“Burp…
I’m so full.”
After devouring a large portion of Malatang, Azuki slumped into her chair without a care for her image.
Her forehead was covered in sweat, one hand fanning herself vigorously while the other rested on her slightly bulging stomach.
“Is it good?” Kaito asked.
Azuki paused.
“You’re still here?”
Kaito was speechless.
‘This brat!’
“Oh right, the money for the ingredients.
Honestly, did you think I wouldn’t pay you?
How much?
Burp—” Azuki remained slumped in her chair.
Her mesh bodysuit was a bit too small, leaving her lower belly exposed, but she didn’t care that Kaito could see it.
She even burped right at him.
It smelled like spicy Malatang.
Kaito sighed helplessly, unable to muster any real anger toward this careless brat.
He patted his pocket and suddenly pulled out a small bag.
He took out a pear and took a massive bite.
*Crunch.*
“Mmm…
Let’s hear some customer feedback first.”
“Customer?
You want to be a chef?” Azuki tilted her head, her eyes locking onto the pear in Kaito’s hand.
Fanning herself, she said, “The taste was pretty good, but it seems like not many people in our village like spicy food…
Hey, do you have any more pears?”
*Crunch.*
“This is a sweet pear.
True, not many people like spicy food, but I can adjust the flavor.
How was the spice level of this bowl for you?”
“Just average.
I didn’t feel it while eating, but now it burns a little.
I need to go find a glass of water.” As Azuki spoke, she glared longingly at the pear in Kaito’s hand and struggled to get up.
Being the understanding person he was, Kaito pulled another bag of pears from his other pocket.
“Still have an appetite?”
“Did you wash it?” Azuki pursed her lips.
“I did.
Look, there’s still water on it.
You can wipe it with your hands if you want.”
*Crunch, crunch.*
Azuki took the pear and took two consecutive bites.
A refreshing coolness spread through her mouth, and she narrowed her eyes in comfort.
“The weather is too hot.
Let’s add the pear to the ingredient bill.”
“No need, the pear is on me.
Consider it your reward for taste-testing my Malatang.” Kaito walked over and leaned against the table.
“After I eat Master Yang Guofu’s Malatang, I always have a habit of eating a pear.
Master Yang Guofu’s Malatang has a much stronger flavor than the one I made today.
After eating it, your mouth goes completely numb.
If you don’t eat a pear, your next meal will taste completely bland.”
“You sure know how to eat.”
“Eating more gives you strength.”
Azuki opened her eyes and looked up at him, frowning.
“I noticed this earlier, but it’s only been five days since vacation started.
Did you grow another two centimeters?”
Kaito chuckled and took another bite of his pear.
Azuki didn’t pay it much mind and continued eating hers.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the crunching of pears.
The two plump, sweet pears were soon reduced to nothing but cores.
“Burp…
I ate too much.” Azuki patted her stomach and finally said something nice.
“You’re not as annoying as Sister Kurenai made you out to be.”
“…What did Kurenai say about me?”
“Heh.” Azuki smiled, brushing past the topic.
“Eating a pear really made my mouth feel a lot better.
I learned a new trick.”
“This is a secret technique,” Kaito said, fixing his hair.
“For people like us with heavy palates who love spicy food, eating too much makes your mouth lose its sense of taste.
Washing it down with a sweet pear right after is incredibly effective.”
“Mmm…
It is very refreshing.”
Azuki looked thoughtful.
‘Azuki Correction Rate 1% Obtained Free Attribute Point * 1’
Success!
This little brat was easier to fool than he thought!
A deep smile curled on Kaito’s lips.
“Alright, Azuki, time to pay up.
Forty Ryo.”
“I just said you weren’t bad, and here you are acting like a money-grubber.
I don’t have any small change on me.
How about you make me another bowl tonight?
I’ll give it to you all together…
One hundred Ryo!”
“Alright, my very first patron.” Kaito chuckled, picking up his insulated food container.
“How about I make tonight’s portion a bit spicier?”
“No problem.”
“Then I’ll see you tonight.”
Kaito walked out of Azuki’s room, returning to the Mitarai clan’s courtyard, and headed straight for the main gate.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a figure darting across the roof.
He couldn’t help but turn his head.
‘Was that an Anbu?’
‘They came from Azuki’s uncle’s house.’ He glanced back and saw Azuki’s uncle stepping out of his room.
The man’s face was ashen, his spirit seemingly crushed, to the point where he didn’t even notice Kaito standing in the courtyard.
‘What happened?’ Kaito frowned and called out, “Goodbye, Uncle.”
“Ah…” Azuki’s uncle snapped out of his daze and forced a smile.
“Yes, take care.” As if remembering something, he quickly added, “Um, over the next few days, have your classmates come over and…
play with Azuki more often.”
“Will do, Uncle,” Kaito replied with the smile of an honest child.
Turning his head, he raised an eyebrow slightly.
‘Looks like something major happened.’
It wasn’t Kaito’s place to ask about the specifics.
He quickly walked away from the Mitarai compound.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two nearly melted ice cubes and tossed them onto the ground, shivering and stomping his leg.
So cold!
His pants were almost soaked through!
Sweet pears to relieve spiciness?
Maybe it had some effect, but it was basically negligible.
Iced pears were the real cure!
In the sweltering July heat, after eating a hot and spicy bowl of Malatang, how could eating an iced pear not feel amazing?
“Kid, don’t loiter around here!”
Suddenly, a harsh reprimand rang out.
Kaito was startled and turned his head, only to realize he had stopped right outside the Hyuga compound.
“Leaving right now, leaving right now.”
This reminded Kaito of Hizashi Hyuga and the one thousand Ryo he had just spent.
He brushed his bangs aside, opened his attribute panel, and scanned it.
Surprisingly, there was no Deception skill.
Taijutsu Level 1 (80%) Free Attribute Points: 10
‘Finally, some income again.
This is just the beginning.
I need to think carefully about how to trick Azuki next…
I’ll add one point first.’
Taijutsu Level 2 (0%)
‘It seems several people have mentioned my height lately.
I’ll leave Taijutsu at Level 2 for now.’
…
Meanwhile, inside the Hyuga compound.
Hizashi Hyuga faced a humanoid target, striking a peculiar stance.
“Lukingfao!
Eight Trigrams One Palm!
Two Palms!
Four Palms!
Eight Palms!”
After striking eight times, he stumbled, Kaito’s grinning face flashing in his mind.
‘Damn it, I can’t even do sixteen palms…
How did he beat that commoner!’
“The Gentle Fist is not something you execute by gritting your teeth.”
A stern voice sounded behind Hizashi Hyuga.
He turned around in surprise, his face immediately showing a hint of restraint.
“Lord Hizashi, are you here to see my father?
He is currently on a mission…”
“No.
I have heard the news.
The child you once easily defeated has now surpassed you in strength.
I have seen that blacksmith’s boy, and I didn’t notice any exceptional talent in him.”
Hizashi Hyuga was speechless.
For him, the phrase ‘I never actually defeated Kaito’ was becoming harder and harder to say.
Kakashi pulling himself together was currently a major topic of discussion in Konoha.
And Kaito, the one who defeated Kakashi, was no longer a nobody.
These past few days, Hizashi Hyuga even occasionally felt a faint sense of pride when others mistakenly believed he had defeated Kaito, only to be immediately overwhelmed by an even deeper sense of shame!
“I apologize, Lord Hizashi.
I have brought shame to the Hyuga clan!” He bowed deeply.
“Do you wish to defeat him once more?
I shall instruct you for a while,” Hizashi said sternly.
Hizashi Hyuga paused, overjoyed.
“Thank you, Lord Hizashi!”
…
By the artificial lake in the Uchiha compound, Obito focused his mind and formed hand signs.
“Fire Style—cough, cough, cough, cough!”
‘Damn it!
Kaito influenced me into using Smoke Style!’
…
Inside the woods northwest of Konoha.
Guy was frantically destroying a wooden stump.
“768, 769…
One thousand kicks!
If I can’t do it, then two thousand frog leaps!
Osu!
Kakashi has finally pulled himself together, I can’t lose to him again!
Oh!
And Kaito too!
Youth!”
…
Two kilometers away, Kakashi was scaling a cliff over a hundred meters high with only his right hand, his left hand tucked behind his back.
Small pebbles fell alongside his sweat from time to time.
‘I was too weak.
I unknowingly wasted too much time.
I’m sorry, Father…
I will make up for the time I lost!’
…
With Kaito’s successful underdog story as an example, his classmates were all working hard to train in their own ways during this vacation.
Kaito was also working hard.
As soon as he returned home, he dove straight into the kitchen.