The moon was bright, and the evening breeze was pleasant.
It was the perfect time for a barbecue.
A few of them dragged two ninja beasts to the riverbank.
They chopped wood, piled up stones, and set up a makeshift outdoor grill.
Kimura Takuya skewered chunks of meat on branches and happily brushed them with oil and seasoning.
Come to think of it, this was his first time barbecuing with friends since arriving in this world.
The Ninja World didn't have every kind of seasoning, but there were plenty of substitutes.
Once he'd grilled ten skewers, he handed them over to Tenten.
After tasting Kimura Takuya's grilled skewers, the girl had insisted on trying her hand at making some herself.
Maybe his earlier words had gotten through to her, making her want to learn some support skills?
Poor girl. She was clearly a young lady from a wealthy family back home.
And yet now she could only play a support role on the team, with practically no strength in a head-on fight.
She was clearly the strongest of the three. Not everyone had a talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu.
The difficulty of summoning weapons was worlds apart from summoning ninja beasts.
Unfortunately, the original story hadn't developed her abilities properly. Using such a great talent to carry things and handle support work was a real waste.
Sealing Jutsu and the Flying Thunder God were the techniques best suited to Tenten.
And her talent didn't stop there.
The fact that she could hit a target with every hidden weapon she threw was impressive, too.
It was just that the weapons themselves were limited, so they didn't pack much punch.
If only she could upgrade the power of her weapons.
Tsk, tsk. Could you imagine an ADC who could dash anywhere on the battlefield, stun everyone they met, and land a headshot with every shot?
Being able to dash anywhere on the battlefield alone would be enough to qualify her for Hokage.
And if she could stun everyone with Sealing Jutsu, wouldn't she be able to slaughter anyone below the Six Paths level?
Watching Tenten barbecue with such enthusiasm, Kimura Takuya found himself liking her more and more.
He had to say, her look was right up his alley. Don't ask why.
The answer was simple: China No. 1.
When Kimura Takuya had first arrived in this world, he'd always felt out of place.
Over the past eleven years, he'd thought he'd gotten used to it, but he hadn't!
He still liked Chinese food, and he still didn't like the craftsman spirit.
"Snort, snort."
A few little piggy grunts pulled Kimura Takuya back to the present.
A little pig appeared beside the campfire. It wore a red outfit and a pearl necklace.
Wasn't this Tsunade's pet pig?
What was it called again?
Oh, right. Tonton.
If Tonton was here, did that mean Tsunade was nearby, too?
That explained it. He'd been wondering why no one else could treat Uzuki Yugao's injuries.
So Tsunade really had come back.
But why wasn't she showing herself?
Watching Tonton drool as she stared at the meat, Kimura Takuya was speechless.
That was pork, for crying out loud!
Did pigs eat pork, too?
As it turned out, they did.
Kimura Takuya didn't know about other pigs, but this little one was certainly enjoying herself.
Kimura Takuya was feeding her.
"Uh, Takuya, where did this little pig come from?"
"Ah, she's probably someone's lost pet. Let's take her back with us. Look at the pearl necklace she's wearing—her owner must be rich or important. Maybe they'll come to Konoha and put up a mission to find her."
"Yeah, that makes sense!"
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Kimura Takuya used the High-Temperature Scalpel to butcher the Ninja Pig, and they each carried a share.
Guy carried the Ninja Leopard, which was still breathing, all by himself, and they headed back to Konoha.
Looking at Tonton tied against his chest, Kimura Takuya wore a mischievous smile.
Tsunade, Tsunade, you won't be getting this little pig back without paying up.
Early the next morning.
"Tonton!"
"Tonton!"
Tsunade and Shizune searched everywhere for their pet pig.
Shizune had gone back to Konoha for money the day before. They'd planned to leave that day.
But then Tonton had gone missing again. The little rascal was always sneaking out to play.
She'd nearly been turned into roast suckling pig several times.
Where had she run off to this time? What a headache!
"Lady Tsunade, Tonton's footprints lead toward the river."
They found Tonton's little footprints and followed them all the way to the riverbank.
But all they found was a long-dead campfire, with scattered seasonings around it.
There was blood from cleaning meat along the riverbank, too.
The two of them continued searching, unable to believe what they were seeing.
They didn't stop until they confirmed that Tonton's footprints ended by the campfire.
And in the grass nearby, they found thin branches that had been used to skewer meat.
The branches still carried the scent of seasoning and grilled meat.
"Damn it!"
Thud!
Tsunade shattered the ground beside the campfire with a single Heavenly Pain Kick.
Shizune searched all around with tears in her eyes, refusing to give up.
At last, her gaze settled on a group of footprints.
"Lady Tsunade, there are five sets of footprints here, all heading toward Konoha!"
"Damn it! Were those bastards Konoha shinobi?"
"Probably not. Their footsteps are heavy, and they're carrying things. They must be traveling merchants heading to Konoha."
"Unforgivable! Shizune, come on. We're going back!"
"Yes!"
Fuming, the two returned to Konoha, completely unaware that they'd fallen for a trick.
Konoha.
The night before, when they'd left Konoha, everyone had contacted the butcher. He'd waited until midnight for this fine meat.
After processing the Ninja Pig, they moved on to the Ninja Leopard. Since it was meant for a living transplant, Kimura Takuya had even treated the leopard a little.
He didn't want it to die before the time came.
The butcher had no objections. The Ninja Pig alone was big enough to sell, and he'd be more than happy to keep the Ninja Leopard alive for a while before selling it.
So he specifically asked Kimura Takuya to close up the wound when removing the leopard's leg, so that it could be kept alive for a few more days before being slaughtered.
Kimura Takuya agreed without hesitation. It wasn't any trouble, after all—just a matter of using the High-Temperature Scalpel.
Early that morning.
Kimura Takuya found Oda Lang and told him that his Kirin Arm had arrived.
He told him to come along to the butcher's shop to pick it up.
Oda Lang looked completely bewildered. Why was his Kirin Arm at a butcher's shop?
"What? A leopard's arm is the Kirin Arm?"
"That's right! That leopard wasn't ordinary. It was a Ninja Leopard, and even the chakra it extracted unconsciously was greater than yours. In terms of chakra reserves alone, it was no weaker than a jonin. Having an arm like that transplanted will definitely give your strength a huge boost!"
"B-but leopards only have legs, right?"
Seeing Oda Lang's deeply skeptical expression, Kimura Takuya waved a hand and spoke with a stern, resolute air.
"No 'buts.' Oda Lang, if you don't trust me, find someone else! You're the one who didn't want to wait a month, and you're the one who wanted a Kirin Arm. Now you're dragging your feet."
"Well, all right. If it really can work normally, I can accept it, Takuya."
"Of course it can. I'll take care of everything and make sure that leopard leg works just as well as your arm. Don't worry. You'll be able to make Hand Seals even faster from now on."
Oda Lang had just agreed when a voice rang out.
"Hold it! Are you a medical ninja, kid? Don't you even know that an animal's body is incompatible with a human's? You'll get someone killed!"
Before you continue