Chapter 45: Probing and Revenge
As frontline combatants, all three had massive appetites. Even the refined Kanae showed an impressive hunger after the physical drain of the battle.
The conversation flowed as easily as the tea and sake. Before long, the table was a graveyard of empty plates.
"Owner! Another round of Yakisoba and Sushi over here!" Uzui shouted, waving his arm.
He saw the owner scurrying around the hearth, frantic. It was the peak of the night market, and this was one of the most popular stalls in town. The service speed had slowed to a crawl.
Natsuya glanced at his System Panel. His [Cooking] proficiency was nearly at the cap for Level 2.
Might as well kill two birds with one stone.
"You guys keep eating," Natsuya said, standing up. "I'm gonna hit the head."
Kanae watched him walk away. "Mr. Uzui, is the restroom in that direction?"
Uzui watched Natsuya slip behind the kitchen curtain, looking utterly baffled. What is this kid up to now?
Inside the cramped kitchen, Natsuya checked his stats. He only needed a little more "Crafting XP" to hit LV.3.
"Hey, kid! Customers aren't allowed back here!" the owner barked.
"Mind if I lend a hand?" Natsuya asked. "I'm actually a decent cook."
Before the owner could refuse, Natsuya had already tied on a spare apron, washed his hands with military precision, and grabbed a chef's knife.
The next second, cold steel blurred. The ingredients on the cutting board were reduced to perfectly uniform slivers in a heartbeat.
It was master-tier knife work. But he didn't stop there. His heat control and the fluid motion of his stir-frying left the owner wide-eyed with shock. Outside, Uzui and Kanae caught glimpses of his silhouette through the curtain, moving with unnatural efficiency.
The table fell quiet for a moment. Uzui poured himself half a cup of sake and looked at the girl across from him.
"Butterfly. What do you think of that kid?"
His voice held less of its usual bravado. Kanae, who was sipping her barley tea, paused. She looked at the kitchen curtain, her expression settling into a polite, gentle smile.
"Natsuya-kun? He's a very powerful swordsman. Both in body and spirit. If he hadn't arrived when he did, I likely wouldn't be sitting here..."
Uzui leaned forward, interrupting her. His jeweled headpiece clinked softly. "I'm not asking about his DPS. I mean, what do you 'feel' about him? As a person?"
"Mr. Uzui, please don't tease me."
"Natsuya-kun is a respectable comrade," Kanae said steadily. However, the tips of her ears turned a faint pink, and her grip on the tea cup tightened.
Seeing her reaction, Uzui stopped poking the bear. He leaned back into his chair and let out a long, contemplative sigh.
"That guy... he's flashy as hell. I'll give him that."
"And he's stronger than me right now. By a long shot."
Kanae blinked in surprise. She had assumed the proud ninja would never admit to being surpassed. Uzui waved a dismissive hand.
"I owe him a favor, after all. And you heard that 'Flashy Theory' of his earlier. Even I have to admit he's right about the bottlenecks."
Kanae nodded softly. "And his goals go far beyond what most people consider possible."
"Exactly," Uzui agreed. "Mastering all five basic styles just to create his own? He said it like he was just deciding what kind of dango to buy for lunch tomorrow. It's incredibly flashy."
Uzui's tone dropped slightly. "But his eyes... did you notice?"
"Yes."
"He's kind, sure. But there's a distance to him. Like he's looking at us through a window."
"Do you think Natsuya-kun is a cold person, Mr. Uzui?"
"No, not cold," the ninja corrected. "He heals strangers, he cooks for the owner just because the food is slow, he has zero ego for someone that strong... he doesn't shout slogans; he just acts."
Uzui took a swig of sake and grinned wickedly. "Butterfly, men like that are a rare breed. Do you need Lord Uzui to create some 'flashy' opportunities for you?"
This time, Kanae didn't look away. Her gaze became clearer, softer.
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Uzui. But..." She looked toward the kitchen, where the sound of the wok was a steady, rhythmic comfort. She smiled. "Instead of disturbing him, I'd rather just watch and see how high he can climb. Standing beside him as a comrade is enough for me."
Choosing duty over romance? Uzui thought. This girl is pretty flashy too.
He let out a booming laugh, drawing curious stares from the other patrons.
"HAHAHA! Well said! 'Just watching,' huh? I have a feeling that kid is going to throw a festival the likes of which we've never seen!"
"What are you two talking about?"
Natsuya emerged from the curtain, carrying a tray of steaming Yakisoba and Sushi. He hadn't just finished their order; he had high-efficiently cleared the backlog for several other tables as well.
Uzui took a bite of the noodles and his eyes nearly bulged out.
"WHOA! This is even flashier than before! You've got the sword skills, the medical skills, and now the cooking... your future wife is going to be the luckiest woman in Japan!"
If I were a woman, I'd marry him just for the food, Uzui thought privately. He glanced suggestively between Natsuya and Kanae.
Kanae's face flushed. "Mr. Uzui!"
Natsuya: "?"
Why is everyone being weird?
Uzui laughed and downed his sake, steering the conversation toward life outside the Corps. Kanae talked about her past—how her family was destroyed by demons—and her younger sister, Shinobu.
"So the Stone Hashira saved you?" Natsuya asked, interested. "Master Matsuyama's best student... Kanae, how strong is he exactly?"
Uzui chimed in, "You have a sister? Is she a sparkling jewel like you?"
Kanae instantly went into "Big Sister Shield" mode. "She is a pure, gentle child!"
Uzui waved a hand. "Relax. I have three wives already. I'm not looking for more trouble."
Natsuya: Can we PLEASE stop talking about the wives...
Kanae asked curiously, "Mr. Uzui, how did you even... meet all of them? You are... well, you're a bit loud, you're quite rude, you clearly didn't spend much time in school, and you make strange noises..."
"But you aren't exactly a 'playboy' at heart."
Uzui: ≖_≖
This girl is definitely getting revenge for the 'wife' comment.
"It was an arrangement within the clan," Uzui said, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes. His voice lost its edge. "They are my most reliable partners."
He clearly didn't want to dwell on his shinobi past. He turned to Natsuya. "What about you, Kokonoe? What's your story?"
Natsuya: Me?
Does 'I'm a gamer trying to speedrun the Demon King and loot her corpse' count?
He paused, then recited his system-assigned backstory. "Nothing special. My parents are dead. My sister... was killed by a demon later."
His tone was flat, but it brought an immediate silence to the table. Even Natsuya, speaking under the realistic night sky and the warm lantern light, almost felt the weight of the "setting" he was describing.
Uzui and Kanae exchanged a look. They filled in the blanks of his brevity with their own assumptions.
He has a dead sister, too...
Kanae looked at Natsuya with newfound tenderness and understanding. Family...
Uzui dropped his playful smirk and patted Natsuya's shoulder. "I see. No wonder you fight like a man possessed."
Just as the mood turned somber, three women—dressed in tactical gear, each with a distinct and beautiful appearance—quietly appeared by the stall.
They addressed Uzui with deep respect. "Lord Tengen. We found you."
"New orders from the Master. We must depart tonight."
Natsuya: "?"
He looked at the three competent kunoichi, then at the grinning, smug Uzui. He was speechless.
I am actually jealous, bro.
☆☆☆
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