Chapter 235: Lunchtime
After successfully sending Satsuki off to train with Kakashi, Naruto didn't immediately begin his own training. Instead, he first went to Konoha Hospital, planning to visit classmates injured in the preliminaries.
He carried several carefully prepared food boxes containing delicious bentos he'd made himself, naturally still maintaining an appropriate temperature.
Of course, Satsuki's portion had already been stuffed into her hands before meeting Kakashi, along with Kakashi-sensei's share which he'd also had her bring along.
The hospital air was permeated with a faint smell of disinfectant. Naruto came to their room. Kiba lying in bed looked in fairly good spirits. According to him, he actually had no major issues, but following the doctor's advice, he'd decided to rest and remain under observation a bit longer.
On a bed not far from Kiba was Akimichi Choji. He looked like he needed more rest than Kiba and would have to stay in the hospital a few more days.
However, this obviously hadn't affected his appetite in the slightest. Even though he could only lean against the headboard, he still held a bag of chips, munching away contentedly with "crunch crunch" sounds.
Beside Choji's bed, Yamanaka Ino caring for her teammate and Haruno Sakura helping out were huddled together chatting quietly about something. Seeing their relationship remain as intimate and harmonious as always, Naruto felt slightly relieved.
The moment Sakura saw Naruto enter, a smile immediately appeared on her face as she waved hello. Standing beside her, Ino's gaze flickered somewhat unnaturally the instant it met Naruto's, instinctively shifting half a step behind Sakura.
Still a bit afraid of me? This helpless question arose in Naruto's mind again. What's going on exactly?
Seeing Naruto's arrival, the most enthusiastic response came from Choji. His eyes practically sparkled as he stared at the food boxes in Naruto's hands. Especially after confirming it was Naruto's special cooking, he was actually moved to tears, impatiently accepting it. Without even bothering with polite words, he immediately opened the lid and buried his head in hearty enjoyment.
Mumbled satisfied praises emerged from his mouth. Watching his friend's foodie appearance—capable of instantly brightening up through delicious food regardless of circumstances—Naruto had long grown accustomed to it. Though Choji had lost his match and was injured, being able to be this happy was also quite good.
In comparison, Kiba appeared somewhat depressed, his gaze somewhat vacant, clearly still brooding over being defeated by Rock Lee in such a crushing manner. His confidence had taken quite a blow.
Akamaru lying beside his pillow also seemed down, ears drooping, gently nuzzling Naruto's hand with its wet nose while making aggrieved "whine whine" sounds.
Naruto reached out to gently pet Akamaru's small head, feeling the warm touch from its soft fur. Just then, a somewhat abrupt and strange thought suddenly intruded into his mind without warning.
Speaking of which... those ninja dogs Kakashi summons can all speak human language fluently, talking better than many people... so why can't Akamaru? It's also a ninja dog, isn't it?
After chatting briefly in the room and checking on everyone's recovery, Naruto estimated the time was about right and stood to take his leave.
He'd barely taken a few steps from the room when commotion and exclamations came from within the tightly closed door behind him.
"Whoa! What's happening?! My body! Why is it continuously dropping strange things?!" This was Kiba's panicked voice.
"Choji! Stop eating! Don't you notice?! Your body is also dropping these things!"
"Sorry! But I don't know why, the more I eat the hungrier I feel! I can't stop at all!"
Then came the somewhat flustered sounds of Sakura and Ino trying to find medical ninja. But their footsteps quickly stopped, replaced by Choji's incredulous murmur:
"Huh? Strange... my body... doesn't hurt at all anymore? The wounds... the wounds all seem to have healed?!"
"What?! How is that possible... wait, I, I feel... what's happening? My body feels so light!"
After confirming the [Ito Ito no Mi] ability had fully taken effect and both friends' injuries had completely recovered, Naruto finally truly turned and left the hospital.
Meanwhile, on Kakashi's side, lunchtime was staging another drama.
Satsuki looked somewhat helplessly at Might Guy and Rock Lee not far away. That green bodysuit-wearing master-student pair's eyes were practically glued to the bentos in hers and Kakashi's hands, drool almost flowing to the ground, yet they still stubbornly persisted.
"Hmph... Kakashi, I see, this enticing aroma... is cooking from that Naruto kid, right?" Guy forcibly assumed an unmoved posture, but his Adam's apple unconsciously bobbed.
Naruto truly didn't know Guy and Lee were also training here, so he hadn't prepared portions for them.
Guy immediately turned toward Lee beside him—also uncontrollably swallowing saliva—speaking loudly in his signature passionate tone:
"Lee! Do you see? This... this is a sudden trial called 'temptation' on our path of youth!"
"True ninja must not only endure physical pain and fatigue, but must face the abyss of desire deep within! This pervasive delicious aroma is precisely the 'genjutsu' testing whether our willpower is solid as rock!"
"Remember, Lee! When the body's primal desires are roaring madly, this is the perfect opportunity for us to temper our unyielding spirit and display youth's true colors! With our boiling youth! Suppress this tide of instinct! This is our unique ninja way!"
"Ohhh! Truly... truly worthy of Guy-sensei! Simply amazing! I understand!" Lee was immediately infected, fighting spirit's flames reigniting in his eyes as he responded loudly, trying to ignore that enticing aroma continuously drilling into his nostrils.
Kakashi stopped the motion of bringing food under his mask, lazily glancing at that master-student pair clearly desperately hungry yet still holding out, deliberately speaking in a leisurely tone:
"You really leave me no choice, Guy. In that case..." He paused, watching Guy's posture—though neck stiffening, his gaze had already betrayed his inner desire. He deliberately changed direction. "...This crispy-outside-tender-inside, juice-filled fried chicken, I'll just..."
"Help myself without holding back!"
Saying this, he deliberately waved a golden-fried chicken piece before Guy, then stuffed it under his mask, chewing while releasing satisfied praise. "Oh~ this juice, this rich aroma, and this perfect texture... truly worthy of Naruto. It's delicious beyond words."
Satsuki watched with a peculiar expression as Kakashi blatantly teased Guy. After Guy realized he'd been toyed with, he immediately turned his face away huffily, shoulders continuously trembling slightly from forcibly suppressing his cravings and "anger."
For some reason, watching Guy's deflated appearance, that nameless anger in Satsuki's heart actually dissipated somewhat.
"Haha, don't react so strongly—just joking." Kakashi knew when to stop, laughing as he smoothed things over. "Don't worry, I'll ask Naruto to prepare lunch for you two tomorrow as well."
"Of course, I remember... on your end, don't you also have a pretty good technique you've long planned to teach Naruto as thanks, right?"
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