Gathering at Yakiniku Q, the Terrified Ino-Shika-Cho

Konoha Shopping Street, Yakiniku Q.

In the largest private room on the second floor, the charcoal fire burned fiercely. Fat sizzled from the pork belly on the grill, yet the atmosphere in the room was icy cold.

Minato Namikaze sat near the door, lifting his teacup for a sip.

Choza Akimichi held a pair of grilling tongs, his eyes fixed on the grill as he lowered his voice. "Minato, are you sure he's coming?"

"Yeah." Minato nodded.

"That wooden Buddha statue he made that day... how tall was it, exactly?" Inoichi Yamanaka leaned closer, lowering his voice even further. "I heard from my father that Root's elites didn't even get a chance to resist. They were crushed straight into pulp."

Choza swallowed, and the tongs in his hand trembled.

Shikaku Nara lounged half-reclined on the tatami and yawned. "Quit guessing. Even if all of us joined forces, we wouldn't be enough to take on one of his hands. Minato, you took a beating from him head-on in the arena that day. How did it feel?"

Minato set down his teacup and thought seriously for a moment. "Don't fight him in close combat again."

In the corner of the private room, Hiashi Hyuga sat properly on his knees with his arms folded, his face stern. He turned to his twin younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga. "The Senju Clan has been quiet for many years, yet they suddenly established their authority with exceptionally ruthless methods. As the eldest sons of our respective clans, when he arrives, remember to watch what you say and do."

Hizashi looked down at the empty teacup before him and answered, "Yes."

Tsume Inuzuka sat deepest inside the room. Her ninja hound, Kuromaru, usually loved making a fuss, but today he had unusually curled up by her feet, his tail tightly tucked between his hind legs as uneasy whimpers rumbled in his throat.

"What's wrong with Kuromaru?" Inoichi asked.

"I don't know." Tsume stroked Kuromaru's head. "He's been trembling since we came in."

Crash.

The wooden sliding door to the room was suddenly shoved open.

Nawaki stood in the doorway, dressed in an ordinary white short-sleeved shirt with a broad smile on his face. Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha stood behind him. Kushina poked her head in curiously, while Mikoto remained expressionless as her gaze swept across the room.

The room instantly fell dead silent.

The tongs slipped from Choza's hand. With a clatter, a piece of freshly grilled beef tongue fell into the charcoal fire, sending up a plume of black smoke.

Shikaku abruptly sat upright, forcing his yawn back down.

Hiashi's back straightened stiffly. Kuromaru shoved his head directly into Tsume's pant leg.

Everyone stared at the twelve-year-old boy in the doorway. Three days ago, this was the very person who had sat atop the head of a hundred-meter-tall wooden Buddha, looking down over all of Konoha.

As if he noticed nothing at all, Nawaki strode inside. He scanned the room, walked straight over to Choza, and squeezed down beside him.

"Sorry I'm late! I changed clothes before heading out." Nawaki picked up an unused pair of chopsticks from the table, reached toward the grill without ceremony, picked up a glistening piece of pork belly, and stuffed it straight into his mouth.

After chewing twice—

"Mmm!" Nawaki's eyes lit up. He gave Choza a thumbs-up. "Choza, you've got the heat down perfectly! Crispy on the outside, tender inside!"

Choza's mouth hung open for a full three seconds.

He looked at those chopsticks, then at Nawaki. Was this really the demon of the ninja world who had nailed Danzō to the ruins?

Nawaki turned toward the stiff crowd and waved. "Don't be so formal! Sit, sit! Minato, move in a little and make room for Kushina."

Minato obediently shifted inward.

The moment Kushina saw the meat on the grill, her eyes lit up too. She sat down and grabbed a pair of chopsticks. "Exactly! This meat looks even better than ramen!"

Mikoto walked over and sat on Nawaki's other side. Without saying a word, she picked up the tongs and began turning the meat on the grill with practiced movements.

No one in the room spoke. Only the charcoal crackled and sizzled, accompanied by the sounds of Nawaki chewing.

Nawaki swallowed the meat and reached into his pocket.

Smack.

A shockingly thick stack of bills was slapped onto the table. Every note was of the largest denomination. The visual impact was immense.

The entire room fell into another strange silence.

Nawaki patted the stack of money and said with a grin, "I'm treating today. Eat as much as you want. If it's not enough, order more. Even if you eat this place out of stock, it's on me."

Shikaku glanced at the money on the table, then at Nawaki, who was carelessly snatching meat to eat. His eyes shifted once, and he was the first to react.

A smile curled at Shikaku's lips as he raised the drink before him. "Since the young master of the Senju Clan is paying... there's no reason not to eat! Boss! More meat!"

That sentence instantly broke the seal on the private room.

Choza suddenly snapped back to himself, grabbing the grilling tongs as though fully revived. "Leave it to me! I'm the grilling god of the Akimichi Clan!"

Inoichi shouted along with him, "Waiter! Three more servings of premium wagyu! And ten more plates of beef tongue!"

For some inexplicable reason, the atmosphere became lively.

Nawaki held his bowl as he fought Choza for the last piece of tenderloin on the grill. Their chopsticks collided in midair with a series of clinks.

"Choza, you've already eaten three plates! This one's mine!"

"There are no brothers before grilled meat! Nawaki, let go!"

Kushina joined the battle, snatching the meat from between them with one sweep of her chopsticks. She stuffed it into her mouth and shouted indistinctly, "It's mine! Exactly!"

Mikoto sat quietly beside them, placing the two tenderest pieces of beef she had grilled into Nawaki's bowl. Nawaki promptly shoveled them into his mouth and smiled at Mikoto.

Tsume relaxed as well, tearing off a large bone and tossing it to Kuromaru by her feet. Kuromaru sniffed it, finally stopped trembling, and began gnawing on it.

Minato watched the scene before him, raised his teacup for a sip, and could not stop the corners of his mouth from lifting. The matter he had racked his brains over in the hospital three days ago now made perfect sense.

This person simply did not care about dignity or prestige.

They ate and drank their fill. Empty plates were piled across the table.

Nawaki leaned against the back of his chair, rubbing his belly as he burped. Choza had completely collapsed, lacking even the strength to move a finger.

Shikaku picked at his teeth as he looked at Nawaki. "I heard your sister plans to build a new clinic in the village?"

"You're well-informed." Nawaki picked up a toothpick. "The blueprints were just finished. If you get injured on missions in the future, just go to the Senju Clan Compound, give them my name, and you'll get twenty percent off."

Inoichi laughed. "Twenty percent off? The way you slapped down that money earlier, I thought it would be free."

"Even brothers settle accounts clearly." Nawaki said it as though it were only natural. "Do medicinal herbs grow for free?"

The atmosphere in the room was exceptionally harmonious. Just as everyone had completely let down their guard and was preparing to discuss where to go next—

Hiashi Hyuga put down his chopsticks.

He had barely spoken all night and had eaten very little. Now he sat up straight, placed both hands on his knees, and spoke in an extremely formal, even somewhat grave tone.

"Nawaki Senju."

The moment those four words came out, the atmosphere in the room instantly cooled.

Shikaku stopped picking his teeth. Choza barely opened his eyes. Minato set down his teacup.

Hiashi stared at Nawaki, his Byakugan appearing especially sharp beneath the dim lighting of the private room.

"???????????"

Hizashi, seated beside Hiashi, abruptly turned to look at his older brother. Clearly, he had not expected Hiashi to throw out such a pointed political question here, at this moment.

The room was so quiet that even the crackling of the charcoal could be heard clearly.

Mikoto put down the grilling tongs in her hand. Kushina stopped chewing.

Everyone waited for Nawaki's answer.