Another One Had Fallen

Lu Yu snapped off some thin branches from a nearby tree, then drew a sharp short blade from behind his waist with his right hand.

The blade was about a foot and two inches long. Its black scabbard was made of tough leather, though Lu Yu had no idea what animal it came from.

All he knew was that his dad treasured the blade and had kept it safely tucked away, unable to bear using it.

The handle was about five inches long. It had no fancy decorations, yet it gave off an antique feel. It fit perfectly in his hand and was exceptionally comfortable to hold.

He drew the blade without making a sound. Its seven-inch blade was like a pool of autumn water, so thin it seemed almost transparent, and it radiated a chilling cold.

Lu Yu had fallen in love with the broken blade the first time he saw it. After sneaking it out to use a few times recently, he'd become even more attached to it.

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

Lu Yu picked up the branch he'd just snapped off and shaved its tip with the blade. The edge slid across the wood as smoothly as if cutting through tofu.

After just a few strokes, the tip of the branch was sharp.

Lu Yu slid the blade back into its scabbard and tucked it behind his waist again. Then he took the prepared twigs to the lakeshore.

He cleaned the large fish he'd caught by the water.

Whether scraping off scales or gutting them, the sharp broken blade made everything easy.

For Lu Yu, who had been grilling fish for over two months, this was no challenge. In just fifteen minutes, he'd finished preparing all the fish.

Lu Yu found some large leaves in the woods, washed them in the stream, then placed the cleaned fish on top.

He made several little racks from thick branches, then threaded the cleaned fish onto the thin branches he'd just sharpened.

He rummaged through his small backpack for various seasonings and some leaves he'd specially picked. After rubbing them evenly inside the fish, he placed them on the grill made of thick branches.

Before long, a distinctive aroma began wafting above the fire. It was rich and carried a temptation all its own.

As Lu Yu slowly turned the fish, they gradually turned golden, and the rich fragrance made them look especially appetizing.

For the first batch, Lu Yu grilled only two fish and prepared the rest for later.

Grilling too many at once made it easy to lose control of the heat.

"That smells so good!"

Just then, a delighted cry rang out, clear and sweet. It was none other than Ino.

Ino blinked her lovely eyes, delight written across her pretty face as she stared fixedly at Lu Yu's grilled fish.

Seeing how impatient Ino looked, Lu Yu said helplessly,

"Wait a little longer. It's not quite cooked through yet."

"Gulp..."

Ino could hardly stand the smell. She swallowed with difficulty, then sat beside Lu Yu, gazing at him with pleading eyes and resting her little head on his shoulder as she kept murmuring,

"Is it ready yet? I can smell how good it is."

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

Two minutes later, Lu Yu helplessly handed Ino a fully cooked fish.

"Wow, it smells amazing~~~"

As she spoke, Ino took the fish Lu Yu handed her and sat down nearby, making an unladylike fuss about how hot it was as she cautiously ate.

One bite was enough to surprise her with how delicious it was. Ino's eyes crinkled into pretty crescents as she happily exclaimed that it was delicious, eating until her hands were covered in oil.

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

Lu Yu watched Ino quickly finish her fish, then skillfully placed two more prepared fish on the rack to grill.

By the time Ino had devoured both fish, the second batch still wasn't ready.

Lu Yu stared at her, speechless. She sat beside him looking pitiful, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on the fish that was almost done.

Still, girls didn't have very big appetites. After eating three fish, Ino announced that she was taking a break.

Lu Yu had been hungry for a while, so he kept grilling and ate one himself.

The grilled fish really was delicious. Though none of the dozen or so fish were particularly large, there was still plenty to eat, and in the end the two of them finished them all.

"That was so good. I've never had grilled fish this delicious. Lu Yu, you're amazing at cooking. It's even better than the grilled fish at those restaurants."

Lu Yu affectionately patted Ino's little head and smiled.

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

"Mm..."

After eating their fill, Ino and Lu Yu lay comfortably on the lounge chair. It was big, and they were both still young, so they weren't cramped lying together.

Ino stretched contentedly and took a sip of Lu Yu's milk tea, unable to help sighing,

"This is the life..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Ino's expression through the crystal ball. It had become eighty percent like Lu Yu's, and he couldn't help feeling speechless.

"It's over. Another one has fallen..."

Meanwhile, Iruka watched the sky grow dark, utterly baffled.

What was going on? School was almost over, but the four of them showed no sign of coming back. Were they planning a revolt?