Bonus for 400 PS, all bonuses cleared. The next bonus is at 500 PS, so keep the PS coming. Thank you for the support.
◇◇◇
Ryo understood that Uzumaki Mito's invitation was a gesture of courtesy and grace from the matriarch of the Senju clan, the widow of the God of Shinobi.
Being invited once was giving face, and that was enough, a return of courtesy.
Going again?
That was just politeness.
If he actually took it seriously, that would mean taking advantage of their kindness, being impolite, and not knowing his place.
Ryo was extremely sensitive to boundaries.
He couldn't stand the feeling of being constrained, pulled by invisible ropes into that deep mansion, and even less could he stand the torment of being scrutinized by Uzumaki Mito's seemingly gentle yet all-seeing gaze at the dinner table.
So, he only went once, strictly adhering to the standards of a distinguished guest, acting as a chef, preparing dishes with the efficiency of someone on a mission.
Mito smiled, Tsunade watched the show, Kushina was excited and a little shy, and Nawaki buried himself in his food, trying to be invisible.
After the meal, having thanked them for the hospitality then left before the atmosphere got more awkward.
Tsunade and Kushina were sensible enough.
Mito was indeed old, and no one knew how much longer she would be with them.
Blood ties and family affection took precedence.
So, in the following days, the two girls obediently went back to the Senju residence for dinner every night, chatting with the old lady. It was mainly Kushina chattering, Nawaki grunting, and Tsunade occasionally cracking jokes, trying to spend as much time as possible with Mito in her final days.
Ryo's small courtyard finally returned to its original state for a short while.
The evening's cooking smoke belonged only to him.
The flames on the stove licked the bottom of the pot, the simmering bone broth gurgled monotonously, and the spice jars stood quietly in a row.
Only the faint sounds of Konoha's myriad lights and voices from beyond the wall made the courtyard seem even emptier.
…
Time flowed like water, and two years passed in a flash.
One afternoon in Konoha.
The scorching sun beat down on the Ninja Academy's training ground.
The bell for class dismissal had just rung, and Kushina's fiery red hair rushed out like a whirlwind, her target clear—the indifferent figure leaning against a tree with crossed arms on the training ground.
"Hey! Ryo! What are we eating today?" Kushina asked, her sweaty little face turned up, her eyes sparkling brightly, not at all polite.
Ryo slapped a huge bento box, tightly wrapped in large leaves, into her hands. It was heavy. "Here's your portion."
Kushina skillfully took the box, and quickly untied the sturdy grass rope.
As the layers of leaves were peeled back, a rich and complex aroma instantly exploded, oily roasted whole chicken legs, fragrant skewers, thick-cut deer chops sizzling and still dripping oil, glistening rice balls, fresh pickled vegetables and wild fruits. There was such a variety and quantity that it was enough to stuff three of her to death.
This was not a bento, but clearly a mobile barbecue stall.
Students passing by all turned their heads, gasps and gulps of saliva rising and falling.
They had long since become numb to this over the past two years.
The combination of Ryo the Red Devil and Kushina the Red-Hot Habanero, one a walking tyrannosaurus and chef, the other a mobile glutton and human accessory, had long become a scenic highlight of the Ninja Academy.
Kushina plopped down on a tree root, her cheeks stuffed full, gnawing on a chicken leg as she mumbled, "Are you… munch… taking me home this afternoon?"
"Yeah, whenever you're ready." Ryo was concise; his gaze sweeping over a few restless kids in the distance.
His icy stare made those people immediately shrink their necks and scurry away.
At dismissal time.
The setting sun stretched shadows long.
Most of the crowd at the Ninja Academy gate had dispersed, and Ryo appeared there punctually.
Kushina skipped out, accompanied by a few cautious female classmates.
One of them, a girl wearing the Uchiha clan crest, was even holding hands with Kushina.
"I'm leaving!" Seeing Ryo, Kushina waved goodbye to her classmates and trotted closer to him.
"Hm." Ryo turned and walked, his pace neither fast nor slow, ensuring Kushina didn't have to run to keep up. Silence along the way was normal.
He had walked this path for two years; he could draw it with his eyes closed.
But each time, it was as tense as the first.
Latent strength was coiled in his muscles, ready to strike.
His hand hung seemingly casually at his side, just an inch from the chipped and worn katana at his waist.
He remembered the original plot where Kushina was abducted.
That possibility had jabbed at him like a cold thorn for two years.
As Uzumaki Mito aged, the covetousness brought by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki label would only increase.
Enemies might be lurking in the shadows, perhaps plotting.
What if… it was today? On this very path?
Ryo would not allow such a "what if" to happen.
So every evening after school, Ryo would escort Kushina back to the old Senju residence.
Day after day, the escort had become instinct, and also a common sight for the residents of Konoha: the silent red-haired boy and the chattering red-haired girl.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)
◇ If you enjoy the story, please consider leaving a review, it helps a lot!
◇ Don't forget to add the book to your library.