Glowing Cuisine

"Don't worry. I won't leak your secrets either. We're going to be family, after all!"

Nawaki forgot the pain the moment he recovered. He sprang to his feet in one swift motion.

The Senju Clan really was tough. Anyone else their age would have been lying on the ground, unable to move after what Eiji had put him through, but Nawaki had already recovered.

"But you're seriously amazing. If I had your skills, I'd get myself a whole bunch of girlfriends. I bet—ow!"

Before Nawaki could finish, Kushina stomped hard on his toes. He grabbed his foot and hopped around in pain.

"Okay! Now that we know you're healthy, Eiji, let's go have fun. There's so much to do at our place! Let's play a board game first!"

Ignoring Nawaki's cries, Kushina pulled Eiji toward the Ancestral Home. Tsunade glanced at Nawaki and covered her forehead with a helpless sigh.

She really needed to do something about her little brother. With a personality like that, how was he ever going to find a wife?

Kushina and Eiji had a wonderful time, and Eiji got a taste of what it felt like to have money to spare.

He had to admit, the calm confidence and easy conversation of rich people he'd seen in his past life made perfect sense.

Money broadened your outlook. He felt it just from staying in someone else's home, so how much more must the truly wealthy feel it?

Sitting cross-legged on the Tatami and watching Kushina's eager face, Eiji's mood soared. He'd finally found himself a rich little girl to rely on!

Money and a cute girl—his happy future was practically in sight.

Sorry, Minato. I'll make it up to you by teaching you the Rasengan early!

Once Nawaki learned how formidable Eiji was, he immediately started trying to get on his good side, bringing him every tasty treat he could find.

Nawaki believed connections mattered most in the Shinobi World. He might look foolish, but he knew his whole life depended on his sister Tsunade and Grandma Mito.

Once Grandma Mito was gone, he'd have only Tsunade to rely on. But she didn't exactly seem dependable... She couldn't even find a boyfriend!

He wouldn't dare say that to Tsunade, of course. He was afraid of her Monster Strength Fist.

And now that another potential protector had appeared, he had to stick close.

Mito Uzumaki usually cooked the Senju Clan's meals herself. She wasn't used to being waited on. Even when Hashirama was alive, she had always cooked for him personally.

But before dinner, Eiji offered to cook for everyone, which surprised Mito.

Still, she didn't think much of it and agreed. Kushina had told her Eiji was a decent cook, so he probably wouldn't make anything inedible.

Kushina followed Eiji into the kitchen. This was the perfect chance to watch him cook. She planned to learn his methods in secret and surpass him.

Eiji stood at the kitchen counter and washed his hands with practiced ease. He took vegetables and meat from the cupboards, the knife in his hand gleaming.

Rich people's kitchens really were impressive. Eiji had no intention of wasting such good equipment and ingredients.

He planned to show them what he could do. He didn't want to eat their food for free, and since he had this skill, he ought to use it. Otherwise, they might think he was just living off them!

That wouldn't do. How could the future strongest man in the Shinobi World live off someone else? He had to stand on his own feet!

He let out a long breath, then focused his gaze and began chopping!

Strangely, he had the Satoru Gojo Template, yet when he cooked, he was like Little Chef. The vegetables he chopped went flying high into the air before landing neatly together on a plate. Had he been born with a Little Chef Template too?

Watching Eiji's outrageous display, Kushina's eyes trembled. Once her mouth fell open, she couldn't close it.

H-how am I supposed to learn that!?

Waaah, I'm definitely going to lose. Kushina felt she might never surpass Eiji.

No wonder he had looked down on her that day. With skills like his, she might never set foot in a kitchen again!

Kushina could almost see the words "Kushina Forbidden Zone" over the kitchen doorway.

Outside the kitchen, Tsunade and the others were just as stunned.

"Is he even human?"

The apple Nawaki had just put in his mouth rolled onto the table. He couldn't help exclaiming at Eiji's godlike cooking.

Mito Uzumaki's eyes widened too. Kushina had only said the boy was a decent cook. But... was this merely decent?

Tsunade nearly fell off the sofa. It would be a shame if this kid didn't become a chef.

A wild thought struck her.

Could the Kekkei Genkai in his eyes have been created for cooking?

That power that keeps everything away from him is so no one can interrupt him while he cooks.

That force that draws things to him lets him grab ingredients faster.

Teleportation and flight let him serve guests quickly.

And the new Ninjutsu Eiji mentioned developing—could it be Food Release?

If the Sage of Six Paths exists in this world, Eiji must be the Cooking Sage reincarnated, Tsunade thought.

Eiji's first dish was Golden Fried Rice, the dish he had recreated from the first episode of Little Chef. He was confident he could make it every bit as good as Liu Mao Xing's.

As Eiji flipped the wok with one hand, sending the rice and eggs flying out before catching them neatly again, another round of amazed cries rang out.

He could probably make a good living as a chef, but Eiji had no intention of doing that.

The Six Eyes were excellent for cooking. They let him control the heat with precision and select the best ingredients, giving him the equivalent of Blazing Flame Yaxuan's control over fire and Little Chef's extraordinary sense of taste. But using them only to cook would be a terrible waste.

Once the food was ready, Eiji quickly plated it and covered it with a lid.

After all, for a Cooking Master Boy dish, that final step was essential!

By the time Eiji brought the covered fried rice to the table, Tsunade and Nawaki had long since grown impatient. They were already seated and waiting.

"Eiji, why did you put a lid on it?"

Nawaki looked puzzled.

"So it can glow, of course."

"Huh?"

Eiji lifted the lid. Golden light poured through the gap and soon dazzled everyone. They cried out in amazement at the blinding glow. Even Kushina, who had been beside him the whole time, stared in disbelief.

Why was this different from what I ate that day? It can actually glow! No wonder Eiji didn't seem to care.

"Wh-what kind of Ninjutsu is this!?" Nawaki asked at once.

"It's not Ninjutsu. It's just the light a dish gives off when it reaches a certain level of perfection."

"You're joking, right? How could anything that ridiculous happen?"

Tsunade didn't believe him, of course. But the tantalizing aroma kept teasing her appetite, and she couldn't wait to take a spoonful.

"Mmm!"

Once everyone tasted the fried rice, even Mito Uzumaki, usually so composed, couldn't stop herself from digging in.