Saitama led the three behind him to Barbecue Q.
The owner still stood at the door, greeting customers as always.
"Ah, welcome! You've arrived just in time—we still have seats available!"
Seeing the four approach, the fat owner scanned their forehead protectors, then bowed and came forward to guide Saitama and his companions inside.
Without a word, Saitama walked straight in. The environment remained as good as before—the shop hadn't added extra tables to squeeze out more profit.
Spacious seating arrangements and a peaceful setting were among this place's highlights.
"Bring us fifty platters of barbecue meat—medium spicy will do! And for drinks, just bring us some fruity wine—the one with the lowest alcohol content you've got!"
Already familiar with the place, Saitama set his sights on a corner seat by the wall while giving instructions to the owner who greeted him.
It was already mealtime, yet Saitama and his group were still among the first customers here today.
"Got it! Please make yourselves comfortable; I'll bring the barbecue right away!"
Hearing "fifty platters," the store owner recognized them as valuable customers, his face instantly lighting up into a wide smile like a blooming chrysanthemum.
After reaching the table, he even carefully wiped off the bench with a cloth before hurrying away to prepare their food.
Barbecue Restaurant had few staff—one cook in the kitchen, one dining area attendant, and himself made a total of three.
Luckily, the space wasn't too large, so three people could manage adequately.
Once the owner left, the three genin couldn't help but curiously observe their surroundings.
Although the room appeared quite spacious, there were surprisingly few tables, mostly because of the many ornamental plants scattered throughout the hall. In the center sat a small pond filled with several red fish swimming gracefully.
This fascinated the three genin most—they'd eaten barbecue in Amegakure before, but nothing compared to this ambiance.
"Yufei-dono, this place is quite unique! It feels way higher-end than anywhere we've been before!" said Baiu.
They sat at a rectangular table meant for two people on each side—Saitama and Baiu occupied one side, with her near the wall and him on the outside.
"Yeah," Saitama replied, placing both hands on the table. His right fingers tapped out a quiet rhythm on the wooden surface, creating crisp sounds. "Compared to our village, Konoha isn't even on the same level. We're still worrying about feeding ourselves, while they're already pursuing quality life."
Perfectly playing the role of a Jonin from the Land of Rain, Saitama spoke fluently.
His words only deepened the others' awareness of the village's shortcomings—and strengthened their resolve to make changes.
Although Amegakure had been gradually improving recently, in their minds, achieving Konoha-level development would still take considerable time.
Moreover, factors like the Land of Rain's climate, geography, and natural resources held back its potential for further growth.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, guests! Here's your meat—watch out, the charcoal's pretty hot!" The restaurant owner and a waiter carried in the meat, grill plates, and glowing coals, setting everything needed before Saitama and his group.
"Drinks are on their way—hang on a sec!" After placing the meat, the owner bowed again and hurried off to fetch drinks for Saitama and the others.
Saitama currently looked like a man in his early thirties—old enough to drink without issue.
However, those few Genin were only about fifteen years old, and could only drink light fruit wine to pass the time.
"Oh my, Lord Shikaku, Lord Choza, and Lord Inoichi! Please come in! Same usual arrangement! Find seats first, the food will be right out!"
From behind Saitama came the shopkeeper's voice, accompanied by three sets of footsteps of varying heaviness.
Upon hearing the owner's call, Saitama recognized their voices immediately. He simply sat still, pretending not to notice.
Soon, three figures passed by from his left side—one after another. As expected, they were the famous "Ino–Shika–Cho" trio he'd met before, now among Konoha's most renowned advisors directly under the Hokage.
Glancing sideways, Saitama saw the three chatting happily together before settling into seats at a nearby table beside his own.
"Shikaku, I told you to finish work early, didn't I? Now look, all the good spots are taken!"
Choza Akimichi was a straightforward man with no hidden motives. After sitting down, he cast a brief glance toward Saitama's table before quietly murmuring across the table to Shikaku.
"This isn't my fault. Inoichi didn't leave early either, and since the seat was open, anyone could have taken it."
Stroking his beard thoughtfully, Shikaku remained calm. He knew Choza didn't mean anything by it—he was just letting off a little steam.
After speaking, Shikaku slightly turned his head, glancing briefly at Saitama and his companions.
His eyes caught sight of their Amegakure forehead protectors before he looked away.
Seeing ninja from other villages around the Chunin Exams was nothing out of the ordinary.
Sizzle! On the grill, the meat slices were turning golden brown, shrinking as wisps of white smoke rose and a savory aroma spread through the air.
"The food here is great—you should eat as much as you like! Don't hold back; it's my treat today!"
Seeing the three eyeing the barbecue eagerly, Saitama picked up his chopsticks and gestured encouragingly.
Life in Amegakure had been getting better, but people still couldn't afford meat every day—many families were barely scraping by.
Despite being ninjas, Yufei, Shigure, and Shuwu were mere Genin, receiving limited monthly stipends and completing tasks that weren't enough for extravagant spending.
Hearing Saitama's words, Yufei, Shigure, and Shuwu lit up instantly and wasted no time—they began picking slices from the plate, placing them onto the grill, grabbing already-cooked pieces, and sharing bite by bite between bowls.
"Lord Yufei, you should eat too!" Sitting across from Saitama, Shuwu noticed him smiling but not eating. She took the initiative to pick several cooked slices for him.
"Mmm... Eat for yourself. Don't worry about me."
Picking up a piece with his chopsticks, Saitama dipped it into some secret sauce before popping it into his mouth.
Instantly, the perfectly blended flavors of the meat and sauce exploded on his tongue, sparking a surge of hunger.
Meanwhile, Choza flared his nostrils a few times, swallowing hard as he looked slightly greedy.
They had arrived late, so not all their food had been served yet. All they could do was smell what Saitama and the others were eating.
No matter how many times he came here, Choza still swore this place served the best barbecue in the world.
That's also why he insisted on dragging Shikaku and Inoichi here at least twice every week.
Although Shikaku quickly looked away after glancing at Saitama's profile, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.
So while Saitama and his companions ate, he kept observing them carefully from the corner of his eye.
Of course, Saitama caught Shikaku's stare, but he gave no sign that he noticed.
Using his own [White Zetsu's Transformation Jutsu], he had already changed into someone else's appearance. Even the Byakugan couldn't see through it.
He didn't believe Shikaku could somehow detect his Transformation Jutsu just by looking. Although Shikaku was smart, this should have nothing to do with intelligence.
While eating, Saitama's mind drifted elsewhere.
In two days, each village's team leader would soon attend a meeting to discuss the exam's details.
Furthermore, from his observations, nearly all the major and minor powers across the Shinobi World (the realm of hidden villages and shinobi) would participate in this collaboration.
All Five Great Villages were included. Although not every delegation was led by a Kage, this clearly demonstrated the importance of this joint effort.
It didn't take Saitama long to figure out—the main focus of this collaboration definitely wasn't the exams, but rather the missing Tailed Beasts and the [Akatsuki].
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