Cooking Ninja

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Clang!

Almost the instant Maruboshi Kosuke deflected the pursuing katana, a scorching wave of air roared toward him!

A gigantic fireball far larger than normal, so brilliantly blazing it was impossible to look at directly, bore down upon him with a scream that seemed capable of devouring everything, sending sand and stones rolling across the ground!

Ninjutsu follow-up!

Triple pursuit!

"Nice combination!"

There was not the slightest hint of panic in Maruboshi Kosuke's eyes. Instead, a trace of sincere praise flashed through them as his hands rapidly formed two seals.

"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!"

Splash!!!

In an instant, the ground beneath his feet churned as a vast torrent surged into the sky. It was not merely a thin veil of water; centered on where he stood, it rapidly spun and intertwined in a circle!

Layer upon layer of rushing currents formed a high-speed vortex water wall, tightly filling every gap like a mobile ring-shaped fortress of water!

Boom!!!

Flames and the water wall collided violently! Blinding white light erupted, and the deafening explosion echoed through the training ground alongside the fierce sizzle of evaporation.

Orange-red tongues of flame madly licked at the spinning water wall, raising dense white mist that completely swallowed both figures.

Yet the vortex water wall stood as firm as a rock, sealing the raging flames outside.

A moment later, the steam gradually dispersed.

"Clap, clap, clap."

Crisp applause sounded from within the thinning white mist. Maruboshi Kosuke slowly emerged, wearing a warm but even deeper smile.

"Not bad, truly not bad." He nodded, his gaze falling on Shinichi, whose breathing had barely changed. "Your swordsmanship, taijutsu, ninjutsu combinations, decisive adaptability in battle... This old man has a rough idea of your strength now."

He gently slid the katana in his hand back into the large iron pot on his back.

"Then the test ends here. Get ready. It's time for us to carry out our first mission."

"Yes, sir."

Unlike most newly graduated Genin, who began by catching cats and dogs or helping villagers with odd jobs, Shinichi's first mission was a C-Rank mission that required leaving the village.

As they walked down the road leading out of the village, the lush trees on either side gradually receded. In his calm, unhurried tone, Maruboshi Kosuke began introducing their mission.

"Our mission has tentatively been rated C-Rank. The location is Nakimachi, a region in the northeastern part of the Land of Fire near the border of the Land of Hot Water. The client is a representative selected jointly by several villages near Nakimachi. Recently, several children have gone missing there one after another. The employer wants us to investigate the cause and, if possible, recover the missing children."

"Children going missing?" Shinichi sharply caught the key point. "Didn't the local villagers report it to the local guards or the City Lord and have them investigate?"

"They did." Maruboshi Kosuke nodded, then gently shook his head. "The City Lord of Nakimachi sent local guards to search and question people, but they found nothing, not even a single valuable clue. That was why the villagers from several villages pooled their money and formally submitted a commission to Konoha."

"Even organized local soldiers couldn't find the slightest clue..." Shinichi frowned slightly and pondered. "This probably isn't something ordinary traffickers or bandits could manage. Senior, this is highly likely to involve shinobi, or at least an organization with some unconventional methods. Normally, this would already exceed the scope of a C-Rank mission."

"Your judgment is correct." Maruboshi Kosuke glanced at Shinichi, approval in his eyes. "The employers realized that as well. They promised in the commission that if shinobi or forces beyond the ordinary were encountered during the mission, they would add further compensation afterward. The village considered both the initial intelligence and the employer's promise before tentatively assigning this mission a C-Rank rating and handing it to us. Of course—"

He paused. His tone remained calm, but it gained a trace of gravity.

"Once we confirm shinobi are involved, the mission rank will immediately be raised, and our response strategy must change accordingly. That is also the first thing we need to determine on this trip."

His first mission was C-Rank from the start, and it might even be higher.

The village really thought highly of him.

Shinichi understood, but he felt no unease. Instead, anticipation stirred faintly within him.

On one hand, his teammate was Maruboshi Kosuke, an elite Jonin.

On the other hand, he had considerable confidence in his current strength.

Not to mention, he was now someone who wielded fate itself!

Well, that was only a tiny bit of an exaggeration...

By evening, after walking all day, the two stopped at the edge of a wooded area to make camp.

Maruboshi Kosuke took a stroll around the area. When he returned, he had two plump pheasants and a bundle of fresh wild vegetables in hand.

He removed his signature large iron pot, skillfully built a fire, and prepared the ingredients. Shinichi was also proficient at cooking, so he naturally stepped forward to help, his movements swift and efficient.

The campfire crackled, and an enticing aroma gradually drifted from the pot.

"Senior, your cooking is excellent." Shinichi took a sip of the soup and praised him sincerely.

Maruboshi Kosuke smiled and poked at the fire. "When traveling outside, you have to know how to take care of your own stomach."

At that moment, Shinichi seemed to recall something. He spoke with a hint of curiosity. "Senior, I once read in some books that there seems to be a special kind of shinobi in the Shinobi World called Cooking Ninja. Have you heard of them?"

"You're trying to beat around the bush and ask whether this old man is a Cooking Ninja, aren't you?" Maruboshi Kosuke glanced at him, his smile carrying the knowing look of someone who had seen through his thoughts.

Having been exposed, Shinichi was not embarrassed. He simply nodded openly. "I am indeed a little curious."

"Cooking Ninja..." Maruboshi Kosuke's hands paused slightly. His gaze turned toward the dancing campfire, as though he had fallen into a distant memory. A faint sigh entered his voice. "Come to think of it, I suppose I barely count as one."

"Oh?" Shinichi immediately sat up straighter, great interest appearing on his face.

He was genuinely curious.

Based on his years of exploration, for an Occupation to generate a Trait on the panel, it first had to receive formal "recognition" and "acceptance" from a system or authority with a complete inheritance.

And that inheritance system ought to involve supernatural power or the application of Chakra.

So did Cooking Ninja count?

After all, a Cooking Ninja could also be considered a chef who used Chakra.

If Cooking Ninja did not count, and even Medical Ninjutsu did not count in the future—

Then that meant an Occupation had to be an independent, complete supernatural inheritance system rather than a derivative of one.

That meant this inheritance system was older than shinobi, possessing stable applications of supernatural power even before Chakra became widespread.

It was only after Chakra, a more efficient and versatile form of energy, became widespread that these Occupations replaced their internal energy with Chakra.

For example, Swordsmen—or rather, samurai!

Seeing Shinichi's serious expression, Maruboshi Kosuke smiled and slowly explained, "Cooking Ninja are a special group combining shinobi and chefs. Their primary duty is not combat, but preparing food containing Chakra or special nutrients to quickly replenish the stamina and restore the Chakra of shinobi teams carrying out long-term, high-intensity missions."

"The essence lies in applying Chakra control, especially the fine manipulation of Fire Release, to precisely control cooking temperatures and activate the energy within ingredients."

He paused, sprinkled some salt into the pot, and continued, "However, with the rapid development of Medical Ninjutsu and pharmacology in the Shinobi World, especially after Soldier Pills—which were portable and concentrated in effect—were developed and widely used, this method of supply, which required cooking on-site and depended on fresh ingredients, became inefficient."

"Over time, this group completely declined. In today's Shinobi World, unless it is some ancient family inheritance or an extremely obscure niche tradition, you can hardly find any. So it is perfectly normal that you have only heard of them and never seen one."

"Senior, then what does it take to be considered an official Cooking Ninja?" Shinichi asked.

Although he had already roughly concluded that Cooking Ninja, a derivative Occupation combining shinobi and chefs, probably did not meet the conditions for his panel to generate an Occupation Trait—

He still decided to test it himself.

What if it did?

There was no harm in trying.

"Become a Cooking Ninja?" Maruboshi Kosuke laughed. "Shinichi, I don't know why you are taking this so seriously, but in my view, you are already a Cooking Ninja."

"Oh?" Shinichi's gaze shifted slightly. "Why do you say that, Senior?"

"Look, you are a shinobi, you have mastered Fire Release, and your cooking is quite good. Doesn't that make you a Cooking Ninja?"

"But you said earlier that a Cooking Ninja's food can quickly replenish stamina and restore Chakra..."

"Food itself already has those effects, only to varying degrees. If you want the effects to be more noticeable, just add some medicinal herbs while cooking and make medicinal cuisine. That isn't difficult." Maruboshi Kosuke waved dismissively.

But Shinichi did not leave it there. Instead, he looked at him even more seriously, his tone proper. "So in your view, Senior, I can already be considered a Cooking Ninja, correct?"

Maruboshi Kosuke froze for a moment. Though he did not understand why Shinichi wanted such a solemn confirmation, he still smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Shinichi. I acknowledge that you are now a Cooking Ninja."

After saying that, Maruboshi Kosuke looked at the sky and portioned out the remaining soup in the pot. "All right, get some rest after eating. We still have to travel tomorrow. I'll take the first watch tonight."

That night, deep within Nakimachi's Lord's Mansion.

City Lord Kurokawa Yasumasa suddenly felt a bone-devouring pain surge through his body. His face went pale as he immediately dismissed everyone around him, staggered into his study alone, then opened a hidden chamber known only to him.

The instant he shut the door, he could no longer endure it. He curled up on the floor and let out suppressed, agonized groans—this was no ordinary illness, but torment as though his bones were being crushed and pierced bit by bit from within.

Trembling, he crawled toward the wooden cabinet by the wall and retrieved a porcelain bottle from deep within a drawer.

The moment he opened it, a heavy stench of blood spread through the room.

Kurokawa Yasumasa impatiently poured the dark-red liquid from the bottle into his mouth. A moment later, his ragged breathing gradually calmed, and the intense pain throughout his body receded like a tide, leaving only cold sweat born of exhaustion.

"I told you long ago... to be more restrained in your actions."

Supporting himself against the wall, he slowly stood and spoke hoarsely to the empty shadows.

"And now look at this. I just heard from my men that those peasants pooled their money to hire Konoha shinobi to investigate... If this gets out of hand, both of us are finished."

"Us? Hehehe..."

A man in a black cloak slowly emerged from the shadows, his voice low and chilling.

"My City Lord, don't forget that you are already one of the Church. We... are on the same side."

Kurokawa Yasumasa kept a stiff face and did not argue, his eyes merely darkening. The cloaked man did not care and continued casually.

"As for the Konoha shinobi?"

He gave a soft laugh, as though discussing the weather.

"Just kill them."

"Have you lost your mind?!"

Kurokawa Yasumasa's expression changed drastically, and he could barely contain his voice.

"This is the Land of Fire! Not the Land of Hot Water! Killing Konoha's people will bring a full investigation from all of Konoha! Then this will no longer be a simple case of missing children!"

The Robe Man fell silent for a moment. The shadows beneath his hood seemed to stir slightly before that cold voice sounded again, carrying a trace of mockery. "Then what does the City Lord suggest we do? The Saint Son's matter cannot stop. Don't forget, my City Lord, that your bone cancer is an incurable disease even in the Shinobi World. Only when the Saint Son descends and you receive Divine Grace can your illness... be completely cured."

"Of course I know that! You don't need to tell me!" Kurokawa Yasumasa roared. He paced anxiously through the cramped hidden chamber. "Precisely because it cannot stop, we need to be even more careful! Listen. From now until the Konoha shinobi leave or uncover the truth, every one of you must lie completely low. You must not touch another child! I will make arrangements and find suitable culprits and explanations to close this missing-persons case and deal with the immediate trouble first."

Visible dissatisfaction appeared on the Robe Man's face beneath his hood. Seeing it, Kurokawa Yasumasa stepped forward and sternly said,

"I'll say it again: I am not joking!"

"Think about why the Cult Leader sent you here in the first place. It was to put down roots here, open up new lands of faith for the Church, operate for the long term, and proceed step by step! If your reckless impulse brings uncontrollable powerful enemies here, destroys this place's foundation, and ruins the Cult Leader's long-term plans, can you bear that responsibility?!"

He took a deep breath and delivered his final warning with utter certainty. "Konoha stands at the head of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Its strength is unfathomable. If a few lives truly bring their elite forces here—those ever-present Anbu... Then not only will you and I struggle to survive, even the Cult Leader far away in the Land of Hot Water, along with the Church's headquarters built over many years, may be exposed to a thunderous strike and face utter destruction! Is that what you want to see?"

Seeing Elder Takahashi remain silent, a cold glint flashed through Kurokawa Yasumasa's eyes. He decided to administer an even stronger dose of pressure.

He stepped half a pace forward, lowering his voice further, though it carried naked threat.

"Elder Takahashi, you wouldn't want the Cult Leader..."

"How do you know the Cult Leader...?"

Elder Takahashi's expression abruptly changed beneath his hood, and he instinctively demanded in a harsh voice.

The words had barely left his mouth when he suddenly realized he had misspoken and immediately clamped his lips shut.