Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 608 The Hokage Cooks Personally

If he stayed any longer, he was afraid he would lose his temper and take out the Ape Demon to smash the machine.

Having left the disheartening lounge, Hiruzen Sarutobi needed something pleasant to heal his spirits.

Their gaze finally settled on the ship's kitchen.

"Come on, I'll cook something delicious for you all today."

Upon hearing this, none was happier than Hozuki Shio.

"Yay! Long live the Hokage!"

The girl jumped up excitedly.

Hozuki Kaigetsu and Uchiha Shisui were somewhat surprised, but more than anything, they were curious.

What kind of culinary skills does the legendary ninja professor possess?

The kitchen is fully stocked with all kinds of ingredients, thanks to Hatake Sakumo's ecological farm.

Fresh vegetables, well-textured pork belly, various seafood, and even spices collected from all over the mainland.

Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the area and quickly finalized tonight's menu.

He first had his secret service bring over a huge iron pot and place it on a specially made stove in the center of the kitchen.

"Tonight, we're having a brand new dish called hot pot."

As he spoke, he skillfully took out spices from various bottles and jars, including dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. These were all things he had collected from the village ninjas under the pretext of improving the flavor of his soldier's rations.

First, sauté the spices in oil until fragrant, then add large pieces of beef bones and a special sauce to simmer a pot of bright red, intensely fragrant broth.

The smell alone made Hozuki Shio's mouth water.

He then started another pot and simmered a clear soup with mild mushrooms and seafood.

"The hot pot is for meat, and the cold pot is for vegetables. This is called a 'Mandarin Duck Hot Pot,' which symbolizes the harmony of Yin and Yang and the way of coexistence of all things."

Hiruzen Sarutobi began to explain in a serious tone.

Hozuki Kaigetsu listened thoughtfully, feeling that this small hot pot seemed to contain some profound philosophy.

Uchiha Shisui watched quietly, keeping the Hokage's words in mind.

Only Hozuki Shio stared intently at the pot of bubbling red oil, her eyes shining, with only one thought in her mind: It smells so good! I want to eat it!

Besides hot pot, Hiruzen Sarutobi also made a side dish.

He took out a few bright red tomatoes and a few eggs.

"Haiyue, come here and use water magic to peel these tomatoes."

"what?"

Hozuki Kaigetsu was taken aback. He was supposed to use Water Release ninjutsu to peel a tomato? What kind of operation was that?

Despite his doubts, he did as instructed.

He formed a hand seal, and a precisely controlled stream of water enveloped the tomatoes. After spinning rapidly for a moment, the water dissipated, revealing the bright red flesh beneath the tomatoes' skins.

"Not bad, your control over chakra is excellent."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction, then picked up a kitchen knife and chopped the tomato into small pieces with a few quick strokes.

Next, he cracked the eggs into a bowl, and with a flick of his wrist, a gentle breeze appeared out of nowhere, whipping the egg mixture at high speed until it was evenly mixed.

"Wind Release can be used like this?"

Hozuki Shio stared in disbelief.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored her, heated the pan, poured in oil, first cooked the egg mixture and set it aside, then added the tomatoes and cooked them until they released their red juice, finally poured in the eggs, added salt and sugar, and stir-fried them briefly.

A plate of red and yellow, fragrant scrambled eggs with tomatoes is ready.

That sweet and sour taste was a novel experience for the ninjas who were used to salty seafood and simple grilled meat.

When everything was ready, everyone sat around the large pot, watching the red and white broth bubbling inside, and the table laden with thinly sliced ​​meat rolls, vibrant green vegetables, and fresh seafood. Everyone was awestruck by the scene.

"Alright, you can eat now. Whatever you want to eat, just put it in the pot and cook it. It'll be ready to eat when it's done."

Hiruzen Sarutobi announced.

Hozuki Shio was the first to respond. She picked up a large piece of Konoha pork with her chopsticks and threw it directly into the boiling red oil pot.

The slices of meat quickly changed color in the boiling red oil. Just a few seconds later, she couldn't wait to scoop them out and, not caring about the heat, stuffed them directly into her mouth.

The next second, the girl's eyes widened in shock!

Spicy, scalding hot, savory, numbing... countless complex flavors exploded on her taste buds! That domineering yet exhilarating pleasure burned all the way down her throat to her stomach, making every pore on her body seem to open up.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

She mumbled incoherently, then picked up another large mouthful with her chopsticks, unable to stop.

Hozuki Kaigetsu followed suit, scalding a piece of meat and dipping it in Hiruzen Sarutobi's specially prepared sauce.

The moment he entered the room, a hint of emotion flickered across his usually cold face.

The tenderness of the meat, the richness of the broth, and the savory aroma of the sauce blend together perfectly, bringing a pure and satisfying sense of happiness.

Uchiha Shisui ate very quietly, but he was quite fast at rinsing the vegetables.

Even the secret agents who took turns coming to eat were completely won over by this novel cuisine.

Although they were still wearing masks, their constant swallowing and slightly trembling shoulders revealed their inner excitement.

We ate hot pot from evening until late at night.

Finally, Hozuki Shio, with her round belly sticking out, was half-dragged and half-carried back to her room by her brother.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the mess of cups and plates and smiled with satisfaction.

Indeed, there's nothing a hot pot meal can't solve. If there is, then add a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

However, he felt that this was not enough.

The next day, when Hozuki Shio walked sleepily onto the deck, she smelled a sweet scent that made her soul tremble.

She followed the smell and found Hiruzen Sarutobi busy around a strange iron box in the kitchen.

"Lord Hokage, what is this? It smells so good!"

"This one, oh,"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wiped his hands, opened the chakra oven specially made by Orochimaru's Team Zero, and took out a golden, fluffy thing that smelled of rich milk. "Call it a cake."

He cut the cake open, revealing its snow-white, soft texture.

He handed a piece to Hozuki Shio.

The girl took a small, cautious bite.

The soft, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth texture left her mind blank for a moment.

She had never eaten such...gentle food.

"Lord Hokage..."

Hozuki Shio raised her head, her purple eyes flashing with an unprecedented light—a light that was a mixture of shock, worship, and fanatical faith.

She solemnly held the cake to her chest and bowed deeply to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Please be sure to include this great technology in our Kirigakure revitalization plan!"