Chapter 4 - Konoha's Friendship Intoxicates Li Yao
He wasn't used to eating sushi and sashimi, but Kimura Yao, the previous owner of this body, was, and even liked it very much.
As Kimura Yao's good friend, Minato naturally knew Kimura Yao's taste preferences. The lunchbox he brought contained all the foods Kimura Yao liked to eat.
It would be very abnormal if Li Yao suddenly disliked sushi and sashimi, or even threw up after eating it.
So, Li Yao forced it down and deliberately licked the corner of his mouth. After licking, he suddenly realized, "Huh, it seems my body didn't feel nauseous or like throwing up. Instead, there was a feeling of something stirring."
The nausea and discomfort from before seemed… no, it was entirely psychological.
This body was actually already used to sushi and sashimi and wouldn't feel nauseous after eating it.
It was just Li Yao's eating habits from his previous life resisting.
This resistance was more psychological; it wouldn't manifest physically.
"Great, this way, I can inherit many of Kimura Yao's living habits."
Li Yao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This way, he would truly be Kimura Yao from now on.
"Yao!"
While Li Yao was thinking this, he didn't know that Minato's heart was shaken at this moment.
Li Yao's self-proclaimed subtle expression changes were clearly seen by Minato, who was constantly observing him.
Minato perceived that momentary feeling of disgust.
Minato remained calm on the surface, eating sushi and rice balls with Li Yao, talking intermittently, but his mind was racing with thoughts.
First, the change in Chakra temperature.
Then, the change in the speed and duration of Chakra refinement.
Finally, the change in dietary preferences.
Especially when "Yao" ate the sushi and sashimi just now, he clearly wanted to throw up but forced himself to hold it in and swallow. The intention of deception and disguise was too obvious.
This indicated that the current "Yao" disliked sushi and sashimi, even found it very repulsive.
But Yao clearly loved to eat sushi and sashimi.
Therefore, there was only one truth.
Yao was no longer the Yao he used to be.
At this moment, Minato was certain that his "friend" in front of him was no longer his friend.
Or rather, a friend who was being secretly controlled.
Considering that the enemy secretly controlling his friend might be in Konoha, it was at least an enemy capable of sensing and controlling his friend from a distance.
This distance would not be far.
If he rashly left to report, the hidden enemy might notice, and then have the thought of killing his friend and escaping.
Minato still didn't act rashly. While eating his rice ball sushi, he activated his Chakra temperature perception, trying to find the enemy secretly controlling his friend.
"Phew... I'm so full!"
Soon after, having finished half of the sushi in the lunchbox, Li Yao subconsciously patted his stomach, leaned back, and comfortably rested against the back row of desks.
In the seven days since he transmigrated to Hokage, he hadn't had a single good meal. It was either instant noodles or boiled eggs, and he ate them with trepidation.
In fact, if it weren't for the fact that his house was almost out of food, he might not have come to school today.
Now, the issue of his identity possibly being exposed has been resolved.
After relaxing, not only did he gain Minato's friendship, but he also got to enjoy a delicious lunch, which was incredibly comfortable.
It was amazing.
Li Yao, who had originally felt very nauseated by sushi and sashimi, felt no nausea at all after eating it.
It was like someone who didn't eat spicy food would feel like dying the first time they ate it.
But once accustomed to it, the spiciness of chili would only stimulate the taste buds and give a person a kind of gustatory pleasure.
This was how Li Yao felt now. The stimulation brought by the sushi and sashimi made this body very happy, and this happiness, in turn, was transmitted to his spirit, making him also very happy.
The result was that he no longer disliked sashimi and vinegar at all.
It had to be said that the body and spirit interacted with each other.
Physical pleasure would be transmitted to the spirit.
Spiritual pleasure would also be transmitted to the body.
Therefore, some of Li Yao's subconscious habits from his previous life would also be transmitted to his current body.
For example, after eating his fill, Li Yao would subconsciously pat his stomach.
This habit was too common, and Li Yao didn't care about it at all.
But he didn't care, and someone else did.
In Minato's eyes, his friend had never had the habit of patting his stomach after eating his fill, at least not once.
So, seeing this scene, Minato's gaze sharpened again, adding another confirmed reason for his friend being controlled.
Then, while packing up the lunchbox, Minato smiled and suggested, "From now on, let's eat lunch together."
"Okay!" Li Yao's eyes lit up. He straightened up. He was just worrying about how to make money in the future. Now with Minato's relief, he was a hundred percent willing. However, considering the original owner's personality, he immediately added, "But don't worry, Minato, once I become a powerful Ninja, I'll repay you double."
It was all because Konoha's relief fund was too little.
However, everyone understood Konoha's relief fund. Even Naruto, the Hokage's son, had to drink expired milk and often went hungry. Not to mention a Chunin's son like him; the relief fund was pitifully small.
If it weren't for the house being bought by his predecessor's parents, and having a place to stay, Li Yao estimated he would have already been sent to an orphanage.
So, being able to share Minato's lunch every day was just too good.
Anyway, they were friends, and there was no need to be too polite with friends.
Because of all this, he would repay it in the future.
With a series of talent changes brought about by his mutated consciousness, Li Yao was confident that he could possess the powerful strength to stop Obito and save Minato and Kushina before the Nine-Tailed attack.
The kindness of a lunch would be repaid with the kindness of saving a life.
This was a good deal for Minato.
"Mm."
Looking at his friend's face and hearing him naturally say things that only his friend and he would say, Minato secretly wished he could immediately drag out and kill the bastard who was secretly controlling his friend.
But he could only think this way in his heart. On his face, he wore a happy smile and nodded in response.
It wasn't time yet.
Minato remained calm and didn't show his true feelings.
While maintaining their usual interaction with Li Yao, he focused his mind on sensing the Chakra around Li Yao, trying to find the Chakra of the enemy secretly controlling his friend.
Unfortunately, there was no hidden enemy at all. Minato never found any Chakra of the same temperature.
Li Yao was unaware of everything Minato was doing in secret.
He still thought he had completely integrated into this world and fully become Kimura Yao.
Little did he know, danger was quietly approaching.
...
"See you tomorrow, Minato."
"See you tomorrow, Yao."
"Yao, Minato, see you tomorrow."
At five in the afternoon, at the Ninja School gate, a group of classmates waved goodbye to Li Yao and Minato, and Li Yao waved back.
"See you tomorrow, Yao."
After his classmates left, Minato looked at Li Yao and waved. Their homes were directly opposite, one in the north and one in the south, on different paths. They usually said goodbye at the school gate when going home.
"See you tomorrow."
Li Yao smiled and waved, the smile on his face looking much more relaxed than in the morning.
The two turned and walked towards their respective homes.
Along the way, everyone who knew his predecessor greeted Li Yao, not just classmates, but also adults he knew on the street. Li Yao responded to each of them.
It had to be said that in terms of the friendliness of the villagers, Konoha completely surpassed the other four Great Ninja Villages.
The feeling at school today was also very good. There was no campus bullying as Li Yao had imagined. Everyone was very friendly and sincere towards him.
In the morning, it was fine. Considering Li Yao's mental state, no one communicated much with him.
By the time of the Ninja Tool practical class in the afternoon, seeing that Li Yao seemed to have moved past the death of his parents, the other little partners in the class began to talk and communicate with Li Yao, and they didn't exclude him because of his orphan status.
This greatly increased Li Yao's sense of identity with Konoha.
Unlike the various dark theories about Konoha he saw on Douyin in his previous life.
The Konoha in this world, especially the children in the Ninja School, were still very loving and united.
Actually, to put it plainly, it was a strong sense of identity with the Konoha identity, just as Li Yao strongly identified with his nationality in his previous life.
Under this strong sense of national identity, people would be more tolerant and friendly towards those with the same identity who were in difficulty.
The people of Konoha being friendly to Li Yao was also like this.
Thinking of this, Li Yao couldn't help but sigh.
The fire will, though brainwashing, was also truly effective.
Thanks to the brainwashing of the fire will, the classmates at school would identify with the Konoha Ninja identity and would be very loving towards Li Yao.
At least situations like Naruto and Kushina's wouldn't happen to him.
And Naruto was due to the Nine-Tailed Fox's propaganda.
Kushina, on the other hand, was due to her status as an outsider.
The Ninja world was actually very exclusive.
Because many outsiders played the role of spies, they were naturally not welcomed.
Coupled with the fact that the fire will was originally to protect Konoha, it naturally had to use the evil of outsiders to highlight its own greatness.
It was normal for people brainwashed by this to be exclusive.
And the Nine-Tailed and Kushina were precisely insiders who were not accepted by everyone, which was why they were ostracized.
For someone like Kimura Yao, a native of Konoha whose parents were both Ninjas who sacrificed for Konoha, not only would people not exclude him, but they would also be very friendly and take care of him.
"So!"
"Such a Konoha is really good!"
"At least it's good now."
"Such a good Konoha, I will protect it from now on."
Just then, passing by the Hokage Building, Li Yao stopped, looked up at the two characters "Hokage" on the Hokage Building, a slight smile on his face, revealing a determined expression, and then continued to walk forward.
At this moment, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing by the window of the Hokage Office, happened to see this scene.
"How wonderful, another good child has inherited the fire will."
The Third Hokage held a pipe in his mouth, puffing out smoke, his eyes fixed on the road leading from the Ninja School.
Seeing Li Yao stop and gaze longingly at the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage's face showed a relieved smile, thinking that another inheritor of the fire will had been added, and at the same time, another supporter of his had been added.
What?
Supporting the fire will doesn't equal supporting him?
How could that be?
He, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, was the embodiment of the fire will.
Supporting the fire will was supporting him.
Looking at the children, one by one, who had inherited the fire will, walking past the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage felt extremely comfortable.
That's why every day at this time, he liked to stand by the window and watch the children returning home from the Ninja School.