Naruto: Nine-Tails, I Ask You to Stand Up

Before long,

Itachi finished cooking and brought the dishes to the table one by one. Still wearing an apron, he went to the living room and waved at his younger brother Sasuke and his mother Mikoto. "Sasuke, Mom, come eat."

"Coming." Hearing Itachi call him to dinner, Sasuke jumped off the sofa and ran toward his brother with a smile.

The smile tugged at his facial muscles, making his face hurt a little again.

"Go wash your hands, then we'll eat." Watching Sasuke run toward him with such excitement, Itachi's face was full of smiles as well. Once Sasuke reached him, Itachi gently rubbed his head.

"Okay, Brother." Sasuke went to wash his hands.

Itachi looked up and saw Uchiha Mikoto approaching as well. He said softly, "Mom, wash your hands and eat."

As for their father, Uchiha Fugaku had gone out to take care of something and would not be back for dinner.

The family sat around the dining table. Seeing that the table was full of his favorite foods, Sasuke reached out to grab a chicken drumstick...

"Hey, your brother hasn't even said to start, and you're already reaching around carelessly." Uchiha Mikoto lightly scolded him.

Sasuke's hand froze in midair. He turned to look at Itachi, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Brother..."

Itachi looked at Sasuke fondly, then turned to Uchiha Mikoto. "Let him eat. He's still a child. Why fuss over it?"

"Thank you, Brother..."

Sasuke thanked him happily and picked up the chicken drumstick to eat. His brother's cooking really was delicious. As it went into his stomach, he felt like his whole body was filled with happiness.

"You'll spoil him rotten sooner or later." Watching Sasuke eat with a beaming smile, Uchiha Mikoto said to Itachi.

"Don't worry, Mom. Sasuke is a good child. I'll always watch over him." As he said this, an unreadable glint flashed through Itachi's eyes.

After dinner, the family went to the backyard for a walk to help digest their meal.

They strolled leisurely down a path paved with pebbles. Tall cherry blossom trees stood on both sides. It was not yet the season for the cherry blossoms to bloom in full, but other flowers had been planted in the garden.

They admired the flowers while quietly chatting about everyday family matters.

Sasuke walked ahead, with Itachi and Uchiha Mikoto behind him. After walking for a while, Sasuke started running, and then his brother's concerned reprimand came from behind him. "Sasuke, don't run. You just ate. Be careful, or your stomach will hurt."

As he said it, every corner of Itachi's eyes and mouth was filled with affection for Sasuke. He knew that outside, Sasuke was a cool little handsome boy. Only in front of him and their mother did he show such childish innocence.

How wonderful it was, to be able to display one's childish side so freely before family.

Unlike himself, who lived beneath a dark mask all year round.

Still, it was fortunate that he had Sasuke. Sasuke was his only beautiful thing in this world.

Without Sasuke's laughter, perhaps he would have long since...

After their walk, Sasuke followed behind Itachi and suddenly said, "Brother, can you train with me?"

Hearing the request behind him, Itachi stopped, turned around, squatted down, and held Sasuke's cheeks. "Sasuke, do you want to get even with that classmate?"

"Mm." Sasuke's face reddened as he replied.

Itachi lightly scraped Sasuke's nose. "Brother promises you."

When they arrived at the training ground, Itachi asked Sasuke, "Sasuke, tell me in detail about your two fights with him. Only then can I know your weaknesses and his strengths. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

Actually, Sasuke found it rather difficult to talk about those two fights,

Because the other party had been too fast. Before he could even make a move, he had gone down...

But since his brother had asked, he could not refuse to say anything. He could only stammer, "That guy is incredibly strong and big, and his speed can't be underestimated. He has a strange kind of Taijutsu. He specializes in going behind people and grabbing his enemies. Once he catches you, it's hard to break free."

"The first time, he ambushed me from behind. Before I could use a move, I was hit by his technique."

"The second time, we were far apart, about ten meters away. Just as I was about to use the Fire Release you taught me, Brother, he disappeared. Then, I heard the sound of wind behind me..."

The result went without saying. Sasuke had been hit again.

"By what you're saying, he didn't use Ninjutsu either time. He defeated you purely with Taijutsu?" After Sasuke finished explaining, Itachi raised his question.

"Mm..."

Itachi looked at his younger brother's bruised and swollen face as he pondered. Both times, the opponent had relied only on his body. How could a child around Sasuke's age defeat his brother twice through physical ability alone?

After all, the Uchiha clan's physical prowess was not among the worst in Konoha, or even in the entire Ninja World.

Suddenly, he thought of a Jonin in the village named Might Guy, who had achieved quite a bit in Taijutsu. Could Sasuke's classmate be Might Guy's disciple?

"Sasuke, I think your speed held you back in both of those fights. If you were faster than him, he wouldn't be able to catch you, and you could use Ninjutsu to attack from range." Itachi pointed out Sasuke's weakness.

"Mm, I thought so too. That's why I want to ask Brother how I can improve my speed."

"Alright, I'll teach you now." Itachi rubbed Sasuke's head.

Meanwhile,

Naruto returned to Back Mountain and, as usual, checked the pigsty, the flock of sheep, and the herd of cattle. When he spotted a lazy bull, Naruto took out his magic treasure again and made the bull continue working.

The results during this period had been remarkable as well. The herd had gained three new members.

Watching the three calves bounce around on the grass, Naruto felt that all the bull's hard work had been worthwhile. Besides, as long as there was still a drop left, it had to work even harder and strive to add more new members.

It was still early, and the Nine-Tails had not begun cooking. Instead, it had taken out a washbasin with a washboard resting on it, moved over a small stool, and sat there scrubbing Naruto's clothes.

The Nine-Tails had completely fulfilled its promise to Naruto: washing clothes, cooking, and warming the bed.

Once everything was ready, Naruto began training. He estimated that in another ten days or so, Indestructible Body would officially reach the beginner level. By then, cold weapons such as ninja Kunai, Shuriken, and darts would no longer pose any threat to him.

After Naruto finished training, the Nine-Tails had also finished cooking and loudly called him to eat.

After dinner, Naruto lay back in a reclining chair to rest, holding a copy of Postpartum Care of Sows. Now that Back Mountain had a pigsty, he needed to learn the relevant knowledge as well.

As the Nine-Tails washed the bowls and chopsticks, it also took out a cookbook, moved over a stool, grabbed a notebook, and knelt on the ground, scribbling away.

Who knew what it was writing?

This caught Naruto's attention, and he asked curiously, "Kurama, are you writing a book?"

The Nine-Tails shook its head. "Not a book. I'm creating a cookbook, one that I invented myself. When the time comes, it'll definitely sell like crazy."

Over the past few days, it had found many faults with the cookbook in its hands. It felt it could be better, so it decided to create a cookbook of its own.

"Oh, impressive, Kurama." Naruto gave the Nine-Tails a thumbs-up in praise, but then his tone shifted. "Since you're creating something, don't kneel there. Don't your knees hurt?"

Thanks to 1006 Wolf Child, Comical Mask, and Scarlet Stroll for the 500 Qidian Coin rewards, and Wing Dance Phantom Flight for the 100 Qidian Coin reward. Kisses. As for the 200 fan value requirement for chapter comments, that was imposed by the platform. It's the same across the entire platform, not something I did. Don't worry, everyone. It may be unlocked tomorrow.