Chapter 464: Obito's Promotion to Jonin Rewards
Chapter 464: Obito's Promotion to Jonin Rewards
【Disciple Uchiha Obito has diligently trained and accumulated achievements to advance to Jonin level, earning the following rewards: Chakra +2400, Item Extraction Scroll, and an Unknown Pokemon Egg (can only be hatched by Uchiha Obito)】
On his way home, Mu Yue stopped by a clear stream to wash his hands. He then clicked to extract the item.
【The Item Extraction Scroll has been used and the reward obtained is an Unknown Pokemon Egg】
Mu Yue was slightly startled by the extraction information. He hadn't expected that Obito's mission would contribute two Pokemon eggs, and the one he drew didn't seem to be locked like a system reward.
Mu Yue had assumed that he would draw an item related to Obito's abilities.
"I'll give it to Xiao Lin when she gets promoted to a full Jonin," Mu Yue thought.
All his other disciples had one, and it would be awkward for Nozomi Harbin to be the only one without it.
If the system didn't provide a reward, there was nothing Mu Yue could do about it. After all, he certainly couldn't conjure up a Pokemon egg out of thin air to give to Nozomi as a gift.
Since the system had given two eggs, Mu Yue decided to give one to Nozomi.
Although Nozomi could sign a contract with the Wetbone Forest to summon a slug, it wouldn't hurt to have more spiritual beasts. Ninjas could sign contracts with multiple spiritual beasts.
Moreover, compared to slugs, Pokemon generally had stronger combat capabilities and could make up for some of Nozomi's weaknesses in battle.
The only one at a disadvantage was Obito, as his reward was now Nozomi's.
However, Mu Yue guessed that if Obito knew everything, he might even be happy about it, as Nozomi's safety would be more assured this way.
When Mu Yue returned home, he found a letter from Namikaze Minato in his mailbox.
Mu Yue sat in the living room and opened the envelope to read the letter.
"In this early winter, I heard about your deeds on the eastern battlefield, and I am thrilled. The enemies who invaded our country have finally been driven out, and with this blood boiling within me, the cold winter wind cannot dissipate the warmth in my heart."
Mu Yue nodded slightly. This was exactly the effect that Sarutobi Hiruzen intended to achieve by publicizing his deeds—to boost the morale of Konoha ninjas on other battlefields.
"Since our parting in Loulan, it has been roughly half a year since we last saw each other. A few months ago, I returned to Konoha to rest for a while. However, it's a pity that you were on the eastern battlefield at that time."
The past six months had been one of the most challenging periods for Konoha since the start of the war. Kirigakure had invaded their homeland, and the Fire Country's feudal lord was putting pressure on them. It was difficult for ninjas with substantial strength to find respite.
"Perhaps because the battle between Kumogakure and Sunagakure is so intense, the battlefield in Yugakure, where I am located, has been relatively quiet lately. I may return to Konoha again in a couple of months. Hopefully, by then, we will both be less busy and have a chance to meet."
Minato then briefly described his recent situation and some of the events that had transpired on the Yugakure battlefield.
"If you return to Konoha and have the time, please help me take care of Kushina. She absolutely adores your cooking. It's been so long since she last tasted your culinary delights that she probably dreams about them by now."
Upon reading the last part, Mu Yue's expression became somewhat complicated. Minato truly loved Kushina deeply; even while on the battlefield, he was still concerned about her daily life.
After putting away the letter, Mu Yue tidied up the house and then went out, using his Byakugan to see if he could bump into Kushina on the street.
Mu Yue had no way of contacting Kushina directly. In the past, Kushina had always conveyed messages to him through the Anbu.
However, Mu Yue couldn't be sure if Kushina would receive the news of his return to Konoha immediately, so he chose to try his luck by going out first.
Due to the Nine-Tails, Kushina's movements were restricted. With Mu Yue's Byakugan, as long as Kushina was out and about, he would be able to encounter her.
If Kushina happened to stay indoors that day, Mu Yue would have no choice but to seek out Sarutobi Hiruzen and inquire if he had any news of the "missing" Kushina.
Although it was a roundabout way, there was no other option, as Mu Yue didn't officially know about Kushina's identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Fortunately, Mu Yue's luck held, and Kushina was out and about that day, seemingly humming a tune as she strolled, indicating that her mood wasn't bad.
Mu Yue pretended to be strolling casually as he slowly made his way towards Kushina. It would be reasonable for a ninja who had just returned from the battlefield to relax by taking a walk.
"Mu Yue, long time no see! I can't believe I actually ran into you," Kushina exclaimed with a smile, waving at the familiar blonde-haired figure about ten meters away from her.
"Long time no see," Mu Yue replied, feigning a pleasantly surprised expression as he walked towards Kushina.
Kushina ran over to Mu Yue's side and patted his shoulder proudly. "I read about your exploits in the newspaper a few days ago, and I guessed that you might be returning to Konoha soon. So, I thought that if I went out, I might run into you, and here you are!"
"I'm amazing, right? Even if Minato came, he might not have thought of that," Kushina said with a self-satisfied smile, hands on her hips.
"Indeed, you are," Mu Yue nodded in agreement. It wasn't easy for Kushina to think of that possibility.
"You're pretty amazing yourself, Mu Yue. I never expected you to be so strong, killing a Jinchuriki... You really scared me," Kushina said, giving Mu Yue a thumbs-up.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina was well aware of the terror of tailed beasts. Even for her, it hadn't been easy to become a Jinchuriki, and fighting a complete tailed beast would undoubtedly be extremely dangerous.
In the past, Mu Yue had left Kushina with three main impressions.
First, he was an excellent teacher, recognized by Sarutobi Hiruzen for his significant contributions in the field of education.
Second, he was a gentle and good-hearted friend who made delicious meals.
Third, he was a talented disciple in the art of sealing, comparable to her in that regard.
Kushina had once been very worried that Mu Yue might lose his life in the turbulent situation. Every time she taught him sealing techniques, she did so earnestly, hoping to enhance his ability to deal with crises.
However, in the past few months, Mu Yue had given Kushina a completely new impression—that of a powerful ninja who could dominate the battlefield.
"Recently, your fame has even overshadowed Minato's. If I hadn't seen the newspaper bought by the Anbu, I would have thought there was another ninja with the same name as you, but with the surname 'Liuyang.' Nowadays, many people in Konoha often talk about this 'Liuyang Mu Yue.'" Kushina teased.
Perhaps "Liuyang Mu Yue" was easier to say, as people rarely referred to him by his full name and title. Usually, they just used his title and first name without the surname.
As Mu Yue and Kushina chatted, they unknowingly walked to the restaurant where he had once cooked for her.
"This restaurant is still open," Kushina remarked, looking at the signboard, memories flashing through her mind.
Back then, it hadn't been long since she became the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. She had stumbled upon Mu Yue while strolling, and he had chosen this restaurant with a lackluster business to borrow their kitchen and cook for her.
Compared to its previous desolation, the restaurant now seemed bustling and vibrant, with customers filling the seats.
Kushina turned to leave, thinking that with such good business, they probably wouldn't lend out their kitchen, and she didn't want to disturb their operations.
"Lord Mu Yue!" The restaurant owner's eyes lit up at the sight of Mu Yue, and he called out loudly.
At the owner's exclamation, the patrons of the restaurant turned to look at Mu Yue, their faces filled with respect. Mu Yue's name had become well-known in Konoha, and even ordinary civilians were aware of his achievements as a powerful ninja of the village.
The ninjas dining in the restaurant followed suit, calling out "Lord Mu Yue" with reverence in their voices.
Mu Yue smiled and acknowledged each one of them.
His contributions on the Eastern battlefield had allowed them to remain safe in the rear, and they genuinely respected and admired his strength.
Mu Yue graciously smiled and nodded in response to their greetings.
The restaurant owner rushed to Mu Yue's side, his face filled with gratitude as he said, "Thank you so much. If it weren't for the insights I gained into the culinary arts from your cooking that day, my restaurant would have likely closed down due to poor business."
The owner had once tasted Mu Yue's cooking, and in exchange for temporary use of his kitchen, he had experienced a culinary delight that he still remembered vividly.
Although many customers now praised his cooking skills, the owner still believed that he hadn't even come close to reaching Mu Yue's level, not even a fraction of it.
"You're too kind," Mu Yue replied with a shake of his head. "Your success is a result of your own hard work."
After all, the Chef skill couldn't directly enhance the culinary abilities of those who ate his food; the restaurant owner had honed his skills through his own efforts.
"You're too humble," the owner said, glancing at the silent Kushina before continuing, "Are you looking to borrow the kitchen again? It's available whenever you need it."
"You seem quite busy here, so we won't disturb you," Mu Yue politely declined the offer.
It was peak dining time, and borrowing the kitchen now would likely inconvenience many customers, causing dissatisfaction. There were other places to cook in Konoha, so Mu Yue didn't think it was necessary.
"It won't be a disturbance. I have a small kitchen that I rarely use, only when I'm experimenting with new recipes. In fact, I just stocked it with fresh ingredients today," the owner explained.
Mu Yue glanced at Kushina, who seemed hesitant to speak but then closed her mouth again.
"Then we won't stand on ceremony," Mu Yue said, seeing the owner's eagerness and nodding in agreement.
Since it wouldn't affect the restaurant's business, Mu Yue had no reason to refuse the owner's kindness, and Kushina seemed eager to eat as well.
The owner led Mu Yue and Kushina to the small kitchen and then left them to their devices. Mu Yue quickly scanned the ingredients and decided on the dishes he would prepare.
Kushina, not wanting to freeload, offered to help Mu Yue with the preparations.
As she watched the ingredients transform into mouthwatering dishes under Mu Yue's skilled hands, Kushina could barely contain her drool.
"Braised pork belly, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish..." Kushina gazed longingly at the finished dishes, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Just the night before, she had dreamed of Mu Yue's braised pork with preserved vegetables.
Mu Yue didn't keep Kushina waiting long. When he felt that everything was ready, he stopped and joined her at the small kitchen table to enjoy the meal.
"Let's dig in," Kushina said, even though the setting wasn't a typical dining environment.
As she picked up a piece of the braised pork and popped it into her mouth, a smile of pure happiness spread across her face.
In that moment, Kushina felt as if she had been transported to a realm of freedom, and a sense of unfettered joy filled her being.
All she wanted to say at that moment was, "It's back, everything is back."
Kushina then took a small portion of each dish, savoring the flavors before unleashing her true eating prowess. Like a whirlwind, she devoured the spread before them.
"Mmm, it's so delicious! Compared to your cooking, the food the Anbu brings me is inedible," Kushina gushed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears of joy.
Sometimes, she wondered why there wasn't a long-distance teleportation jutsu. That way, even on the battlefield, she could still enjoy Mu Yue's culinary delights.
But Kushina quickly dismissed the thought. It wouldn't be right to trouble Mu Yue with cooking for her when he was already exhausted from fighting.
"It's a shame Minato isn't here. He must be missing your cooking too," Kushina said, thinking of her husband, far away in the Land of Hot Water.
Even though she was incredibly happy at the moment, Kushina believed that the happiest moments were when the three of them ate and chatted together.
"You two are quite in sync," Mu Yue teased.
"Minato wrote me a letter, asking me to cook for you if I returned to Konoha. He said you must be craving my cooking by now, dreaming about it even," Kushina explained.
"What nonsense! It makes me sound like a glutton, dreaming about food. I think it's Minato who's been dreaming about your cooking," Kushina retorted, her cheeks reddening as she waved her hands in denial.
Kushina was a bit flustered because, indeed, she had dreamed about his cooking the night before.
She felt like a child whose secret fantasy had been unexpectedly exposed.
"Maybe," Mu Yue chuckled, not pressing the matter further.
"Let's go for a walk. We need to digest this delicious meal, and I want to test your knowledge of sealing techniques," Kushina quickly changed the subject.
Mu Yue nodded in agreement, and the two set off on a stroll towards a park pavilion. Kushina quizzed him on some advanced sealing techniques, curious about his progress.
Mu Yue's performance exceeded Kushina's expectations. He answered all her questions with ease, demonstrating a level of proficiency that belied the fact that he had only been studying sealing techniques for a little over two years.
"You must be exhausted, Mu Yue. On top of your training, you spend so much time studying sealing techniques," Kushina said, believing that Mu Yue's achievements were a result of his tireless efforts.
"It's manageable," Mu Yue replied.
While he had indeed dedicated significant time to mastering sealing techniques, his progress in other areas was mostly due to the system's direct attribute allocation.
Kushina then proceeded to impart more of her knowledge of sealing techniques to Mu Yue. She had a feeling that soon, she wouldn't be able to teach him anything new—he was both talented and diligent.
As they parted ways, Mu Yue told Kushina to send a ninja to notify him if she ever craved a hot meal.
The next morning, Mu Yue made his way to the Southern Forest and found Obito waiting for him, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
(End of Chapter)
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