The oven inside the dessert shop filled the air with a sweet, tempting aroma, and Renya couldn't help but take a deep breath.
This smells amazing!
His fingers tapped lightly on the counter as he calculated how many portions he should buy to take back.
"Customer, would you like—"
Before the clerk could finish speaking, Renya caught a familiar figure hurrying across the street out of the corner of his eye.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was walking quickly with an anxious expression, not noticing at all that Renya was watching him.
Weird… why does this guy look so nervous?
It felt as if he was running late for a date.
Wait… late for a date?
Renya instantly guessed the reason for his hurry.
So that's it—he's late for a date!
Sarutobi Hiruzen really was at the age where he should be looking for a partner, so it made sense if he was heading to meet someone.
In the original story, Hiruzen wasn't like Danzo, that forever-single old bachelor. He actually got married and even had two sons…
His second son, Asuma, even had a bounty worth thirty million ryō.
Not only did Sarutobi Hiruzen become Hokage, but he also had a happy marriage—he was practically the ultimate winner in life.
Poor single Danzo was probably jealous enough to cry.
Though, Hiruzen's wife did end up getting killed during the Nine-Tails' rampage by Uchiha Obito.
Could the person he was meeting today be his future wife from the original story?
"Sir?" The clerk's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Renya glanced at the various colorful desserts in the display case, swallowed instinctively, and decisively slapped a stack of money on the counter.
"One of everything, please."
Three minutes later, he walked out carrying an overstuffed bag of desserts, stored them in a sealing scroll, and silently began following Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, focused on hurrying to his destination, had no idea he'd picked up a tail.
...
"Sorry, I'm late." Sarutobi Hiruzen panted heavily, looking apologetically at the girl standing in front of him.
He had finally managed to invite her out, only to end up arriving late.
Hopefully, Biwako wouldn't be upset because of it.
Hiding in a corner, Renya secretly activated his Sharingan to watch the drama unfold, and just as he guessed—it really was a date.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had actually come here for a date.
"It's fine, Hiruzen."
The one speaking was a girl wearing a light lavender kimono. She didn't seem upset at all about his tardiness.
The two had met by chance a short while ago, and apparently, it was love at first sight for both of them.
Otherwise, Hiruzen wouldn't have been able to invite Biwako out so quickly.
Walking side by side, they maintained just the right amount of distance—not too close, not too distant.
Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed a little nervous; his gaze wandered involuntarily as he spoke, while Biwako kept her head slightly lowered, the corners of her lips curling into a soft smile.
Renya's Sharingan captured every detail, and he couldn't help but feel envious.
This guy really has ridiculous luck—he's already found himself a girlfriend.
As he watched from the shadows, he casually munched on the desserts he'd just bought.
Even though Renya had no plans to date anytime soon, watching other people's romance unfold was pretty entertaining.
He followed along behind them, listening intently.
Hiruzen… actually getting shy?
If only Danzo were here to witness this—he'd lose his mind.
Renya bit into a dango, the sweet red bean paste melting in his mouth, putting him in an inexplicably good mood.
The couple stopped in front of a teahouse.
Hiruzen hesitated for a moment, then finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Um… do you want to go inside and sit for a while? Their black tea is supposed to be really good."
Biwako nodded lightly. "Alright."
"Actually… I've been meaning to ask you…"
Renya stuffed the last bit of dango into his mouth and perked up his ears.
Was Hiruzen about to confess?!
"The next memorial festival… do you want to watch the fireworks together?"
Renya: "…"
That's it?! That's what he was building up to?
Does this guy even know how to confess properly?
After a brief pause, Biwako's soft, amused voice answered, "Sure."
With that, the two of them walked into the teahouse side by side.
...
"Madara-sama is looking for you, meow."
Just as Renya was debating whether to follow them inside, a plump ninja cat swaggered up to him.
"Madara-sama is looking for me?" Renya blinked.
He didn't even need to think to know what Uchiha Madara wanted from him.
Obviously… to cook for him.
"That's right. Madara-sama told me to bring you over," the fat ninja cat replied lazily, licking its paw.
"I got it," Renya nodded.
There was still some time before noon, so he could cook for Uchiha Madara first and still make it back in time to prepare lunch for Senju Tobirama.
As long as nothing unexpected happened in between, it would all work out perfectly.
Two birds with one stone, and no risk of getting caught.
Renya couldn't help but feel proud—he really was a master of time management!
"Hey, Fat Cat, did Madara-sama prepare any ingredients?" Renya asked.
The moment he said it, the plump ninja cat bristled instantly.
"You're the fat cat! Your whole family are fat cats! This great master's name is Scar!"
Renya stared at Scar's round, chubby body, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
With that figure, Scar was a terrible name. Fat Cat suited him way better.
"Alright, Scar. Did Madara-sama prepare the ingredients?"
"Madara-sama's cave is empty. He told you to bring a few salmon with you, meow," Scar said.
"And the pots and pans? Surely he has at least those?" Renya asked, already dreading the answer.
"Told you already, meow—the cave has nothing," Scar replied impatiently.
Renya: "…"
Perfect. That killed whatever faint hope he had left.
The so-called Shura of the shinobi world, the God of Shinobi himself… calling him over to cook, fine, but not even preparing the ingredients or cookware?
Honestly, Renya wanted to decline this job entirely.
"What are you spacing out for? Hurry up, or Madara-sama's going to get impatient," Scar urged.
"I know, I know," Renya sighed helplessly.
First, he went to the market to buy fresh ingredients, then stopped by a kitchenware shop for pots and pans.
By the time he finished, lunchtime was getting dangerously close.
Renya quickly followed Scar out of the village.
To avoid suspicion, he had to make it back by noon to cook for Senju Tobirama.
He considered leaving a shadow clone behind to handle Tobirama's lunch but remembered his shadow clone issues and abandoned the idea.
...
Somewhere in the Land of Fire, inside a cave.
"Why isn't Renya here yet?" Senju Hashirama stood at the cave entrance, scratching his head impatiently.
It had been a while since he'd eaten Renya's cooking, so he'd been pestering Madara to call him over.
Uchiha Madara had the same idea, so he summoned a ninja cat to fetch Renya.
Ever since tasting Renya's food, Madara had completely lost interest in anything else.
In fact, his desire to "recruit" Renya had only grown stronger.
In Madara's mind, a child from the Uchiha clan should be following him, Uchiha Madara. What business did Renya have hanging around Senju Tobirama anyway?
To outsiders, it almost looked like the Uchiha clan had gone extinct.
No way. He had to come up with a way to trick convince Renya into joining him.
Standing at the cave entrance, Uchiha Madara gazed out at the distant mountains, deep in thought, plotting how to make Renya willingly choose to follow him.
He was determined to win custody of this kid.
No one would stop him.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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