Chapter 11: “Restless Hearts”

At midnight, fireworks are not only loud and colorful, illuminating the entire village, but they also carry the intense smell of burning protein.

Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people merely find it interesting and then continue sleeping.

However, in Konohagakure, the village of thousands of shinobi, most of them instantly recognize the scent of human combustion.

Because within the smell of burning protein, there's also a unique blend of fiery incineration and the aroma of molten gold.

As a result, panic spreads among the shinobi, creating a strange phenomenon: while ordinary people remain calm and joyful, the shinobi are filled with anxiety.

The third batch of assembled ninja experiences turmoil within their ranks. The Third Hokage has no choice but to delay the departure of the ninja forces, fearing that panic might spread to the frontlines.

Thus, the Third Hokage calls an emergency meeting and compels Danzo Shimura to "find" evidence and identify an enemy to take the blame.

In summary, this situation has escalated significantly.

…

"Meow! Do you dare to cause trouble again?"

"I won't."

"I thought you were a good person, but who knew you were such a pervert!"

"Human fireworks, utterly insane!"

"Nice use of idioms."

"Shut up! If I had known you were like this, I wouldn't have made a contract with you!"

"Hehehe…"

"Still laughing? You're driving me crazy! Prepare for some serious grooming!"

Ignoring her fear of water and baths, Sanrin Yase sits in the tub and orders her caretaker to scrub her while scolding him.

It's all Uchiha Yū's fault!

Last night, he set off four large fireworks that scattered body fragments throughout the village, including on Sanrin Yase's fur.

For humans, it's just a layer of ash that can be brushed away.

But for ninja cats, it's a strange concoction of burnt human oil, molten gold, and ammonia—creating a nauseating odor akin to a mass weapon of destruction.

Sanrin Yase is left stunned by the smell and even falls victim to Uchiha Yū's surprise attack, allowing him to touch her ears.

A great humiliation!

Can anyone just touch a cat's ears like that?

You dog!

Are we that close?

After recovering, Sanrin Yase rewards her caretaker with a flurry of cat punches, leaving forty crisscrossing claw marks. She indignantly ends the telepathic communication and returns to the cat castle.

At dawn, the calico cat once again heads to Uchiha Yū's house.

There's no other choice—the smell is overpowering. Except for the cat matriarch, the other ninja cats can't tolerate it. They join forces to drive Sanrin Yase out.

Even though she despises baths, she lets her caretaker wash her.

Not just once—she must be washed three or four times until the nauseating smell disappears.

As the scent fades under the fragrant bubbles and clear water, Sanrin Yase's mood improves. She grins mischievously, wondering about the fate of the Inuzuka clan's dogs she dislikes the most.

"Hehehe, now that I'm in this state, did those mutts really die?"

"If they did, it would be cause for celebration. Their guilt wouldn't be in vain."

"Yū, now that I'm clean, you have to take me to visit the Inuzuka clan. I want to see it with my own eyes and hear it firsthand… hehehe."

Uchiha Yū smiles and agrees, though he seems somewhat distracted.

He never expected that he would handle the bodies so brazenly yesterday, using the most "upstanding" method in front of the entire village.

It's not his usual style.

In the past, he would use Yin Release to slowly turn the bodies into ashes and scatter the remains into the river.

Now, he thinks he should use Earth Release to bury the bodies deep underground—silent and unnoticed—even if someone accidentally discovers them decades later.

Without activating his natural energy for Earth Release, he would have taken the bodies to the Nankawa River and used Fire Release to incinerate them underwater, leaving no trace.

After a night of reflection and contemplation, Uchiha Yū has come to realize that this inner struggle is an inevitable part of his path as a practitioner of Senjutsu.

The heart, associated with the Fire element, can give rise to the "Monkey Mind"—a restless, unsettled state where thoughts race in all directions. Uchiha Yū's strong heart meridian has led to an excess of heart fire, resulting in this manifestation.

Externally, he exhibits restlessness, competitiveness, impulsiveness, and a tendency to seek attention-grabbing actions. If not for his successful foundational cultivation and the activation of his Earth element, which strengthened his spleen, he might have risked even more reckless behavior—like setting off fireworks on the Hokage Rock.

The question now is how to tame the Monkey Mind. This struggle isn't unique to practitioners; it's a natural aspect of human behavior. How do humans tame unruly young animals?

Uchiha Yū recalls his past experiences: nine years of compulsory education, solving countless math problems, and facing challenges head-on. The answer becomes clear: focus.

"I need to find something to occupy myself, to stay focused. I can't afford to be idle," Uchiha Yū muses.

"Meow? What are you muttering about?" Sanrin Yase asks.

"I realize that even though I don't have missions right now, I need to keep myself busy and work on my temperament. I can't repeat yesterday's mistakes," Uchiha Yū replies.

"Very good, meow. I'm pleased that you recognize your errors," Sanrin Yase responds.

"First, let's make something delicious for me!" she demands.

"Sure, let's steam the fur first…" Uchiha Yū begins.

"Meow, no touching my ears!"

"It wasn't me—it was my hand moving on its own. Hard to control…"

[Huh? Surprisingly, no objection. Her ears are so soft and fun to play with.]

"Meow punch!"

"Ouch—ouch—ouch!"

…

As a seasoned cat servant, Uchiha Yū always keeps cat-friendly ingredients at home. He skillfully assesses the supplies: chicken breast, cheese, eggs, and flour. Today, he decides to make cheesy chicken crepes.

First, he boils the chicken breast until cooked, then cuts it into small pieces. He mixes the cooked chicken with cheese, beaten eggs, and flour, adding cold water until the batter reaches the right consistency.

Once the batter coats the chopsticks, it's ready. He heats oil in a pan, pours in the batter, and swirls it to create thin crepes. After both sides turn golden brown, they're done.

He makes ten cheesy chicken crepes in one go. While waiting for them to cool, he quickly prepares scrambled eggs with bell peppers, generously seasoned with salt—a perfect side dish for his crepes.

The modest yet fragrant lunch is ready, and both Uchiha Yū and Sanrin Yase dig in.

Today, Uchiha Yū skips alcohol. There's no celebration, and who knows if yesterday's incident had any connection to it. He resolves to stick to plain water until the New Year—a test in taming the Monkey Mind.