With a light and lively rhythm of footsteps, Mito Uzumaki and Hashirama Senju appeared at the kitchen doorway.
The moment they stepped inside, they were immediately captivated by the aroma filling the air.
That scent seemed to have a kind of magic, compelling them to take a deep breath without even realizing it.
Mito's eyes lit up instantly, her face showing a look of pure delight.
"It smells so good! Who's cooking?"
Though Hashirama couldn't smell the fragrance, her reaction stirred his curiosity.
Tsunade looked at them with an indescribable smile. "It's Hikaru. He said it's to celebrate our squad's formation."
Mito's jaw dropped in shock, as if she could swallow an egg whole. She stared at Tsunade in disbelief, as though checking whether she'd heard correctly.
After all, in their memory, Hikaru had never so much as stepped into a kitchen—let alone cooked a meal.
She strode into the kitchen at once, and sure enough, saw Hikaru carrying a dish out.
Aside from him, there was no one else inside.
Seeing the undeniable evidence, Mito couldn't help but remark,"Never would've thought… Hikaru actually has this skill."
Hashirama, on the other hand, wasn't as familiar with Hikaru—he'd only been summoned not long ago.
Hikaru walked past them with the dish in hand and said,"Alright, don't just stand here blocking the way. Take the plates out. Let's eat together."
Hearing that, everyone sprang into action, filing into the kitchen to help carry dishes.
In no time, everything was ready, and the table was covered with a dazzling variety of appetizing dishes.
They couldn't help swallowing hard at the sight.
"Let's dig in!"
At Mito's call, no one moved to eat right away. Instead, all eyes turned to her, as if waiting for something.
Without thinking much of it, Mito picked up her chopsticks, targeted a dish, and popped a bite into her mouth without hesitation.
Her eyes immediately narrowed in satisfaction, and she quietly quickened her chewing.
Seeing everyone's expectant faces, she kept a straight expression. "Too fast. I'll try another one."
Then she picked up a second dish—and this time couldn't hold back, her face showing pure contentment.
That was enough for the others. They grabbed their chopsticks and began eating.
The flavors blossomed in their mouths, drawing out involuntary sighs of satisfaction.
With every bite, they were more and more impressed, utterly convinced by Hikaru's cooking.
They had never imagined that someone who had never cooked before could, on the first try, make food this good.
It made them wonder—can geniuses really just do whatever they want?
Still, philosophical questions didn't slow their chopsticks in the slightest.
Hikaru, seeing their blissful faces, wore a proud smile at first—until he realized his food would be gone before he even tasted it. He quickly joined the fray.
When the last dish was finally gone, they set down their chopsticks with reluctant expressions.
Clicking her tongue in disappointment, Mito turned to Hashirama and raised an eyebrow."Aren't you in an Edo Tensei body? Why are you eating?"
Hashirama blinked innocently and spread his hands."You all looked like you were enjoying it so much—I just wanted a taste."
That explanation didn't satisfy her, especially since this was Hikaru's cooking.
Because of this meal, Tsunade and the others were now looking at Hikaru differently. That didn't sit right with Mito.
Her granddaughter's partner: skilled with both pen and sword, able to do anything.
Her own partner: can't write, can't cook, can only fight—number one at gambling, and always eager to eat.
The thought made her feel a twinge of irritation, like a cat scratching at her heart.
Hashirama, sensitive to the shift in mood, frowned slightly as if thinking. Then, suddenly, he stood up."Uh, Tobirama needs me for something. I'll head out first."
Before anyone could react, he hurried off.
Mito shot a sharp look at his retreating back. "I have important matters to attend to as well." Then she too left the room.
Moments later, they heard Hashirama cry out in pain.
Tsunade, Nonō Yakushi, and Uchiha Chiri all turned toward Hikaru at once, eyes gleaming with mischief.
After all, they had all confessed to him—and he'd accepted them all.
Now that Mito had set an example, they naturally wanted to try it too.
But Hikaru just gave them a flat look, as if seeing right through them.
He shook his head lightly and said in a mild, almost bored tone:"What are you looking at me for? Even if you could catch me—not saying you could—just think about who cooked that meal. Don't want to eat again?"
That struck straight at the heart, instantly deflating their momentum.
Then, as if remembering something, Hikaru turned to Chiri."Our first squad mission is already accepted."
"Oh? What is it?" she asked curiously.
Tsunade and Nonō glanced at each other in sudden realization. Before Hikaru could answer, they launched into a vivid retelling of yesterday's events.
Tsunade spoke with lively detail, while Nonō nodded along, occasionally adding her own comments.
Chiri listened intently—but when she heard that Hikaru had twice instant-killed the First Hokage, her lips parted slightly in surprise as she stared at him.
And when she learned that their first mission was to locate Madara Uchiha and either capture or kill him, her eyes lit up with excitement.
She clenched her fists, practically itching to dive into the mission.
Her gaze sharpened into something like a drawn blade, ready to strike at any moment.
After all, though her grandfather, Uchiha Ang, had survived six years ago thanks to a forbidden technique, he had lost an eye in the process.
And Madara still planned to use them to threaten Hikaru—how could she not hold a grudge?
Seeing her reaction, Hikaru understood. He patted her shoulder gently, urging her to calm down.
"Don't worry. Madara's been free long enough. This time, we'll put an end to it."
Then he smiled, changing the tone."But we can also take this chance to enjoy some of the scenery in the shinobi world—no need to be too fixated on Madara."