Hidden Leaf Daily Life

Inside the barbecue restaurant, Rin pulled Kakashi and Lu Yan to sit on either side of her, then happily waved to the owner.

"Uncle Sasaki, we're back! Let's start with ten plates of barbecue!"

Sasaki, standing near the cash register, looked at the three of them and laughed. The flesh on his body immediately began to jiggle, and the waves of motion were truly worthy of the title of the Hidden Leaf's number-one barbecue chef.

"Rin, it's a rare holiday today, so I'll give you a fifty-percent discount."

"Thank you so much, Uncle Sasaki. Otherwise, I'd be broke again today."

Namikaze Minato had just walked in. When he heard about the discount, he immediately thanked Sasaki, looking as though he'd just saved his wallet.

"Minato, you and Kushina are getting married soon, right? You can't keep eating barbecue out all the time. You need to save up some private money."

Sasaki was clearly very familiar with Minato and Kushina. He teased them with a grin, then headed to the kitchen, apparently intending to cook for them himself.

Minato was left standing there, looking embarrassed. Beside him, Kushina's face had turned bright red, and she lowered her head to stare at her toes.

"Teacher, over here!"

Lu Yan was speechless as he watched. They were both over twenty, yet still so easily flustered. He called out to them, helping them out of their awkward situation.

"Little Obito, you've done well. I'll teach you a new Sealing Jutsu later."

When Kushina heard Obito call to her, she let out a sigh of relief. Ignoring the regulars at the barbecue restaurant who were watching with amused smiles, she grabbed Minato and hurried over.

"Teacher, I learned everything you had to teach me ages ago. Are you telling me you still have some secret techniques you haven't taught me?"

Lu Yan was puzzled. Last time, she'd said she had nothing left to teach him. Now she had something new? He hadn't expected Kushina, with her bold, imposing look, to pull this sort of trick too.

"No, there are still a few Sealing Jutsu that are very dangerous. They're powerful, but they consume a lot of chakra and can even cost you your life."

Kushina looked a little embarrassed as she hurried to explain.

"So they're not dangerous now?"

Lu Yan looked at Kushina as if he were deeply disappointed in her.

Kushina grew so embarrassed and angry under his gaze that she punched him right in the head.

"I just blurted it out without thinking! If you don't want to learn, forget it."

"I'll learn, I'll learn! Teacher, you're so good to me."

After receiving that loving punch, Lu Yan immediately straightened up. At the same time, he thought, Teacher, you're so good to me. One day, I'll teach your son with the same loving punches. You don't need to thank me.

Namikaze Minato watched the two of them play around, a faint smile on his face. A sudden wave of warmth filled his heart. Wasn't this peaceful, cozy scene exactly what he wanted to protect?

"Kakashi, here, eat some more barbecue. Don't just sit there spacing out by yourself."

Seeing how downcast and absent-minded Kakashi looked, Minato felt a pang of sympathy. His father's death must have affected him deeply. He still hadn't been able to move on.

"That's right, Kakashi. We'll all be here for you."

Rin placed a piece of meat on Kakashi's plate and tried to comfort him as well.

Watching this, Lu Yan suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. He paid it no mind, though, and instead seemed lost in thought.

Looks like Obito really does have a strong influence on me.

Lu Yan thought this without surprise. Back then, Obito had willingly let his soul dissipate and merge with Lu Yan's. So although Lu Yan was now in complete control, Obito's emotions and personality were still subtly influencing him.

You're jealous yourself, yet you want me to play matchmaker. Isn't that like making yourself a cuckold?

The thought made Lu Yan's head ache. Thanks to Obito's influence, he had a good impression of Rin, but it wasn't romantic. Lu Yan knew the difference perfectly well.

But how was he supposed to play matchmaker? With Kakashi looking like such a dead fish, he was absolutely hopeless.

"Obito, you should eat too."

Seeing Obito spacing out as well, Rin placed another piece of meat on Lu Yan's plate, her face bright with a smile.

What a sweet, innocent girl. Obito, your fashion sense may be terrible, but at least you have good taste in this department—even if she doesn't like you at all.

Looking at Rin's radiant smile, Lu Yan couldn't help thinking this. Then he started puzzling over how to play matchmaker again.

In the end, Lu Yan still hadn't figured it out by the time he finished eating and went home.

I was single in my previous life and a lifelong bachelor in the life before that. And now you want me to set people up? Obito, you're one hell of a genius.

Lu Yan gave up thinking about it. Rin seemed pretty proactive anyway. As long as he protected her and prevented the tragedy that lay ahead, maybe Kakashi would end up won over by Rin on his own.

The experiment is more important.

He rolled out of bed and decided to press on in one go and successfully brew the strengthening potion.

When he entered the Laboratory and looked at the shabby surroundings, Lu Yan sighed.

Almost there.

He touched the Stone Bead hanging around his neck, took out a fresh batch of potion ingredients, and began brewing the strengthening potion.

A short while later, Lu Yan was using the Three-Tomoe Sharingan to fuse the ingredients' spiritual properties when his expression suddenly changed. The three tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly, transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan as he opened Kamui.

Bang!

The test tube on the table burst apart. The resulting wave passed right through Lu Yan's intangible body without even wrinkling his clothes.

I refuse to believe this!

Lu Yan watched the ingredients scatter everywhere, his heart aching. That's money! Money I painstakingly borrowed from Danzo while using Kamui.

"These substitute ingredients are a bit different from the original formula. I don't have time to test them slowly, so I'll try using the Mangekyō directly. I wonder if my spiritual energy can handle it."

After quickly writing down his experimental notes, Lu Yan took out the last two sets of ingredients and prepared to brew the strengthening potion with the Mangekyō active.

Holding the test tube, Lu Yan opened his Mangekyō as wide as he could. Carefully, he used his own spiritual energy to maintain the balance between the ingredients' spiritual properties, then slowly fused them together.

Through the Mangekyō, the sap of the Senju Tree glowed a vivid green, brimming with the radiance of life. The Soul-Bright Flower and Star-Leaf Grass glowed red and blue, twisting around each other, while the Ninja Hawk's heart-blood gave off a scorching crimson glow. The other three ingredients maintained a delicate balance within the sap of the Senju Tree, slowly blending together.

At last, their spiritual properties fused completely. A crystalline purple light shot from the test tube, as beautiful as the most precious gemstone.

"It worked!"

Lu Yan spoke with barely contained excitement, then tiredly deactivated his Mangekyō. Brewing the potion while using the Mangekyō consumed far too much spiritual energy.