Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 173: Yes, I Am the God of Cooking! The Uchiha Surprise!

After concluding the training of a new technique, Uchiha Ci was abruptly pulled back to reality by a series of loud clanging noises.

Around him, the three smaller figures and one larger figure had already gathered around an old pot salvaged from the abandoned village, squatting in a circle.

Surprisingly, the one wielding the cooking ladle wasn't the gentle and kind-hearted Nohara Rin, who was known for her excellent cooking skills, but...

Uchiha Obito!

With a rusty ladle in hand, Obito grinned broadly, tapped the edge of the pot, adjusted his goggles, and confidently declared to the slightly surprised Uchiha Ci:

"Ci, even though you've become a Jōnin, in this domain, you're no match for me!"

"While on missions with Kakashi, I've been rigorously honing my culinary skills!"

With that, Obito swiftly tossed the freshly cleaned wild vegetables into the pot. Holding the pot in one hand and keeping the other behind his back, he demonstrated a flawless, smooth stir-frying motion that resembled the artistry of a true culinary master!

Uchiha Ci froze for a moment, his breath caught in his chest. His mind reeled in disbelief.

Obito... why would doing missions with Kakashi improve your cooking skills? What exactly is your role in the team?!

Hearing Obito's claim, Minato and Rin were equally stunned, their gazes turning toward Kakashi in astonishment.

Kakashi, on the other hand, facepalmed slightly, lapsing into silence.

Was he supposed to admit that his efficiency in completing tasks had left Obito with nothing to do but experiment with wild vegetables day after day?

Obito completely misread their shocked expressions, believing his culinary prowess had amazed them. He eagerly showcased his skills again.

"Watch closely!"

"Even without seasoning, I can craft dishes that perfectly bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients!"

Before long, a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables was served.

Having tasted it a few times before, Kakashi was the first to dig in. After a slight hesitation, Minato and Rin also took a bite.

Upon tasting it, Rin exclaimed in surprise:

"Wow, Obito, not bad at all!"

Minato nodded in agreement, commenting, "Better than ration bars!"

Curious, Uchiha Ci moved closer, picked up a piece, and placed it in his mouth.

His brows furrowed tightly.

How to put it...

Compared to ration bars, the flavor was indeed slightly better, but in terms of nutrition and satiety, this dish seemed more like a side dish to accompany the bars.

While Uchiha Ci was evaluating the food, the other four had unanimously taken out ration bars to pair with the stir-fried vegetables.

"Wait!"

Uchiha Ci shouted abruptly, reaching out to stop them.

Shaking his head at Obito, he said:

"Obito, you have no idea what real cooking is!"

Pointing at the pot of stir-fried vegetables, he continued with a look of disappointment:

"The vegetables are too fibrous—fail!"

"The cooking time wasn't right—fail!"

"The broth reeks of dirt—fail! You didn't even clean the vegetables properly—fail!"

"Let me teach you how to make a pot of truly delicious wild vegetable soup!"

Without hesitation, Uchiha Ci poured the entire pot of vegetables out, ignoring Obito's stunned and murderous glare.

He then formed a Tiger hand seal, conjured a pot of water, and began boiling it.

Gathering ingredients on the spot, he picked wild vegetables, bark, and colorful mushrooms, berries, and rosemary during a brief stroll through the forest.

Standing solemnly by the pot, he recalled a skill he had learned during a visit to the Land of Hot Water:

"Delicious Cooking Methods for Wild Vegetables and Tree Bark (Master)".

Following the recipe meticulously, he added each "ingredient" with simple, precise techniques, covered the pot, and finally finished it off with a powerful Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu to seal in the flavors!

The moment he lifted the lid, it was as if a golden light burst forth from the pot!

A transcendent aroma surged out, captivating everyone.

Minato, Kakashi, and Rin's eyes lit up simultaneously.

Obito stared at the pot, taking in its vibrant colors, rich fragrance, and mouthwatering appeal. Then he looked up at Uchiha Ci, his expression frozen in disbelief.

"Y-you..."

His face twisted into one of utter shock, as though his worldview had crumbled.

Damn it, Uchiha Ci! It's bad enough you outshine others as a ninja, but now you're showing off as a chef?! Are you even human?!

Uchiha Ci took a sip of the wild vegetable soup, wearing an expression of calm superiority that barely concealed his smugness.

"Not bad. I truly am the God of Cooking."

Obito, as if struck by lightning, slumped in defeat. Turning his grief into appetite, he grabbed a bowl and began devouring the meal like a little pig.

---

Two days later, the team finally arrived at the gates of Konoha.

Although called a "village," Konoha was vast, resembling a city-state. Experts estimated its radius to be 40 kilometers. Even at Usain Bolt's speed of 9.58 seconds per 100 meters, it would take nearly an hour to sprint from the Hokage Tower to the village gates.

Only a city of this magnitude could support the enormous workload of 855 D-rank missions, which Uchiha Ci had failed to complete despite his relentless efforts.

Having lived here for over a year, Uchiha Ci could confirm—Konoha was indeed huge.

At the gates, the team parted ways with Uchiha Ci after registering with the guards, who were not yet the infamous "Gatekeeper Duo." Minato's team headed to the Hokage Tower for their debriefing.

Before leaving, they agreed to meet later at Konoha's Third Training Ground.

Standing at the gate, Uchiha Ci found himself momentarily at a loss.

In just one month, he had gone from being a clan ninja to holding the overlapping identities of a Konoha ninja, Anbu operative, and Root member.

So, who was he supposed to report to now?

Before returning, Aburame Ryoma had mentioned that Danzo wanted to see him, and Orochimaru was waiting for him to play a critical role in some secret experiment.

Yet neither had provided any specific instructions, leaving him feeling intentionally ignored—or perhaps waiting for him to make the first move.

Shaking his head, Uchiha Ci decided to ignore them both and head home first.

Just then, a middle-aged man with short brown hair, distinctive marks near his eyes, a dark blue robe, and the Uchiha clan's fan emblem on his back approached from a nearby stone bench.

Uchiha Ci instantly recognized him as Uchiha Yatsushiro, a mid-level leader among the Uchiha's hawk faction.

He had only seen him in the original story—this was their first meeting in reality.

Yatsushiro approached, frowning as he took in Uchiha Ci's plain and somewhat ragged appearance.

"You are Uchiha Ci?"

Uchiha Ci nodded. "Yes, that's me. Can I help you?"

Raising an eyebrow, he thought this might be another arrangement by Elder Uchiha Setsuna.

Yatsushiro's frown deepened. Though he had received numerous letters praising this young Uchiha, the boy's first impression wasn't particularly remarkable.

Though tall and handsome—an ideal Uchiha aesthetic—the boy was clearly just a 12-year-old child.

Sure, he looked impressive, but he didn't feel strong.

Yet this child had earned the admiration of Fugaku, Shisui, Shinichi, and even Seijiro!

Recalling Elder Setsuna's orders, Yatsushiro sighed, suppressing his doubts, and said:

"Follow me to the Naka Shrine."

"The Elder has instructed that upon your return, you are to learn a forbidden technique immediately."

"Forbidden technique?" Uchiha Ci was stunned. "Which one?"

Yatsushiro's narrowed eyes suddenly opened, revealing three tomoe in his Sharingan as he coldly replied:

"The forbidden technique—Izanagi."