In the classroom, as lunchtime arrived, the students all took out the bento meals their parents had prepared early in the morning.
As soon as Hinata opened her lunchbox, she immediately knew that today's bento was made by Natsu-mom—only Natsu-mom would arrange the food so delicately and thoughtfully.
With four children in the family, preparing both breakfast and lunchboxes at the same time was too much for one person.
That's why the one who made breakfast wasn't always the same person who made the bentos.
Fortunately, their kitchen was large enough for two people to work together.
At that moment, Sakura suddenly walked over, holding her lunchbox with both hands.
The group of girls surrounding Hinata all turned their eyes toward her.
"Hinata...classmate... this is the eel my mom made. Would you like to try some?"
For a moment, everyone present was stunned, including Hinata herself.
Everyone knew that Lady Hinata didn't get along with Ino and Sakura.
But what was this Haruno Sakura doing now—was she trying to show goodwill?
One of the girls next to Hinata spoke up, "Forehead girl, do you really think Big Sis would eat a commoner's bento like yours?"
Sakura stood there silently, still holding the lunchbox in both hands.
After going home yesterday, she had excitedly told her parents that she had met the princess.
Her mother had been delighted and specially made some eel for her to bring to the princess today.
Hinata glanced at Ino, who was sitting not far away and also watching the scene unfold.
Resting her chin lightly on her hand while holding her chopsticks, Hinata spoke in a calm tone, "Just leave it here."
It was hard to tell if those words were meant to express happiness or not—neither warm nor cold, making Sakura feel a little uneasy.
Ino couldn't help but speak up. "Hey, you're accepting someone's gift, and you can't even say thank you?"
Her words were like a spark to a powder keg, instantly igniting the crowd around Hinata.
"What kind of person do you think you are to deserve a thank-you from Big Sis?"
"Big Sis eating your food is your honor!"
Words like these came pouring out one after another.
Hinata frowned and said, "Enough. Stop."
The noisy group immediately fell silent.
Then, Hinata turned to Sakura and said, "Bring me your bento."
Sakura was confused but, seeing Hinata's expression, she obediently returned to her seat, picked up her lunchbox, and brought it over.
Hinata then used her chopsticks to pick up some food from her own bento and placed it into Sakura's lunchbox.
"You should try my mother's cooking too."
Sakura froze in place, staring at the extra food in her bento.
"No need to say thank you," Hinata said flatly.
"...Oh." It took a moment for Sakura to snap out of it, then she held her lunchbox with both hands and returned to her seat.
Meanwhile, the group of girls around Hinata was completely shocked.
Why was Lady Hinata being so nice to this Sakura?
Weren't they supposed to be enemies?
Why did things suddenly turn out like this?
Suddenly, a girl placed her lunchbox in front of Hinata and eagerly said, "Big Sis, do you want to try mine?"
The others quickly followed suit, mimicking her actions, taking out their lunches and placing them in front of Hinata.
In no time, her table was piled high with food.
Feeling a bit impatient, Hinata said, "Enough, just eat your own lunch. I have plenty."
Only then did everyone reluctantly take back their bento boxes.
The girl who had first offered hers glanced jealously at Sakura, who was sitting not far away.
Meanwhile, over at Sakura and Ino's side—
Sakura shared the food Hinata had given her with Ino.
After taking a bite, Ino commented, "It tastes pretty good."
"I think so too. Well, it is made by the Imperial Consort, after all," Sakura said.
Hearing this, Ino seemed to realize something and took another bite.
"Mm, it is delicious!"
That Hinata was as arrogant and annoying as ever, but her mother's cooking was undeniably good.
Besides, this was food made by the Imperial Consort—how many ordinary people ever got the chance to taste something like this?
............
On the playground, beneath a large tree.
After finishing lunch, Naruto and Sasuke had their empty bento boxes promptly taken away by their subordinates to be washed.
There was still plenty of time before afternoon classes began, making this the perfect time for students to gather and play.
A small group of kids had formed, watching two people play a card game while those around them pointed and commented.
Just then, Sasuke noticed a familiar figure approaching.
It was Kensuke, and he was waving at him.
Of course, Sasuke knew who he was—one of Neji's followers and the son of Minister Tohnogawa.
"Prince Sasuke, Prince Naruto!"
Kensuke called out, pulling Sasuke and Naruto away from the crowd, his expression full of secrecy.
"What is it?" Naruto asked.
"I've got something good here—thought I'd gift it to you two," Kensuke said with a mischievous grin.
"What is it?" Naruto asked with amusement.
At that, Kensuke pulled out an exquisite wooden box and slowly opened it in front of them.
Inside lay two cards, resting silently.
The cards were face-down, but the moment Naruto and Sasuke saw them, their breathing involuntarily quickened.
"Legendary cards!"
Neither of them rushed to grab them.
Instead, Sasuke eyed Kensuke and asked, "Where did you get these?"
"I got lucky and pulled them," Kensuke chuckled.
"I don't really care for this game myself, so I figured I'd give them to you two."
Lucky enough to pull two limited-edition legendary cards? Yeah, right.
Sasuke didn't believe it for a second—he figured Kensuke must have spent a lot of money to get them.
He asked again, "One of them isn't Uchiha Shisui, is it?"
Kensuke chuckled. "I told you I pulled them myself. Of course, it's not the one from the school collection."
He reached out and flipped the two cards over, revealing them to Naruto and Sasuke.
The cards had intricate golden borders, with a large "Crown" symbol in the upper left corner.
In the center, each featured a character striking an incredibly cool pose, crafted with exquisite detail.
Hatake Kakashi.
Might Guy.
Naruto asked, "You're giving these to us?"
Kensuke grinned. "I don't even play the game. Keeping them would be pointless for me. And don't bring up money—it doesn't cost much to pull a few cards."
Naruto and Sasuke fell silent, exchanging glances.
They could both see the excitement in each other's eyes.
Without another word, Kensuke shoved the two cards into their hands.
"Alright, I'll be heading back now."
Sasuke hesitated for a moment before saying, "Thanks, Kensuke."
Kensuke's smile widened even further, his chubby face scrunching up in a way that made him look both simple and amusing.
Once he was gone, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "I want yours."
Sasuke sighed helplessly and handed him the Might Guy card.
Naruto played with his new card, grinning ear to ear.
Sasuke muttered, "Now we owe him a favor."
Naruto shrugged. "Isn't Kensuke a friend of Neji's? I doubt you'll have any trouble paying him back."
Sasuke didn't feel like thinking about it anymore.
Instead, the two of them returned to the crowd, eager to test the strength of their new cards.
...............
Province of Lightning, Ironblade City.
This place was once the Land of Iron, but after the empire was established, its capital became just another city.
However, its original cultural characteristics had been well preserved.
A land of extreme cold, a city of samurai.
Using his space-time abilities, Makoto brought the women of his household here for a visit.
During the previous Five Kage Summit, he had only brought the Ayari and Ayano sisters along.
This time, he also brought Mikoto, Kushina, and Natsu to explore the city.
Unlike Konoha, this place wasn't as bustling, nor was it overly modernized.
The pedestrians on the streets were mostly dressed in traditional kimonos, making it a refreshing sight for those accustomed to Konoha's atmosphere.
After mastering space-time abilities, traveling anywhere became much easier for Makoto—especially to places like Ironblade City, which had a Solarity Tower serving as a clear coordinate.
The emperor's arrival didn't alarm anyone.
Blending in like ordinary people, the group leisurely strolled through the streets.
Ayano was still early in her pregnancy, so she had no trouble keeping up.
Accompanying women on a shopping trip was dull—especially when there were five of them.
As they exited a women's clothing store, they noticed the streets suddenly bustling with movement.
People were hurrying in the same direction.
"What's going on?"
"No idea."
The unusual scene piqued Ayari and the others' curiosity.
Makoto casually stopped a passerby to ask, and that's when they found out—someone was challenging a dojo.
In a city where samurai culture thrived, it was only natural that its swordsmanship traditions were deeply rooted as well.
"A dojo challenge? I wanna watch!" Kushina said excitedly.
"Then let's go take a look," Ayari also said.
Makoto led his wives along with the crowd, eventually arriving at the entrance of a grandly decorated sword dojo.
However, the place was packed with people, making it impossible to enter.
"So many people."
"Is the master of this dojo really famous?"
A passerby overheard and glanced at them. "You must be outsiders if you don't even know about Lord Shin."
"Lord Shin?"
"That's Lord Takemi Shin! He's the most renowned swordmaster in our land!"
Makoto pondered for a moment and then asked, "Who's the challenger?"
"Not sure. Something like 'Dra… Mihawk'? Normally, Lord Shin doesn't even bother with these dojo challengers—his disciples handle them. No idea why he decided to fight personally this time."
Makoto activated his Divine Sight and, with Ayari and the others, teleported straight into the dojo.
Under his intentional concealment, no one could see them.
At the center of the dojo, Dracule Mihawk was facing off against a young man, while disciples sat in neat rows on either side, watching in silence.
Makoto's curiosity was piqued.
So Mihawk actually came all the way to the Land of Iron to challenge a dojo?
He observed Takemi Shin—there wasn't a trace of chakra in his body, confirming he was an ordinary person, yet he carried the presence of a true warrior.
The two combatants quickly began their duel, both wielding real swords.
Their figures blurred as their blades clashed in a dazzling exchange.
To the spectators, it seemed like an evenly matched fight, but Makoto could tell that Mihawk was deliberately holding back.
If he wanted to, he could stand there and let the opponent slash at him without taking any real damage.
But then, something unexpected happened—Takemi Shin's katana grazed Mihawk's cheek, drawing blood.
The fight continued a while longer before both combatants stopped, ending in a draw.
"They're incredible," Ayari couldn't help but remark.
"Yeah! And neither of them are ninja, yet they seem even stronger than ninjas," Kushina nodded in agreement.
Makoto contemplated for a moment before murmuring, "Interesting."
News of the dojo challenge spread quickly, causing an uproar among the crowd waiting outside.
Mihawk was invited as an honored guest of the dojo to exchange insights on swordsmanship, while Makoto took his wives and left.
Just then, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.
One landed on Natsu's palm, melting instantly into a cool droplet of water.
"How beautiful," she murmured, tilting her head to gaze at the sky.
"Why don't we stay here for the night?" Kushina suddenly suggested.
Mikoto chuckled. "What about the kids at home? If we don't go back, won't they be starving after school?"
Kushina dismissed the concern with a carefree wave. "Skipping one meal won't kill them."
"They'll be missing breakfast and lunch for tomorrow too."
Makoto then said, "They're not that helpless. If they're hungry, they'll figure something out. I'll leave them a note before we settle in. We can stay here tonight."
Hearing this, Ayari shot a glance at Makoto, suspicion flashing in her eyes.
What kind of mischief is this guy up to now?
The last time she and her sister were here with him… that night had been…
Remembering it, her face turned slightly red.
Makoto seemed to notice her expression and leaned in to whisper by her ear, "Hey, I wasn't the one who suggested staying this time."
Ayari just glared at him, her cheeks still flushed.
Noticing this, Natsu curiously asked, "What are you two whispering about?"
Makoto grinned. "Nothing much. Let's go find a place to stay first. Later, we can go out again—this weather is perfect for grilled meat and a little sake."
Hearing that, the women's eyes lit up in anticipation.
Mikoto smiled gently and said, "It's nice to take a break once in a while. Let's not worry about the kids."
Natsu stretched lazily and added, "And we won't have to wake up early to make their bento in the morning."
Ayari glanced at the seemingly carefree Natsu and secretly thought to herself: Go ahead and enjoy yourself now… let's see how this troublemaker torments you tonight.
Her gaze then swept over Kushina and Mikoto, and suddenly, she felt her face grow unbearably hot.
Being with them… that's something I haven't experienced yet…
................
Hinata was the first to arrive home.
She wanted to spend some time with her mother, but the living room was empty, giving the house a strangely quiet feeling.
On the coffee table, there was a note written in her father's handwriting:
"Out with your mothers. Settle dinner on your own. — Father."
Hinata glanced toward the kitchen and instinctively touched her stomach.
None of them… knew how to cook.
She clenched the note in her hand, silently blaming her unreliable parents.
When Neji and the others returned, she told them about the situation.
"What should we do? Should we try cooking?" Naruto suggested.
"Forget it. We'll just end up turning the kitchen into a disaster," Neji shook his head.
"We could go to Itachi-nii place and have him feed us," Sasuke suddenly proposed.
That idea immediately brightened everyone's eyes.
Neji couldn't help but sigh internally—they really felt like a bunch of abandoned kids at the moment.
Since Itachi lived near the palace, the four of them left together.
When they arrived, they saw that his house was lit from within.
Neji took the lead, stepping up to knock on the door while the other three stood behind him.
"Itachi-nii?" The door opened, revealing Itachi, and the scent of delicious food wafted out from inside, making Neji's stomach grow even hungrier.
"Itachi-nii, we—" Neji started to speak but suddenly noticed that Itachi wasn't alone.
A beautiful girl was sitting inside—Uchiha Izumi.
Neji remembered her.
She was close to Itachi…
Oh no… Itachi-nii is on a date… Are we interrupting?
"We—" The words stuck in Neji's throat.
"…We're fine! Wrong house!"
He quickly blurted out, grabbing the door handle and shutting the door before Itachi could react.
Naruto and Sasuke looked confused, having not seen what was inside.
"Go, go, go! Find somewhere else," Neji urged, practically dragging them away.
By the time Itachi opened the door again, Neji and the others were already long gone.
"These guys… What were they up to?" He muttered, feeling puzzled.
"Itachi, dinner's ready," Izumi's voice called from inside the house.
A smile returned to Itachi's face as he turned back inside and closed the door.
—
"Itachi-nii was on a date with a girl, so it wouldn't be right to disturb him," Neji explained to Sasuke and the others.
"I'm so hungry…" Hinata crouched down, clutching her stomach, and looked up at Neji with pleading eyes.
"Neji-nii, I'm starving…"
Neji sighed.
Now she remembers I'm her older brother, huh?
"Let's go find a restaurant in town."
"We don't have money." x3.
"…I'll pay."
"Thank you, Neji-nii~!"
Naruto and Sasuke dramatically clung to Neji's arms from both sides, making him grimace.
Just as the four of them were about to head toward the streets, a familiar figure emerged from the palace—it was Samui.
She noticed them and asked in surprise, "Why are the four young lords out here?"
Neji glanced toward the palace loft, noting that the lights were already out, then turned back to her and asked, "Miss Samui, just finished work?"
"Mm."
Hearing that, Hinata inwardly complained about her father.
The emperor is out having fun while leaving all the work to his subordinates…
"Father and the mothers went out to have fun, so we're heading into town for dinner," she explained.
Samui was surprised. "Is that so? His Majesty isn't home?"
She looked at the four children in front of her, seemingly lost in thought.
Then, a smile suddenly appeared on her face.
"If the young lords don't mind, you can come over to my place. I have a friend named Mabui—she's quite a good cook."
"Eh? Really?"
"As long as you don't mind."
"Thank you, Miss Samui!"
--------------
Exclusive access : All novel on paetron
Genshin impact Complete novel, Naruto birdcage Complete novel, Overlord Complete novel
From the apocalypse 100+ch, Fairy tail Destiny Complete novel, Genshin Impact Eerie Teyvat 300+ch
Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz