The birthday banquet was a lively affair. The entire third and fourth floors were packed with guests, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Exquisitely carved crystal chandeliers cast warm yellow light down, illuminating the friendly or polite smiles on the guests' faces.
After Senju Tenpuku delivered his speech, Tsubasa, dressed in a well-tailored red robe, walked steadily and confidently toward the stage, his posture upright and his appearance elegant. In his hand, he tightly gripped the rune megaphone, which emitted a faint glow and flowed with a mysterious aura, adding a touch of fantasy to this solemn birthday banquet.
Standing on the stage, Tsubasa slightly raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over all the guests. His eyes were bright and sincere, carrying just the right amount of enthusiasm and respect, making every guest who met his eyes truly feel that their arrival was highly valued.
"Respected elders, relatives and friends," Tsubasa began, his voice carrying clearly and powerfully through the rune megaphone across the entire third and fourth floors, "On this auspicious day, on behalf of my entire family, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and warmest welcome to every distinguished guest who has taken the time to attend!" He bowed slightly, performing a standard greeting with elegant and fluid movements.
"My grandfather, he is the pillar of our family, the guiding star on our life's journey. With his lifelong wisdom, kindness, and resilience, he sheltered us from the storms of life and guided us as we grew." At this point, a tenderness flickered in Tsubasa's eyes, and a smile unconsciously curved his lips. "Today, we gather here to celebrate his 60th birthday, hoping that this joy, like this warm light, will illuminate the hearts of each of us."
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted, and the guests nodded, their faces beaming with blessings. Tsubasa paused slightly, waiting for the applause to subside, before continuing, "Let the banquet begin! Please serve the dishes!" He then announced the name of each dish as it was served, along with the ingredients and how to prepare it.
Soon, waiters pushed carts to each table, bringing out delicious food. The first dish, "Longevity with Pine and Crane," a cold appetizer symbolizing a birthday celebration, was served. The exquisite presentation, with cucumbers, carrots, and other ingredients meticulously carved into the shapes of pine trees and cranes, was breathtaking. The guests gasped in amazement, Hashirama Senju exclaimed, "This isn't just food, it's a work of art!" Mito Uzumaki, at the same table, chimed in, "Such exquisite dishes are almost too beautiful to eat."
Immediately afterwards, the steaming hot Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was served. The rich broth, infused with abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and other delicacies, filled the air with its aroma. "I've never had Buddha Jumps Over the Wall before! The flavor is so rich, the ingredients are so fresh, and every bite is bursting with freshness!" The Lady of the Land of Fire praised enthusiastically. The daimyo sitting beside her nodded in agreement. "Yes, the flavors of every ingredient are perfectly blended. I've never tasted anything like it before; it's so delicious."
The braised prawns were served; the prawn meat was tender and coated in a rich sauce. "These prawns are really big, and the meat is so firm," said Uchiha Tomioki. The Uchiha Clan Head's wife, who was at the same table, picked up a prawn, savored it, and said, "The sauce is just perfect; it's a perfect balance of salty and sweet, bringing out the prawns' natural flavor."
The lifelike squirrel-shaped mandarin fish was placed on the table, and as soon as it was set down, a sweet and sour sauce was poured over it, making a sizzling sound. Uchiha Uguisu, the daughter of the Uchiha Clan Head, clapped her hands excitedly. "Wow, it looks just like a real little squirrel!" Hyuga Muyan, the daughter of the Hyuga Clan next to her, smiled and said, "This dish looks beautiful and tastes delicious."
The stewed crab roe was served, the broth clear and the crab roe delicious. "This soup is so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off!" Chozan Akimichi exclaimed exaggeratedly. Momiji Yamanaka, sitting next to him, joked, "Then you'd better watch out for your eyebrows!" The whole table burst into laughter.
The rich yet not greasy lion's head meatballs melted in the mouth. An elderly man from the Senju Clan slowly chewed them, nodding in praise, "This dish called lion's head meatballs is cooked to be tender, fresh, and fragrant. The cooking time and seasoning are impeccable. I haven't had anything so delicious in a long time." The people at the table all agreed.
The aroma of Longjing shrimp, infused with the fragrance of tea, was served. The shrimp were pure white, and the tea leaves were emerald green. "This dish is refreshing and elegant; the tea fragrance and the freshness of the shrimp blend together perfectly, creating a unique flavor," a noblewoman from the Land of Fire remarked softly. Her friend nodded in agreement, "Yes, it's refreshing and delicious."
The fragrant and spicy Kung Pao Chicken was served, with crunchy peanuts. "This dish called Kung Pao Chicken is incredibly spicy, and the peanuts are especially crunchy," said Uchiha Setsuna, who loves spicy food. Uchiha Uguisu, sitting at the same table, frowned slightly. "It's a bit too spicy for me, but the taste is indeed very good."
The fragrant beggar's chicken was wrapped in mud and roasted, the meat tender and juicy. The moment the waiter broke the mud and unveiled the lotus leaf, the aroma wafted out. "Wow, it smells so good!" the guests exclaimed. Tobirama Senju smiled and said, "This beggar's chicken retains the most original flavor of the chicken; it's a truly unique cooking method, I've never seen anything like it before."
"This turtle egg soup is very nutritious, with a rich and flavorful broth." The Lady of the Land of Fire remarked. The Lady of the Fire Country chimed in, "Yes, serving this soup at a birthday banquet has a very auspicious meaning."
The corn and pork rib soup was delicious, the sweetness of the corn infused into the broth. Hyuga Muyan looked incredibly adorable as she drank it with obvious enjoyment. Tennin Hyuga chuckled and patted her head, "Drink more if you like it."
"The mushroom and chicken soup is so flavorful; the aroma of the mushrooms makes the soup even richer." Sasuke Sarutobi said, "This mushroom and chicken soup is so delicious; it warms me up from head to toe." Everyone at the table agreed that the soup was comforting.
"The tempura is exquisitely presented, with a crispy outer layer." "Finally, a dish I've had that I've actually had! This tempura is fried perfectly, with a thin and crispy crust," commented Dansuke Shimura. The person next to him nodded in agreement. "The ingredients are also very fresh; you can really taste their natural flavors."
The sizzling, oily grilled meat emitted an enticing aroma. "This grilled meat makes my mouth water just looking at it," Chozan Akimichi, eagerly picking up a piece of meat with tongs. Natsuki Gekko smiled and said, "Try it! It'll be amazing with this special sauce."
Thinly sliced sashimi, served with flavorful soy sauce and wasabi. "This sashimi is so thinly sliced, it looks incredibly fresh." Utatane Koharu carefully dipped a piece in the wasabi soy sauce, put it in her mouth, and closed her eyes slightly to savor it. "Mmm, fresh and smooth, so delicious."
Tender and flavorful grilled eel and crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside grilled fish were served one after another, and the guests praised the unique taste as they savored them. When the fragrant beef and potato stew was brought out, its rich aroma once again drew exclamations of admiration. "The beef is stewed until it's tender and flavorful, and the potatoes have absorbed the beef broth perfectly. It's so delicious!" said Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As dish after dish was served, the guests were immersed in the delicious food, with praise and laughter echoing throughout the banquet, adding to the joyful and wonderful atmosphere of the birthday celebration.
After most of the dishes had been served, Tsubasa shouted loudly, "Next, let us raise our glasses together to Grandpa's health and longevity, and to the happiness and prosperity of all the families in our Land of Fire and Konoha! Cheers!" He raised the wine glass on the table, which was already filled with juice, and looked up at the main table of the banquet hall with a firm and expectant gaze. There, sitting today's birthday star—his most beloved grandfather, Senju Yasuhei.
The banquet hall was brightly lit, and birthday wishes rang out one after another like a machine gun. Senju Yasuhei smiled broadly, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed repeatedly to the guests present, thanking them profusely.
Then, he walked steadily onto the stage, each step firm and powerful. Tsubasa, who was next to him, quickly handed him a rune microphone. Senju Yasuhei reached out and took it, gently tapping the microphone to make two "bang" sounds, testing the sound.
"Thank you all for coming to celebrate this old man's birthday!" Senju Yasuhei's voice was loud and clear, immediately drawing everyone's attention. "Standing beside me is my grandson, Tsubasa. This child has been pitiful since he was little, bedridden for more than six years, and has only now fully recovered. He is a clever and sensible boy, and I will have to ask you all to take good care of him in the future. Yasuhei thanks you in advance!" As he spoke, he pulled Tsubasa over, gently pushed his grandson forward, looked at Tsubasa with a loving face, and then turned to look at everyone.
"Those who know me well know that I, Senju Yasuhei, have always been kind to others. I don't offend others unless they offend me; but if anyone dares to offend me, humph, I am not one to be trifled with, and I have my own ruthless methods!" As he said this, Senju Yasuhei's eyes suddenly sharpened, as if he could see through everything. He clenched his fist, his posture as if he was about to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy who came to attack.
Upon hearing this, the guests' previously relaxed expressions instantly turned serious, and a slight commotion arose in the crowd. Some looked on with reverence, nodding repeatedly; others frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought.
"I'm a man who fought my way up from the Warring States period!" Senju Yasuhei tilted his head slightly, his gaze deep, as if he had traveled through time back to those war-torn years. "In my life, I have only two hobbies: saving people and killing people!" His voice trembled slightly. "The number of people who have died at my hands is countless, so I have many enemies as well." He sighed softly, his face full of vicissitudes.
"In my life, I have seven sons, each one an extraordinary individual, truly remarkable!" Speaking of his sons, Senju Yasuhei's eyes reddened slightly, and his voice choked with emotion. "But... but six of them sacrificed themselves for the family..." He raised a hand to wipe his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. "Now, only my youngest son and his family remain. I ask for nothing more than for him to live a peaceful and joyful life."
The guests listened, their faces showing deep emotion; some of the women even couldn't help but sob softly. Someone in the crowd whispered, "I never imagined the Senju Clan had such a tragic past." "Yes, it's truly admirable and heartbreaking."
"So, our lineage chose to go into business, hoping to live peacefully as good merchants of the Land of Fire and good civilians of Konoha." Senju Yasuhei's tone gradually calmed down. "But some people just won't let us have peace!" A flash of anger crossed his eyes, and he slammed his hand on the table. "A while ago, they actually sent someone to assassinate this child beside me!" He shielded Tsubasa behind him, as if the danger hadn't dissipated. "They forced our family, the old, the weak, the women, and the children, to take up the sword again!"
A murmur of shock rippled through the crowd. People whispered amongst themselves, their faces filled with astonishment. "Someone actually dared to assassinate a member of the Senju Clan! They must have a death wish!" "This has really enraged the Senju Clan."
" The Shinozuka Clan and Yamamoto Clan paid the price for their madness; they were all wiped out!" Senju Yasuhei's voice was cold and devoid of emotion. "I know there must be some who escaped, but I really don't want to exterminate them all." He slowly closed his eyes, his face full of exhaustion. "I only hope that no one will come to assassinate my family again. Can't we just live peacefully together in this beautiful Konoha?"
Senju Yasuhei paused, a relieved smile appearing on his face, "From the very founding of Konoha, I decided to lay down my weapons and become a healer who saves lives. So let all those past grudges go with the wind!"
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, with guests nodding in approval. " Senju Yasuhei is truly a man of great principle!" "Yes, it's not easy to let go of hatred."
"Finally, to thank everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my birthday banquet, I've prepared some small gifts," Senju Yasuhei said with a smile, waving his hand. "My son and daughter-in-law will distribute them to you shortly. These are VIP membership cards for the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Tower restaurant; instructions for use are on the back. I hope you all like these little gifts."
Everyone's faces lit up with surprise, and many people couldn't wait to crane their necks to see what the VIP card looked like.
"Thank you all again for attending this birthday banquet!" Senju Yasuhei raised his glass high. "I wish the Land of Fire and Konoha prosperity and strength, harmony among all races, and a glorious future together! May there be no more war in the world, and may the country be peaceful and prosperous!" After saying this, he tilted his head back, drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, and gestured to the distinguished guests.
All the guests stood up and raised their glasses in response. For a moment, laughter and joy echoed throughout the banquet hall, as if all the previous grudges and thrilling events had truly vanished in the wind with Senju Yasuhei's words.