Meeting Kakashi on the Road

Being a baby was frustrating, especially for an adult like Zhang Miao. But faced with his current situation, he had no solution at all.

Even the system in his mind only told him that the greatest help it could provide at the moment was ensuring that no matter how much milk he drank, he would not suffer from indigestion.

Objectively speaking, that was indeed a tremendous help. Zhang Miao understood that. Since he did not need to worry about indigestion, he drank milk with all his might every day. In one feeding, he could usually consume an ordinary baby's entire daily supply.

Naturally, the benefits were obvious. With the system helping him digest and absorb nutrients, Zhang Miao grew quickly and was far sturdier than an ordinary baby. At only six months old, he could already stand and toddle about.

At that point, Zhang Miao did not look like a mere six-month-old baby at all. He looked more like a child of around a year and a half. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi clicked his tongue in amazement at the sight.

But what shocked Hiruzen Sarutobi even more came later. When the Anbu responsible for looking after Zhang Miao and Naruto reported that Zhang Miao had tossed aside his bottle and run out into the streets, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly dropped his pipe in shock.

Hadn't they said just a few days ago that he had only started learning to walk? How could he suddenly run?

After recovering from his shock, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately gave the Anbu an order—find Zhang Miao and bring him back at once!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely anxious now. Konoha had been unsettled lately, with children constantly disappearing. If anything happened to Zhang Miao, he felt he would have no way to answer to the deceased Minato and his wife.

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders, the Anbu directly under the Hokage immediately sprang into action. In less than five minutes, they found Zhang Miao wandering around outside Q's BBQ.

The several Anbu were dumbfounded.

Could this kid be here to eat meat?

In fact, the Anbu had guessed correctly. Zhang Miao really had come to eat meat.

Although Zhang Miao had only grown two lower teeth at the time, with the system's help and no need to fear indigestion, what was there to worry about in eating some meat?

After all, Zhang Miao was a genuine carnivore. Half a year of nothing but milk had long since become unbearable.

I want salt! I want meat!

Naturally, the Anbu could not hear Zhang Miao's inner cries. Carrying out the Hokage's orders, they did not hesitate to send Zhang Miao back to his residence before reporting back to the Hokage.

The Anbu had clearly underestimated Zhang Miao's determination to eat meat. Not long after they left, he slipped out again and arrived outside Q's BBQ.

Only then did Zhang Miao realize an important problem—he had no money!

As one of Konoha's premier high-end establishments, Q's BBQ was not a charity. Its exorbitant prices were enough to make even many Jonin wince.

In the original story, according to Asuma Sarutobi's recollection, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had once eaten so much barbecue that they ran out of money. Asuma had even knelt before the owner.

That alone showed just how outrageous Q's BBQ's prices were.

Zhang Miao stood outside Q's BBQ and thought for quite a while, but in the end he could not think of any way to eat meat without spending money. All he could do was sigh helplessly to himself.

"Ah, forget it. I'll just go back and keep drinking milk. At least the milk delivered by the Anbu is free."

With that thought, Zhang Miao prepared to head home. But the moment he turned around, a silver-haired boy came into view.

"That hairstyle and color, plus that mask..."

In all of Konoha, only Jiraiya and Kakashi Hatake had heads of white hair like that. From the boy's clothes and appearance, Zhang Miao recognized him at once.

"Kakashi Hatake!"

Objectively speaking, running into Kakashi Hatake in Konoha was nothing worth making a fuss over. Naturally, Zhang Miao was not excited merely because he had seen Kakashi.

What caught Zhang Miao's eye was not Kakashi himself, but the fish basket on his back and the several live fish still flopping around inside.

"That looks delicious!"

Thinking that, Zhang Miao secretly swallowed and quietly followed behind Kakashi.

"As one of my bargain-bin dad's subordinates in this life, it shouldn't be too much to ask him for a meal, right?" Zhang Miao thought as he followed Kakashi.

Naturally, Zhang Miao's movements could not escape Kakashi, known as the Genius Ninja. In fact, Kakashi had noticed this "little tail" ever since he had come down the street.

After walking a little farther, Kakashi finally stopped. He turned around and looked at Zhang Miao with one half-lidded, dead-fish eye.

"Hey, kid. Why are you following me?"

"..."

Damn it, he actually called me a kid. Aren't you only thirteen right now?

At Kakashi's words, Zhang Miao's mouth twitched. But for the sake of the fish, he answered honestly.

"Fish."

"Huh?"

The answer had clearly taken Kakashi by surprise. But seeing Zhang Miao staring unblinkingly at the fish basket behind him, Kakashi could not help frowning.

"Where are your parents?"

"They're both dead."

Zhang Miao answered calmly, but Kakashi's frown deepened.

A child who looked barely over a year old could state the tragic fact that both his parents had died without any expression. It was simply beyond reason.

Thus, Kakashi was silent for several seconds before asking Zhang Miao again, "Both your parents are dead? Who told you that?"

At that moment, Kakashi felt nothing but disgust toward whichever blabbermouth had told him. Such a thing was far too cruel for a child.

But to Kakashi's surprise, Zhang Miao calmly shook his head.

"No one told me. I saw it myself, on the day the Nine-Tails appeared!"

This was the first time Zhang Miao had spoken to anyone else in half a year. Because his body was still too small and his vocal cords had not fully developed, his voice was childish and his words were somewhat unclear.

However, Kakashi understood him.

"Did they die during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha?"

After hearing Zhang Miao's answer, Kakashi's face filled with emotion.

Half a year earlier, when the Nine-Tails had attacked Konoha, many people in the village had indeed died. Kakashi's teacher, Minato, and Kushina Uzumaki had also perished in that calamity.

Looking at Zhang Miao's red hair, a trace of gentleness flashed through Kakashi's eyes. He raised an eyebrow, then turned around.

"Want fish? Then come with me!"