The next morning, after a simple breakfast, Uchiha Gen set out to prepare for the evening. He went around inviting guests to his birthday banquet and buying ingredients.
Yuhi Kurenai, Mitarashi Anko, Uzuki Yūgao, and Shisui, all of them were currently in Konoha. Gen had confirmed that much before coming back, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen this time to return.
Naturally, none of them refused his invitation.
Once he'd finished shopping, Gen had originally intended to lounge at home and read for a while. But something suddenly came to mind. With a flicker of chakra, he slipped out of the village and reappeared in a dense forest nearby.
It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for.
"Master!"
Mokui and Mokuna froze when he suddenly appeared before them. Then, realizing who it was, the two wooden figures bowed joyfully.
They were in miserable condition, robes torn, grime clinging to their carved bodies, nothing like their former dignified selves.
"Take off your clothes," Gen ordered calmly. "I'll bring you home. From now on, you'll be in charge of keeping the house clean. When you're free, you can play in the courtyard."
"Yes, Master."
Although living free in the forest had its charms, it was also dangerous. If not for their unusual nature making them unappealing to predators, they might have been eaten already. And their lifespans were limited; following their Master was undoubtedly the better choice. Not that they had any choice.
The two quickly shed their filthy robes, revealing bluish-white wooden bodies beneath.
Gen placed a hand on each of their heads, activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the forest reappearing back at his home.
There, he gave them old spare clothes, infused them with some of his vitality to extend their lifespan, and sent them to work tidying the place.
By the afternoon, Gen began preparing the banquet himself. He made two types of hot pot bases, and with the help of his shadow clones, the work progressed swiftly.
Work a little, rest a little, the hours slipped away until the evening drew near and the guests began arriving.
The first to come were Kurenai, Anko, and Yūgao, arriving together with bright smiles and carrying elegant gift boxes.
They had grown another year older. Their faces hadn't changed much, but their figures had matured, especially Kurenai and Anko, who had blossomed from budding girls into graceful young women.
They wore matching casual clothes in different colors; Kurenai in red, Anko in off-white, and Yūgao in lavender.
"Happy Birthday, Gen," the three said in unison, smiling like sunshine as they presented their gifts.
"Thank you," Gen said warmly, taking the boxes and gesturing for them to come in.
As they stepped into the courtyard, footsteps echoed behind them. Gen turned and saw Mikoto, Kushina, Shisui, and Itachi approaching together. Kushina held Naruto in her arms, while Itachi carefully carried Sasuke.
Neither Kushina nor Mikoto liked leaving their sons behind, certainly not with Fugaku, so they had simply brought them along.
"Gen."
"Gen-nii."
They greeted him with smiles, Mikoto and Shisui also carrying gift boxes.
"Come in, come in," Gen said, ushering them inside.
He made introductions between Kushina and the three younger kunoichi, though Mikoto already knew them from clan gatherings.
Inside, curiosity immediately filled the air.
In the living room, Shuryu and Shizukamaru had been playing but froze when they noticed strangers approaching, their expressions turning serious.
Meanwhile, Mokui and Mokuna were busy setting out bowls, chopsticks, and cups around a large round table in the dining room.
At the table's center simmered a magnificent nine-grid hot pot, each section with a different broth; fiery spice, chili paste, fragrant pepper, mushroom, tomato, bone broth, pickled cabbage, numbing rattan pepper, and the rich three-fresh flavor.
Around it were laid out trays of chicken, duck, fish, pork, lamb, beef, vegetables, tofu, fruits, and drinks. On a side platform sat more prepared ingredients—clearly, no one would go hungry tonight.
Because only Mikoto and Kushina were adults and both still breastfeeding, Gen hadn't prepared alcohol. Drinking alone was tasteless anyway.
At Gen's instruction, Shuryu, Shizukamaru, Mokui, and Mokuna all greeted the guests politely.
"Wow…"
Everyone gasped in surprise, even Mikoto and Shisui who already knew from the clan's intelligence network that Gen had awakened another bloodline ability. Hearing about it was one thing but seeing the living creations with their own eyes was entirely different.
For Kurenai, Anko, Yūgao, and Kushina, who had no such insider knowledge, the sight was even more astonishing.
Big Pillar and Little Pillar, aka Naruto and Sasuke, were not afraid at all. Instead, the babies clapped happily, laughing at the strange but adorable sights.
Inside the seal, the Yin half of Kurama watched with interest as well, reminded faintly of its own creation.
The guests crowded closer, curious hands reaching out. Shuryu, in particular, was too cute in his miniature fire-dragon form.
But the little dragon refused to be treated like a sideshow. With a flash of red light, he darted upstairs, and Shizukamaru followed. After absorbing kiba's power, the blade-spirit could now hover in the air for longer stretches.
"Alright, there'll be time to play with them later," Gen called from the dining room with a smile. "For now, let's eat."
When the others saw the mountain of ingredients and the unique nine-grid hot pot, they gasped again in admiration.
"Gen, you really put in so much effort," Mikoto said warmly. "It feels like we're the ones benefiting."
"Exactly," Kushina agreed.
Both women understood the cost and labor behind this kind of feast far better than the younger ones.
The three girls, who also knew their way around a kitchen, nodded seriously. Even Shisui, who lived alone and cooked for himself, joined in.
Itachi didn't fully understand, but he nodded along anyway—it was the correct response.
"It's just a birthday," Gen said with a grin. "As long as everyone's happy, the rest doesn't matter. A little money is nothing."
Of course, in his heart, he knew it was only in this world that he could be so casual. Back in his previous life, a birthday might have meant nothing more than a slightly nicer meal. Hosting a whole banquet would've been unthinkable.
"Come on, sit down and eat," he urged, moving around the table. "This one's the spicy broth, that one's mushroom… take whatever you like. Don't be shy."
Anko immediately plopped herself down in the seat with the most meat nearby.
"Mmm… delicious!" Mikoto said, tasting the rattan pepper broth and letting her eyes light up. "Any girl who marries Gen in the future will be truly blessed."
The others quickly tasted the other flavors and voiced their agreement.
Gen simply accepted their praise with a calm smile.
After all, was Chinese cuisine ever undeserving of its reputation?
In this world, Japanese food dominated, with a little Western influence. Grilled meat already counted as high-class cuisine.
Here, just a little extra effort on his part was enough to amaze them.
In a peaceful world, he mused, his skills could've easily made him rich, running a restaurant or hotel, packed every night.
But in this one… his hot pot was enough to bring warmth, smiles, and the rare taste of happiness to his friends.