In the evening
By a stream in the Forest of Death, a bonfire blazed, and above it, two enormous bear paws had been roasted golden brown, sizzling as hot oil dripped from them.
Hao Shuai, now an outdoor cooking expert, turned the bear paws while occasionally sprinkling spices over them.
"Gulp~"
Karin Uzumaki stared fixedly at the bear paws. She'd lost track of how many times she'd swallowed.
They smelled amazing~~
Karin Uzumaki had never smelled roast meat this delicious in her life.
"They're ready."
At last, after what felt like an eternity, Karin heard Hao Shuai's heavenly announcement.
After taking the bear paw Hao Shuai handed her, Karin didn't even care that it was hot. She took a big bite without hesitation.
"Hot~! But~ it's~ so~ delicious!"
Even with blisters forming at the corners of her mouth, Karin couldn't bear to spit out the delicious food. Instead, she swallowed it in just a few bites.
"Take it slow. Once you're done, I'll escort you out of the Forest of Death," Hao Shuai kindly reminded Karin as she wolfed down her food.
That's right~~
After Hao Shuai had patiently persuaded—and pressured and enticed—her, Karin had wisely decided to stay in Konoha and team up with him.
Delighted, Hao Shuai heard that Karin hadn't eaten in ages, so he took it upon himself to make dinner. The ingredients came from that poor giant bear.
Honestly, Hao Shuai was pretty tempted by those enormous bear paws himself!
"How should I get Naruto and Karin together?"
Hao Shuai was now holding a huge roasted bear paw and munching away, occasionally glancing at Karin, who sat nearby looking a little dazed.
With Naruto being such a blockhead and a hopelessly dense guy, getting him to make a move and win Karin over would