As the charcoal burned steadily in the center of the table, wisps of white smoke rose continuously from the meat on the wire grill. Thin slices of pork belly were heated by the scorching air, their red-and-white color gradually turning a blend of charred brown and grayish white.
Naruto, who had spent the entire day training, was already starving. Unable to wait any longer, he was the first to pick up his chopsticks and place some meat into his bowl.
"Let's eat~!"
He picked up several slices of grilled pork belly with his chopsticks, dipped them in the barbecue seasoning prepared in front of him, and stuffed them straight into his mouth.
The delicious flavor of the grilled pork belly immediately made him unable to stop, and the meat carried a rich, milky aroma.
Naruto could not help praising it inwardly. Grilled meat really was the best!
But while the pork belly fresh off the grill was delicious, its fat still retained an extremely high temperature. Along with the flavor came cruel torture for Naruto's tongue.
"Damn—so hot!"
He immediately dropped his chopsticks, grabbed the glass of orange juice in front of him with both hands, and gulped it down in one go!
The icy fresh-squeezed orange juice instantly rescued his tongue and mouth from the torment of the heat. As the golden juice swirled in his mouth, his teeth instinctively chewed, letting him feel the wonderful sensation of plump fruit pulp bursting apart.
"Gulp~"
He drained the huge glass of orange juice in one breath.
"Thank goodness, I survived..."
A blissful expression immediately appeared on Naruto's face.
Sakura silently shook her head beside him and could not help teasing him.
"Naruto, no one's competing with you. Why are you in such a rush? The human tongue is very fragile.