Back to Konoha for a Group Meal 2/2

Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha fought in very similar ways. Both focused on details and excelled at spotting flaws and weaknesses in their enemies. Or perhaps Sasuke, who had once idolized Itachi Uchiha, was still unconsciously imitating him.

Naruto and Sasuke had improved at an astonishing rate, especially Sasuke.

At first, Sasuke lasting thirty seconds meant Hayato was going extremely easy on him. About a month later, Sasuke's Sharingan could already see through Hayato's threads and tenketsu strikes.

This meant Sasuke could last one or two minutes against Hayato.

Seeing through something did not mean being able to counter it.

It meant Sasuke was less pathetic when dodging, but without sufficient strength and speed to break through or counterattack, it was ultimately useless.

As soon as Hayato struck Sasuke's tenketsu, Sasuke was immediately done for.

Sasuke was trying to use his Sharingan to see through the tenketsu strikes, but he had not succeeded yet.

Naruto had become increasingly proficient with his Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, and his ways of using it had grown more varied. Nonsense applications like the Sexy Jutsu and Harem Jutsu were two such examples.

Setting aside his prejudice, Sasuke discovered through sparring with Naruto that Naruto's seemingly reckless moves always contained unexpected details. If he let his guard down, he could get turned around at any moment, so he had no choice but to take him seriously.

After pinning Naruto to the ground once more, Sasuke said disdainfully, "Naruto, if you want to defeat me, train for another ten thousand years."

Naruto was so furious that he started shouting and jumped up, demanding another round.

Sasuke decisively refused.

Not everyone had endless chakra like Naruto.

Hayato watched from the side.

Though Sasuke sounded contemptuous, his gaze was serious. He had probably already acknowledged Naruto's strength in his heart. Mocking him was more like a habit between close friends.

Time passed quickly, and construction on the bridge spanning the sea in the Land of Waves entered its final stage.

Team Kakashi's mission came to a successful conclusion.

After a reluctant farewell with Tazuna's family, everyone set off on their journey back to Konoha.

June—the Month of Waterless Moon. The group finally arrived outside Konoha's gates.

The guards were still those two deadbeats, Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu.

After registering, they had barely entered the village.

Naruto looked expectantly at Kakashi. "Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei, we've been away from the village for so long. I really miss the food here. Let's go eat at Ichiraku Ramen."

Kakashi asked Hatake Kaito, "What about you? Want to get ramen?"

Hatake Kaito said, "We want to go to Yoshimaru BBQ Restaurant. Hayato is a super VIP there. Not only does he get fifty percent off, he also gets a whole bunch of complimentary items."

Sakura licked her lips. "I heard Yoshimaru BBQ Restaurant introduced Supreme Lantern Shadow Beef with Ice and Fire, as well as Rainbow Grilled Meat. Their ratings are extremely high. Even the daimyo of the Land of Fire specifically came to try them. Reservations are booked through the end of the year, so ordinary people can't get in." She sounded utterly disappointed.

Sarara said, "I don't know about anyone else, but if Hayato goes, there'll definitely be room."

"Eh, why?"

Sarara said proudly, "Haha, because Hayato invented Lantern Shadow Beef, and Rainbow Grilled Meat was his idea too."

"Eh!"

Everyone who had not known was stunned.

Unfazed by either praise or disgrace, Hayato casually cupped his hands, indicating that it was basic stuff and not worth making a fuss over.

"Ahem." Kakashi said, "Raise your hand if you vote for Ichiraku Ramen."

"Me, me..." Naruto raised both hands in favor.

Sakura glared furiously at Naruto.

Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets, looking cool and expressionless.

Kakashi said, "The minority follows the majority. Let's go, Yoshimaru BBQ Restaurant."

"How can you do this?!" Naruto wailed.

Sakura glared, clenching her fists. "Are you coming or not? If not, get lost."

Naruto immediately gave in. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Why wouldn't I? Kakashi-sensei is treating us anyway."

Kakashi: ???

When did I say I was paying?

"Long live Kakashi-sensei!"

By pure coincidence, Team Eight and Team Ten were having a group meal there as well.

Team Eight's leader was Kurenai Yuhi, while Team Ten's was Asuma Sarutobi. The two were lovers, so the teams often ate together.

"Yo! Kurenai, Asuma, long time no see." Kakashi greeted them.

"Kakashi, it has been a while. Judging by the way you look, did you just return from a mission?" Asuma waved. "Want to push our tables together and eat? We just got here too."

It was clear that only sauces were on the table; the meat and vegetables had not been served yet.

"Then let's eat together."

The two tables were pushed together, making fifteen people in total, with relationships complicated enough to make a youth idol drama.

Sasuke was the most aloof. His relationships with the people from Teams Eight and Ten were both fairly ordinary.

Hayato suddenly remembered the girl at the flower shop near Konoha Hospital. So she was Yamanaka Ino. Her hair had not been tied into a ponytail back then, so he had not recognized her at first.

Why had Hayato remembered that time?

Because Yamanaka Ino was pretty, and Hayato had looked at her a few extra times.

Sarara viciously pinched Hayato's thigh, warning him with her eyes. "What are you staring at that girl for?"

Hayato looked innocent. "When was I staring? Besides, where is she—"

Sarara smiled as her hand tightened further.

Hayato comforted himself. A man who had never been pinched black and blue by a woman was incomplete. I'm... just especially complete.

Not to mention the private "exchange" between Hayato and Sarara.

Yamanaka Ino liked Sasuke as well, so she and Sakura Haruno were both friends and rivals.

Hinata Hyuga of Team Eight was the Hyuga Clan's heiress of this generation.

Upon seeing Hayato, Hinata greeted him softly with a blush. "Hayato-kun is here too. How did you end up with, um, this..."

Hinata liked Naruto. She probably wanted to ask how Hayato had ended up eating barbecue with Naruto.

"Oh, we just happened to run into each other." Hayato answered with a smile.

Beside them, Kurenai Yuhi let out a breath of relief. She knew of Hyuga Neji's existence, and she also knew of his resentment toward the Main Branch. That resentment had been transferred onto Hinata, whom he had once liked.

She had been afraid Hayato would be like Neji, which would definitely be a huge blow to Hinata.

Fortunately, Hayato and Hinata were neither too close nor too distant.

Kiba Inuzuka, whose cheeks bore red inverted-triangle markings, stared curiously at Hayato. "You're Hinata's clansman, right? You have the same white eyes. I'm Hinata's teammate, Kiba Inuzuka. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, I'm Hyuga Hayato. Nice to meet you too."

Kiba Inuzuka was active and competitive by nature, and he was Naruto's rival. Hayato had not expected him to greet him so politely, which surprised him a little.

Hayato looked at Shino Aburame, who was sitting in the corner with no sense of presence at all. "Hey, Shino, what are you doing? Pretending to be air? You saw me and didn't even say hello?"

"Big Brother Hayato."

"Wow, that reluctant? You really are blaming me." Hayato sighed. "Putting a bucket of water above the door you passed through was to train your reflexes. Pushing you into the river was to teach you how to swim. Spraying insecticide in your room was to improve your bugs' adaptability. You were only five back then. Why are you holding such a grudge?"

"If the bucket had not contained ink that was difficult to wash off, if there had not been crocodiles in the river, and if the insecticide had not been specifically made for Kikaichū, I might have believed you." Shino Aburame said gloomily.

Everyone looked at Hayato.

Are you a demon? Doing such terrifying things to a five-year-old child?

Hayato said, "Why are you looking at me? I didn't do it. Shishin did."

Shino Aburame said, "You really didn't do it, but weren't you the one laughing the hardest?!"

Hayato gave an awkward laugh. "Ha, ha. You might not believe it, but I was rather naughty as a child."

[PS] Thanks to Dream Spirit Feather, the protagonist's dad, and God's Forgotten Moon for their 1 recommendation vote each; Phantom Wanderer Cultivating Truth for their recommendation vote; Harmless Ghost, Shallow Smile Sleeping Peacefully, and Wind's Contractor for their 4 recommendation votes; Call Me Old Wang Next Door for 5 recommendation votes; and hle for 6 recommendation votes.

[PS] Thanks to SEANGEL for the 500-point reward. Thank you.

[PS] See you tomorrow for the next chapter. Please bookmark and vote.