Chapter 227: Catching Fish
Ten minutes later, Uchiha Ryoichi pulled on the reins and brought the horse to a stop before a quiet lakeside clearing.
"Master, Madam—we've arrived," Ryoichi said as he lifted the curtain of the carriage.
"Alright, alright. Sasuke, stop playing and go help your mother wash the vegetables," Fugaku said as he smoothly plucked the phone out of Sasuke's hands.
"Oh—okay!"
Sasuke, never the type to get sulky over a game, obediently hopped off the carriage.
Down by the lake, Naruto and Sasuke crouched by the water, scrubbing vegetables clean. Uchiha Itachi quietly removed the wilted leaves from the pile of greens. Nearby, Fugaku and Ryoichi were assembling a portable stove and setting a large pot over the fire, while Uchiha Mikoto unpacked ingredients and utensils from a storage scroll.
Once the food was ready, Mikoto called out,
"Ryoichi, you should come eat with us too. Don't stand on ceremony."
"No, Madam—really. I'm fine here."
Ryoichi waved his hands repeatedly, keeping the respectful distance a servant was expected to maintain.
"Let him be," Fugaku said with a small smile, placing more food into Mikoto's bowl. "You worked hard cooking. Eat more."
"Mhm…" Mikoto sighed softly. She had tried—since Ryoichi remained unmovable, she didn't insist further.
"Mama! This is so delicious!" Sasuke said, pointing excitedly at one of the dishes.
"Really? Let me try."
Naruto grabbed a piece with his chopsticks, tasted it—and immediately began shoveling more into his mouth.
"Mmm! It is amazing!"
"Oi! Idiot—leave some for me!" Sasuke snapped anxiously when Naruto started devouring the dish at alarming speed.
The two of them attacked the bowl like starving wolves, and within moments, the entire dish was gone.
"Hehe. If you like it that much, I'll make it again tonight—and a bit more," Mikoto said warmly.
After everyone finished eating, Fugaku wasn't in any rush to return. The scenery was beautiful—clear mountains, clean air, and a lake so transparent you could see straight to the bottom.
Naruto and Sasuke eventually ran out onto the lake surface, darting back and forth with perfect water-walking control.
"Are there even fish here?" Naruto muttered, squatting on the water. "How come I haven't seen a single one?"
The bottom of the lake was covered with patches of bright green water grass, but no fish swam near them.
"Isn't that fish?"
Sasuke pointed toward a spot several meters away.
Naruto followed his finger—and sure enough, a cluster of tiny finger-length fish swam lazily among the reeds.
"All small ones… no big fish."
Naruto slumped, disappointed.
He had wanted to catch a large fish and make fish soup for Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto. Back when the Third Hokage was still around, Grandpa Hiruzen made fish soup for him all the time. The memory was warm, almost nostalgic.
He suddenly realized he hadn't seen the Third Hokage in a while. Did the old man not return to the village yet?
"Naruto. Look—over there."
Sasuke's voice snapped him out of thought.
"What is it?"
"There."
Sasuke grabbed Naruto's cheeks and forcibly turned his head.
Two large fish—each about the length of a kunai—slowly passed through the clear water.
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Sasuke! Should we catch those two?"
"No."
Sasuke declined immediately.
He simply didn't want to get his clothes wet.
Naruto, however, was not deterred. He tugged at Sasuke's sleeve.
"Come on! Didn't you learn that jutsu? With that, we can catch them super fast!"
"That jutsu…?"
Sasuke frowned. "If you don't say the name, I won't know which one."
"That one! You know! The 'zzzt, zzzt' one!"
Only then did Sasuke understand—Naruto meant Lightning Release: Grounding, the C-rank Lightning Release technique Fugaku had let him choose and learn after returning. Itachi had recommended it as well—simple to learn, fast to master, and useful at his current skill level.
After activation, electricity spread through Sasuke's hands into the ground or water—highly effective especially when combined with Water Release.
Sasuke didn't care about the reason for learning it. Anything his brother recommended—he would learn it without hesitation.
Using it to stun fish… was a clever idea, but—
"Forget it," Sasuke said. "I'm already full. I don't want fish."
Naruto grew desperate.
"We can cook them tonight! Fish soup is seriously good—cross my heart, hope to die!"
Sasuke smirked. Naruto took that as agreement—and then collapsed in despair when Sasuke replied,
"I just won't. Won't. Won't."
Naruto's expression froze.
"Sasuke… how can you say such cold words… with a mouth at thirty-seven degrees?!"
Just as Sasuke thought Naruto was going to fight him, Naruto suddenly dropped to his knees and latched onto Sasuke's leg.
"PLEASE! Sasuke, please just help me catch those fish!"
Sasuke puffed up with pride, waited deliberately, then said slowly,
"Call me 'Big Brother.' Let me hear it."
"BIG BROTHER!! (Aniki!!)"
Naruto yelled instantly—no hesitation, no shame. Forget "Big Brother"—he would call Sasuke "Daddy" at this point if necessary.
But Sasuke wasn't that greedy.
"What? Didn't hear you."
"BIG BROTHER!!"
"Louder."
"BIG BROOTHEEER!!!"
Only then did Sasuke nod in satisfaction.
"Hm. Not bad. Since you're sincere, I'll help."
"Really?! Yattaaa!"
Naruto hopped in excitement.
Sasuke pointed to the shore.
"Go over there. I'll send electricity through the water. You just pick up the stunned fish."
"Got it!"
Naruto sprinted back to the shore.
Itachi, sitting calmly on a rock, glanced over.
"Naruto, why did you come back alone?"
"Sasuke's gonna catch fish. He told me to come back first," Naruto said proudly.
Just as he finished speaking—
Crackle—!!
A sharp burst of electricity erupted behind him.
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