Barbecue shop.
"Pakura, I'm in a good mood today, let's eat a little more."
"I even brought some strong liquor—let's drink a bit, then go home and relax!"
Gekko Chizan really did pull a bottle of medicinal liquor out from his chest pocket. He'd brewed it himself a few months back, having made several trips to Orochimaru's research base to gather herbs for it.
Tsk tsk, all premium ingredients—deer antler, deer embryo, and that's nothing compared to this hundred-year-old ginseng!
"You drink it yourself! That liquor of yours isn't for humans to drink!"
At the mention of medicinal liquor, Pakura's face instantly flushed red. She glared at him viciously, just short of slapping him across the face.
She remembered that night vividly. She still had no idea where this bastard had gotten such a thing.
Wait—hadn't this idiot given two whole jars of medicinal liquor as a wedding gift to Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto? Hmph. Definitely something he picked up from his teacher.
He said it was "scientific research," but all he ever did was mess around with shady things!
Orochimaru: …I did not! I'm being framed! That worthless disciple of mine brewed it on his own!
Gekko Chizan: Right, exactly! My teacher recommended it to me, and I got all the materials from him!
He walked into the barbecue shop with a grin, but the next moment, Gekko Chizan froze.
What did he just see?
That head of blond hair, and that head of red hair—what was this?
Weren't those two supposed to be having some romantic candlelit dinner at home? Why were they here?
Even Pakura stopped in her tracks, because she too remembered the way Minato had looked in the crystal ball—so frantic, so helpless.
"Eh? Chizan, you're back from a mission?"
"Come join us!"
At that moment, Minato seemed to have completely forgotten the heartbreak of his ruined candlelight dinner, eating happily with Kushina instead.
When he spotted his friend, he immediately called him over, his eyes also falling on the bottle of liquor in Chizan's hand.
"Tsk tsk, really, bringing your own booze to a restaurant?"
"But it looks pretty good… pour me a cup!"
Gekko Chizan: …
Pakura: …
"Pakura, come, sit by me. Let those two make their fuss."
"Oh, and Chizan, pour me a cup too. That liquor looks interesting."
Kushina dragged Pakura over to her side and pressed her down into a seat, casually pulling out two cups and placing them on the table.
Minato also tugged Chizan closer. From this distance, Chizan could smell the alcohol on him.
Clearly, Minato had already had quite a bit to drink. But Chizan understood—after all, having your carefully prepared romantic dinner ruined three times in a single evening would sour anyone's mood.
"Chizan, you don't know how I've suffered today."
"I'd planned everything perfectly… sigh!"
"But one after another, three groups of people barged into my house and ruined the whole thing."
"So we had no choice but to come out for barbecue instead."
"Come on, pour already, don't be stingy!"
Drunk Minato had turned into a chatterbox, completely overturning Chizan's impression of him.
Usually so serious—turns out, when drunk, he wouldn't shut up. The prim and proper ones were always the secretly cheeky ones.
"You two are sure you want to drink this?"
Chizan asked uncertainly. He knew exactly how potent his medicinal liquor was.
It wasn't meant for casual drinking—it was brewed for… very energetic nights. He only drank it when the timing was right.
"Of course we'll drink it! Why wouldn't we?"
"Or are you just too stingy to share? Pour it already!"
Well, since they said that, Chizan didn't argue anymore. He poured Minato and Kushina each a cup.
He poured one for himself too.
"Pakura, won't you have a drink?"
"Come on, just one cup!"
"Chizan! What are you doing—pour one for Pakura too!"
Kushina, seeing her friend left out, immediately insisted.
Already a fiery redhead, once she had a bit of alcohol her whole face turned scarlet. She really looked like a chili pepper now.
"I'll pass. I haven't been feeling well lately, so no alcohol for me."
Pakura waved her hands quickly. She knew exactly what this liquor could do. She wasn't drinking it.
She still hadn't forgotten what had happened that day, nor her sorry state the morning after. Better to avoid it altogether.
"Really? Fine, suit yourself."
"Boss, get a cup of orange juice!"
The barbecue continued as Chizan raised his cup.
"As they say, plans never keep up with changes. Since we've run into each other, Minato, let me toast you!"
Minato clinked glasses with him and downed the entire cup in one gulp.
Chizan's eyes twitched violently, nearly popping out of his head.
Brother, that's medicinal liquor, not ordinary sake!
Do you know how strong it is? Do you know how many herbs went into it? And you just downed it like water?!
When he turned his gaze, Chizan's mouth twitched again. Kushina had also emptied hers in a single gulp.
Well, of course—they were a couple after all. Even their drinking style matched. Tsk tsk, tonight was going to get lively.
"Hey, what's with sipping like a goldfish? Can't you drink it all at once?"
"Who do you think you're looking down on?"
Gekko Chizan: …I give up. This stuff is for sipping, not slamming down in one go!
He glanced at his own cup of liquor, then at Pakura—whose eyes were full of mockery. That look ignited his competitive spirit.
Hah! Fine, so it's all about downing it in one shot?
He tipped his head back and drained it in one go. Feeling the fiery burn of the liquor, Chizan almost roared.
Then he quietly muttered to Chōmei inside him: "Chōmei… make sure to secretly burn off the alcohol for me later…"
Chōmei: …You little brat. If you can't drink, stop pretending! And now I have to clean up after you.
As the barbecue went on, Minato and Kushina's faces grew redder and redder, making Chizan and Pakura click their tongues.
Clearly, the liquor's effects were kicking in.
"So hot…"
"Boss, don't you have any ventilation in here? It's getting hotter and hotter."
The shop owner stared at Kushina's flushed face, struck speechless.
Minato didn't say anything, but he was already down to just a thin short-sleeve shirt.
Even then, he was sweltering, his head spinning from the heat and the alcohol.
"What's going on tonight? Why is it so hot?"
"Forget eating, I feel like I could run dozens of kilometers right now."
Chizan had also drunk quite a bit, but with Chōmei's help, he was perfectly fine.
"Tsk tsk, you two lightweights really can't hold your liquor. Just a little, and look at you."
"I'll have you know, I'm famous for drinking a thousand cups without getting drunk!"
Listening to his bragging, Pakura rolled her eyes. Others might not know, but she certainly did.
This bastard was just using the Tailed Beast's strength to suppress the alcohol. She'd learned that the hard way herself.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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