In the dusky twilight, 6 P.M.
[Lightning Spear Thrust: (Small Success) 95/300] (+16)
"Hoooohhh... I reckon that in my rough estimates, I should be able to catch up in 5 days of training."
After 6 hours of practice, Yoichi peeked at his hands and murmured amidst the numbing breeze of the cold winter. Thanks to his focused state, he gained a sizable amount of proficiency exp but his mind and body have been slightly exhausted from the continuous conditioning.
"There you are. We have been looking for you for over an hour!"
Once Yoichi unhurriedly paced into his house, Jiraiya came out of the cold forest near his backyard with a radiant smile on his face.
Along with Jiraiya were Tsunade and Orochimaru, dressed in jackets due to the chilly breeze of the brutal winter.
Right before the three finished their classes in the Ninja Academy, Jiraiya vehemently asked the two to visit Yoichi in his house, a little bit worried about their friend's absence from the room.
"Come on in! You're all quite lucky, I'll have to cook dinner at this point."
Upon hearing Yoichi's invitation, Jiraiya and Tsunade's faces lit up. As the two casually went inside and sat down at a kotatsu table, Orochimaru spoke, "Thanks for having me..."
"No problems. Don't worry, it won't take too long for me to cook." When Orochimaru came in with his polite remark, Yoichi waved his hands and closed the door before he strutted into the kitchen, beginning to cook.
"Hohoho... This is a huge ass space! Where are your parents though?"
Sitting on the kotatsu table, Jiraiya scanned the entire room with a question in his mind until he turned his head toward Yoichi's direction.
"Why do you always have to butt in on his personal life?! Maybe his parents were working right now!" Tsunade interjected and huffed in irritation, ultimately enjoying the warmth underneath the kotatsu table.
"Aren't you a little bit curious? Look around you, there's not even a photo frame of his family around."
As a curious child, Jiraiya noticed the unusual background in a couple of glances before he whispered into Tsunade's ear.
"Is that really bad? Also, don't talk to my ears like that!" Tsunade's eyes rolled before veins in her forehead soon popped out after looking at the sheepish smile of Jiraiya.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru glanced at the two quarreling idiots with a knowing look on his profile. Although what Jiraiya said was truly interesting, Orochimaru's mind has been in Ninjutsu, not being a gossipy shinobi.
For a while, the two went on a tirade of insults until Yoichi brought up several plates of food to the table.
"Wow! Is– isn't this too extravagant?!"
Tsunade's mouth felt watery due to the sheer size of the meal, like a banquet in front of her. On the other hand, Jiraiya's hands slowly crept up to the table and lunged at the food.
*Smack!*
"That's mine!"
After smacking Jiraiya's hand, Tsunade used chopsticks and ate the karaage. 'Hmmm!! This is so delicious!'
The mouth-watering juices of the karaage exploded in her mouth as she couldn't resist eating more and more.
"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down!" Jiraiya couldn't stop Tsunade's voracious mouth so he tried to also eat until his eyes shone, nodding in agreement.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Once Yoichi sat down at the table, he noticed that Orochimaru was slightly stunned by the two before he hesitantly ate in a couple of portions, nodding in understanding.
For a while, the 4 ate the food and relished the mood with satisfaction in their faces. The food was delicious and piping hot while the warmth at the kotatsu table amplified the scene.
...
...
...
*Burp!*
"Phew! That was so great! I didn't know you were that good at cooking, Yoichi!" After letting out a satisfied belch, Tsunade brushed her stomach repeatedly and glanced at Yoichi, painting him in a different light.
"It was indeed a masterpiece! That food felt so freaking amazing!" Jiraiya took out a toothpick and gave Yoichi a thumbs-up, acting like an old man.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru nodded in acknowledgement. Even though the food had been consumed primarily by the two gluttons, he appreciated such an earnest effort as a guest.
In a couple of moments, the jovial mood had permeated the room until Yoichi broke the cheerful atmosphere and said, "Now that you are all here, get these ointments and adjust to their intense medicinal fragrance."
"What are these for?"
By the time Yoichi took out 3 ointments, Tsunade fiddled with the bottle in her hands and asked him.
"That is Blood Ganoderma Ointment, a way to advance into the Skin Refining Stage," Yoichi responded.
"Uwaaahh! This smell is too strong!" After Jiraiya uncorked the lid, the herbal aroma suffused and pervaded across the entire room.
"Hmmm... Interesting." Orochimaru's interest was piqued, glancing at the bottle like it was a fatal attraction.
"You can only use them after you feel your Qi Blood is boiling within. Then, after you have successfully refined it, your skin will have a defensive system like this!" Once Yoichi explained, he took out a kunai and stabbed himself, shocking the three in unison.
Afterward, the three were astonished as Yoichi's skin wasn't pierced by the kunai. Rather, the kunai had been blocked by a protective layer and was unable to sink even more into his skin.
"Whoa... So that's the Skin Refining Stage! Can it block any kind of attack?" Jiraiya commented, peeking silently at Tsunade's profile.
"You're creeping me out!" However, Tsunade noticed his glances until she sneered in disdain and said, "Oh? So you think you could block my fist? Sorry, but I think I will achieve the Skin Refining Stage right before you!"
Once again, the quarrel between the two began while Yoichi and Orochimaru shrugged their shoulders.
"It's getting late... You all should go home now." When Yoichi butted in, the three noticed the time and instantly stood up but were very reluctant to leave.
"Thanks for the meal! I'll see you tomorrow!" After the three went outside, Jiraiya waved his hands and the two also followed suit, waving their hands before they left into the white horizon. Carrying the ointments on their hands, the three felt grateful for Yoichi's benevolence.
"Finally at peace... I must sleep early since the wind feels so cold! Then..."
Later on, Yoichi cleaned the table and accomplished his routine, eventually falling asleep in the harsh winter as if a hibernating bear in the middle of the white expanse of frigid snow.
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(Current Progress)
[Realm: Skin Refining Stage] (Jade Skin)
[Heavenly Demon Posture: (Perfection) 11/1000]
[Mountain Crushing Fist: (Small Success) 150/300]
[Lightning Spear Thrust: (Small Success) 95/300]
[Phantom Steps: (Small Success) 210/300]
[Tickets: 1 Prismatic, 0 Gold, 1 Silver.]
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Sorry for changing the title again! One of the people who commented said that my previous title was just like a Chinese TL so I changed it to a more easily interpreted way.
Shoutout to TwinLoongs and doomslayer24 for the Power Stones! Thank you man, I'll make sure I'm going to improve more in my Writing Dao, benefactor!
Thanks for reading the chapters and bookmarking the novel! See ya! XDD!