Real Food

After learning about Zeus's past more, Fukasaku said that he will try teaching Zeus senjutsu, but also added that he will not be held responsible if something happens to Zeus. Gamamaru wished Zeus all the best in trying to master senjutsu, leaving Fukasaku alone with Zeus.

"So, you have been captured by Danzo and enslaved by Orochimaru for eight whole years?" Fukasaku asked as they left the palace. With a glance, he scanned Zeus's wounded body. "Is that also where you have earned all these injuries?"

"Yeah." Zeus didn't speak too much. He didn't really enjoy talking about this humiliating period.

"Hmm...I see." Fukasaku gestured for Zeus to follow down the stairs and then to the left. "As for Hiruzen, I am really not too sure. Honestly, I didn't even know that he had an adopted son. However, I have heard rumors that drastic changes have taken in the village. I believe Hiruzen is still the Hokage, so he must not be doing too bad."

'Drastic changes?' Zeus thought to himself. He was quite interested as to what was happening in his homeland, but not to the extent that he would rush there straight away. For now, he would settle on learning senjutsu, since that Old Toad made it sound like it was something quite powerful.

"Hiruzen's student Jiraiya visits this place quite often, so he may know more about the situation in the village," Fukasaku added when the two of them finally reached a lonely hut in the middle of all this greenery. "Now, before we start learning senjutsu, I want you to clean yourself and get changed. You reek of blood and sweat."

Fukasaku opened the door to the hut and Zeus wanted to go inside as well, but he was stopped midway. Fukasaku raised his eyebrows. "Where do you think you are going? Go wash in that lake." Fukasaku pointed left from the hut where a little lake could be seen. It was really tumultuous, due to the constant waterfall escaping from a huge stone frog.

"Wait a bit." Fukasaku walked inside the hut and walked back out after a few seconds, holding a white vest and purple pants. They were clearly a bit too big for Zeus, but he was still grateful as he received them. Without further ado, Fukasaku closed the door, letting Zeus have some privacy.

'It has been long since I showered indeed.' Zeus thought internally, walking towards the pond. As he walked, Zeus started removing pieces of his clothing one by one and throwing them away. Soon, he was completely nude, standing above the water and looking at his reflection.

He looked like he had come out of the straight hell, for his entire body was wounded and skinny. As he stared at himself, Orchimaru's picture suddenly popped into Zeus's mind, causing his hands to turn into fists. He wanted to skin that snake alive...but that had to wait, unfortunately.

For now, Zeus would just settle on improving his fragile constitution and learning senjutsu. Then, Zeus could start hunting that bastard. Who knows? Maybe Jiraiya might also share some useful information about his former teammate.

Zeus jumped into the water, his eyes opened wide. He relaxed his body, calmed down his nerves, and let go of everything. Zeus twisted his body, looking at the light falling through the water, which grew further and further away as he traveled to the bottom of the lake.

'This burning sensation in my lungs kind of reminds me of Poseidon. I wonder how is he doing...' Zeus thought internally, chuckling to himself as a bubble escaped from his lungs. Pushing chakra towards his legs, Zeus put his legs against the ground, pushing himself upwards like a rocket. Soon, he was back on the surface.

Zeus moved towards the spot where water was falling from the stone frog, putting himself under the fray of the avalanche. At first, it was straining for his body, but when he sat in a lotus position for a few minutes, he got used to the pressure from above. In fact, it was kind of harmonic, in some way.

He closed his eyes, feeling the surroundings, entering a state of amicability. However, it was distributed by a shift in the surroundings. Opening his eyes, Zeus saw Gamaton swimming towards him at a rapid pace. Actually, Gamaton was so blue that it was difficult to distinguish between his body and water.

"Hey, skinny human!" Gamaton shouted loudly, stopping just beside the waterfall. "What did the Old Sage tell you? Are they going to transport you somewhere? And...what the hell are you doing?"

"Showering, can't you see?" Zeus mumbled, producing a little smile. He then stood up and stopped blocking the fountain. "I will be staying here for some time and learning senjutsu."

"Senjutsu? You?" It seemed like Gamaton knew more about senjutsu than Zeus did, and it appeared that the frog didn't really believe that Zeus would be able to learn it at all.

"You know about it?" Zeus stretched out his hands, promptly grabbing the toad by his leg and lifting him up into the air. Gamaton shouted and tried to resist, but was ultimately faced with another defeat. "I am still quite angry for your actions earlier, so spill out everything you know."

Gamaton was about to open his mouth when the door to the hut opened once again, revealing Fukasaku walking out. Promptly, Gamaton made some hand signs, causing his body to suddenly turn small, thus getting out of Zeus's grip. Gamaton plunged into the water and promptly escaped, but Fukasaku had clearly noticed the kid.

"Dress up. My wife has prepared us some food. You might die before we even begin learning senjutsu with that body of yours." Fukasaku glanced at the water beneath Zeus, seemingly searching for Gamaton, but eventually sighed and went back inside.

'Food? I wonder if they have chocolate here.' Zeus thought, promptly putting on the provided clothes. The fit was a bit baggy, but he felt much more free as if he wore no clothes at all. It was quite good, and it made his look even more handsome.

He walked into the hut, seeing Fukasaku already at the table, seemingly waiting still waiting for food. Zeus settled beside him, putting his hands on the table in await.

"That kid, Gamaton. Don't go on too hard on him." Fukasaku broke the silence, frowning a bit. "He might be a bit of a strange one, but he is a good kid."

"Oh, don't worry about that, I took a liking to his eccentric personality," Zeus answered, shifting his eyes from the table towards Fukasaku. "Actually, considering that he has basically run away when he saw you, I believe that your relationship with Gamaton isn't that great."

Fukasaku sighed. "I do admit it. My relationship with him has been deteriorating ever since we found out about his talent. The thing is...unlike everyone else here, Gamaton's mother died immediately after he had been born, thus leaving Gamaton at the bottom of the lake. He was unable to swim out and he only got out when we noticed him by a stroke of luck. However, as you may have already seen from the color of his skin, Gamaton's body has mutated because of that incident, enhancing both his chakra reserves and aptitude with water ninjutsu."

Fukasaku frowned even further. "I noticed his talents very early and taught him a lot of things, but Gamaton had a very wild personality and he always dreamed of exploring the outside world. However, I have restricted him from doing so, since I taught that it was too dangerous for Gamaton. That caused a lot of conflicts between us until he had run away from home. Now, I could only describe our relationship as awkward."

"So, essentially, Gamaton's mad at you because you are too controlling, while you are enraged at Gamaton for not listening to you?" Zeus asked, raising his eyebrows. "It seems that the problem lies in you, Fukasaku. If someone strongly wishes for something, then that person is going to eventually try to achieve his dreams. I understand that Gamaton might be a kid, but would you like someone blocking the path to your dreams?"

Fukasaku listened carefully, his eyes locked on his own hands.

Zeus leaned back against the wall. "In the end, the best solution is to talk. After all, being silent will not change anything." As he said these words, Zeus thought back on his kids, happy that he had never faced similar issues, for all of his children were even more abnormal.

While Fukasaku contemplated Zeus's words and Zeus lay against the wall, a peculiar smell entered Zeus's nose. Opening his eyes, Zeus saw a female toad with purple hair standing before him. Surprisingly, a variety of food was already placed on the table, and Zeus hadn't even felt how it appeared there.

"You are Zeus, right?" Shima walked up to Zeus, poking his body and feeling his bones. "You are indeed skinny as a branch of a tree. Eat as much as you want. I have created a feast for you!"

Zeus's eyes darted across the table, where he saw some really disgusting-looking food. Still moving worms or the eyes of a strange creature. However, instead of getting disgusted, Zeus licked his lips. 'Finally, some normal food.'

Zeus bowed slightly to Shima. "Thanks for the food, miss."

***

Gif: Feast

P@atreon 5 chapter ahead:

https://www.patreon.com/Zerga3