Chapter 3: Ninjutsu Scroll
By noon, Uchiha Obito showed up at Fenghuo's doorstep right on time, cheerfully declaring that he was treating him to lunch.
Fenghuo's eye twitched violently. The last time he accepted that "treat," he ended up washing dishes for two hours under the scrutiny of a lecture-happy ramen chef. The emotional scars were still fresh.
"I'll cook myself," Fenghuo said firmly, rejecting Obito's enthusiastic offer.
"You know how to cook?" Obito scratched his head, confused. "Did your mom ever teach you or something?"
Fenghuo's parents had both been Konoha Chūnin, but they died in a border skirmish last year one of the many unresolved conflicts following the Second Great Ninja War. Since then, Fenghuo had been living alone. It was a difficult life, especially for a child. In truth, if not for Obito dropping by regularly with food or dragging him out to eat, he might've starved months ago.
Fenghuo blinked a few times, then smirked confidently. "I may not have eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run. Watch and learn."
He marched into the kitchen only to freeze. The place had nothing but empty pots and pans. No oil, no rice, no spices. Even if a chef from the famed Akimichi clan's banquet hall came here, they'd be helpless.
"How much money do you have?" Fenghuo asked, checking his own empty pockets.
Obito hesitated, then pulled out a few fistfuls of change. It jingled sadly in his palm.
Fenghuo snatched it instantly. "Come on. We're going shopping."
"Hey!" Obito chased after him in protest. "That's all the pocket money I've got left this week!"
"It's fine," Fenghuo replied coolly. "Cooking at home is way cheaper than eating out especially if you're constantly skipping the bill."
"…Fenghuo, are you sure you know how to cook?" Obito asked, clearly having lost all hope.
Thirty minutes later, the two six-year-olds returned home, arms filled with groceries in oversized bags. Fenghuo immediately got to work washing his hands, prepping vegetables, rinsing the rice.
Obito squatted at the kitchen doorway, resting his chin on his hands. He watched with a face that screamed both suspicion and hunger.
But soon, the air filled with an aroma that made Obito's eyes widen in disbelief.
"Mmm… mmMM?! What is that smell?!" Obito's stomach growled audibly.
A delicious wave of sour and spicy fragrance had taken over the kitchen. Obito couldn't help but lean in further, practically salivating.
"Fenghuo, what are you making?! It smells amazing!"
"Hot and sour Chinese cabbage," Fenghuo answered calmly. In his past life, it was a simple, common dish but in the world of Naruto, where cuisine was often plain or traditional, it stood out.
"It smells better than barbecue!" Obito declared, drooling dangerously close to the pot.
Fenghuo promptly kicked him back from the stove.
After the cabbage, Fenghuo quickly prepared mashed potatoes, topping it with freshly chopped green onions. Obito was practically vibrating with anticipation, his mouth hanging open like a starving Ninken.
Soon, the rice was ready. Fenghuo filled a bowl and handed it to Obito. "Taste test. Tell me if it's edible."
"Yessir!" Obito grabbed his bowl like a man possessed. He took a bite of the cabbage.
"Woah it's so sour and spicy! It's incredible!"
Then he tried the mashed potatoes. His eyes watered.
"It's better than Ichiraku Ramen! Woohoo! Fenghuo, you're amazing! You actually know how to cook now I don't have to eat out anymore!"
Obito cried tears of joy while stuffing his face like a human vacuum. Fenghuo, irritated by the rapidly vanishing food, scowled.
"Oi! Obito! Leave some for me, you glutton!"
In the end, they cleared the entire pot of rice and both dishes, then lay flat on the floor, patting their full stomachs and letting out loud, satisfied belches.
"…Hey, Obito," Fenghuo said suddenly. "What's your dream?"
"My dream?" Obito sat up slightly, eyes bright. "Of course it's to become Hokage! I want the whole village to recognize me and cheer my name!"
Fenghuo turned toward him, his expression serious. "And Rin? What if you had to choose between saving Rin and becoming Hokage?"
Obito froze.
He scratched the back of his head, clearly struggling with the question. "…Why would I have to choose one or the other? Can't I have both?"
Fenghuo didn't answer, but he narrowed his eyes. Deep down, he knew. That dilemma that very choice was what broke Obito's heart in another timeline. The future hinges on how he answers that question.
He turned his gaze to the ceiling, heart heavy.
One day soon, he might have to make a choice too.
"Reality won't always give us a choice," Fenghuo sighed deeply. Then, trying to lighten the mood, he changed the subject with a grin. "Alright, Obito, now that you're full, go help the old lady cross the street. In fact, help her for the entire afternoon!"
"You bastard! Why me again?!" Uchiha Obito growled in frustration, clearly feeling like he was being taken advantage of. He finally stood up, brushed the dust off his pants, and left. As he walked out the door, he called over his shoulder, "I'll be back for dinner don't start without me!"
As the door slammed shut, Fenghuo turned back toward the kitchen... only to be greeted by the dreaded mountain of dirty dishes.
"OBITO, YOU BASTARD! COME BACK AND WASH THESE DISHES!!"
Outside, Obito broke into a sprint.
Left with no other choice, Fenghuo resigned himself to dishwashing duty. He sighed and got to work, mumbling curses as he scrubbed away.
Once he finished, he took a moment to truly look at his home for the first time since transmigrating.
The house wasn't large, but it had a warm, lived-in feeling. The kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living area were all compact but well-arranged. Out back, a small garden thrived, complete with blooming flowers, a few medicinal herbs, and a modest pond about three meters wide. The pond was crystal clear, though it had no fish.
Feeling a sudden tug of nostalgia, Fenghuo quietly stepped into what had once been his parents' bedroom.
"If both of my parents were Chūnin, maybe... just maybe, they left behind something useful."
He rummaged through drawers, closets, and finally found a small lacquered box beneath the bed. Opening it carefully, he discovered two aged scrolls inside. His heartbeat quickened.
As expected one was a Katon (Fire Release) scroll, and the other was Genjutsu.
Given his Uchiha lineage, this made perfect sense. Almost all Uchiha were taught Fire Release from a young age, as it was a clan specialty. And once the Sharingan awakened, most gained a natural proficiency in Genjutsu, making it one of their signature combat styles.
Fenghuo eagerly unrolled the Fire Release scroll and scanned the listed techniques:
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique (Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu)
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu)
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet (Katon: Karyū Endan)
Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique (Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu)
All four were confirmed canon C-rank Uchiha-style jutsu, practical for Chūnin-level shinobi. These techniques emphasized both chakra control and battle positioning, and all were used by various Uchiha in the manga Sasuke, Itachi, and even Obito.
Then, he opened the Genjutsu scroll.
Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique (Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu)
Genjutsu: Sly Mind Affect Technique (Kokohi no Jutsu)
Genjutsu: False Surroundings Technique (Kori Shinchū no Jutsu)
Mind Body Switch Technique (Shintenshin no Jutsu)
The first three were standard Genjutsu techniques used by many Konoha shinobi. The last, however, was more closely associated with the Yamanaka clan but it wasn't impossible for a skilled ninja to learn.
"Tch... No high-level Sharingan-only illusions like Tsukuyomi or Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change. Kind of disappointing," Fenghuo muttered. Still, a glimmer of excitement danced in his eyes. For an aspiring Genin, this was a treasure trove.
Now that he had access to jutsu, he had to get the fundamentals down first.
"Before I can unleash Fire Release techniques, I need two things seal proficiency and refined chakra control."
Hand seals were essential for shaping and molding chakra into ninjutsu. And in battle, the speed of your seals could determine if you lived or died.
Take Uchiha Itachi, for example: in the manga, he could perform six seals per second. If your own seal rate was just two per second, by the time you finished a single jutsu, your opponent would've launched three. In real fights, even milliseconds mattered.
As for chakra control waste even a fraction too much, and the jutsu might fail, misfire, or drain you prematurely. Naruto himself struggled with this early on, due to Kurama's influence. His chakra was so unstable that he couldn't even use the Clone Technique properly something the Academy expected of every graduate.
"Alright. I've refined chakra all morning," Fenghuo muttered to himself, flexing his fingers. "I'll drill hand seals all afternoon, and tonight, it's tree climbing and water walking. Step by step I will catch up."
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