At the same time, Team 7 had just picked up a mission.
Minato Namikaze stood in front of the three genin and said, "Tomorrow morning at eight, assemble at the village gate. This one's going to be a long haul—probably ten days to two weeks before we're back in the village. Get some solid rest tonight."
With that, he gave a casual wave to dismiss them and vanished in a flicker of afterimage.
The moment Minato was gone, Kakashi turned without a word and started walking toward the eastern side of the village, steps crisp and purposeful.
Obito Uchiha blinked twice. That familiar bad feeling crept up again. He couldn't stop himself from yelling, "Hey! Kakashi! Where are you going?!"
Kakashi didn't even glance back. His pace never slowed, like he hadn't heard a thing.
"That guy!" Obito's eyes went wide, cheeks puffing out in frustration.
Rin Nohara gently tugged his sleeve and whispered, "He's probably going to find Shinichi again."
"Again?! To find Shinichi?!"
Obito's voice shot up an octave, face full of disbelief. "Why does he keep running off to Shinichi all the time lately? We're supposed to be teammates in the same squad!"
He got more worked up, counting on his fingers. "I do missions with him every day, eat with him, do everything together! But the second a mission ends, off he goes to Shinichi without even saying a word!"
Rin held back a laugh and said softly, "It's probably because Shinichi can help him train."
"Train?" Obito pouted, voice dropping. "He could train with me too! I've been improving a lot lately, you know? Although… maybe not as much as Shinichi."
He paused, then muttered even quieter, "Actually, there's no comparison at all."
Saying it out loud made him deflate, shoulders slumping.
Rin watched his jealous little pout and finally couldn't hold it in—she let out a soft laugh.
Obito gave her a resentful look. "Rin, what are you laughing at?"
"Nothing." Rin covered her mouth, eyes curving into crescents. "Just that you really care about Kakashi, don't you?"
"I-I don't care about that jerk at all!" Obito's face flushed red, voice jumping an octave like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I just… I just think it's not good for him to be so antisocial! It's unacceptable! Yeah, that's it!"
"Okay, okay, sure." Rin laughed even harder but didn't tease him any further.
Obito grumbled a bit more, then waved his hand like he was giving up. "Forget it, forget it! Let him do whatever! Rin, let's go shopping. I heard a new three-color dango shop just opened—it's supposed to be amazing!"
"Sure."
"I'm telling you, Rin, I really couldn't care less what that jerk Kakashi is up to! He's going to Shinichi? Fine, let him go!"
Obito and Rin headed toward the commercial street, Obito still muttering under his breath. "Hmph. One day I'm gonna get super strong—strong enough that he'll come looking for me to train with!"
Rin glanced back at the direction Kakashi had disappeared, then at the boy beside her who clearly cared but was too stubborn to admit it. She couldn't help smiling again.
The warm afternoon autumn sunlight poured down, stretching their two shadows long—one in front, one behind—as they merged into the warm orange glow at the end of the street. Only Obito's voice still floated back.
"Rin, if I learn some super cool technique, do you think Kakashi would… Wait, don't get the wrong idea! I'm not doing it so he'll come find me! I-I just want the team atmosphere to be better!"
"Mm, you're the best, Obito."
"Hey! Rin, you're laughing at me again!"
"No, no."
Their playful bickering echoed down the street, gradually carried away by the autumn wind.
Meanwhile, at Training Ground Four, the slanting afternoon autumn sunlight spread a layer of warmth across the grass.
Team 10 sat in a circle around a small pot. Red oil bubbled, steam rose, and the rich, spicy aroma drifted on the breeze.
Shizune held her bowl, sweat beading on her forehead from the heat, but she couldn't put her chopsticks down. "Eating Shinichi's cooking is just too blissful!"
Kurenai picked up a piece of tofu soaked in sauce, blew on it gently, and slipped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes slightly, savoring it for a moment before murmuring, "It doesn't glow like in the manga, but the flavor is seriously addictive."
Tsunade sat nearby, also holding a bowl, staring at the ingredients rolling in the pot with a slight frown.
"That's not right."
She looked up at Shinichi, who was eating slowly across from her. "Every time I watch you use ordinary ingredients—potatoes, tofu, vegetables, regular meat—but when I eat it…"
She paused, poking at the contents of her bowl with chopsticks. "It feels like medicinal cuisine, but without any medicinal taste. Your body just naturally feels comfortable, and your chakra flows smoother than usual. How the heck do you do it, kid?"
It was always like this!
Those seemingly ordinary ingredients, after passing through this boy's hands, seemed rearranged and recombined. Not only did they taste incredibly good, but every bite quietly nourished the body.
With her medical expertise, she knew exactly what that meant.
Eating his food long-term would bring immeasurable benefits to the body—like having a top-tier nutritionist and doctor by your side at all times. And he didn't even use expensive or rare herbs—just everyday ingredients blended into the most nutritious, easily absorbed, body-warming meals.
Shinichi continued eating calmly, face expressionless, but he knew perfectly well inside.
The [Gastronome] trait didn't just boost his absorption and conversion of food nutrients or make things taste good.
It let him instinctively perceive what biochemical reactions different ingredient combinations would produce, predict flavor layering, and precisely grasp the deep effects those foods would have on cakra path, organs, spirit, and even chakra once inside the body.
So yes, he used ordinary ingredients, but after his touch, their pairings created subtle chemical reactions. While there was no exaggerated glowing like in the manga, the changes were real and internal—like they'd been given a kind of magic.
A magic that made the body better without you even noticing.
"I know! I know!"
While Shinichi was still thinking how to brush it off, Shizune—mouth still full—jumped in. "Shinichi said it before: cooking is the extension of one's heart!"
Shizune set down her chopsticks and gestured as she explained. "Um… I mean the Shinichi in the manga, but it's pretty much the same. Shinichi is the author after all. When he cooks, he thinks about making everyone happy and helping their bodies get stronger. He puts all that heart into it, so the food turns out special!"
She nodded firmly, looking completely convinced.
"Really?" Tsunade looked at Shinichi skeptically, but she was too lazy to press further. She took another bite, the hot broth sliding down her throat, spreading warmth from her stomach. It felt so good she didn't want to overthink it.
Real or not, it tasted great—that was enough.
Just then, a silver-haired figure approached from the direction of the training ground entrance.