[~1500 Words]
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Location: Foosha Village Outskirts
It all started with Luffy's now-infamous declaration:
"Let's go on a ninja mission!"
Haruki didn't answer immediately. He just stared at Luffy, deadpan.
"We're not going on a mission."
"But what if there's a secret base in the forest? Or evil bandits? Or a forbidden scroll hidden in a tree?"
"There isn't."
Luffy grinned, already halfway out the door. "Too late, I packed snacks!"
Haruki sighed and followed, kunai holstered, his flak jacket flapping lightly in the breeze.
"I regret getting dressed today."
Deep in the Foosha Forest.
By midday, they were knee-deep in brush and Luffy was pretending to sneak through the undergrowth like a poorly trained raccoon.
"Pssst," Luffy whispered loudly. "I think I saw movement!"
"That was your own foot."
"I think I smelled blood!"
"That was you—you bit your tongue on the bread earlier."
Haruki shook his head, brushing branches aside.
And then…
CRACK.
A deep growl rumbled through the trees.
Both boys froze.
Haruki's eyes narrowed. "That's not you."
"Nope," Luffy said cheerfully, turning toward the sound. "That's something awesome!"
The bushes exploded—twigs, leaves, and dust flying—revealing a Giant Bear, at least twelve feet tall, muscles rippling, fur matted, eyes glowing with territorial fury.
It roared loud enough to shake the birds out of the trees.
Haruki blinked.
Luffy blinked.
Luffy grinned. "AWESOME! I am gonna punch it!"
"WE'RE NOT PUNCHING THE BEAR—!"
Luffy didn't listen.
"GOMU GOMU NO—ROCKET!"
He launched himself at the bear like a missile.
The bear smacked him out of the air like a flyswatter.
Luffy flew backward into a bush with a pomf, legs sticking out.
Haruki facepalmed. "This is why we are not going on a stealth missions."
The bear turned toward Haruki next, roaring again, foam around its fangs.
"Alright," Haruki muttered, "guess we're doing this."
Body Flicker.
He reappeared at the bear's flank, tossing a smoke bomb to disorient it.
"Suiton: Water Clone Jutsu!"
Two clones sprang forward, slashing with kunai to distract.
The bear swatted one aside, but the second stabbed at its legs.
Meanwhile, Luffy sprang out of the bush with a bundle of vines in his teeth.
"Haruki! I have a plan!"
"I don't want to hear it!"
"TOO LATE!"
Luffy tied the vines around two trees and launched himself again.
"GOMU GOMU NO—SLINGSHOT KICK!"
Haruki, now above the bear, formed hand seals mid-air.
"Katon: HĹŤsenka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique)
A dozen small fireballs rained down just as Luffy's flying rubber foot slammed into the bear's face.
BOOM.
The bear staggered backward, confused, slightly toasted, and wobbling.
Haruki landed, flicked a kunai into its paw, and shouted, "NOW!"
Luffy, tangled in the vines, yelled, "I'M STUCK!"
The bear charged—again.
Haruki exhaled sharply.
`Suiton: Wild Water Wave!´
A blast of water struck the ground, forming a temporary slick. The bear slipped—skidded—and smacked headfirst into a tree.
THUMP.
Silence.
Then Luffy popped up, arms raised. "WE DID IT!"
Haruki dusted off his gloves. "You got stuck in a vine."
"But I planned that!"
Haruki didn't respond. He just stared at the unconscious bear.
Half an hour later, the tavern doors creaked open.
Makino turned from the bar.
And blinked.
Haruki stepped inside, dragging a giant unconscious bear wrapped in vines and tied with chakra threads. Luffy followed behind, holding a stick like a sword and humming a victory song.
‟Minami no shima wa, Attakee〜♪"
‟Atama pokapoka, Aho bakka〜♪"
Makino raised a brow. "I assume this is dinner?"
Haruki nodded. "He picked a fight. We accepted."
Luffy puffed out his chest. "I named him Sir Growls-a-Lot."
"...He's dead, Luffy."
"Oh. Then Baron Growls-a-Not."
Makino sighed. "You two are worse than the pirates."
Haruki dropped the bear with a thud.
"Next time," he said dryly, "we're sticking to bread runs."
Luffy was already halfway into the kitchen. "I call the leg!"
Makino smiled faintly as Haruki rubbed soot and bear fur off his flak jacket.
"You're really settling in here," she said.
Haruki glanced at her—and for once, he didn't disagree.
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That Evening – The Village Feast
The sun had just set, casting a lavender and coral glow over Foosha Village, when delicious waves of smoky, spiced aroma began drifting from the tavern's backyard.
Villagers followed it like a trail—children, workers, even a few scruffy fishermen—drawn by the rare, mouthwatering scent.
And at the center of it all stood Haruki, shirt sleeves rolled up, kunai in his belt, apron tied over his Chūnin flak jacket, flipping large cuts of perfectly marinated bear meat over a sizzling iron grill made from salvaged barrels and heated by a controlled Fire Release technique.
"Katon: Small Flame Stream." [Lol]
 A narrow burst of flame rolled under the skewers, just enough to get the outer fat to crisp while keeping the inside juicy.
Makino passed by with a bowl of freshly chopped herbs. "How many kinds of spices did gather from the forest?"
"Seven," Haruki said, brushing one over the skewers. "But I'm running low on the smoke-pepper blend, have to stock up again it seems."
"You invented the recipe yourself?"
"Modified from an old war ration mix. Less bitterness, more heat. Even made kids eat vegetables in our clan."
Makino laughed. "Then Luffy might be your greatest challenge."
As if summoned, Luffy came diving in from the roof of the tavern. "IS IT READY?! I'M STARVING!"
Mayor Woop Slap arrived just behind him, cane in hand, nostrils flaring like a hound dog. "That's not fish. Hmmm… That's… It has this wild look to it. Is that a cow?."
"That's Baron Growls-a-Not," Luffy chimed proudly.
The mayor turned. "What?"
"Don't ask," Haruki muttered.
The villagers gathered around long outdoor tables and crates. String lanterns flickered between poles, casting warm light across smiling faces. Music from someone's banjo carried on the breeze.
Haruki moved with grace, flipping skewers, slicing meat, and plating hot portions on banana leaves with grilled onions, berries, and fried roots Makino had helped prepare.
"Whoa! The outside is crunchy and the inside is MELTY!" Luffy yelled through a mouthful. "THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER EATEN!"
"That's your fifth plate," Makino said with a raised brow.
"I KNOW!" he grinned.
Mayor Woop Slap took a thoughtful bite and closed his eyes. "…This has no business being this good. Young man, were you a chef in your village?"
Haruki blinked, his voice quieter. "…I wanted to be."
Makino's smile softened.
As the night deepened and laughter echoed, Haruki stood briefly by the grill alone, watching the flames lick the last of the meat. The embers crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on his face.
The smell of smoked meat, the glow of firelight, the sound of a child laughing somewhere in the background…
For a moment, it wasn't Foosha he saw.
It was Konoha.
A small table set in the corner of a warm, quiet room.
His father, Haruto shoulders tired from patrol, sipping broth with a rare smile.
His little sister, Izumi, humming as she reached for seconds.
Kurenai, teasing him gently about adding too much chili.
And himself—standing with oven mitts and an apron too big.
Haruki felt the ache hit his chest like a slow wave.
His eyes misted. Just faintly.
He blinked. Once. Twice.
Willed it away.
From across the tables, Makino was watching him cook the bear.
She caught the subtle shift in his posture. The way his lips tightened for just a second. The fast blink.
She didn't say anything.
She just filed it quietly in her heart. A moment to revisit later. A time to ask—gently, maybe privately?.
For now, she simply walked to his side and offered him a fresh glass of juice.
"Take a break, chef."
Haruki glanced at her, accepting the glass. "…They like it?"
"They love it." She smiled. "So do I."
"…Good."
The feast went on for hours.
Children dozed off on benches. Luffy was finally full—curled up like a cat by the fire. The mayor had declared Haruki "Honorary Village Cook," and someone started drawing him with exaggerated muscles and a spatula in each hand.
[A/N: Imagine Toriko in Shinobi clothes ]
Haruki sat beside Makino near the tavern wall, shoulders a little more relaxed.
For the first time since waking in this strange world—
He didn't feel like a foreigner.
He felt… home.
Even if only for a night.
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