Naruto carried the two lifeless rabbits back to the riverbank where he had stacked the fish. He looked at the pile of fresh food and felt his empty stomach twist in protest.
He had been out since morning—hunting, building traps, fishing—and he hadn't eaten a single bite. Now, at last, the fruits of his labor lay before him.
"Alright, " he said, rubbing his hands together. "Time for a feast. "
He decided he'd eat one rabbit and one fish, and save the rest for later. But before he could cook anything, he had to make fire.
Naruto scratched his head. He didn't have a lighter or matches. Not that his tiny apartment had any either. If only he knew a Fire-Style jutsu—one hand-seal and he'd have a blaze.
"Guess it's back to the basics… fire by friction? "
He pictured the primitive fire-making videos he'd seen in his previous life. Suddenly, the familiar system voice echoed again:
"You recall numerous wilderness fire-starting methods! ""You have comprehended Grandmaster-Level Wilderness Fire-Making Technique! "
Grandmaster-Level Wilderness Fire-Making Technique: You have mastered every known method of creating fire in the wild. Even with bare hands and no tools, you can easily ignite flame.
Instantly, countless images flooded his mind—different ways to spark flame: friction drills, flint strikes, sunlight magnification, ember transfer…All of it perfectly clear, as if he'd done it thousands of times.
Naruto grinned. "With this, I could be the Fire God of the Stone Age. "
He quickly gathered dry twigs, bark, and grass, fashioned a simple spindle and board, and began to drill. Ten minutes later—a wisp of smoke rose.
He carefully fed it into a bundle of tinder, blew gently—
Fwoosh! Flame blossomed to life.
Warm orange light danced across his face, reflected in his clear blue eyes like twin sparks of hope.
"Fire's up. Now for the cooking. "
He'd cooked before in his old life—simple home meals. But never in the wilderness, without pans or seasoning. He frowned, thinking hard.
Then, once again, the voice chimed in:
"You recall countless gourmet videos, wilderness cooking tutorials, and even master-chef demonstrations! ""You have comprehended God-Tier Culinary Art! "
God-Tier Culinary Art: You have mastered every known cooking style—Eastern, Western, and beyond. You are the supreme Culinary God; any ingredient in your hands becomes a delicacy.
Naruto froze for a second, then laughed in disbelief. "Seriously? A full-blown chef now? "
A torrent of knowledge filled his head—knife work, grilling, braising, marinating, heat control, even plating. Techniques from all over the world, from street food to imperial banquets.
"Damn, " he muttered, eyes shining. "If I ever got back to the modern world, I'd make Gordon Ramsay bow to me. "He shook his head, chuckling. "Focus, Naruto. You're still broke. "
With graceful movements that even top chefs would envy, he cleaned the fish and rabbits, skewered them on straight branches, and placed them over the fire.
Sizzle… sizzle…Fat dripped into the flames, sending up a fragrant smoke that filled the air. Naruto rotated the skewers with precision, keeping the meat at the perfect distance from the heat.
Even without seasoning, the natural aroma of roasted meat made his mouth water uncontrollably. When the color turned golden and the skin crisped just right, the smell became irresistible.
He stared at the food, almost trembling. "Smells so good…! "
He couldn't wait another second. Just as he reached to pull the skewers from the fire—
a calm, elderly voice came from behind him.
"Naruto, my boy! My, that smells wonderful. Could you let Grandpa have a taste? I'm feeling a little hungry. "
Naruto froze. That voice was unmistakable. He turned slowly—and sure enough, there stood the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wearing casual clothes, smiling benignly.
The old man looked as though he'd just been out for a stroll, happening to "wander" into the training ground. But Naruto knew better.
So, the old geezer's finally here, huh? Naruto's mind whirred. He'd worked all morning, nearly starved, and now this freeloading Hokage wanted a bite? Unbelievable.
Still—he couldn't show what he was really thinking. Not yet. Not when ANBU eyes were everywhere, and the Hokage himself probably had his scrying orb pointed straight at him.
He forced a grin, suppressing his irritation. "Sure, Grandpa! Here—you can have this one. "He handed over one of the grilled fish, his expression perfectly innocent.
Sarutobi's eyes softened with satisfaction. Naruto's demeanor confirmed what he wanted to see—the boy was still loyal, still dependent, still harmless.
"Thank you, Naruto, " he said warmly, taking the fish. "You've learned to share. That makes Grandpa very proud. "He took a bite, nodding in approval. "Mmm, this is delicious! Where did you learn to cook like this? "
Inside, Naruto rolled his eyes. From the internet, old man.
Out loud, he scratched his head and said, "Uh… I just thought about it and figured it out! "
Sarutobi blinked, surprised. "You just… thought about it? "
Naruto nodded earnestly. "Uh-huh! I thought and thought, and then I just knew! "
A perfect answer. Simple, childlike, impossible to disprove. If the Hokage suspected someone had secretly taught him wilderness skills, that would imply his elite ANBU were incompetent. So of course, Sarutobi dismissed the thought immediately.
He laughed kindly. "Ha-ha-ha, Naruto, you really are a clever boy. At your age, I could never have done something like this. "
Naruto smiled and scratched his cheek. "Heh-heh-heh…"
Meanwhile, in his head: If I'd known you were coming, I'd have spiked your fish with laxatives, you old buzzard.
The Hokage kept chatting idly, asking how Naruto was doing, while the boy maintained the perfect mask of cheerful innocence. To anyone watching, it was a heartwarming scene—a kind grandfather and his smiling grandson sharing a meal in the sunlight. But beneath the smiles, both were playing their own games. One, weaving manipulation. The other, perfecting his act.