Chicken Soup Is Here

From the moment the Kumogakure delegation left Konoha, the script Hyuga Kiyonari had written finally drew to a close. After the final tally, he had reaped a total of 230 Correction Points.

With this sum of points, he could finally loosen his restraints a little and set some major plans in motion.

Kiyonari narrowed his eyes, a flicker of coldness flashing within them.

Since the time to undo the Caged Bird seal had not yet arrived, the best way to deal with the problem was undoubtedly to eliminate the people posing it.

Among all the Hyuga Main Branch members, Hinata Hyuga had the closest relationship with him; meanwhile, Hyuga Hiashi, as the clan head, had just incurred a favor from Tsunade and still had to consider the bond between him and Hinata.

As for the other Main Branch members, they had long since turned into parasites living in luxury, their personalities twisted and difficult to deal with. If he could crush them, it would be a welcome relief for the entire Hyuga Clan.

Come to think of it, in this Kumogakure incident, he only needed to write the script from behind the scenes and step in to give a push at the critical moment. Leaving the rest to Hinata and Tsunade—this feeling of "nurturing" them and then winning while lying down was truly satisfying.

Solving the trouble of the Main Branch could simply be left to them as well.

Walking home, Kiyonari watched the streets gradually quiet down and couldn't help but yawn.

"However..."

Now that he had an extra teacher, Tsunade certainly wouldn't be happy if he appeared too lazy. If he wanted to slack off comfortably, building a good relationship with her was quite necessary.

Kiyonari rubbed his chin. In that case... the second Drift Bottle can be launched. He would have Tsunade back Hinata up, and at the same time... he could leak some information about the Akatsuki to give her something to do, so she wouldn't be staring at him all day. But the nuance of the intelligence had to be precise; if he revealed too much, the script would become difficult to control.

Returning home, Kiyonari compiled the information for the "Drift Bottle," sent it off, and then washed up to rest.

The next day, he made a point to wake up early and changed into clean clothes before heading out.

At this hour, Konoha had not yet fully awakened from its slumber, but the morning market was already bustling. Vendors were busy setting up their stalls, filling them with all kinds of fresh vegetables, meat, and fish.

Kiyonari took a stroll through the market and finally stopped in front of a stall selling game. The vendor was a middle-aged man, and the cages were filled with wild rabbits and pheasants, all still alive.

"What can I get for you, young customer?" the vendor asked enthusiastically when he saw Kiyonari stop.

Kiyonari kicked a plump pheasant with his foot. "How much for this one?"

The vendor picked up the pheasant and weighed it in his hand. "I just caught this in the mountains yesterday; it's very fresh. Five hundred ryo, how about it?"

"Too expensive."

As soon as the words fell, the vendor became a bit anxious. "Customer, I caught these in the woods myself. It's not easy for a pheasant to grow to this size..."

Kiyonari raised a hand to interrupt his rambling, looked him up and down, and then said, "You must be new to Konoha, right? Business isn't going very well?"

"This..." The vendor hesitated for a moment before nodding. "How did you know, customer?"

"I understand it's not easy for you to catch this game, but this is Konoha. Even a child my age could hunt game if they felt like it; it's just a matter of whether or not I want to."

Kiyonari counted out three hundred ryo from his wallet and handed it over. "If I were you, I'd either start a different business in Konoha or go to the capital of the Land of Fire to sell this game. Those nobles would be more than happy to pay, and they aren't short on money—you could probably even set the price higher."

The vendor was stunned, looking at the three hundred ryo handed to him, then thinking about what Kiyonari had just said.

He tied up the pheasant Kiyonari had chosen and pushed the money back. "Customer, I'll give you this pheasant for free. Tell me... what kind of business do you think I should do in Konoha?"

Kiyonari didn't refuse his kindness, only asking, "You want to stay in Konoha that badly?"

The vendor nodded repeatedly. "It's safe here."

The words were a bit crude, but the logic was sound. In this world of mud and mire, staying alive was the most important thing.

Kiyonari pondered for a moment and finally offered a suggestion: "If you have the capital, you could try starting in the entertainment industry. Bringing some of the novelties from the capital to Konoha might have an effect."

"Thank you so much! You're a noble person!"

The vendor's eyes lit up; he looked as if he wanted to trade everything on his stall just to hear him say a few more words.

Kiyonari declined the vendor, then went to the Nara Clan's pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs: goji berries, red dates, angelica root, codonopsis, and so on. These herbs were not only good for seasoning soups but also had excellent nourishing properties, especially useful for someone suffering from a hangover.

After buying all the ingredients, Kiyonari returned home.

He found a clean basin, grabbed the pheasant by the neck, and made a cut to drain the blood. Then, he began boiling water to pluck the feathers and clean the innards... His movements were practiced; it was clearly not his first time doing such a thing.

After preparing all the ingredients, he placed them into a clay pot, lit the stove, and let it simmer slowly over a low flame.

He sat by the stove, watching the heat while refining the details of the next script.

Time ticked by, and the chicken soup in the pot gradually began to emit an alluring fragrance.

Kiyonari lifted the lid to check on it. The chicken was stewed until tender, and the broth had turned a clear, golden yellow—the presentation was perfect.

"That's about right."

He nodded with satisfaction, turned off the stove, and found a food container, carefully packing the soup inside.

After finishing, Kiyonari glanced at the sky through the window and realized it was almost noon.

"She should be awake by now."

He didn't know Tsunade well, but he knew his past self. Even without drinking, he would sleep until noon on weekends, let alone Tsunade, who was "on vacation" every single day.

Kiyonari carried the food container and walked toward Tsunade's residence.

The front gate was open. He walked in and looked around, but didn't see Shizune; she was likely out.

Kiyonari then walked up to Tsunade's bedroom, raised his hand, and knocked on the door frame beside the paper door. A somewhat hoarse voice came from inside.

"Shizune?"

"Teacher, it's me," Kiyonari shouted.

There was a moment of silence inside, followed by the sound of footsteps.

The door slid open, revealing Tsunade. She looked truly disheveled; her hair was a mess, her eyes were red and swollen, and a flush from a hangover still lingered on her face.

She wore a loose bathrobe with the collar slightly open, enough to invite wild imaginings of the scenery hidden beneath.

However!

From Kiyonari's angle, he could see nothing but the lower curves supported by the fabric, and for the first time, he hated that he hadn't grown up yet.

"Kiyonari?" Tsunade rubbed her eyes, looking at him with some confusion. "Why are you here?"

Kiyonari held up the food container in his hand. "I made lunch and brought some for you to try."

Tsunade froze for a moment, an expression of embarrassment actually appearing on her face.

"You little brat... you're quite good at taking care of people, aren't you?"