Chapter 380: Brand New Power
"...!"
Naruto forcibly suppressed the frantically surging nausea in his throat, forcefully swallowing down that piece with bizarre texture, carrying heavy earth and raw fishy odor—boiled insect.
Facing Shima Sage, Naruto truly couldn't refuse the other's goodwill, feeling courtesy and upbringing occasionally also needed "sacrifice"... only this sacrifice's cost proved somewhat too tragic for taste buds.
"How is it, young Naruto? Tastes pretty good, right? This is the freshest morning dew bug—very nutritious!" Shima Sage asked smilingly, obviously quite confident in her "cooking skills."
"...Thank, thank you very much for the hospitality."
Naruto felt his stomach lightly convulsing. He strived maintaining the smile on his face, then tentatively asked, "Um... may I ask, can I... slightly 'process' these dishes?"
"Process?" Shima Sage didn't understand. "Is something wrong with the taste? Not cooked tender enough? Or not fresh enough? I still have more lively ones..."
"No, that's not what I mean!" Naruto hurriedly waved his hands, brain rapidly operating. "It's... the flavor! Feel the flavor is... a bit too 'bland'!"
"Flavor bland?" Fukasaku Sage at the side currently enjoying the same "cuisine" heard this, actually revealing understanding expression. It swallowed down one plump insect, nodding.
"I see. Because we're getting on in years, Shima usually cooks focusing on bland and healthy. Seems it doesn't quite match you youngsters' taste preferences."
It spoke seriously, but that merely plain-water boiled or directly raw eaten, not even containing one grain of salt "cooking"—calling it "bland" seemed a bit too gentle.
Fortunately Fukasaku Sage and Shima Sage didn't pursue deeply, agreeing to Naruto's request.
Receiving permission, Naruto felt like receiving great pardon, immediately taking action. He quickly retrieved from his ninja pouch one commonly used storage scroll. With a soft "poof," unsealed a pile of bottles and jars—various spice powders he'd carefully prepared, plus one small set of portable lightweight stove and small deep pot.
These cooking utensils and seasonings were his standard equipment as Team Seven's "dedicated chef," long accustomed to carrying them.
He picked up one alarmingly plump insect. Must say, this insect's "meat quality" did appear abnormally full, protein content absolutely off the charts.
Using kunai to cut open the insect's belly, washing clean the viscous—unclear what it was—body fluid inside. After cleaning, he cut the insect meat into uniform thin slices, once again repeatedly washing with clean water, draining.
Next, he mixed several spices—including fishy-removing fragrance-enhancing ginger powder, garlic powder, chili powder etc.—into previously prepared batter liquid for coating and frying.
Heating oil pan, uniformly coating insect meat slices with batter, carefully placing into hot oil.
Sizzle—!
Frying sounds rang out. Soon, enticing golden color began surfacing on meat slice surfaces. Simultaneously, spice-mixed, appetite-stimulating rich fragrance rapidly diffused, completely covering that original primitive raw fishy smell.
Frying until golden and crispy then removing to drain oil. Naruto quickly plated, neatly arranging golden fried insect slices, squeezing some ketchup and mayonnaise brought from Konoha beside as dipping sauce.
Complete! Fried insect slices!
Naruto himself first picked up one piece, closing eyes, bravely sending it into his mouth.
"Crunch." Outer shell crispy.
Chewing... hm? Texture unexpectedly Q-bouncy and chewy. Because coating and frying locked in juices, interior meat quality surprisingly proved quite firm and juicy, not dry.
Spice flavors perfectly neutralized possibly remaining strange taste. Dipping in sweet-sour sauce afterward, surprisingly... truly edible!
Could even say, taste quite good! As long as overcoming the "this is insect" psychological barrier, this was completely qualified—even excellent—fried food!
"Satsuki-chan, want to try?..." Naruto sighed in relief, turning toward Satsuki who'd been silently sitting nearby, complexion still somewhat pale. "...Or, I can use Flying Thunder God to return to Konoha and help you bring back a bento..."
His words hadn't finished. Satsuki already extended chopsticks. Though movements appeared slightly stiff, she unhesitatingly picked up one golden-fried insect slice, placing it in her mouth.
"...Very delicious." She spoke quietly, voice very soft, but tone was serious. Setting aside the enormous psychological impact from ingredient source, purely from taste and texture perspective, this indeed was delicious fried food.
"Haha, that's good then..." Naruto dry-laughed twice, turning to look at Fukasaku Sage who'd been observing with interest, seemingly surprised modern shinobi cooked so skillfully.
"Would you... also like to try?"
The unprecedented complex fragrance pervading the air indeed carried great temptation. Though Fukasaku Sage claimed preferring "bland," at this moment it was also curiosity-hooked by this enticing smell. It nodded. "Then thank you. Should also taste youngsters' flavors."
It picked up one golden crispy fried insect slice, sending into mouth.
"Crunch."
Chewing.
The next second, Fukasaku Sage's entire frog form like having a pause button pressed, directly froze in place. Frog eyes slightly widened, pupils seemingly losing focus. Appearing like food anime reactions seemingly seeing hallucinations.
"Um... is it okay? Suits your taste?"
Fukasaku Sage slowly, deeply inhaled. "...Young Naruto, your culinary talent... simply rivals your shinobi talent—equally breathtaking."
Shima Sage carrying one plate of newly processed dishes walked out from the kitchen. It immediately saw—its own husband and two guests surrounding one new plate eating lunch, while those "delicacies" it carefully prepared were neglected aside.
"Hey! Old man! What are you doing?!"
Shima Sage immediately somewhat displeased shouted. "At such age, still competing for food with juniors? Also, why aren't you eating what I made?"
"Shima, don't rush." Fukasaku Sage hurriedly explained. "You... you first try what young Naruto made. After tasting you'll understand."
"Huh?!" Shima Sage grew angrier, frog face written full of being-challenged displeasure. "Your meaning is, I've cooked so many years, skills still can't compare to a kid? Plus you don't most like 'bland' flavor?!"
"...Though very reluctant to admit." Fukasaku Sage sighed, expression yet abnormally serious. "But... you first try. Just one bite."
Seeing her husband's rare extremely recommending, not-seeming-false expression, Shima Sage dubiously set down the vegetable plate in hand, picking up chopsticks, carrying some scrutiny and pickiness, picking up fried insect slices from the plate.
It had already decided inside—if taste wasn't as amazing as imagined, definitely would have big quarrel with own old man.
However—
"Wh-what?! This taste... surprisingly..."
Shima Sage's face anger instantly replaced by extreme shock.
"Right?" Fukasaku Sage seeing wife's reaction, already anticipated. "If comparing your usual cooking to ordinary shinobi, then young Naruto's cooking skills... simply Sage of Six Paths level!"
Naruto listening from the side nearly broke cold sweat. This metaphor really was... too excessive praise.
"Genius to... simply monster-like brat." Shima Sage finally recovered from shock, looking at Naruto, tone complex as she sighed. "Really can't refuse old age. Seems in the kitchen, I must still relearn."
Ultimately, this perilous "all-insect feast" finally passed through danger without mishap.
While in Naruto's inner world, Namikaze Minato somewhat enviously watched everything occurring outside. Back when he trained at Mount Myoboku he lacked such skills.
Could only steel himself accepting "original ecology" hospitality—that left quite profound taste memory.
---
Evening, after another afternoon of focused efficient training.
Cross-legged sitting Naruto slowly opened his eyes.
His eye pupils underwent change. Originally clear azure left eye had now transformed into warm orange, within the pupil a slender black horizontal pupil surfaced.
His right eye still maintained [Star Eye]'s unique black-base golden pupil state.
While above both his eyes, two distinct and stable orange eye shadows clearly branded there!
"...Surprisingly... not even one trace of frog characteristics appeared..."
Fukasaku Sage stared intently at current Naruto, voice filled with incredible admiration. "Young Jiraiya compared to you simply can't be mentioned in the same breath."
Merely one day! Faster than Fukasaku Sage's most optimistic estimate by countless times! Naruto not only successfully harmonized massive natural energy, but directly crossed all unstable stages, achieving state-perfect, features-complete—Sage Mode!
"Success?"
Naruto himself also somewhat dazed, sensing within his body that vast, gentle yet containing terrifying power—brand new chakra.
Inner world's Nine-Tails naturally understood. Rather than saying Naruto was "learning" Sage Techniques, better to say more like a previously summit-reaching climber temporarily forgetting routes, now merely following instinct and slight hints, rediscovering the shortcut leading to the peak.
On the other side, Uchiha Satsuki—under circumstances where Naruto utilized [Star Eye] ability safely guiding, manifesting natural energy and assisting her perception and harmonization—also achieved progress. Above her right eye already surfaced one though-appearing-faint orange eye shadow. Though not matching Naruto, this already counted as divine-speed progress.
Fukasaku Sage looked at Satsuki, secretly evaluating inside. If discarding "[Star Eye] assistance" this practically-cheating factor, solely discussing personal affinity and control talent toward natural energy.
Satsuki's potential probably... only second to Jiraiya's previous student—that equally brilliantly talented Namikaze Minato.
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