Since We're Friends, Let Me Treat You to a Meal

"Hardening?"

Sasuke carefully mulled over those two words, but even though he had read through the Uchiha clan's collection of books, he had never heard of a Taijutsu called Hardening.

At that moment, Naruto seemed to have put on a layer of mystery.

Sasuke had the urge to tear that layer away.

Just then, Sasuke saw Naruto looking down at him, his face seemingly saying, Be my friend already, or I'll beat you up again.

Feeling the pain on his face, Sasuke thought, Fine, fine. I already said that if he defeated me again, I'd be his friend.

When he thought about it carefully, he was not yielding to Naruto's strength, but honoring his own promise.

He had always been someone who valued promises.

It was a fine quality, and one of Sasuke's lifelong mottos—a matter of principle that absolutely could not be abandoned. Thinking this, Sasuke immediately felt a little better.

He lightly coughed, gathered his emotions, then looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, would you be willing to be my friend?"

Upon hearing Sasuke's words, Naruto's face instantly filled with enthusiasm. He laughed twice, walked over, and warmly helped Sasuke up from the ground. "Of course. I'd be very willing to be Sasuke's friend."

"Two people as outstanding and handsome as us not becoming friends would be such a waste. But now that we've gotten what we wanted, it must be heaven's blessing. We should drink three big bowls of plain water."

Sasuke's face darkened.

He suddenly began to wonder whether becoming Naruto's friend had been the right choice.

"Sasuke, since we're friends, let me treat you to a meal?" Naruto abruptly invited as he supported Sasuke.

"Treat me to a meal?" Sasuke immediately thought, Big brother might have made something delicious for me at home today. If I don't go back to eat, will he be sad?

Thinking that, Sasuke blurted out, "No, no, I..."

"Hm?"

After only a few words, he suddenly saw a vicious gleam appear on Naruto's face, his Pectoralis Major twitching. Sasuke sighed inwardly. What kind of friend forces people like this? It looks like I'll have to slowly teach Naruto some principles of how to behave in the future.

There was plenty of time ahead.

But on second thought, they had just become friends, and rejecting Naruto's goodwill right away would indeed be inappropriate. Naruto would inevitably be unhappy.

"Then I'll have to trouble Naruto to spend some money on me," Sasuke said.

"It's fine. We're friends." Naruto became cheerful again. Seeing Sasuke's limp appearance, he asked, "Sasuke, can you make it? If not, I'll carry you."

After saying that, Naruto walked in front of Sasuke and crouched down.

Sasuke's mouth twitched. Looking at Naruto's firm, gleaming, devilish back muscles, he hurriedly refused, "No need. Um, I... I really can walk."

"Alright, then."

Naruto and Sasuke walked side by side along the mountain path. One wore blue clothes and blue pants, his face somewhat swollen like a bun. The other was bare-armed, wearing only a pair of yellow pants on his lower body, striding with the bearing of a dragon and tiger, radiating imposing might.

Sasuke lowered his head to glance at Naruto's pants and asked enviously, "Naruto, where did you buy those pants? The quality is so good. They didn't even rip after such a huge impact."

Naruto was troubled by Sasuke's question as well. "It bothers me too. Every time I fully activate the Tempering Method, my shirt explodes right away, but my pants never tear. It's really strange. I bought them all from that clothing store."

As they chatted, Naruto brought Sasuke to the Back Mountain Breeding Farm.

The moment they arrived at the Breeding Farm, Nine-Tails sensed Naruto's presence and hopped out of the wooden cabin. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a boy in blue beside Naruto and immediately changed the words on his lips into, "Eek, eek, eek!"

"Eek, eek, eek!"

Nine-Tails bounced into Naruto's arms, crying out.

Seeing the adorable Nine-Tails, Sasuke's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Naruto, is this your pet?"

"Mm." Naruto stroked Nine-Tails in his arms, inwardly giving him a thumbs-up for his cleverness.

"Wow, he's so cute." Seeing Nine-Tails make comfortable purring sounds as Naruto petted him, Sasuke wanted to pet him too, but felt too embarrassed to ask. Instead, he looked around and asked:

"Naruto, why do you live here?"

"I don't live here at night. I train here when I'm training, but I contracted a Breeding Farm here and raise livestock," Naruto said.

Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke suddenly felt a little heartbroken. He knew that this classmate and companion had had no parents since childhood and lived alone. He never expected that Naruto, only seven years old, already had to worry about making a living like an adult.

Compared to Naruto, he had a father and mother, and his brother Itachi's meticulous care. He was truly far too fortunate.

"Naruto..." Sasuke called.

"Come on. I'll show you around my Breeding Farm, then we'll start cooking." Holding Nine-Tails, Naruto led Sasuke around the Back Mountain.

When they reached the pigsty, Naruto pointed at the pigs that had eaten their fill and were sleeping. "Look, this is the first type of livestock I raise here: pigs. Pork prices are skyrocketing right now. Raising pigs is guaranteed profit with no losses. Compared to running restaurants or writing books, raising pigs is the true path."

After saying that, Naruto bent down and pointed at a pile of pig manure, explaining, "This pile of pig manure is well formed, without food residue, and it's neither too dry nor too wet. That shows the pig's digestive system is good and its body is healthy."

Sasuke stepped forward to look, and it was indeed true. When he raised his head, he could not help but feel a trace of admiration for Naruto. He knew so much.

After inspecting the pigsty, Naruto and Sasuke came to the cattle.

Several bulls were resting beneath a tree. The moment they saw Naruto arrive, their bodies trembled, and they hurriedly stood up. Swaying as they moved, each found a cow and began working.

Naruto was very satisfied by this. It seemed these bulls had established the proper awareness; they worked conscientiously without even needing to be urged.

Looking at the bulls engaged in their two-cow exercise, Sasuke was completely baffled. "Those bulls are way too skinny, aren't they? They're practically skin and bones."

"Skinny? Could they be sick?"

Naruto looked confused, but when the bulls heard his words, they shuddered and worked even harder.

Compared to merciless exploitation, they feared death more.

Leaving the cattle, they came to the sheep. The sheep were grazing, but the moment they saw Naruto, they all turned and ran. That big guy had always been a sore loser.

"Baa, baa, baa..."

The overlapping bleats gradually faded into the distance. Sasuke turned to Naruto and said, "Naruto, those sheep seem really afraid of you..."

"Afraid of me?" Naruto looked completely innocent. "Why would they be afraid of me? It's not like I eat people."

"Forget them. Come on, let's go back to the wooden cabin. I'll show you my cooking skills."

Naruto's cooking skills were actually quite good.

After all, the chef Nine-Tails was in his arms. Having often been with chef Nine-Tails, he had developed quite impressive cooking skills himself.

(There will be another update today.)

Ah, I spent the whole day sawing wood, and my hands are trembling. Still, thanks to zzl Demon King for the 2,100 Qidian Coin reward. As for things like wearing women's clothing, hmph, I will not bend for five pecks of rice. (In a low voice, unless the reward is too great.)