Chapter 30

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"Smells good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does!"

Kakashi replied without even lifting his head, and even picked out a few good pieces of meat from Kyomu's bowl with his chopsticks.

The chicken they raised at home indeed tasted delicious.

And when Kyomu tasted the first bite, he received feedback from the passive skill "Gourmet Critique," gaining a x3 critical hit.

It was a bit low, but for Kyomu, it was still considered a reward for his culinary skills.

Men were better at cooking than women, Kyomu concluded in his past life, and he was quite skilled in ten different ways of cooking chicken, duck, and fish.

"You wash the dishes and pots," Kyomu said, putting down his chopsticks.

"Why should I?!" Kakashi also put down his bowl, looking displeased.

They were eating the chicken from his house, so why should he wash the dishes and pots?

"Anyway, they're your pots and dishes. If you don't wash them, I won't either."

"..."

Kakashi was speechless, feeling like making Kyomu his friend was his biggest mistake.

This guy was too much.

"I'm full, I'm leaving," Kyomu said, getting up and patting his butt. "See you this afternoon, Kakashi."

However, Kyomu still cared about his face a little. He walked a few steps and then turned back to add, "During the afternoon training, I'll teach you a shortcut."

"What shortcut?"

"A shortcut to becoming an all-around ninja," Kyomu waved his hand. "Anyway, I'm off. Go back and get some rest."

Watching Kyomu leave, Kakashi stood there for a moment. After smiling and shaking his head, he finally cleaned up the dishes and prepared to take a nap.

"This guy always knows what I want." lying on the bed, Kakashi thought to himself. "I hope there really is a shortcut..."

...

Satisfied with the food, Kyomu slept soundly, and when he woke up, it was already dawn.

However...

"It's really a bit unusual. I haven't slept like this for a month."

Stretching lazily, Kyomu got up to wash and unusually took his time entering the classroom.

"Kyomu, you're late today," Rin greeted him. "Did you discuss something with Kakashi?"

"I didn't meet him on the way," Kyomu said, looking at the empty seat of Obito. "Maybe the gears of fate are starting to turn..."

"What gears of fate?"

"The turning point for Obito's enlightenment or downfall."

"What does that mean..."

"Obito is about to be late."

"It's impossible. It's been two months since school started, and Obito has never been late once, and he's been working hard lately."

Rin unconsciously defended Obito. Though her girlish thoughts were hard to read, Kyomu could understand them.

After smiling silently at Rin, Kyomu turned his head again. "Just watch."

Sure enough, Obito was late.

Although only five minutes late, and it was evident that Obito ran hard, being late was being late, and the fact was clear.

But considering it was Obito's first time being late, their ninja teacher Shuzo, didn't say much, just verbally warned him once.

Sitting back in his seat, Obito glanced apologetically at Rin, feeling a bit uneasy.

Helping an old lady cross the road was a righteous act, completely fine.

But being late made him feel like he let Rin down, yet he couldn't bear not helping, either.

In any case, it was a dilemma.

However, Obito believed that if he explained, Rin would understand. After all, she was so gentle and understanding.

During the break, Rin approached Obito and asked about the reason, finally putting her mind at ease.

"Obito, are you sure you didn't accidentally guide the old lady back across the road?" 

"What do you mean by accidentally, Kyomu?" Obito scratched his head. "I just helped the old lady cross the road normally."

"What I mean is the old lady had already crossed, and you brought her back again."

"Haha..." Rin chuckled, "Kyomu, can you not be so teasing? Obito wouldn't do such a thing."

"I know." Kyomu smiled, "Just joking."

"Of course, I know," Obito chimed in, leaning in. "Kyomu, let me tell you, this morning I also made a kennel for a stray dog without telling anyone."

"You're quite free."

"How could you call it free? It's a good deed."

"It is a good deed. I hope you keep it up."

"Of course, I can. Doing this gives me a sense of accomplishment, and it feels like a mission."

Kyomu nodded and casually patted Obito's shoulder. "You're truly the most talented Uchiha ever. This kind of heart has already touched the core of Uchiha's power."

Obito was a bit confused, but he understood Kyomu's praise, instantly beaming with joy.

He could discern that Kyomu said it sincerely from his heart, which made Obito very pleased.

Of course, showing off or acting tough was also a characteristic of Uchiha, and Obito naturally possessed it.

"Did you notice?" Obito pointed to his goggles. "Just wait and see, when I take them off, I'll be the strongest man in Konoha!"

Kyomu nodded without continuing the topic, just chatting casually with Obito until the break was over.

The second class soon began, but Kyomu was noticeably distracted.

"This guy Obito, the original turning point and outcome were quite a pity." He pondered inwardly. "I've gained so many benefits from him, I should give back when the time comes."

He hadn't figured out how to help Obito and Rin yet, but Kakashi's tragedy unintentionally came to mind.

Dealing with the situation of Sakumo, Kyomu had no good solution, as they seemed to be stuck in their stubbornness, profoundly foolish.

"Two more years, right?" Kyomu calculated silently. "To be precise, two years and three months until Sakumo is rumored to have committed suicide."

He couldn't help shaking his head. "I don't want to explore the specifics, but Sakumo's death and Tsunade leaving the village have indeed given outsiders the confidence to initiate the Third Shinobi World War."

Although they weren't the direct triggers, the weakening of Konoha due to their actions was a fact, making it reasonable for outsiders to have ulterior motives.

"Calculating the time for the start of the Third Shinobi World War, I only have five years left of stable growth." He tightened his heart. "But that's enough, and I don't need to sell myself out to Konoha."

Kyomu did feel some sense of belonging to Konoha, but it wasn't strong. He wouldn't give his life for it.

Regardless of conspiracy theories or other factors, the deaths of some people and the events that had happened were undeniable realities, making it hard for Kyomu to resonate with Konoha.

In addition, after the death of Namikaze Minato, Kakashi had shown signs of wavering in his stance, but he was ultimately brought back to his senses by Sarutobi Hiruzen, firmly loyal to Konoha since then.

This indicated that there were indeed significant problems within Konoha, and when an "organization" faced problems, the primary responsibility should not lie with the personnel but with the managers.

"I can help, even give my all, but if nothing can be done..." Kyomu's heart sank. "Then I'll bring Kakashi and Obito back and help them restore the village." 

After all, not making some waves would be pointless.

A vague plan gradually took shape in his mind, while a difficult problem emerged.

"Might Guy, this hot-blooded guy... he's very sincere."

A man who missed the grand finale by a hair's breadth, an ordinary person who approached the peak step by step through hard work, Kyomu didn't want to be his enemy.

This wasn't just about respect; it was also about admiration.

Kyomu was an ordinary person in his past life, and Might Guy's pinnacle and his past perseverance were things Kyomu longed for but couldn't achieve.

"Where there's a will, there's a way." Kyomu smiled faintly. "I think I do have a knack for swaying people's hearts. If I put in some effort, Guy might even become our loyal follower."

Moreover, Kyomu also knew that nurturing many people and things from an early age would undoubtedly be easier.

(End of Chapter)