MTLNOVEL Chapter 459: Chili Peppers!
[Ding! Detected host using magic to defeat magic—using Kakashi to strike back at Sakumo Hatake. Special reward: One Thousand Years of Death power increased by 10%. Note: Reaching 40% triggers a new trait!]
[Ding! Detected host successfully leading Kakashi astray and once again upsetting Sakumo Hatake. Special reward: One Thousand Years of Death power increased by 10%. Note: Reaching 40% triggers a new trait!]
[Ding! Host's One Thousand Years of Death power has reached 41%—new trait unlocked: Elemental Enchantment!]
[Ding! Detected host's strong preference for Fire Release—most frequently used element. Current enchantment attribute: Fire. Targets struck will feel the soul-burning pain of flames!]
Kazuyama stood there dazed, his mind reeling from the flood of system notifications.
Damn, that was a lot of rewards.
Sure, it was just an upgrade to One Thousand Years of Death—but that was his all-time favorite technique. He'd been putting in serious effort to level it up.
But he had completely overlooked the most obvious method: he didn't need to grind out uses of the technique. He could just aim it at the original creator—who was standing right in front of him.
Look at that! He'd barely done anything, and the reward chain nearly made him laugh out loud.
At that moment, he looked at Sakumo with eyes full of anticipation.
Sakumo, catching the heated look in Kazuyama's gaze, was utterly confused.
His mental gears overheated trying to figure it out. What the hell was Kazuyama so fired up about?
Could it be there was some hidden meaning in Kakashi's note?
No way. He was Konoha's White Fang. If Kakashi had used any coded language, he'd have seen through it immediately.
If he couldn't understand a simple note from his own son, what was the point of all his years of experience?
"Hehehe, don't worry about it."
"It's just food, right?"
"That's nothing. Pakura and I wouldn't let you go hungry."
"With the bond we've got? Solid as a rock. Right, old man Sakumo—ptooey! I mean, Uncle!"
"Come on, have you eaten? If not, I'll cook something for you!"
The sudden shift left Sakumo dumbstruck.
He didn't get it. Was this really that deep?
It was just a note! What kind of insane mystery could it contain? Something felt off!
But Kazuyama didn't give him the chance to dig deeper. He cheerfully dragged him out the door.
He wasn't hungry himself, but treating Sakumo to a meal? Why not.
"Uncle, what do you want to eat? Ramen sound good?"
"Ramen Ichiraku is amazing!"
Whether Sakumo agreed or not, Kazuyama was already leading him to Ichiraku Ramen.
Speaking of Ichiraku—it was practically a legend in Konoha.
A simple ramen stand, yet it had become part of the village's fabric. The original Uncle Ichiraku was shrouded in mystery. That whole "Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku" title didn't come from nowhere.
"Yo, Uncle Ichiraku! Hook us up!"
"I'm treating my uncle today—bring out the most luxurious set you've got!"
Kazuyama was feeling generous and immediately ordered the deluxe Grand Slam Ramen combo.
Uncle Ichiraku nodded with a grin and got to work.
Soon, a massive, mouthwatering bowl of ramen piled with meat was placed in front of them.
Sakumo stared at it, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
He still couldn't figure out what Kazuyama was up to.
But he was starving. He shot Kazuyama a look—then cranked his alert level to max.
The original 120% wasn't enough. He forced it up another 60%.
Because he knew full well what kind of guy Kazuyama was. That kick to Master Chen? Unforgettable. No way he'd let his guard down now.
"Hehehe..."
But Kazuyama didn't pull anything. He just sat there smiling as he watched Sakumo eat.
This time, he really didn't have any tricks up his sleeve.
After all, he was someone who knew how to show gratitude.
"Uncle, enjoying the food?"
"Want some chili?"
Sakumo paused at Kazuyama's offer. Still, ramen without chili just didn't taste the same. He'd eaten here before—used their chili plenty of times. No problem.
Unfortunately, he didn't catch the mischievous glint in Kazuyama's eyes.
No tricks? Please. This was Kazuyama Gekkō.
Sure, it was Ichiraku's chili, but it wasn't just chili anymore.
Kazuyama had prepared everything in advance. He'd had Ichiraku lace the chili jar with a generous dose of pure capsaicin extract.
As for where that came from—well, it was all in that recipe he'd earned from the system earlier. It had countless ways to weaponize peppers.
Just moments ago, he'd discreetly used a small snake to swap in the loaded chili powder.
Now he was just waiting for Sakumo to dig in.
Sakumo hesitated a bit, then went ahead and shook a generous amount into his bowl. After stirring it evenly, he scooped up a big mouthful and took a bite. He chewed a few times before his face turned bright red and his throat erupted in fire.
"What the hell is with this chili?!"
He coughed hard as he spoke.
Kazuyama feigned surprise.
"Huh? Something wrong with the chili, Uncle? Tastes fine to me."
Sakumo didn't have time to argue—he was already searching frantically for water. Cup after cup, he guzzled it down, but the burning sensation didn't fade at all.
Kazuyama couldn't hold back anymore—he burst out laughing!
Sakumo looked hilarious. Lips blazing red, still gulping water nonstop.
To see Konoha's White Fang like this? Worth every second.
"Hahahahahaha!"
"Uncle, did you forget who I am?"
"Relax—it's just a bit of refined capsaicin. You'll only feel the heat in your mouth. That's all."
"No worries! Hahaha—later!"
Before Sakumo could snap, Kazuyama vanished with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
...
Sakumo was left there chugging water like mad. It was unbearable. In the end, he stormed into the back kitchen and opened the tap to drink straight from it.
"You little bastard!"
"I'm not letting you off for this!!!"
Fuming, Sakumo mentally marked Kazuyama for revenge. It wasn't that he didn't want to chase him.
But his mouth was on fire—he could barely feel his lips.
Meanwhile, Kazuyama disappeared with a grin and received the system reward he was waiting for.
[Ding!...]
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