First Clash with Itachi

Deep in the night, the shrine of the Land of Demons was quiet.

Baiyu was still busy, preparing the final touches on a feast.

Slice!

Slice the meat!

Lamb slices!

The Land of Demons was located in the north, bordering the Land of Snow, and the weather was frigid.

When Baiyu first arrived, he hadn't been used to it, but after a period of training, he had grown accustomed to the environment.

When the weather is cold, there are many delicious foods suitable for the occasion.

Among them, there was one that Baiyu favored above all else!

Hot pot!

Hot pot requires preparation of ingredients; the Land of Demons didn't have many vegetables, but there was plenty of meat.

In such a rush, hot pot could be considered a relatively quick meal to prepare.

He called over a group of people to wash the vegetables, while Baiyu took charge of the base, simmering the broth to perfection.

Considering the presence of little Shion, Baiyu thoughtfully prepared a split-pot.

One side was a spicy red broth, the other a mild tomato broth.

With the help of the guards, the side dishes were washed clean.

Baiyu personally sliced and arranged the food, prepared the dipping sauces for all four of them, and only then did he call them in.

"So simple? Why isn't there the meat from yesterday! Big Brother Baiyu!"

Seeing the dishes on the large table, little Shion looked somewhat dissatisfied.

Yesterday, she had eaten a sweet meat dish Baiyu made, and she was still thinking about it. There was also a sticky meatball dish that she couldn't forget either.

Miroku was also surprised; she had assumed Baiyu would be busy for a while longer, and she had been considering what conditions might persuade him.

"Aren't these raw?"

Miroku asked as well.

Uchiha Itachi kept a cold face, his forehead covered in black lines.

Such a casual style of cooking...

He had thought Baiyu was messing with him again. Ever since he joined a team with Baiyu, he felt his way of doing things was gradually changing.

Itachi's originally gloomy mood was slowly brightening.

He hadn't even noticed the changes in himself.

"Isn't there a pot right here? You just swish the food in the pot for a moment, then dip it in the sauce and eat. This way of dining is perfect for cold weather."

Baiyu explained, picking up a slice of lamb and placing it into the pot first.

The lamb was tender, sliced into translucent, paper-thin pieces by Baiyu's exquisite knife skills; it was ready to be taken out the moment it hit the broth.

There weren't many types of dishes, only about a dozen, but there were several varieties of lamb alone.

For this meal, they had slaughtered an entire sheep.

Beef...

Pork...

In short, all related types of meat were present.

The vegetables included potatoes, taro, cabbage, and so on.

Regrettably, there were no meatballs; Baiyu hadn't had time to make them.

Although little Shion was young, she was very curious. Imitating Baiyu, she picked up a slice of tender beef and placed it into the pot.

After swishing it through, she dipped it in the sauce and swallowed it in one bite.

The beef slice was thin as silk, but the piece was quite large, instantly filling little Shion's mouth.

"Mmph... Mmph!"

Little Shion chewed for a moment, then suddenly, tears began to stream down her face.

It wasn't because of the deliciousness...

It was the spiciness.

A spiciness that was impossible to handle!

Baiyu was still savoring the delicious lamb when he saw the situation and immediately reacted.

"Quick, get some milk! Fresh milk!"

This child was just like him; she had put the beef into the spicy red broth.

While Baiyu was tending to Shion, Itachi also tried picking up a slice of potato and placing it into the pot.

"Hmm..."

Itachi followed suit, dipping the slice into the sauce and popping it into his mouth, only to bite down and realize the taste was all wrong.

"It isn't cooked yet, is it?"

Miroku offered a timid reminder; she hadn't expected Itachi to be so completely devoid of life experience. How could a potato be cooked the moment it hit the pot?

Itachi's face flushed a faint red. He truly knew nothing about ingredients, let alone how to cook.

From a young age, everything had always been prepared for him by his family, leaving him to dedicate all his time to training and missions.

Most of the time, Itachi simply ate dry rations or the bento boxes his mother prepared.

He rarely even saw raw ingredients; in his eyes, all food was already cooked by the time it reached him...

"So this is what a raw potato tastes like!"

Itachi sighed, forcing himself to swallow the bite he had taken. He then silently set the remaining piece down and turned his attention to the plate of lamb without a word.

Miroku didn't call him out, quietly placing a portion of the ingredients that required longer cooking into the pot.

She had some culinary experience, and after seeing Baiyu's demonstration, she knew how to eat it.

Setting aside the initial awkwardness of the unfamiliar technique and their lack of experience, once they grew accustomed to the hot pot, everyone became hopelessly addicted to its deliciousness.

Itachi was the most exaggerated of them all, using the same speed he employed for hand seals to snatch several pieces of lamb right out from under Baiyu's nose, attempting to strike at Baiyu's pride.

As the last piece of lamb hit the pot, "Thunder Breathing!"

Baiyu took a deep breath, entering a state of total concentration.

That brat Itachi actually dared to steal his meat!

He had to teach him a lesson and make him understand who the captain was, and who was the boss!

Under the effects of the breathing technique, his speed doubled, and Baiyu's hand speed finally kept pace with Itachi's.

"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"

Itachi's eyes turned red; he was truly getting desperate.

In his first clash with Baiyu, he had gone straight for the Sharingan.

Baiyu, caught off guard, fell for it immediately. By the time he reacted, the lamb was already in Itachi's mouth.

Baiyu resentfully dropped a piece of beef tripe into the pot and shot a glance at him.

Uchiha Itachi! I'll remember this.

Miroku watched the two of them, dumbfounded. With Baiyu looking after little Shion, she managed to get some meat, while Miroku herself had to settle for the potatoes that had been boiling for a while.

"Is this really how ninjas eat?"

Miroku felt she had truly broadened her horizons today. Seeing how close Shion was to Baiyu, she couldn't help but feel a sense of worry.

If her daughter grew up to be like this... it would be terrifying.

Miroku didn't even dare to imagine it and immediately decided to focus her conditions on material compensation.

Following the secret rivalry between Itachi and Baiyu, the meal ended quickly.

Baiyu lost by a slight margin because he was busy looking after little Shion, as some of the meat and vegetables ended up in her belly.

Itachi revealed a rare smile, stood up to stretch, and walked out the door.

Miroku pulled her daughter over and held her in her arms.

"Baiyu-kun, you must know quite a bit about the demons of the Land of Demons, right?"

After such a long period of buffering, Miroku had gradually regained her composure from the initial excitement, guessing that Baiyu must have some understanding of the demons; otherwise, he wouldn't possess the means to suppress the demon Moryo.

Baiyu leaned against the doorframe, holding his two swords in his arms, and remained silent.

"I hope you can help the Land of Demons solve the great trouble that is Moryo. We can pay you for your services."

Miroku continued.

"Demons, I can help you solve them, provided you can afford the price."

Baiyu replied.

As a Wanderer, money was a matter of principle.

Baiyu wasn't short on cash, but no one ever complained about having too much.

Eliminating Moryo was something that had to be done anyway; why not get paid for it while he was at it?

Upon receiving Baiyu's confirmation, Miroku was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him.

Baiyu shook his head and said, "I am only agreeing to your request for Shion's sake."

The ethereal mindset Shion possessed had deeply moved Baiyu.

In the pursuit of the sword, one sometimes required such a state of mind.

The system's Sword Master quest required the comprehension of three different Sword Hearts, and Shion's ethereal state might just be a path worth exploring.

It was precisely because of this that Baiyu's attitude toward Shion was so friendly.