Emerging from the Great Toad Sage's underground palace, Sakura followed Fukasaku to their home.
After a fierce battle and using Palm Sage Jutsu to heal her wounds, Sakura's stomach growled, loud enough for Fukasaku to hear.
"Hungry, Sakura? Come to our place for dinner. Ma's probably got a big feast waiting for us."
Fukasaku raised his arms, drawing a wide circle in front of her.
Sakura suddenly remembered—the toads of Mount Myoboku eat… bugs!
But with her Giant Clan physique, a few bugs shouldn't be a problem, right?
She'd even gnawed on raw sea beasts with Captain Roger during lean times at sea…
Walking along a path lined with toad statues, giant leaves rustled in the breeze overhead, making Sakura feel a bit dazed in the shadows.
They climbed a slope and arrived at a small house carved out of a hollowed rock.
In the distance, Shima, lugging a large wriggling sack, returned just in time.
"Hey, Ma, can we eat yet? Sakura's starving!"
Fukasaku hopped over, helping Shima with her heavy load.
"Hold on, it's not ready yet!"
Shima waved them off with a paw.
"We ran out of food at home, and since you two just got banged up, I grabbed some ingredients to help restore your energy!"
"To celebrate Sakura's visit, we're having a feast tonight!"
Shima patted the squirming sack with a proud thump.
You didn't need to be a genius to guess what was inside.
Sakura's eyebrow twitched, and she forced a stiff smile.
"Well… thanks, Shima-sensei."
[Note to readers: Please bookmark our domain 101kan.com]
Inside the house, Jiraiya, wrapped up like a mummy on a cross, spotted Sakura and immediately pleaded, "Sakura-chan, I'm fine! Let me go!"
"No way. If I untie you, you'll just scratch your wounds!"
Sakura coldly rejected his request, propping him against the stone wall.
"I'm fine, really, I swear!"
Jiraiya's forehead glistened with sweat, his forced grin anything but convincing.
Sakura eyed him suspiciously, pointing at herself. "Look me in the eyes and say, 'Leaf ninja don't lie to Leaf ninja.'"
"Leaf ninja don't…"
Before Jiraiya could finish, Sakura's Observation Haki picked up his emotions.
When someone's feelings were in turmoil, her Haki could even catch snippets of their thoughts.
Right now, Jiraiya's mind was a looping broadcast of It's so itchy, so itchy!
"Yep, you're lying."
"Lying? How'd you know?!"
Jiraiya squirmed, making the cross wobble until he toppled face-first onto the floor.
Ignoring his howls, Sakura told Fukasaku to keep an eye on her bedridden teacher and headed to the kitchen to check on Shima's dinner preparations.
"Oh, Sakura's here! Any dishes you're craving, dear? Tell Granny."
Shima sensed her arrival and greeted her warmly.
"I'll eat whatever you make," Sakura replied, eyeing the fresh "protein" on the cutting board, unsure how to respond.
Shima, thinking Sakura was just shy, pulled out a stool from a cabinet.
Hopping onto it, she tiptoed to prep the ingredients.
Sakura could barely make out grasshoppers and aphids among the pile, along with some tiny white bugs she didn't recognize.
After asking Shima, she learned they were called "taro bugs."
"Taro bugs are chakra creatures that live in tree trunks. No natural predators, so they grow nice and plump," Shima explained while using Fire Release to heat a pot of water.
She peeled the taro bugs' shells, sliced off their heads and tails, gutted them, and tossed them into the pot to simmer.
"They feed on tree sap, so they've got a crisp, refreshing taste with high sugar content and a hint of alcohol. It's a favorite staple for the young toads of Mount Myoboku."
"Oh, really?"
Helping Shima with utensils, Sakura felt like she was being fed a lot of bizarre knowledge.
"Since you two are recovering from injuries, let's keep tonight's main dish light."
Shima reached for the grasshoppers, but when she turned, Sakura had already stripped their shells and neatly sliced the leg muscles into even pieces.
"Well, look at that! Sakura, you can cook? Your knife skills aren't half bad!" Shima beamed, taking the sliced bug meat and heating oil in a pan.
With a sizzle, the bug slices hit the pan. After adding an unfamiliar seasoning, a mouthwatering aroma filled the air.
"Well, I've picked up a bit here and there," Sakura said, following Shima's instructions to stir-fry the taro bugs, drain them, and steam them in a pot of water.
Shima also whipped up earthworm ramen, chilled aphid salad, and grid-patterned star bug jelly, guiding Sakura to make caterpillar oden.
With sauce drizzled on top, a lavish all-bug banquet was born.
"Whoa, what a spread!"
Fukasaku wiped drool from his mouth, eyeing the table.
Spotting a stubborn aphid crawling off a plate, he flicked out his tongue, snatching it back into his mouth.
"Delicious~"
"Hey, don't sneak bites!" Shima scolded her husband, then went to the wall to help Jiraiya, freeing him from his bindings.
"Thanks, Boss Lady, but you took your sweet time!"
Jiraiya, finally free, bolted out to deal with some "middle-aged man issues."
"Ugh, that Jiraiya!" Shima sighed, setting a basin of water by the door.
Moments later, the four sat around a small table.
Jiraiya, right at home, popped a taro bug in his mouth, slurped a big bowl of ramen in front of Sakura, and shot her a teasing glance.
[Childish.]
'System?'
Sakura was surprised to hear the system chime in—it usually stayed quiet.
[Note: I don't "love to lurk." Please don't slander me.]
[Also, Achievement Unlocked: 'Pain Misses You to Death.' Achievement Points Gained: 40]
[Current Achievement Point Balance: 80]
Misses me to death? More like wants me dead!
Sakura sighed, scooping some oden ingredients into her bowl.
Under Jiraiya's expectant gaze, she picked up a caterpillar with her chopsticks and took a bite.
Crunch!
Her eyes narrowed as a creamy fragrance spread through her mouth.
The caterpillars, which fed on Mount Myoboku's crisp leaves, reacted with natural energy to produce fatty acids. After steaming and seasoning, they gave off a milk-like aroma.
The delicate texture bloomed on her taste buds, the bug meat still springy despite cooking, bursting with fragrant juices when chewed.
"Not bad at all," Sakura said.
Shima's face lit up, piling more bugs into Sakura's bowl, along with a heap of other dishes.
"Try these too! Let Granny know how they taste."
Sakura didn't refuse, sampling each dish.
"The chilled aphids are fragrant, the ramen bugs are chewy enough, but the taro bugs are a bit too sweet and stick to my teeth."
Sakura's hearty eating and detailed critiques left Jiraiya dumbfounded.
"Huh? How?!"
The Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku was baffled.
They were both human, yet Sakura handled this "dark cuisine" like it was nothing, while he'd puked his guts out the first time.
"Hmph, because you're a dummy, Teacher Jiraiya!"
Swallowing a taro bug, Sakura stuck out her tongue at him.
She didn't need Observation Haki to see what he was hoping for—she wasn't about to let him win.
---
The dinner was a hit for everyone except Jiraiya, whose pride took a hit.
As night deepened, Fukasaku brought out bedding, letting Sakura and Jiraiya rest at their place.
Late at night, Sakura quietly slipped out from under her blanket.
The cool breeze carried the soft croaking of toads across Mount Myoboku, creating a serene atmosphere.
Sitting on a giant leaf, Sakura gazed at the mountain's stunning scenery.
The Great Toad Sage's prophecy and the battle in Amegakure lingered in her mind, the relentless challenges stirring a flicker of frustration.
"It all comes down to not being strong enough. Ugh, I just wanna grow up faster!"
[Note: If strength is lacking, this system recommends saving achievement points to exchange for Wood Release!]
'Hah, you sneaky merchant, lying in wait for me, huh?'
Sakura laughed, her earlier worries fading thanks to the system's interruption.
A giant's growth was bound to be slow. Rushing to get stronger and burning out her potential would be plain stupid.
The best approach was to take it step by step, traveling between the ninja world and the sea, using the time difference to fuel her growth.
"Time to head back to the sea!"
Lying back on the leaf, hands behind her head, Sakura stared at the endless starry sky, her thoughts drifting.
[Note: Current time is late Konoha Year 59, mid-Sea Calendar 1500.]
"Aw, you're so thoughtful, partner."
[Hmph.]
"Well then, you know what to do, buddy!"
[Note: 10 achievement points deducted.]
A cold breeze blew in, and soft light enveloped Sakura's body.
Long-overdue exhaustion crept in. She closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
Her dreams were filled with flames and chaos.
The sea's scenery unfolded before her once more.