.
Tsunade took the money and passed it to Shizune before beginning to answer Muzuki's questions.
Muzuki couldn't shake the feeling that Tsunade was more enthusiastic today than yesterday. The day before, she had seemed to be slacking off whenever she could.
When the five hours were up, Muzuki felt a sense of fulfillment similar to the previous day's lesson.
After the lesson, Muzuki kept his promise and prepared a chicken dish for Tsunade.
Intrigued, Tsunade and Shizune watched Muzuki cook, curious to see if his new dish was all talk.
"Why are you spreading mud on it?" Tsunade asked, confused, as she watched Muzuki run into the yard.
"What if it gets dirty? Won't it taste bad?"
"It won't get dirty. The lotus leaf wrapping keeps it clean. As for the taste, you'll know once you try it," Muzuki replied with a smile.
The chicken dish he was preparing for Tsunade was the famous 'Beggar's Chicken' from his previous life, known for its unique flavor.
After placing the Beggar's Chicken into a simple oven made with Earth Release, Muzuki began preparing other dishes.
He fried some tempura and made sushi, and then stir-fried some vegetables. When all the dishes were laid out on the table, it looked like a feast.
Although many of the dishes emitted mouthwatering aromas, Tsunade's attention was firmly fixed on the largest dish—the Beggar's Chicken.
Tsunade poured herself a cup of sake, specially purchased to accompany the chicken.
"Will it taste good baked in mud?" Tsunade asked, her doubt evident as she tore off a chicken leg and took a bite.
The moment it entered her mouth, the tender, juicy meat exploded with a multitude of flavors, causing Tsunade's eyes to shine with delight. She had never tasted chicken this delicious.
Then, she seemed to enter a trance, as if she had become a wild chicken, free and relaxed in the forest, her mind and body at ease.
Tsunade didn't utter another word until she had finished every last bite of food on the table.
"Muzuki, your pastries were quite tasty. Could you give some to Shizune? She loves sweets," Tsunade said, remembering Shizune's earlier disappointment.
"No problem. I'll bring some when I come for the lesson tomorrow," Muzuki replied with a smile.
Tsunade fell silent, contemplating ending her brief career as a teacher that very day.
"Never mind, one more day. It's not just for Shizune; your cooking is just too good," Tsunade decided to have Muzuki come back one last time, unable to resist the allure of his culinary creations.
(End of Chapter)
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