Shizune put down her chopsticks and gestured as she explained, "Um... I'm talking about Shinichi from the manga, but it's pretty much the same. Shinichi is the manga author, after all. When Shinichi cooks, he thinks about making everyone happy and healthy. He puts all that thought into his cooking, so the dishes he makes are really special!"
After she finished speaking, she nodded her little head vigorously, looking very confident.
"Really?"
Tsunade looked at Shinichi suspiciously, but she was too lazy to ask any more questions. She lowered her head and took another bite. The scalding hot soup slid down her throat, and the warmth spread from her stomach again, making her feel so comfortable that she didn't want to care about anything else.
Whether it was true or not, as long as it tasted good, that was enough.
Just then, a silver-white figure walked from the direction of the training ground entrance.
Tsunade glanced up, and a smile appeared on her lips: "Tsk, this kid's here again."
Shizune followed her gaze, still chewing something, and mumbled, "It really is Kakashi."
Kurenai looked up, glanced at Kakashi, then lowered her head and continued eating, her expression as calm as if she had only seen a cat passing by.
The members of Team 10 were already used to this. Whenever Kakashi had free time, he would appear by Shinichi's side. Sometimes they would spar, sometimes they would discuss Ninjutsu, and sometimes he would just sit quietly by Shinichi's side, watching him train and then leave silently.
Kakashi approached, his gaze sweeping over the group of people sitting in a circle, finally landing on Shinichi. He didn't speak, just stood there quietly, his white hair swaying slightly in the wind.
Shinichi put down his chopsticks, looked up at him, and said naturally, "Have you eaten? Want to eat something together?"
"No need."
Kakashi replied simply and calmly. "I've already eaten."
Shinichi glanced at him, said nothing more, and stood up.
"Let's go then."
"They're going to fight again."
Shizune muttered softly.
The two walked one after the other towards the open space in the center of the training ground.
In the center of the open space, the two stood ten steps apart. The autumn wind blew, swirling a few withered leaves between them.
There are no superfluous words, no opposing seals, and not even any starting stance.
The two moved almost at the same instant.
Clang!
The crisp sound of clashing swords shattered the afternoon tranquility.
Kakashi's short sword flashed in a sharp arc, aiming straight for Shinichi's shoulder and neck.
Instead of retreating, Shinichi advanced, dodging the incoming slash while simultaneously slashing his katana diagonally, the tip pointing directly at Kakashi's ribs.
Kakashi sheathed his sword to parry, the blade barely stopping the sword strike, but the force of the blow sent him staggering back a step. His eyes narrowed, and he pressed forward again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clanging of metal was as dense as rain falling on the ground. Two figures crisscrossed, separated, and collided at high speed in the open space, their speed dazzling!
The flashing blades formed an impenetrable net, each collision sparking tiny sparks.
Shinichi's steps were unhurried, his swordsmanship steady and fluid, each parry and counterattack perfectly timed, presenting an impression of effortless mastery, as if he were sparring with his opponent.
Kakashi's attacks grew increasingly fierce, his short sword transforming into a series of chilling arcs of light as he slashed, hacked, stabbed, and parried, each movement clean and swift, carrying a reckless ferocity.
He gritted his teeth and continued his offensive, but his heart sank deeper and deeper.
Is the gap still that big?
No, it's even bigger than before.
He could sense that Shinichi wasn't using his full strength at all. His composed demeanor and seemingly always-ready counterattacks were less like a fight and more like he was practicing with him.
This realization is more painful than any blow.
Kakashi took a deep breath, his body suddenly stopped, and the next moment…
Chirrrrrrrrr!!!
A piercing, sharp sound suddenly exploded!
A dazzling azure lightning bolt erupted from the short sword in Kakashi's hand, like countless birds screeching!
The lightning spread and condensed along the blade, enveloping the entire short sword in wuth a dazzling lightning!
Lightning Style: Chidori Blade!
This is a new application that he and Shinichi came up with after discussing it. It extends the power of Chidori not only to his hands, but also to his weapons, so that his weapons are imbued with the penetrating and paralyzing power of Chidori!
A resolute glint flashed in Kakashi's eyes. Using the momentum of his charge, the short sword wrapped in lightning slashed at Shinichi again with even greater speed and force!
The blade sliced through the air, leaving a blinding blue trail. Even the autumn wind was torn apart by the violent lightning chakra, making it howl. This strike was faster and more ruthless than any of his previous attacks!
However… Shinichi's figure just swayed slightly, and in that sway, the lightning-infused blade grazed past him, striking only the air. The lightning left a brief trail in the air before dissipating.
Kakashi remained frozen in his sword-wielding stance.
It pierced through the air.
He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving violently, sweat trickling down his face and soaking the edge of his mask. His hand holding the knife was trembling slightly; his physical strength and chakra were nearing their limits.
Even so, he still didn't even touch the hem of Shinichi's clothes.
Shinichi stood three steps away, his katana already sheathed at his side, his breathing as steady as ever, as if the thrilling scene just now was nothing more than an afternoon stroll.
An autumn wind blew by, swirling up a few fallen leaves that drifted between the two of them.
In the distance, Shizune muttered softly, "They're done fighting again."
It was impossible to tell from her tone whether she was expressing emotion or simply taking it for granted.
Shinichi looked at Kakashi, who was panting heavily, and a gentle smile appeared on his face: "You've made great progress, Kakashi. You're much more skilled at using the Chidori Blade than last time."
Kakashi remained silent, not uttering a word, but simply lowering his eyes to stare at the short sword in his hand, which still bore faint sparks of electricity, sweat trickling down his forehead.
"However…"
Shinichi changed the subject: "You have another weakness."
"Your chakra capacity is too low. Of course, this isn't your fault; it's because you're still too young. With your talent, your chakra capacity will naturally increase in a few years, but right now..."
At this point, Shinichi's tone became serious: "I've seen how hard you've been working these past few months, but when it comes to training, ruthlessness alone isn't enough. You not only have to be diligent, but you also have to know how to nurture yourself. If you push yourself too hard, you won't be able to keep up with your recovery, and you'll easily leave behind hidden injuries that will hinder your long-term progress."
As he spoke, Shinichi reached into his pocket, took out a scroll, and tossed it to Kakashi.
Kakashi instinctively caught it, looked down at what he was holding, and frowned slightly.
"These are medicinal diet and bath recipes that I created based on prescriptions from some medical books and my own understanding."
Shinichi explained. "If you eat them according to the recipes above and take a medicinal bath after each training session, it will help you recover faster and nourish your chakra network. If you persist with this, it will be of great benefit to your health."
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