In the original story, Team 7 barely passed the second stage of the Chunin Exam on the last day, even in the final seconds before the deadline.
Immediately after the exam, the three had to rush to the venue for the next preliminary round, with Sasuke barely participating despite being afflicted by the Cursed Seal and in terrible condition.
However, the current situation is completely different—Team 7 unexpectedly gained a full five days of free time.
After a tense morning of written tests, followed by a perilous journey through the Death Forest, it was now past noon, well into the afternoon.
Therefore, the most pressing matter at hand was—eating.
Naruto calmly took out a small scroll from his Ninja tool pouch. As he skillfully performed hand seals to release the sealing jutsu, a puff of smoke appeared, and several meticulously prepared bento boxes materialized before everyone, containing the lunch he had specially made earlier that morning.
Sakura was slightly stunned by this ingenious use of a storage scroll. A portable sealing scroll capable of perfectly preserving food must be incredibly expensive on the market, right?
But she quickly realized that it was likely something Naruto had made himself.
After years of persistent study, Naruto's mastery of sealing jutsu had long since reached an advanced level. If he were willing to sell these practical storage scrolls, he would have achieved financial freedom long ago.
However, since Naruto had never bothered to inquire about market prices or attempted to sell them, he was unaware that, as Konoha's only Uzumaki clan member, his skill in sealing jutsu was already among the village's best.
Excluding the Third Hokage's suicidal Reaper Death Seal, his mastery was arguably Konoha's finest.
Of course, now that he possessed Kado's vast fortune, even supporting the entire operations of the [Ember] Organization, he was no longer short of money. Moreover, he had Kakuzu and Hizashi diligently managing his finances.
The bento dishes prepared today were made by Naruto, who learned them from a cookbook he bought at a bookstore. The Ninja World's culinary habits leaned towards Hefeng, with many modified Chinese dishes as well. He specifically chose a dish called "Joyful Harvest Rice."
Satsuki and Sakura eagerly opened their bento boxes, revealing dishes that were still steaming warmly. Below was fluffy, pearly white steamed rice, while the upper layer was carefully topped with a dish made from pork liver, its rich sauce slowly seeping into the rice grains below.
The three found a quiet lounge and sat down. When Sakura and Satsuki took their first bite, despite their high expectations for Naruto's cooking, the exquisite taste on their tongues made their eyes widen involuntarily.
The rice was perfectly steamed, soft and sticky, and after fully absorbing the savory flavor of the special sauce, it was smooth and easy to swallow.
Paired with crispy cabbage cooked with a thickening technique, and tender, smooth pork liver that was expertly prepared to remove any gamey taste and had a subtle chewiness, the flavors of each ingredient perfectly blended, creating a harmonious symphony in their mouths.
This ultimate deliciousness left Satsuki and Sakura speechless for a moment. They simply and simultaneously quickened their pace, taking large bites of the meal before them, allowing their bodies and minds, slightly fatigued from the tense morning exam, to find the best comfort in this sumptuous feast.
Even with Naruto's top-tier culinary skills, anything he made would be delicious, but he still poured his heart into preparing these bentos for his teammates, each one a meticulous creation.
During Team 7's missions, as long as time wasn't particularly tight, Naruto would usually cook himself, preparing meals for Kakashi, Satsuki, and Sakura. This had almost become an unwritten rule for the team.
I'm so lucky!
Sakura cheered inwardly as she savored the delicious Joyful Harvest Rice in her mouth. One must know that when Ninjas are on missions, most of the time they can only fill their stomachs with bland military rations.
Even if they occasionally had time to build a fire and cook, those Ninjas who dedicated most of their energy to combat training often had unremarkable cooking skills.
Yet, to be able to taste dishes more delicious than those from a high-end restaurant while on a mission, Sakura deeply felt that being assigned to such a team was an immense stroke of luck!
However, amidst this feeling of happiness, a subtle worry also crept into her mind: what if she couldn't eat such delicious food anymore in the future?
Unlike Sakura, who was somewhat anxious, Satsuki had no such worries. She had long decided to stick by Naruto's side for life—no matter where, when, or how their identities changed, wherever Naruto was, she would follow.
Once, Kakashi, half-curious and half-testing, asked Satsuki a question: "You're so dependent on Naruto now. What if, someday, due to some irresistible reason, you have to separate from him? What would you do?"
However, Satsuki countered with a question. "Irresistible? What specific reasons are you referring to?"
So, Kakashi gave a few possible examples, such as mission assignments, long-term transfers, and so on, but Satsuki refuted each one with various "reasonable" solutions, her core idea being only one—no matter what, they would never separate.
Of course, Kakashi couldn't fabricate extreme situations beyond the comprehension of a Genin. He had originally wanted to jokingly add a remark.
"If, unfortunately, Naruto were to die in battle someday, what would you do?"
This was, of course, just a joke; Kakashi would never let such a situation happen, even at the cost of his own life.
At the time, he was simply somewhat helpless about Satsuki's completely Naruto-centric attitude towards life.
However, when he saw Satsuki's dark eyes, the joke ultimately remained unspoken. He merely imagined Satsuki's possible answer in his mind and wisely chose to remain silent.
Watching the satisfied expressions of his two teammates as they enjoyed the delicious food, Naruto unconsciously revealed a relieved smile. Naruto now understood why Uncle Ichiraku smiled so happily every time he heard customers praise his ramen.
Just as this warm atmosphere enveloped them, the door to the lounge was unexpectedly pushed open with a "CRASH."
So fast?
This thought simultaneously appeared in the minds of both parties, inside and outside the room. Inside, Naruto, Satsuki, and Sakura looked up, somewhat startled. Outside, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, who had just arrived, also stopped in their tracks. Six gazes met in mid-air.
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