Land of Fire, Kyoto.
The triennial Taketori Festival arrived as scheduled, sweeping this ancient capital into a sea of jubilation and bustle.
Streets and alleys were decorated with lanterns and banners, and the crowds were like a woven tapestry. The shouts of various shops and temporary vendors, the laughter of tourists, and the performance of festival music intertwined into a vibrant grand symphony.
The origins of the Taketori Festival can be traced back to the distant and ethereal age of myths.
Legend has it that in the ancient chaotic times, a brilliant meteor, or perhaps a celestial maiden, fell from Takamagahara into the mortal world, landing in a lush green bamboo forest.
The goddess was born from the bamboo, possessing peerless beauty and boundless power to quell chaos and dispel evil. She was honored by later generations as the Bamboo Forest Princess or the Taketori Goddess.
In the legends, she traveled through various countries, suppressed demons, and brought the first sense of order and peace to the chaotic human world.
To commemorate this goddess who brought peace and hope, the Land of Fire established a tradition at the beginning of its founding.
Every three years, in early May, when the bamboo forest is revitalized and new shoots are sprouting, the most solemn Taketori Festival is held in Kyoto to express gratitude for divine grace and pray for the country's prosperity and the people's peace.
At this moment, inside the open-air plaza, one of the core areas of the festival, the noise was deafening, the waves of sound almost threatening to overturn the temporary colorful canopy.
This was the final venue of the Land of Fire's Number One Gourmet Competition.
Dozens of temporary cooking stations were neatly arranged. Chefs from all over the country were either focused or nervously handling their ingredients. Steam, oil smoke, and the aroma of food mixed into a powerful heatwave.
At the judges' table, over a dozen well-dressed and serious-looking judges were patrolling, their eyes like hawks scanning every contestant's workstation.
The surrounding crowd was packed like sardines. Excited discussions, curious gazes, and exclamations identifying certain famous chefs merged into a buzzing background noise.
Amidst this boiling clamor, the cooking station area where Higashino Shinichi was located seemed like a world of its own, attracting many surprised and curious gazes.
For no other reason than this contestant was wearing a neat, dark Ninja combat uniform with a white chef's apron over it, though his forehead protector had been removed.
But that capable temperament was out of place with the surrounding traditional chefs, most of whom were either burly or lean and worldly.
No way, kid, you actually know how to do this?
Somewhere in the audience, Tsunade looked at the student in the arena with his unique style, and her eyes involuntarily widened a bit.
She originally thought this guy joined the gourmet competition on a whim or because of some other plan. Over the past few days, watching him defeat all opponents from the preliminaries and semi-finals to this final round, she realized... this kid seems... to be for real?
"When Shinichi graduated early last year and held a thank-you banquet at the MijinoTakumi, the owner there, Fujiwara, said Shinichi was the most powerful chef in their shop. I thought it was just a joke," Shizune said softly to Kurenai Yuhi beside her, watching Shinichi skillfully handle the ingredients.
"I didn't expect Shinichi to have such a hobby and skill," Kurenai Yuhi said, lightly covering her mouth. A smile spread across her red eyes as she looked at Shinichi's focused profile, so different from when he was on a mission, finding it quite interesting.
Just then, a middle-aged man in beautiful official robes and with a proper demeanor walked through the crowd straight to Tsunade. He bowed respectfully and said:
"Princess, Your Highness, His Highness the Daimyo noticed you are watching the competition here and specifically ordered me to invite you to the main guest seats above. The view is better and it's more comfortable."
Princess, Your Highness?!
Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi instantly turned their heads, their eyes wide with disbelief as they looked at their teacher.
Facing their shocked gazes, Tsunade just waved her hand casually and said to the official, "Thank the Daimyo for his kindness for me. I'll just watch here with my students. I won't go up to disturb him."
The official politely urged a few more times, but seeing Tsunade's firm attitude, he stopped insisting, bowed again, and withdrew.
After the official left, Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi immediately turned their curious gazes toward Tsunade.
Shizune couldn't help but whisper, "Tea... Teacher... are you a princess?"
"Ah, that," Tsunade said, picking at her ear with a casual tone. "It's all old news, no big deal. Just an empty title I stopped caring about long ago."
Seeing her reluctance to talk more, Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi glanced at each other.
Although their curiosity was like a cat scratching inside, they wisely didn't press further.
They turned their attention back to the bustling arena, focusing on their companion who was applying his extraordinary Ninja control to the extreme in his cooking.
Time passed minute by minute, and the atmosphere in the arena gradually shifted from bustling activity to solemn waiting.
One by one, the contestants finished their works, carefully plating the dishes that embodied their heart, soul, and skill, and presenting them before the judges' table.
The judges looked serious as they tasted each one, exchanging low-voiced opinions and making notes on their scoreboards from time to time.
Every dish they considered excellent would have its finest and most delicious portion carefully served into a special, exquisite ceramic bowl. A servant carrying a gilded lacquer tray would then quickly deliver it to the most luxuriously decorated VIP box with the best view of the venue.
There sat the nominal highest host of this competition, the supreme ruler of this country—the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
The judging process was proceeding tensely, and from time to time, hushed praise could be heard from the judges' table:
"This Sea of Clouds Stew has seasoned heat and a rich broth. Rare!"
"Amber Braised Meat, full of creativity with rich layers of texture. Not bad!"
Finally, the judges' attention focused on the last two bowls presented.
One bowl was the signature work of another veteran famous chef, and the other was from Higashino Shinichi.
Several judges approached, carefully observing the color, smelling the aroma, and finally using special small spoons to taste a little bit of each.
After a brief silence, low arguments broke out.
"This Golden Dew Under Snow is impeccable in its selection of ingredients, knife work, seasoning, and plating Concept. It is truly deserving of the championship," an elderly judge said first, stroking his beard.
"But this... Higashino Shinichi's whale wave condensed jade, with its exquisite ingredient processing, mastery of heat and timing, and the ultimate fresh sweetness and pure taste full of vitality presented at the end, is truly stunning! This isn't just cooking; it's more like a precise jutsu!" another younger judge said excitedly, clearly moved by Shinichi's dish.
"Hmph, cooking is cooking, what's with all this jutsu talk!" The previous old judge said dismissively. "Besides, this person is not a member of the Culinary Association, but a Ninja."
"If we grant the crown of this competition to a Ninja and it spreads, how will the outside world view our Land of Fire's Culinary World? Are we to let the world think that we, who have studied cooking for decades, are actually inferior at making dishes than a Ninja who makes a living by killing? This is outrageous!"
These words caused several conservative judges to nod in agreement.
For those who viewed cooking as a noble traditional art with its own circles and rules, it was indeed difficult to accept an outsider, especially a sword-wielding Ninja, winning the highest honor.
"But judging by the dish alone, this whale wave condensed jade is indeed a cut above..." the young judge tried to argue.
"How many years have you been in the Culinary World? How many storms have you seen? Do you understand what true depth and Legacy are?"
The old judge interrupted him with a firm tone. "In terms of seniority, I am..."
Hearing this, the young judge fell silent and stopped speaking.