Kenji froze for a moment. Clearly, he had never considered that question.
"Probably... not? I can't exactly use Fire Style to cook noodles. I wouldn't be able to control the heat, and they'd burn."
"What does kneading dough require?"
"Strength? And resilience."
"The weighted squats and core exercises in taijutsu training happen to strengthen your lower back.
"When you knead dough, the force travels from your waist to your arms, then into the dough." Chisen drew a simple arrow showing the transfer of force on the wooden floor with his walking stick. "And if you coat your hands in chakra and feel how the gluten structure changes inside the dough, your noodles will have even more bite than your father's."
Kenji's eyes slowly widened.
"Use chakra... to feel the dough?"
"That's not all.
"A ninja's dynamic vision training can let you spot every customer's needs and every empty bowl at a glance during the busiest rush. The precision you develop throwing shuriken can make your knife work flawless when chopping scallions." Chisen looked at him. "Your father sent you here so you could stay alive.
"But how you live depends on how you use these tools.
"Taijutsu wasn't invented to kill people. It exists to help you control your body better."
Kenzō swallowed.
"I... I think I get it.
"So running laps around the field every day is actually laying the groundwork for kneading dough for five hours straight someday?"
"If you're willing to think of it that way, running will feel much easier than it does now," Chisen replied.
Finally, Chisen turned his gaze toward the girl with the high ponytail.
Her name was Takahashi Emi.
She had quietly listened to Chisen's conversations with the other three.
When she saw him look her way, she spoke first.
"Teacher Chisen,