Another One Falls

Lu Yu snapped a few thin branches from a nearby tree and reached behind his waist with his right hand to draw a sharp short blade.

This short blade was about one foot and two inches long, housed in a black sheath made of tough leather—Lu Yu had no idea what kind of animal it had come from.

He only knew that his old man treated this blade like a precious treasure, keeping it tucked away and never willing to use it.

The hilt was about five inches long; it lacked any flashy decorations, yet it possessed a rustic, ancient feel, and it fit into his hand not only perfectly but with exceptional comfort.

He drew the blade from its sheath without a sound; the seven-inch edge shimmered like a pool of autumn water, and the thin, almost translucent blade radiated a chilling, lethal aura.

Lu Yu had fallen in love with this short blade the first time he saw it, and after sneaking it out to use a few times recently, he found he couldn't put it down.

It was hard to imagine that such an incredibly sharp short blade existed in the world of Naruto.

Lu Yu picked up the branch he had just snapped off and shaved the tip with the short blade; the edge glided through the wood as if it were slicing into tofu, meeting no resistance at all.

In a few quick strokes, the tip of the branch was whittled to a sharp point.

Lu Yu slid the blade back into its sheath, tucked it behind his waist, and carried the prepared branches to the lakeside.

He cleaned the large fish he had caught right there by the water.

Whether it was scaling or gutting, the sharp blade made the work effortless.

For Lu Yu, who had been grilling fish for over two months, this task was a breeze; in a quarter of an hour, a dozen fish were all cleaned and ready.

Lu Yu gathered some large leaves from the woods, washed them in the stream, and laid the cleaned fish upon them.

He fashioned a few small racks out of thick branches and skewered the cleaned fish with the thin branches he had whittled earlier.

He pulled various seasonings and some specific leaves he had gathered from his small satchel, rubbed them evenly into the bellies of the fish, and placed them onto the makeshift racks over the fire.

Before long, a unique, rich aroma began to drift above the fire, carrying a temptation that was all its own.

As Lu Yu slowly turned them, the fish gradually turned a golden yellow, looking exceptionally appetizing alongside that thick, fragrant scent.

Lu Yu only grilled two at a time, leaving the rest of the fish prepped and waiting.

If he grilled too many at once, it would be too easy to mess up the heat.

"It smells so good!"

Just then, a pleasant, surprised cry rang out—the crisp, melodic voice belonged to none other than Ino.

Ino blinked her beautiful eyes, her pretty face filled with delight as she stared intently at the grilling fish.

Seeing Ino's impatient expression, Lu Yu said helplessly:

"Wait a little longer, they aren't fully cooked yet."

"Gurgle..."

Ino couldn't handle the smell alone; she swallowed hard, sat down beside Lu Yu with a longing look, rested her little head on his shoulder, and kept muttering:

"Can I have it now? I can already smell how good it is."

"Is it ready yet? I'm so hungry..."

Two minutes later, Lu Yu resignedly handed the cooked fish to Ino.

"Wow, it smells so delicious~~~"

As she spoke, Ino took the fish from Lu Yu, sat down without a shred of decorum, and began to eat cautiously while shouting that it was "hot."

One bite in, the taste was unexpectedly good; Ino's eyes crinkled into beautiful crescent moons, and she ate with grease all over her hands, exclaiming how tasty it was.

"Hey, slow down, watch out for the bones..."

Seeing Ino finish the fish so quickly, Lu Yu skillfully placed two more prepared fish onto the wooden rack to continue grilling.

By the time Ino finished those two, the second round wasn't quite ready yet.

Lu Yu looked at Ino with black lines on his forehead; she sat beside him looking pitiful, her almond eyes locked onto the fish that were almost done.

However, a girl's appetite wasn't that large after all; after finishing her third fish, Ino announced she was taking a halftime break.

Lu Yu had been hungry for a while, so while he continued to grill, he ate one himself.

It had to be said, the grilled fish was incredibly delicious; although the dozen fish weren't huge, the total amount was substantial, and in the end, the two of them polished them all off.

"That was amazing. I've never had grilled fish this good. Lu Yu, your skills are just incredible—better than the fish at any of the restaurants."

Lu Yu affectionately patted Ino's head and smiled:

"I'm glad you like it. If you want more, I'll make it for you again next time."

"Mm..."

After eating their fill, Ino and Lu Yu lay back comfortably on the lounge chair. Since the chair was large and they were both still young, they didn't feel crowded lying together.

Ino stretched contentedly, took a sip of the milk tea Lu Yu had brought, and couldn't help but sigh:

"This is the life..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched through his crystal ball, seeing the expression on Ino's face becoming eight parts similar to Lu Yu's, and couldn't help but get black lines on his forehead:

"It's over, another one has fallen..."

Meanwhile, on the other side, Iruka stared at the darkening sky, completely bewildered.

What was going on? School was almost over, yet there was no sign of the four of them returning. Were they planning a mutiny?