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

The slices of meat on that plate have transcended the realm of cooking; they are more like a work of art.

Under Kakashi's terrifying swordsmanship, each piece of octopus meat had an almost transparent texture, as if it had been carved from the purest deep-sea ice.

The muscle texture refracts a faint iridescent halo under the sunlight, its edges are sharp as a knife, yet its surface is as smooth as jade.

They were arranged in a staggered pattern on a white ice plate, resembling a blooming ice crystal lotus. Just looking at them, a refreshing chill seeped into one's heart.

Finally, just a second before the mental tsunami unleashed by Isobu was about to breach the dam of reason, Yagura made a move.

He picked up his chopsticks and, with steady and precise movements, picked up a slice of sashimi.

The slices of meat trembled slightly on the tips of the chopsticks, refracting a rainbow of colors in the sunlight.

He didn't put it in his mouth immediately, but first brought it to his nose and took a gentle sniff.

A unique, clear, and sweet scent of the ocean, mixed with a faint hint of frost, entered my nostrils.

This action drew approving looks from many of the Hidden Mist ninja around them.

As expected of Elder Yagura, even his manner of tasting food is so professional.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi had a barely perceptible smile on his lips. He could clearly see that Yagura's fingers, gripping the chopsticks, were slightly bulging at the knuckles from the force; this wasn't appreciation at all, but rather a struggle between willpower and some kind of instinct.

Yagura lightly dipped the slice of meat in the wasabi sea salt Lin specially prepared. A few bright green salt grains clung to the snow-white meat slices. Then, he closed his eyes and put the meat slices into his mouth.

boom--!

Yagura's world has exploded.

His mind went blank.

【Aa ...

This time, Isoo's roar was no longer a simple urging, but a complex collection of emotions mixed with ecstasy, shock, emotion, and even grievance.

Yagura couldn't taste anything. His entire mouth, his entire soul, was overwhelmed by the overwhelming emotional response from Isobu.

It's alive! This flavor is alive!

Isobu's voice trembled.

[Cool! Smooth! Melts in your mouth! No, it doesn't melt! It dances on my tongue! That chewiness, that elasticity! Every chew releases a burst of sweet juice! Oh my god! What a heavenly taste!]

[And that salt! What is that green salt?! It doesn't have the bitterness of ordinary sea salt, only a pure salty and savory flavor, and a mild, stimulating sensation that rushes to your head! It amplifies the sweetness of the meat tenfold! No! A hundredfold!]

I've lived all these years... I... I've lived in vain...

In his spiritual world, the giant tortoise Isobu shed two streams of tears comparable to a waterfall, clutching the bowl that never existed, crying like a three-hundred-pound child.

Yagura's eyes were tightly closed, but the corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably.

He felt like he wasn't eating a piece of octopus, but rather swallowing a Tailed Beast Ball. The aftereffects were immense.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the other two judges.

Hozuki Shio had already started eating. She didn't use chopsticks at all, just grabbed the food with her hands, stuffing it into her mouth piece after piece until her cheeks were bulging, like a hamster hoarding food. Her eyes were shining, and she exuded an aura of "happiness".

Hiruzen Sarutobi leisurely savored a piece, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. He looked at Kakashi and nodded approvingly.

"Kakashi,"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was gentle and clear, "Your swordsmanship is quite good."

A simple compliment made Kakashi, who had been expressionless, slightly smile through his eyes, which were visible outside his mask.

"So,"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Yagura, "Elder Yagura, it's your turn to judge."

All eyes were once again focused on Yagura.

Yagura is going through a mental struggle.

【Ten out of ten! It has to be ten! If you don't give me ten, I'll get out of your body today, and we'll fight one-on-one!】

Isobu wiped away his tears and his tone became arrogant.

"This dish achieves an unbelievable level of skill in handling the ingredients. The knife work is flawless, bringing out the full potential of the octopus meat's texture. However,..."

Yagura attempted to analyze the situation from a professional perspective to maintain his sophisticated image, stating that "the seasoning is somewhat monotonous, relying solely on the ingredients themselves and sea salt for flavor enhancement. While pure, it lacks a sense of variation and depth."

[Bullshit! This is the essence of simplicity! This is returning to nature! You know nothing about cooking! Give me ten points!]

"From the perspective of culinary innovation, sashimi is too traditional..."

What's wrong with tradition? The wisdom of our ancestors! The things of our ancestors are wonderful! 10/10!

"All things considered, I give..."

Yagura took a deep breath, preparing to give a fair, well-considered, and absolutely rational score.

[9.99! That's the lowest I can go! I'm keeping the extra 0.1 to keep you from getting arrogant! This is my absolute bottom line! If you dare say anything else, I guarantee you'll dream about me chasing you around asking for the recipe every time you go to sleep!]

Yagura's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

He met the expectant gazes of the crowd and slowly, word by word, said, "Nine...points...99."

The entire audience was left bewildered.

Another bizarre score!

Obito was the first to jump up: "Hey! Are all the elders in your Kirigakure village suspicious?! It's just a scoring system, why is it so weird?!"

Hozuki Kaigetsu rubbed his forehead; he no longer wanted to look at the bewildered expressions of the Hidden Mist ninja around him.

Konoha... is not only changing the future of Kirigakure, but also its scoring system.

Kakashi nodded, accepting the assessment, and stepped aside without saying anything more.

Mei Terumi, standing in the crowd, watched this scene, a complex light flashing in her emerald green eyes.

She had to admit that the ninjas of Konoha were just as powerful as their physical strength when it came to cooking, leaving her feeling somewhat powerless.

The exquisite handling of ingredients and the boundless creativity were unimaginable to the Hidden Mist Ninjas who struggled to make ends meet for years.

But does this mean that the Hidden Mist has lost?

No.

Instead, a confident smile appeared on Mei Terumi's lips.

If Konoha's cuisine is highbrow and unattainable, then she will show these people the unique Kirigakure people, who are rooted in this cruel yet beautiful sea!

She stepped forward and bowed slightly to the entire audience.

"Everyone from Konoha, your cooking is absolutely wonderful."

Her voice was clear and melodious, with a girlish charm. "But since this is a battle between the taste of the sea and the taste of the land, please also taste the taste of the sea that our Hidden Mist Village can present in the most simple way."

After saying that, she did not walk towards the huge chunk of octopus meat, but instead walked to a wooden box she had brought, amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd.

She opened the box and took out several items.

That's not some rare ingredient.

It was just a handful of seaweed that looked a bit old, a few pieces of dried, dark fish, and a small bag of coarse sea salt.

Everyone was stunned.

Using these... the most common things in fishermen's homes, to compete with Konoha's art-like cuisine?

Even Hozuki Kaigetsu frowned, wondering if her best friend had acted impulsively.

However, Mei Terumi was completely oblivious to the stares of those around her.

She put the kelp and dried fish into a pot of water, and then did something that surprised everyone.

She formed a mudra with her hands.

"Boiling Release: Skillful Mist Technique!"