Everyone stared at the culinary abomination in Chinatsu's hands.
Almost instinctively, they all looked away.
The anticipation and excitement they had felt just moments ago vanished without a trace.
Then...
Three fearless warriors stepped forward.
Naruto Uzumaki.
Sasuke Uchiha.
And...
Hidan.
Naruto and Sasuke were mentally prepared.
Having once survived Chinatsu's infamous "Black Pepper Steak," the brothers believed they could withstand anything she produced.
As for Hidan...
He genuinely couldn't see anything wrong with the dish.
What's wrong with everyone?
Isn't the young lady's cooking perfectly normal?
No...
It's practically flawless!
The food was black and gooey?
Very fitting for the Young Lady—the incarnation of an Evil God!
It was sticky and mysterious?
Even better!
The ingredients couldn't even be identified?
Exactly the style expected of the Young Lady!
---
"I-Is anyone willing to try it...?"
"..."
"...Never mind."
"I'll just throw it away."
Even Chinatsu herself couldn't finish the sentence.
Wasting food was shameful.
But poisoning someone was much worse.
Just as she turned around—
Bang!
The three heroes slammed both hands onto the table and stood up simultaneously.
Their eyes burned with determination.
Hidan looked proudly at Naruto and Sasuke.
"As expected!"
"You two understand the Young Lady's greatness!"
Naruto and Sasuke silently exchanged glances.
We've already experienced this...
This is nothing.
---
Watching the three volunteers...
Chinatsu couldn't help feeling touched.
Inside her spiritual world...
Kaguya silently watched everything unfold.
The corner of her mouth twitched.
There were simply too many things she wanted to say.
She didn't even know where to begin.
---
Naruto and Sasuke had already begun transforming into true Otsutsuki through Karma.
Their physiques had become unbelievably resilient.
Without hesitation...
The brothers each scooped up a spoonful.
Gulp.
The sound echoed through the room.
Everyone stared without blinking.
Naruto calmly picked up another spoonful.
Sasuke followed immediately afterward.
Both maintained perfect gentlemanly manners while quietly continuing to eat.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The entire room froze.
What?
It's actually edible?
No...
Judging from their expressions...
It even seemed...
Delicious?
---
For a moment...
Everyone began doubting their own eyes.
Kakuzu folded his arms thoughtfully.
As the oldest member of Akatsuki, he spoke with absolute confidence.
"I've heard of this before."
"There are legendary chefs who completely abandon appearance and devote themselves entirely to taste and nutrition."
"Their dishes often look horrifying..."
"But every bite contains incredible flavor and tremendous health benefits."
"They nourish both body and soul."
The moment Kakuzu finished speaking...
Everyone accepted his explanation without the slightest doubt.
"I knew it!"
"We judged it by appearance."
"Naruto and Sasuke have probably been eating food like this since childhood."
"No wonder they're so calm."
The crowd nodded repeatedly.
Naruto and Sasuke lowered their heads.
Neither of them spoke.
They simply continued eating.
---
Seeing the brothers eating so confidently...
Hidan refused to fall behind.
He grabbed a spoon.
"This is my battlefield!"
He shoveled a huge spoonful into his mouth.
Gulp.
He slowly chewed.
A blissful smile spread across his face.
Three seconds later—
THUD!!
His forehead smashed directly into the dining table.
"Hidan!!"
Everyone jumped in fright.
Kakuzu's expression became especially awkward.
If only there were an Undo button...
He wanted to take back every word he had just said.
Fortunately...
Hidan was immortal.
A few seconds later...
He suddenly lifted his head as though nothing had happened.
His eyes sparkled.
"Delicious!!"
Even Naruto and Sasuke couldn't help twitching.
His skull is made of iron...
No...
His stomach is.
---
Hidan immediately continued eating.
One spoonful.
Another.
Another.
He collapsed.
Recovered.
Collapsed again.
Recovered again.
Like a man possessed.
By the end...
He had actually finished the entire plate.
His eating speed even surpassed Naruto and Sasuke combined.
---
"W-Wow..."
"That's incredible..."
Chinatsu blinked in astonishment.
She was the one who had cooked it.
She knew better than anyone...
That dish had absolutely nothing to do with the word delicious.
Receiving praise from the Young Lady...
Hidan proudly picked up a toothpick.
He cleaned his teeth while wearing the expression of a victorious hero.
Naruto and Sasuke glanced at him simultaneously.
He's cheating...
Immortality really is unfair.
---
From that day onward...
Nobody ever mentioned Chinatsu's cooking skills again.
Those who had eaten it remained silent.
Those who hadn't eaten it wisely chose not to ask.
However...
Everyone secretly made the same decision.
If the Young Lady ever offers to cook again...
Run.
Regardless of how it tasted...
The appearance alone was terrifying enough.
---
As Chinatsu and her companions settled into the Land of Whirlpools...
The once-forgotten nation became livelier than ever.
News of Chinatsu leaving Konoha quickly spread across the ninja world.
One after another...
The Five Great Nations and numerous smaller villages sent diplomatic envoys carrying gifts.
Their intentions were obvious.
Although the village elders tended to be conservative...
None of them were fools.
Even if they hadn't witnessed Chinatsu's strength personally...
The countless rumors circulating throughout the ninja world couldn't all be false.
The fact that she had openly left Konoha without being branded a missing-nin...
Already proved enough.
Her strength had unquestionably surpassed Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
And by a considerable margin.
---
The Land of Whirlpools gradually became the busiest place in the ninja world.
Yet...
Despite countless requests to meet her...
Chinatsu never personally received any visitors.
All diplomatic matters were handed over to Naruto, Sasuke, and the members of Akatsuki.
As for Chinatsu...
She fully immersed herself in what she considered her most important mission.
Raising Kaguya's favorability.
Her daily routine became wonderfully simple.
Eat well.
Sleep well.
Have fun.
Then return to her spiritual world to enthusiastically share every experience with Kaguya.
Kaguya always maintained a cold expression.
Claiming she wasn't interested.
Yet...
Little by little...
She found herself becoming accustomed to Chinatsu's constant chatter.
---
Time quietly passed.
Several years slipped away.
Naruto and Sasuke turned seventeen.
Chinatsu became twenty-two.
By the standards of the ninja world...
She was already at the age where most women were married with children.
Marriage proposals arrived in endless waves.
Love letters piled up by the hundreds.
Unfortunately for their senders...
Chinatsu never even opened a single one.
She only knew they existed.
Nothing more.
---
Although five years had passed...
Her appearance remained exactly the same.
After becoming Kaguya's Jinchūriki...
Time itself had almost lost its meaning.
She possessed eternal youth.
An immortal body.
An existence standing at the very peak of life.
---
Inside the mansion...
Chinatsu lazily lay across a large sofa with her eyes closed.
Within her spiritual world...
She was currently playing cards with Kaguya.
"I play a Queen."
Kaguya calmly placed down a card.
"A King."
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