"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Clang!
Almost the exact second Kosuke parried the pursuing katana, a roaring wave of searing heat swept over him!
A massive fireball, far exceeding the standard diameter and burning so brightly it was blinding, bore down on him. The sheer pressure rolled the sand and gravel beneath it, hissing with an all-consuming fury as it crashed toward Kosuke!
Jutsu chaining! A triple-layered pursuit!
"Excellent chaining!"
Not a single trace of panic could be found in Kosuke's eyes. Instead, a flash of genuine approval crossed them as his hands formed two rapid hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
Crash!
In an instant, the ground beneath his feet churned, and a massive torrent of water erupted into the sky. It wasn't a simple, thin dome of water; it rapidly spun and wove into a perfect circle, using his footing as the absolute center!
Layer upon layer of turbulent currents formed a high-speed, spiraling wall of water, tightly sealing every possible gap. It was like a mobile, ring-shaped fortress of water!
BOOM!
The roaring flames slammed violently into the water wall! Blinding white light erupted, and a deafening explosion, accompanied by the aggressive, hissing sound of rapid evaporation, rang out across the training ground.
The tangerine tongues of fire frantically licked at the spinning water wall, boiling up a massive cloud of thick white steam that entirely swallowed both of their figures.
Yet, the spiraling wall of water remained as steady as a boulder, completely barricading the violent flames on the outside.
A moment later, the steam slightly dispersed.
Clap, clap, clap.
Crisp applause echoed from the thinning white fog. Kosuke slowly walked out, a warm yet profoundly deep smile on his face.
"Not bad. Truly not bad," he nodded, his gaze falling upon Shinichi, whose breathing had barely changed. "Your fluid transitions between kenjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu, along with your decisive adaptability... This old man has a pretty good grasp of exactly where your strength lies."
He gently sheathed the katana back into the large iron pot on his back.
"Well then, the test ends here. Get ready. It's time for us to execute our first mission."
"Yes, Senior."
---
Unlike the standard starting point for most freshly graduated Genin—which usually involved catching stray cats, finding lost dogs, or doing odd chores for villagers—Shinichi's very first mission was a C-rank assignment that required leaving the village.
Walking down the road away from Konoha, the lush greenery on either side gradually receding, Kosuke began to introduce the mission with his usual calm, unhurried tone:
"The rank of our mission is tentatively set at C. The location is Narumi Town, a region in the northeastern part of the Land of Fire, near the border of the Land of Hot Water. The clients are a coalition of village representatives from the areas surrounding Narumi. Recently, there has been a string of child disappearances there. The clients want us to investigate the cause and, if possible, recover the missing children."
"Child disappearances?" Shinichi sharply caught the critical point. "Did the locals not report this to the local magistrate or the City Lord for intervention and investigation?"
"They did." Kosuke nodded, then gently shook his head. "The City Lord of Narumi dispatched the local guards to conduct searches and interrogations, but they turned up absolutely nothing. No valuable clues were found. Because of this, the villagers from several settlements pooled their money to officially issue a commission to Konoha."
"If even the established local military forces couldn't find a single clue..." Shinichi frowned slightly, his mind working rapidly. "Then this likely isn't the work of ordinary human traffickers or wandering bandits. Senior, it is highly probable that this involves shinobi, or at least an organization possessing unconventional methods. By standard protocols, this has already exceeded the scope of a C-rank mission."
"Your judgment is spot on." Kosuke glanced at Shinichi, a look of approval in his eyes. "The clients also realized this. They promised in the commission that if we encounter shinobi or unconventional forces during the mission, they are willing to provide additional compensation retroactively. The village weighed the initial intelligence against the clients' guarantee and tentatively assigned it to us as a C-rank. Of course..."
He paused. His tone remained mild, but it now carried a trace of gravity.
"...the moment we confirm the involvement of shinobi, the mission rank will immediately be upgraded, and our strategic response must shift accordingly. Ascertaining that fact is our primary objective for this trip."
Starting right off the bat with a C-rank mission that might escalate even higher. The village truly holds me in high regard. Shinichi understood the implications perfectly, yet he felt no apprehension. Instead, a faint sense of eagerness stirred within him.
On one hand, his teammate was Kosuke Maruboshi, a shinobi with the true strength of an elite Jonin. On the other hand, he possessed considerable confidence in his own current capabilities.
Not to mention, he was currently an existence who commanded fate itself! Well, maybe that's exaggerating just a tiny bit...
By evening, after walking for the entire day, the two stopped at the edge of a forest to set up camp.
Kosuke went out for a quick patrol and returned holding two plump wild pheasants and a handful of fresh wild greens.
He unstrapped his signature large iron pot, expertly starting a fire and preparing the ingredients. Shinichi, also well-versed in cooking, naturally stepped forward to assist, his movements clean and efficient.
The campfire crackled, and a mouthwatering aroma soon began to waft from the pot.
"Your cooking skills are truly excellent, Senior," Shinichi praised sincerely after tasting a spoonful of the broth.
Kosuke chuckled, poking at the fire. "When you're constantly on the road, you have to know how to take care of your own stomach."
At that moment, as if suddenly recalling something, Shinichi spoke up with genuine curiosity. "Senior, I've read in some books that there is a highly specialized type of shinobi in the ninja world known as 'Cooking Ninjas.' Have you ever heard of them?"
"You... you're just trying to indirectly ask if this old man is a Cooking Ninja, aren't you?" Kosuke threw him a sideways glance, his smile indicating he saw right through the boy's thoughts.
Having his intentions laid bare, Shinichi didn't feel embarrassed. He nodded openly. "I am indeed quite curious."
"Cooking Ninjas, huh..." Kosuke's hands paused slightly. His gaze drifted to the dancing flames, seemingly sinking into a distant memory. His tone carried a faint sigh. "Speaking of which, I suppose I barely qualify as one myself."
"Oh?" Shinichi immediately sat up straighter, intense interest washing over his face.
He was genuinely curious.
Based on his experimentation over the years, for a class to generate a trait on his interface, the prerequisite was that he needed to be formally "acknowledged" and "accepted" by a complete, established lineage or authority.
Furthermore, that lineage needed to involve the application of supernatural power or chakra.
So, did a Cooking Ninja count? After all, a Cooking Ninja could technically be described as a chef who utilizes chakra.
If a Cooking Ninja didn't count—and by extension, if a Medical Ninja didn't count in the future—that would imply that the class had to be an entirely independent, complete lineage of supernatural power, rather than a mere derivative subset of the shinobi system.
This would mean the lineage had to be older than the shinobi profession itself, possessing a stable application of supernatural power long before chakra became widespread. It was only after chakra—a more efficient, versatile form of energy—became common that these professions swapped their internal energy source for chakra. For example, Swordsmen, or Samurai!
Seeing Shinichi's serious demeanor, Kosuke chuckled and slowly explained, "Cooking Ninjas are a unique group that combines the skills of a shinobi with those of a chef. Their primary duty isn't combat; it's to cook food infused with chakra or specialized nutrients to rapidly replenish the stamina and chakra of ninja squads executing long-term, high-intensity missions."
"The essence of the art lies in applying chakra control—specifically microscopic manipulation of Fire Style—to precisely regulate the heat and trigger the energy within the ingredients."
He paused, tossing a pinch of salt into the pot, before continuing, "However, with the rapid advancement of medical ninjutsu and pharmacology across the ninja world—especially the mass production and application of food pills, which are highly portable and concentrate their effects—the Cooking Ninjas' supply method, which requires on-site cooking and relies on fresh ingredients, became glaringly inefficient."
"Over time, this group fell entirely into decline. In the modern ninja world, unless you stumble upon an ancient family legacy or an incredibly obscure, niche lineage, you'll almost never see them. So, it's perfectly normal that you've only read about them and never met one."
"Senior, what exactly does it take to be considered a formal Cooking Ninja?" Shinichi asked.
Even though he had already roughly deduced that a derivative class like Cooking Ninja—a fusion of shinobi and chef—likely wouldn't meet the interface's strict conditions for generating a class trait.
But he still decided to test the waters personally. Just in case. There was no harm in trying.
"To become a Cooking Ninja?" Kosuke burst into laughter. "Shinichi, I don't know why you're taking this so seriously, but from where I'm sitting, you're already a Cooking Ninja."
"Oh?" Shinichi's eyes flickered. "Why do you say that, Senior?"
"Look at it. You are a shinobi, you have mastered Fire Style, and your cooking skills are quite excellent. How does that not make you a Cooking Ninja?"
"But Senior, you just said that a Cooking Ninja's food can rapidly replenish stamina and restore chakra..."
"Food inherently possesses those effects; it's just a matter of magnitude. If you want a more pronounced effect, just add some medicinal herbs to the dish and make a medicinal meal. It isn't difficult," Kosuke waved his hand dismissively.
Shinichi didn't let the topic drop. Instead, he looked at Kosuke even more earnestly, his tone formal. "So, in Senior's eyes, I can already be considered a Cooking Ninja. Is that correct?"
Hearing this, Kosuke froze for a moment. Although he didn't understand why Shinichi needed such a solemn confirmation, he smiled and nodded anyway.
"Yes, Shinichi. I acknowledge that you are currently a Cooking Ninja."
Having said that, Kosuke glanced at the darkening sky and portioned out the remaining soup. "Alright, eat up and get some rest early. We have to travel tomorrow. As for the night watch, I'll take the first shift."
---
That night, deep inside the City Lord's manor in Narumi Town.
The City Lord, Yasumasa Kurokawa, suddenly felt a bone-gnawing agony erupt inside his body. His face went entirely pale. He immediately dismissed his attendants and stumbled alone into his study, subsequently opening a hidden room that only he knew about.
The moment the door clicked shut, he could no longer endure it. He curled up on the floor, letting out muffled, agonizing groans. This was no ordinary illness; it was a torturous torment, as if his bones were being crushed inch by inch and pierced from the inside out.
Trembling, he crawled toward a wooden cabinet against the wall, fumbling deep within a drawer until he pulled out a porcelain vial.
The moment he popped the cork, a thick, metallic stench of blood instantly filled the air.
Yasumasa frantically poured the dark red liquid down his throat. A moment later, his rapid, ragged breathing slowly began to steady. The excruciating pain wracking his body receded like the tide, leaving him completely drained, drenched in a cold sweat.
"I told you a long time ago... to be more restrained in your actions."
Using the wall for support, he slowly dragged himself to his feet. His voice was hoarse as he spoke to the empty shadows.
"Look where we are now. I just heard from my subordinates that those dirt-poor peasants pooled their money and hired Konoha shinobi to investigate... If this blows up, we are both finished."
"You all? Hehehe..."
A man draped in a black cloak slowly stepped out of the darkness. His voice was deep and icy.
"My dear City Lord, do not forget that you have long belonged to the Church. We... are on the same side."
Yasumasa's face tightened, but he didn't voice a rebuttal; his eyes merely grew darker. The cloaked man didn't seem to care, casually continuing:
"As for the Konoha shinobi?" He let out a low chuckle, as if discussing the weather. "Just kill them."
"Are you insane?!" Yasumasa's expression warped drastically, his voice barely contained. "This is the Land of Fire! Not the Land of Hot Water! Killing anyone from Konoha will trigger a full-scale, relentless investigation from the entire village! This will no longer be a simple matter of missing children!"
The robed man fell silent for a moment. The shadows beneath his hood seemed to shift slightly before his icy voice echoed again, laced with mockery. "Then, what is your brilliant suggestion, City Lord? The matter regarding the Holy Son absolutely cannot be halted. Do not forget, my dear City Lord, your bone cancer is considered a terminal illness among terminal illnesses even within the ninja world. Only when the Holy Son descends and grants divine grace... can your disease be completely cured."
"Of course I know that! You don't need to tell me!" Yasumasa growled, pacing anxiously in the cramped, hidden room. "Precisely because it cannot stop, we must be even more cautious! Listen to me. From this moment on, until the Konoha shinobi leave or until the truth is officially 'discovered,' every single one of you must go entirely underground. You absolutely cannot touch another child! I will make proper arrangements. I will find a few suitable scapegoats and fabricate a motive to wrap up this disappearance case. We need to deal with the immediate threat first."
Distinct dissatisfaction showed on the face beneath the robed man's hood. Seeing this, Yasumasa stepped forward, his voice turning harsh. "Let me reiterate: I am not joking!"
"Think about the Patriarch's original intention in sending you here! You were sent to take root, to carve out new territory for the Church's faith, to operate long-term, and to expand slowly! If your momentary recklessness draws uncontrollable, powerful enemies, destroying our foundation here and ruining the Patriarch's grand design... can you bear that responsibility?!"
He took a deep breath, delivering his final warning with absolute finality. "Konoha stands at the absolute apex of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Their strength is unfathomable. If you truly provoke their genuine elite—the shadow-like Anbu—over a few lives... when that time comes, let alone our own lives, even the Patriarch far away in the Land of Hot Water, and the headquarters the Church has spent years building, will likely be exposed to a thunderous assault and face total annihilation! Is that the outcome you want to see?"
Seeing the robed man, Elder Takahashi, remain silent, a cold glint flashed in Yasumasa's eyes. He decided to apply even more pressure.
He stepped half a pace forward, dropping his voice even lower, lacing it with a naked threat. "Elder Takahashi, you wouldn't want the Patriarch to..."
"How do you know that the Patriarch..." Elder Takahashi's face beneath the hood contorted drastically. He subconsciously snapped back with a sharp interrogation. Halfway through the sentence, he abruptly realized he had slipped up and instantly snapped his mouth shut.