Yuu planned to find time to test the effect of Light Flame Bullet.
He also needed to confirm the ratio between flash duration and chakra consumption.
A five-second flash probably consumed a lot, making mass production difficult. But under normal circumstances, there was no need to chase the highest-spec version. A one- or two-second Light Flame Bullet would be more than enough. If he made several and timed them to trigger one after another, the effect might even be better than a single burst.
Of course…
The research into Scorch Release itself couldn't be neglected either.
After all, the current Mikami Yuu had only simulated part of Scorch Release's characteristics. There was still a gap between him and Pakura. More importantly, Pakura, as a kekkei genkai ninja, could release ninjutsu with one hand or even without seals. That was the real core technology.
So,
Yuu dismissed the white-hot fireball in front of him with a thought, then exhaled softly.
"Tomorrow, then… I'll find time to study this properly later and try to remove the 'pseudo' as soon as possible."
"Now that things have come to this, time to sleep!"
As he relaxed,
an intense wave of fatigue immediately surged up. Yuu randomly wiped his face with a towel, then tilted sideways and fell back onto his bed. The moment his head touched the pillow, his eyes closed and he fell asleep.
The Phoenix Sage Fire Technique inside the galgame system also quieted down in satisfaction.
…
The next day.
Team Minato woke up early, cleaned up, and went out as usual to carry out half a day of border patrol. Naturally, the situation remained calm, just like before. It was clear Suna still had not recovered from the blow they had suffered a few days earlier and was lying low for now.
Only after returning at noon and eating a simple meal
did Kakashi and Obito go out to train.
Yuu's "grind king" behavior of secretly training in the middle of the night had clearly stimulated Obito quite a bit, making him eager to grind too. Kakashi could only take up the responsibility of "assistant instructor" and help, using the opportunity to legally and reasonably beat Obito up.
Yuu himself, meanwhile, sat with Rin in the small room behind the medical unit, spread out the pile of scrolls and charts recording Pakura's Scorch Release data, and continued organizing and analyzing them based on yesterday's work, occasionally writing and drawing on draft paper.
Hebishi wasn't there today.
After all, her main job was treating the wounded. Helping them last time had already been out of goodwill for an acquaintance. She couldn't spend all her time doing research with them.
But it didn't matter much.
Because Yuu had just successfully comprehended Light Flame Bullet, his current condition was surprisingly good. When he looked through these materials now, his mindset was completely different from before. Some data that had seemed incomprehensible yesterday, with no visible patterns at all, now appeared much clearer.
However…
Yuu still didn't have many clues about the "catalytic medium" Hebishi had mentioned earlier. That was the key to whether his Scorch Release could truly refine the fake into the real.
"…The main issue is still this part. The structure of these chakra-conducting proteins is too special and complicated. It's hard to determine exactly how chakra fuses and operates when passing through them, and this is the most critical point.
"It seems our current level still isn't enough, and the equipment is lacking too. If we want to fully understand the trick here, we'll probably have to find experts like Lady Tsunade or Lord Orochimaru… Hmm, maybe later I can see if anyone is returning to Konoha and send a copy of these materials back?"
Yuu began thinking over that plan.
Rin rested her chin on one hand and watched from beside him, softly comforting him.
"Yuu-kun, you've already done very well. You've summarized so many patterns in such a short time. The main problem is that this topic is too difficult. Don't push yourself too hard."
"Don't worry. I know my limits."
Yuu had just been about to say more when the tent flap was suddenly yanked open. Obito's spiky head appeared in view, accompanied by his noisy voice.
"Rin! Yuu! Hurry and come look! Today's dinner is crazy fancy! It's like New Year's!"
Beside him,
Kakashi had both hands in his pockets and followed slowly, correcting him.
"It's not 'like.' Today is January 1, Year 47 of Konoha. It really is the new year."
"New… year?"
Yuu and Rin both froze at the same time.
Konoha's calendar had been organized after Senju Hashirama founded the village. Broadly speaking, it was similar to the modern Gregorian calendar, with deep winter marking the start of the year.
If they were in Konoha, it should already have snowed several times by now. But Wildfire City was close to the Land of Wind, located in a lower-latitude region, so the change in climate wasn't obvious. Add in the tense battles blurring the passage of time, and Yuu's group hadn't even realized that the year-end had arrived.
"Wow, it's already New Year?"
Rin's eyes lit up with surprise. The fatigue from days of poring over data was swept away. For a girl her age, the atmosphere of a holiday always had a natural appeal, even on the front line.
Yuu began clearing the table.
"Let's go see."
Immediately,
Obito happily led the way. Yuu and Rin walked in the middle, while Kakashi followed at the back with an expression that said, "I really can't do anything with you people." Once they stepped out of the tent, the sight before them made all of them widen their eyes slightly.
In the open space at the center of the outpost, a huge bonfire had already been lit. Orange-red flames leapt and danced, driving away the dimness of evening. Several long tables had been temporarily pushed together, and they were filled with all kinds of food:
large chunks of roasted beast meat sizzling with oil and sprinkled with spices, big pots of stew and boiled fish, steaming white rice and fresh bread, rare fresh fruits and vegetables… there were even several jars of liquor with red paper labels.
Several logistics ninja were swiftly setting up barbecue racks, and beside them, meat chunks and skewers of vegetables had already been piled like small hills.
"Yuu! Rin! Over here!"
Hebishi's voice rang out. She was directing several wounded ninja whom she and Yuu had healed not long ago to move fruit. When she saw them, her face was full of a relaxed smile.
"Come give us a hand. Help steady those racks over there! Everyone should relax properly tonight!"
"Alright."
Yuu and Rin quickly answered and went forward to help. Obito followed as well.
After a round of busy work,
by the time the sky had fully darkened, the central clearing of the camp had been filled with bonfires and voices. Konoha ninja sat together in groups of two and three, laughing loudly, raising cups in celebration. Someone brought out a flute or harmonica and began playing folk tunes from the Land of Fire.
At that moment, Jiraiya and Minato appeared. Jiraiya was still wearing his iconic red outer robe, his wooden sandals clacking underfoot. At a height of over 1.9 meters, his appearance immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Lord Jiraiya! You're here!"
"Quick, sit here!"
As one of the Sannin and the supreme commander of Konoha's southwestern battlefield, Jiraiya's prestige naturally needed no explanation. The moment he appeared, he was warmly welcomed by everyone around him. Then he was invited to give a few words of blessing, just to mark the occasion.
"Ahem… I don't have much to say. Over the past year, we've experienced many things. Although war has brought pain and parting, it has also shown us the resilience and courage of Konoha ninja! Especially the younger generation, who have displayed responsibility and strength far beyond their age! You are the hope of Konoha's future!"
"Indeed."
When those words were spoken, a round of approving applause rose from the crowd. Many people turned their eyes toward Mikami Yuu and Kakashi. Among the new generation of ninja, the two of them had performed the most brilliantly, even surpassing many adult ninja in their twenties. No one could deny it.
"…In short, in the new year, I hope everyone continues fighting to protect our homeland and comrades! Let's end this war as soon as possible! For peace, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone responded together. The atmosphere was instantly ignited, cheers and the sound of clinking cups ringing out together.
Amid this heated atmosphere, Jiraiya suddenly chuckled.
"Enough formal talk. This old man will perform a little show to liven things up. It's a little trick I learned from a ninja of another country during my travels through the ninja world—'face changing'!"
As he spoke, Jiraiya raised his sleeve to cover his face. With one wave, thick stage paint appeared on his face, turning him into the image of a fierce, glaring strongman. Another wave, and he became a sorrowful old man. Another wave, and he turned into a comically funny child's grimace.
This smooth and natural performance immediately drew cheers from all around. Many young ninja stared in amazement, not expecting the prestigious Lord Jiraiya to have such an approachable—even slightly ridiculous—side.
Even Kakashi, whose expression management was always strict, couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching slightly beneath his mask.
Yuu saw it and silently complained: What kind of "Sichuan-faced hero" Jiraiya was this? Did the Naruto world also have some place like Sichuan and Shu where people played with this?
Looking at it this way, maybe Senju Tobirama really might have learned some little song like "Thinking of those years, tears never dry"…
Maybe there would be a chance to see it in the future…
Jiraiya proudly clacked around the bonfire in his wooden sandals, changing faces several more times before ending amid applause and laughter.
"Hahaha, just a little trick, just a little trick! Everyone, eat and drink well, but don't forget patrol duties. It would be bad if Suna found an opening!"
"Got it!"
As Jiraiya took his seat,
the evening banquet officially began.
Mikami Yuu, Rin, Kakashi, and Obito sat around one grill. Obito volunteered to be the barbecue chef, but his technique was rather clumsy. He consecutively burned several pieces and could only laugh awkwardly and eat them himself. Kakashi wanted to help but was rejected.
It was New Year's, and they were still kids, so Yuu and Rin didn't mind. They simply mixed seasonings and arranged utensils at the side.
"Rin! This piece looks cooked! Hurry and try it!"
Obito finally picked up a piece of sizzling barbecue and attentively offered it to Rin.
"Thank you, Obito-kun."
Rin accepted it with a smile and was just about to take a bite when a hot coal spark flew up from the edge of the grill and burned the back of her hand. She couldn't help crying out, "Ah!" and nearly dropped the piece of meat.
"Careful!"
Yuu was quick-eyed and quick-handed. He pulled Rin back from the grill, then grabbed the water bottle full of clean water beside them and helped rinse the reddened back of her hand, his movements gentle.
"Good, it's only a little red. No blistering… How does it feel, Rin?"
The cool water washed away the burning pain.
Rin crouched halfway on the ground, looking at Yuu's focused expression and her hands being held by him. Her heartbeat couldn't help speeding up slightly, and her cheeks flushed faintly under the firelight.
"It feels much better already… Thank you, Yuu-kun."
Snap—!
Obito, who had been turning the barbecue, suddenly tightened the hand holding the tongs, almost snapping the bamboo tongs in half.
Kakashi beside him frowned.
"Hey, Obito, why are you still using your Sharingan while grilling meat? Do you have so much chakra you don't know where to spend it? And the meat is almost burned. Hurry and take it out."
"…"
The corner of Yuu's mouth twitched. He turned to look at Obito, briefly speechless.
Good grief…
Good thing Kakashi reminded him. Otherwise, Obito might have awakened the Mangekyō in a moment.
So Yuu coughed, stood up, and picked up another pair of tongs.
"I'll take over. I'm better at grilling meat anyway… Obito, here, a large portion for you. Eat while it's hot!"
Obito had a large plate of barbecue pushed in front of him. He hesitated, then looked at Yuu's "sincere" expression. Some of that strange resentment leaked away. Finally, he muttered "oh" in a muffled voice, lowered his head, and bit fiercely into a rib. The black tomoe in his eyes slowly faded.
Alright…
As expected of Wisdom 2. Even eating required coaxing.
After that, Yuu continued serving as the barbecue chef, passing golden, fragrant, oil-rich ribs into everyone's plates one by one. During this, Kakashi quickly finished several pieces and got up to switch shifts with him. Only then did Yuu sit to the side and begin eating heartily.
After the wine had gone around and the food had been thoroughly enjoyed, some Konoha ninja voluntarily stood up and went to replace the comrades responsible for outer patrol and guard duty, so they too could come back and enjoy a moment of celebration.
At that moment,
Jiraiya wandered over with a cup of liquor, his steps slightly unsteady, and plopped himself down in the empty space between Yuu and Obito.
"You brats have done well lately! Seeing you reminds this old man of when I was young. I was just as handsome and dashing, extraordinarily strong, and able to charm countless young girls, hahaha!"
"Especially you, Mikami brat!"
Jiraiya leaned closer to Yuu and patted him on the shoulder. A warm breath thick with alcohol rushed over.
"Capturing Pakura alive, repelling Chiyo—tsk, tsk. Those achievements are enough for you to brag about for a while! Go on, is there any reward you want? Since this old man is happy today, just ask!"
"…Really?"
Yuu grimaced a little from Jiraiya's patting. Hearing this, his eyelid twitched, and he immediately said, "Lord Jiraiya is that generous? Then… do you have any powerful secret ninjutsu or something like that?"
"Secret ninjutsu?"
Jiraiya smiled, then said mysteriously, "You're asking the right person. This old man really does have a special original ninjutsu I developed myself. Even that kid Minato doesn't know it, but it's extremely practical! Want to learn?"