Chapter 115

Enjoying the sizzling meat and almost ignoring the envious glances from all around, I indulged in the kebab I had prepared myself, which tasted worlds apart from those awful dry rations, like night and day.

Recently, good food in the camp had become scarce — the local game (whatever there was in such a rocky area) had been mostly wiped out by the residents themselves, and buying from Kusagakure had become painfully expensive. Unfortunately, the Grass Village was too small to continuously supply food for over two hundred shinobi in addition to its own residents, who eat much more than an ordinary person.

This meant that merchants had to inflate prices substantially, and not every front-line soldier could afford a hundred ryo for lunch. So, we had to make do, carefully tracking the surrounding area during patrols — maybe we'd manage to catch something.

This time, we were lucky enough to bring down a rather large mountain goat, so about seventy kilograms of pure (though unfortunately a bit smelly) meat would be very welcome for the next week. The unpleasant odor was effectively masked with the Tsume herbs we found.

After finishing a piece of meat skewered on a clean senbon (without any skewers, we had to improvise), I licked the grease from my fingers and contentedly leaned back on the stone seat I had set up near the fire. It might be rough, but it was more comfortable than the various stumps that other shinobi used, who didn't have even the most basic proficiency in Doton.

— So, shall we cook up another batch? — I asked my companions.

— No, that's enough for today — this was already the fifth serving, — Inuzuka, sitting nearby, waved lazily. — At this rate, we'll eat all the meat in a couple of days, and then we'll have to go back to those rations.

— Better to stretch out the enjoyment, — Rotaro nodded in agreement. — Who knows when luck will smile upon us again and we'll catch something?

— Alright, if that's enough, — I shrugged and sealed the remaining cooked meat along with the bowl into a food scroll.

A few chunin who had been loitering nearby, attracted by the delicious smell, sighed with envy and began to disperse. Naive — did they really think they'd get something? No, in the matter of foraging and consuming food, everyone is on their own.

After the past few months, the awful taste of rations had become so unbearable that it made me want to vomit. I even had to shut off the taste receptors in my mouth to eat the double portion needed to maintain my muscle mass, which is a bit larger than that of an ordinary shinobi.

However, our trio didn't get to enjoy the blissful peace and full stomachs for long — a shinobi appeared who served as a courier for the higher-ups.

— Nara-san, the commander requests your presence.

Surprised, I got up and ran after the messenger, giving my companions a reassuring nod. I wondered what was so urgent that Meido needed me for? We had seen each other recently and could have resolved any issues then.

We reached the main building in mere seconds and, without bothering with announcements, went inside.

— As per your orders, Ryo Nara-san has arrived, — reported the messenger to the shinobi sitting at the desk surrounded by papers.

— Excellent, — Ikki looked up, waved him off, and turned his attention to me. — Have a seat, Ryo-san. I'll finish up here and then we'll discuss the reason for your summons.

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