Chapter 415: Evil Forces
Nagato was born in Konoha Year 29, and at the age of five, Masahiko brought him back to the Land of Whirlpools. Konan was also born in Konoha Year 29. At eight years old, Masahiko found her and brought her back to the Land of Whirlpools as his disciple.
It was now early November of Konoha Year 56. Both were already 28 years old. After twenty years of going through storms together as senior brother and junior sister, they were finally coming together.
"If it weren't for that damn Killer B, your children would be old enough to buy soy sauce by now. And you still want to invite him to your wedding?" Facing Nagato, Masahiko felt like he was looking at iron failing to become steel. "Aren't you afraid Konan will fall out with you at the wedding?"
Nagato scratched his head and chuckled: "Yo, Konan agreed to it."
Masahiko was dumbfounded: "It's your wedding, handle it yourself! Which day is the date set for?"
"December 31st. It just so happens that this year's New Year is also the triennial festival of the Land of Whirlpools. Holding the wedding at this time will be like holding the festival a day early."
Masahiko once again felt the frustration of iron failing to become steel: "The day after your wedding, you're going to be busy hosting a festival? How did I get such a foolish disciple like you?"
Nagato blinked: "Yo! But this was what Konan requested. Sensei, you..."
Masahiko was dumbfounded again: "Fine, you handle it. Then who is the wedding officiant?"
Nagato pondered: "I originally wanted you to officiate, but Konan said she wanted you to attend as her elder..."
"No problem. Let's forget about officiating; I returned to secular life a long time ago."
Nagato scratched his head: "So I plan to have Big Brother Minato be the wedding officiant."
Masahiko pondered for a moment and realized there was actually nothing left to ask. Nagato had arranged everything perfectly. To think he flashed over from Konoha in the middle of the night to offer these two disciples some ideas...
"The little eagle is spreading its wings to soar, no longer needing this old eagle... er, giant roc... no longer needing this Kunpeng to worry about it. I'm going to sleep!"
...
Time flowed on, and the years passed like a shuttle.
Konoha Year 56 gradually came to an end.
Masahiko always felt that this year had gone by particularly fast. Thinking back later, he understood; he spent half the year fast asleep...
Nagato and Konan's wedding was getting closer, and the Land of Whirlpools was bustling with preparations, yet Masahiko sat blankly in the Ichiraku Ramen shop.
He was reminiscing about the past.
Having memories fully awakened was indeed remarkable. Over so many years, every smile and frown of Teuchi... ahem, every expression and every sentence of Teuchi was imprinted in his heart. Masahiko could now be certain: there was something wrong with Teuchi, it was not an illusion!
All he needed now was irrefutable proof. Masahiko planned to personally make a move and test him the day after tomorrow, after attending the wedding tomorrow and eating the reunion dinner!
"Father, why are you spacing out again?" Sara's voice came through. "It's noon, have a bowl of ramen."
"Have a bowl of ramen? Ramen!" Looking at the large bowl of Miso Chashu Ramen in front of him, Masahiko suddenly felt energized, filling in the final 'gap in his reasoning'.
There is only one truth: "Two years ago, when I was depressed, Teuchi made me an especially delicious bowl of ramen. I even tasted 'happiness' in it. At that time, I suspected his cooking skill was Level 10. That is absolutely not a standard an ordinary person can reach!"
Over the years, Masahiko had concluded that regardless of the skill, level eight in the system was the limit of an ordinary person. Level nine required extraordinary bloodline or talent, and level ten could be called 'Sage'.
"Father, what's wrong with you? Spacing out all the time?" Sara looked slightly worried.
"I'm fine, perfectly fine." Masahiko turned his head, his brain spinning rapidly...
"To confirm if that was Level 10 cooking, I just need to raise my cooking skill to Level 10 and make a bowl of ramen to eat..."
"Eh? Matsu! Why did you come here?" Sara suddenly spoke.
Masahiko was startled and looked up, only to see the idiot who had been an apprentice at Konoha's Ichiraku Ramen for over ten years without ever graduating run into the shop: "Senior Sister, Master ran away!"
"Ran away?!" Masahiko was shocked.
Matsu hesitated for a moment: "Eh? I remember you seem to be...?"
Masahiko breathed a sigh of relief: "I am Sara's father, Hagoromo. We haven't seen each other for so many years, have you forgotten me, child? What do you mean Teuchi ran away?"
Matsu scratched his head. In his memory, Uncle Hagoromo didn't look like this, and he shouldn't be this young, right? Fortunately, he was a complete idiot, and he had an urgent matter to report now...
"I went to the ramen shop early yesterday morning and found the door wasn't open. Then I found a letter Master left for me slipped under the door."
Masahiko pursed his lips: "Yesterday morning... keep talking!"
Matsu was startled, and with a bitter face, he continued: "Master said in the letter that Ichiraku Ramen had accumulated too much wealth over the years and had finally been targeted by an evil force he couldn't afford to provoke... He has secretly sold off all the branch shops and said he's going out with his family to lay low. He'll return in three to five years at the shortest, or eight to ten years at the longest."
"To hell with his evil forces!" Masahiko smacked his lips. "This bastard, no need to confirm, there definitely is a problem!"
"Senior Sister, Master said the Konoha Ichiraku Ramen goes to me, and the one in the Land of Whirlpools goes to you. But you know my skills, what should I do? And that evil force, will they take their anger out on us..."
Sara was a bit confused: "Father, do you know what evil force targeted Master?"
Masahiko sighed: "Wait for me to investigate."
Seeing Masahiko's expression, Sara realized something might be wrong and asked: "Did you bring Master's letter?"
Matsu nodded and hurriedly pulled a letter from his pocket, handing it to Sara: "I brought it!"
Sara took it and skimmed through it, finding it almost exactly as Matsu had said. A moment later, she hesitated slightly: "Father, Master's handwriting... seems a bit familiar?"
Masahiko was startled. He took it, glanced at it twice, and then pulled a letter from his own pocket. Written on it were four words: 'Sara contracted illness'.
After comparing them for a moment, the corner of Masahiko's mouth twitched, and he handed them both back to Sara.
Sara paused: "So Master wrote that letter too. I didn't expect him to always care... Eh? Wait a minute!"
Masahiko rolled his eyes. It would be a ghost story if it added up. It took Matsu a day and a half to get from Konoha to the Land of Whirlpools at his fastest speed. How could Teuchi know the news in the Land of Whirlpools and deliver it to Masahiko in time?
"However, Teuchi did seem to be caring about Sara, reminding me to protect her... Just what is going on with this guy!" Masahiko gritted his teeth.
Matsu looked at the ramen in front of Masahiko and licked his lips: "Smells so good, Senior Sister, your cooking is still so great."
Saying that, his face turned bitter again: "I'm completely useless. I've already closed the Ichiraku Ramen in Konoha Village. Senior Sister, help me think of a way. And what about that evil force, what exactly should we do?"
"Father?" Sara asked softly.
Masahiko sighed softly: "You're something else, Teuchi. Evil forces, huh? The evil force is coming to catch you!"
"I'll chase you. And if I catch you, I'll beat you... into a chrysanthemum!"
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