Konoha, Hokage Tower.
Once an empty room, the office was now filled with masked shinobi wearing animal visors, members of the elite ANBU Black Ops.
Each of them radiated the terrifying aura only battle-hardened veterans could carry. These were not ordinary ninjas. They were warriors who had survived wars, assassinations, and unspeakable missions.
But right now, these usually untamable shinobi stood in two neat rows, completely silent, reverent.
All of them awaited orders from the elderly man seated at the center.
His face was deeply wrinkled, like etched ravines carved by time itself. His eyes, dark and deep, held the calm of decades. It felt like nothing could stir him.
This man, of course, was none other than the Third Hokage.
In the five great nations, he was hailed as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," a legend.
He had no noble clan, no bloodline limit, no secret techniques passed down to him. And yet, he had studied countless "useless" jutsu, mastered them through sheer intelligence and diligence, and ultimately claimed the title of Hokage through merit alone.
Yet at this moment, this great man, renowned and revered, was squinting intently at a glowing crystal orb on his desk, with an expression reminiscent of Jiraiya peeping into a women's bathhouse.
Crystal Ball Technique.
A jutsu typically used to monitor enemies was now being repurposed… to watch a single boy.
"To think… all that commotion in the forest was caused because of Naruto."
The Third had already witnessed everything through his jutsu. But what concerned him most wasn't Mizuki or even Naruto, it was that unfamiliar boy with the puppet.
A youth who used a puppet, yet clearly wasn't a traditional puppet master.
Since when had such a person appeared in the village?
Had Konoha's intelligence network sprung a leak?
The more he watched Naruto laugh and chat comfortably with the boy, the deeper the Third's frown grew.
"No… we must investigate this boy's background immediately."
He tapped his pipe against the edge of his desk, then addressed the room:
"Everyone, dismissed. Summon Kakashi Hatake."
"Yes, sir!"
No questions and only obedience.
In a blink, the ANBU agents disappeared, leaving the room eerily quiet once more.
Moments later, a swirl of wind announced Kakashi's arrival via Body Flicker Technique.
"Lord Hokage."
"Kakashi, I have an important mission for you."
The Third took a deep drag of his pipe.
"What kind of mission?" Kakashi asked, slightly curious.
He was already preparing to take on a new Genin squad, this request was unexpected.
"Please don't let it be a foreign invasion," he thought.
His heart ached. He hadn't even finished reading the latest volume of Icha Icha Paradise yet!
But fortunately, the mission took an unexpected turn.
The Third pointed to the youth on the crystal ball screen.
"I want you to secretly investigate this boy's background. Don't alarm anyone. Understood?"
Kakashi's easygoing demeanor vanished. He nodded seriously.
"Understood."
Still, he couldn't help glancing at Naruto on the screen.
So that was the son of his old teacher…
Kakashi had long been aware of how Naruto was treated in the village. But there was nothing he could do.
This was how Konoha worked. Just like his own father, the White Fang, anyone who challenged the system was destined to be crushed.
So all Kakashi could do was silently pray for the boy. That he would grow strong, that he could one day inherit the Fourth's hopes.
And now, seeing Naruto laughing so openly next to that mysterious youth, a faint smile tugged at Kakashi's lips beneath his mask.
The Next Morning
Yuuta crawled out from a hollow tree, looking completely wrecked.
His hair was a mess, his clothes were filthy, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Note to self," he grumbled. "Always pack proper gear before going into the wild."
Because of the late hour, and Konoha's policy of sealing the gates at night, Yuuta and Naruto had camped in the woods.
Sure, "open-air camping" sounded romantic…
But the reality?
Humidity, bugs, cold, and Naruto's snores.
All. Night. Long.
Yuuta had barely slept. His whole body ached from the awkward position in the tree hollow. He felt like he'd turned into a literal zombie overnight.
But when he looked over and saw Naruto skipping away in the morning like he'd just had a spa day, he nearly coughed blood.
That damn Nine-Tails chakra!
The kid hadn't even been fazed by the cold or bugs. He'd just waved goodbye, excited for his make-up exam.
Yuuta glared at the sky.
"So what if you've got a superpowered demon dad?! Just wait, I'll slice off one of Nine-Tails' tails and fry it like pork belly!"
Deep inside Naruto's mindscape, the slumbering Nine-Tails suddenly sneezed.
"...Who the hell is cursing me?"
Back in the waking world, Yuuta opened his system screen:
System Target: Help host become the Supreme Culinary God of the Naruto World
Name: Yuuta
Gender: Male
Age: 12
Chakra Level: Genin
(As the Culinary God of this world, future cooking will require chakra. Keep training.)
Cooking Talent: Unknown
Skills: Clone Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu
Item: Fatty the Puppet
Culinary God Rating: Rookie
(The path of a Culinary God has only just begun. Follow the system's guidance to rise to the top of the food chain!)
Yuuta clenched his fist.
He wasn't strong enough. Not yet.
Forget the big bads lurking in the shadows, just Orochimaru's plan to destroy Konoha was a massive threat already.
If he didn't get stronger, he'd end up as cannon fodder before he even made it past Season 1.
But it wasn't too late.
He checked his latest mission:
Hidden Mission: Save Naruto
Status: Complete
Reward: Ice Cream Recipe (Unlocked)
Note: Ice cream may not be a main dish, but its sweet charm has conquered countless hearts, especially those of young ones.
"Heh, guess I'll treat myself with a fresh batch of ice cream when I get home."
With new determination burning in his heart, Yuuta set off toward the village.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters
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