Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Drinking Tsingtao Beer and Feasting with Friends
"Waaa—!"
"Grandpa..."
"Boohoo... sniff—"
"Naruto-aniki, can you add some more glutinous rice balls?"
"Make them sweet..."
Konohamaru bawled as he dug through the hotpot with his chopsticks. Every time he stuffed a bite into his mouth, another wail would follow.
It was clear that the death of the Third Hokage had hit him hard.
"Slurp—"
"Wait, I just added those; they're not cooked yet."
Naruto sucked in some translucent noodles, his face radiating satisfaction and contentment.
Across from him, Konohamaru perched on the edge of his seat, still sniffling as he grabbed more food.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Kakashi nursed their cups of sake, taking small sips. The alcohol momentarily dulled their sadness.
The scene: four people, gathered around a square table, enjoying hotpot and sipping alcohol. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss.
But outside, a soft drizzle fell...
And, well...
Directly across from Jiraiya's seat, the framed portrait of the late Third Hokage stood in silent vigil.
Above them, a massive canopy shielded the table and chairs from the rain. Every utensil, from the pot to the dishes, had been set up by Naruto himself.
As for the ingredients in the pot and the alcohol Kakashi and Jiraiya drank? Those were all offerings left for the Third Hokage.
Yes, everything was fresh. Very fresh.
And why were they gathered at the Third Hokage's gravesite, of all places, to eat hotpot?
That... was a story that began with a certain white-haired pervert.
Jiraiya had lamented how he hadn't shared a drink with the old man in years. He spoke with such sorrow, his eyes almost brimming with tears.
But when he turned his head, he saw Naruto leaning against the tombstone, legs crossed, casually crunching an apple.
Their eyes met for two seconds, no words necessary. They immediately understood each other.
The next moment, both were sitting at the grave, eating the offerings.
Kakashi, the "righteous" white-haired shinobi, tried to stop them several times.
But before he could get a word out, Jiraiya and Naruto, with a synchronized seriousness, said:
"Offerings are just a way for the living to express grief and remembrance..."
"Instead of letting them rot here, isn't it better for us, the younger generation, to put them to good use?"
Konohamaru, teary-eyed, felt this made perfect sense. He promptly joined in, grabbing his grandfather's offerings and munching away.
And so, under the light rain, the three crouched by the grave, solemnly devouring the offerings.
Not long after, Jiraiya, now soaked to the bone, began complaining.
The damp surroundings and the untouched offerings still piled nearby irked him. Wasteful, he thought.
Naruto, ever the problem solver, whipped out a system-provided canopy tent.
In no time, he had set up a mini camp: pots, pans, utensils, tables, and chairs included.
Initially, Naruto considered using his system to bring out more food. After all, the Third's offerings weren't enough for the three of them.
But then he hesitated. Eating non-offering food at the grave felt... disrespectful to the Third's legacy.
In the end, Naruto refrained.
However, Konohamaru, the "smart" one, sneakily raided neighboring graves for extra food.
Naruto had no choice but to silently applaud his little brother's resourcefulness.
As the pot bubbled, Kakashi wrestled with his conscience. After much internal struggle, he finally decided to join.
After all, whether or not he ate, he was already complicit by being there.
Better to enjoy some food than take the blame for nothing.
And thus, the "Old, New, and Initial Four" began their hotpot feast at the Third's grave.
At some point, Kakashi even removed his mask to eat, revealing his face to Naruto for the first time.
"Handsome?" Naruto mused. "Maybe... but not as much as me."
Still, Kakashi looked like he'd make an excellent host in a nightlife district, despite his perpetually drained appearance.
Finishing his last rice ball, Kakashi sipped his sake, a slight flush coloring his face.
"Naruto..."
"We're running out of food."
Both Jiraiya and Konohamaru turned to Naruto with expectant eyes.
Faced with their combined pressure, Naruto sighed, finally giving in.
"Third Hokage... I'm doing this out of respect for you, alright? Your grandson and disciple forced me!"
Muttering excuses, Naruto began pulling ingredients from his system.
Fish, fowl, and beasts, fresh and plentiful, soon filled the table.
With their appetites reignited, none of the four seemed to care that they were still at a grave.
Jiraiya, downing the last of his sake, suddenly frowned.
"Hey, Naruto, got any more alcohol?"
Naruto rolled his eyes and tossed over a case of Tsingtao beer.
Popping open a can, Jiraiya took a long swig, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Compared to sake, the chilled beer was refreshingly perfect.
He slung an arm around Naruto, grinning mischievously.
"Naruto, wanna have some?"
"Pervert! I'm underage!"
"Since when do you care about that?"
Naruto: ...
With a reluctant nod to his mentor's logic—and his robust constitution—Naruto cracked open a beer.
Konohamaru? Dragged along as well.
And thus, four drunken voices echoed over the gravesite.
---
"Advisors!"
"We have a problem!"
An ANBU ninja stumbled into the Hokage advisors' office, breathless.
With the Third gone, the advisors Homura and Koharu were temporarily overseeing ANBU affairs.
Not that they wanted to.
With Danzo hospitalized, the Third dead, and Naruto's antics unchecked, the village was in chaos.
The ANBU recounted the disgraceful scene:
Jiraiya, Kakashi, Naruto, and Konohamaru, drunk and feasting at the grave.
Oh, and the part where they beat up a dozen ANBU who tried to intervene, leaving them hanging from trees like decorations.
Homura and Koharu's faces turned ashen.
Sighing, they reached for the blood pressure medication Sarutobi had left behind.
Once composed, they exchanged a grim look.
"This can't go on. We need a Hokage. Immediately."
They both thought of the same candidate.
"Tsunade."
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