Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, gazing into the distance as the smoke from his cigarette curled into the night sky. He exhaled slowly, lost in thought.
"Youren... would you be proud to see Youyu today? Or would you..."
His voice trailed off. He didn't finish the thought, didn't need to. Some things were better left unsaid.
Time flowed like a river, silent but ever-moving.
After the day Asuma was completely
broken
by Youyu's overwhelming presence, his defeat had an unintended side effect—
Youyu's reign over the Ninja Academy had been cemented.
No one dared challenge him anymore. Teachers avoided getting in his way. Students moved aside when he walked by. Even Kakashi, hailed as a genius, kept his distance.
But strangely, Youyu noticed that
Rin and Kurenai
had become...
a little too enthusiastic
toward him.
They always brought him new
alcohol
, rare varieties he'd never tried before.
And every lunch break, they
raced
to invite him to eat with them.
Naturally, his response was simple—
free drinks and food? Why say no?
"Youyu, eat more! I made this bento myself!" Rin pushed a large lunch box toward him, her violet eyes shimmering with anticipation.
"Youyu-kun, this bottle is from my father's private collection. Try it!" Kurenai, not to be outdone, slid over a well-sealed bottle of
premium sake
.
Youyu smirked. "Well, let's see what we've got." Without hesitation, he
popped open the bottle first
, bringing it to his lips.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
The rich, smooth liquor slid down his throat, warming his stomach instantly.
"Haaah! Good stuff!"
Ding! The host has reached peak enjoyment while drinking. Kendo Comprehension +3.
His eyes widened slightly.
Three points?
Regular alcohol only triggered a
+1
bonus from the Bacchus System. This meant
Kurenai's sake was something special.
"Youyu-kun, as long as you like it," Kurenai said, grinning in satisfaction. She cast a
side glance
at Rin, who was
visibly irritated
that he had reached for the drink first.
Rin crossed her arms and huffed. It wasn't fair. She had
stolen liquor from home too
, but her mother had caught on and scolded her
badly
. She couldn't risk it anymore, so instead, she had focused on learning how to
cook
.
She had worked so hard to perfect her meals—yet
the first thing Youyu went for was the drink?!
Rin clenched her fists.
"I won't lose!"
A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she suddenly smiled. "Youyu, you can't just drink! You need food too. Try my bento!"
At that, Youyu's gaze finally shifted toward the
oversized lunchbox
sitting beside him. He blinked.
Why was it so big?
Rin carefully
opened the lid
, revealing an
entire meal of exquisite, carefully prepared meats
—fried chicken, grilled beef, glazed pork.
Youyu's pupils
dilated slightly.
Meat. A full box of meat.
He had a simple rule—
good drinks need good food.
Meatless meals didn't count.
Vegetables were an insult to his liquor.
And Rin had figured that out.
"Well, don't mind if I do," Youyu grinned, popping a golden-brown piece of fried chicken into his mouth.
The
crisp outer layer
gave way to juicy, well-seasoned meat, perfectly complementing the rich warmth of the sake.
"Damn, this is good!"
He gave Rin an appreciative nod before taking another
deep gulp of sake.
Ding! The host has reached peak enjoyment while drinking with food. Physique +5.
Ding! The host has broken through a critical threshold. Chakra +15. The host is now at the Elite Chunin Level.
A
wave of power
coursed through Youyu's body, but he barely reacted. Instead, he leaned back, sipping from the bottle with a lazy grin.
Kurenai and Rin
both froze
as the system's invisible boost
washed over him.
Neither of them could see the notifications, but they could
feel it.
Youyu, who had already been
terrifyingly strong
, had just become
even stronger.
The air
shifted
slightly, his mere presence growing heavier.
Kurenai gulped.
"Did... he just get stronger from drinking?!"
Rin bit her lip,
realizing something unsettling
.
If Youyu kept getting stronger from this...
How
far
would he go?
She clenched her fists again.
If she wanted to stay by his side—she had to keep up.
Kurenai, watching Rin's expression, had the
exact same thought.
Neither of them would say it aloud, but from that moment forward—
They weren't just competing for Youyu's attention.
They were competing to stand beside him in strength.