Naruto: Azure Awakening Ch 168 - What Comes After Flavor

‘I hope it’s not him…’ Ogashi grumbled, slowly dragging his feet toward the door. He could have reached it in three strides, but took twice that, savoring the irritation he imagined his visitor was feeling. If it was his older brother and eternal rival, then stalling just long enough to get on his nerves was well worth the effort. Teasing Iseki was, after all, one of the few pleasures Ogashi never outgrew.

When he finally opened the door, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Kurara?" he blinked. "What are you doing here?"

He hadn’t expected to see Kaoru until tomorrow’s training session, and certainly not on his doorstep. In all the ti Kaoru had lived in the Leviathan settlent, not once had he visited Ogashi’s ho voluntarily. If he wasn’t summoned, he simply didn’t show up. So now, after seeing him here unannounced, Ogashi’s instincts kicked in, making him think that sothing must have happened.

His gaze swept over the boy’s body with the scrutinizing precision of a combat dic. He looked for scraps, bruises, blood, anything that would explain this visit. But instead of injuries, what he found was sothing far stranger.

Kaoru was excited.

"Yes, yes, everything’s fine!" Kaoru blurted, clearly too worked up to notice Ogashi’s concern. "Soma told about the tournant, and I want to enter! It’ll be perfect for training. I need so real practice against opponents who aren’t worried about breaking my bones!"

The words tumbled out one after another, his breath barely keeping up with his mouth. He looked like a kettle boiling over.

Ogashi raised a brow, unimpressed by the flood of enthusiasm. He had no interest in debating tonight, especially not after tea, which for him marked the official end of all responsibilities. He’d planned on dozing off within minutes, not negotiating with a stubborn Taki. But Kaoru wasn’t soone who could be swatted away easily. Ogashi knew from experience that once the boy latched onto an idea, he dug in deep.

So the old Leviathan tried reasoning first.

"If you’re doing this just to get access to those techniques," he began slowly but firmly, "then forget it. You don’t need to win so silly contest for that. We were planning to teach you all of them anyway. And the library…" he gestured vaguely over his shoulder, "...is already open to you anyti."

Kaoru’s face didn’t budge.

Ogashi sighed and decided to drop the real bomb.

"Actually… we’re taking you to a special place soon. It’s ti you started training in the Leviathan Sage Mode."

He leaned back slightly, waiting for Kaoru’s reaction, fully expecting awe. But what he got instead was…

"But Grandpa Ogashi! I can start learning Sage Mode in a few weeks. Right now I want to test myself!" Kaoru’s tone shifted into exaggerated sulking. His voice wavered, full of theatrical disappointnt as he tilted his head just enough to make it clear he was playing for sympathy.

Ogashi was not amused.

"No," he said flatly, cutting through the mood. "You’re not participating. That’s final."

For a brief mont, he thought he’d won. Then Kaoru gasped, an over-the-top dramatic inhale like Ogashi had just insulted his ancestors, and slowly turned his head, eyes narrowed.

"Grandpa Iseki was right. You’re no fun at all, Elder Ogashi," Kaoru muttered with exaggerated dejection, turning his back and pretending to leave.

‘Elder Ogashi? Grandpa Ikaka?’ Ogashi’s head could not hear anything more.

That did it.

Before Kaoru could even pivot fully, Ogashi lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar, spinning him back around.

"What?!" he barked, voice booming far louder than soone of his reputation and standing should have. "That smug old cephalopod said what?! And he gave you permission to enter?!"

Ogashi was practically steaming now. Not because Kaoru had disobeyed, but because his brother had dared to undermine him. The nerve of that overripe barnacle!

"What else did he say?!" Ogashi demanded, eyes wide, breath flaring through his nostrils like an angry bull.

Kaoru crossed his arms and shrugged. "Hmm… Why should I tell you?"

"Kid," Ogashi growled, pointing a firm finger, "tell and I might just let you enter."

"No, you won’t. Grandpa Iseki was right, you hate fun. You’ll never let join the tournant." Kaoru turned again, this ti actually stepping away, though his pace was suspiciously slow, almost daring Ogashi to stop him.

Ogashi’s face turned crimson.

"Oh, is that right?!" he shouted, trembling with rage. "I’ll show him who hates fun! Kid, I’m registering you right now! And when I co back, I’ll prepare you myself! I will show him who’s not fun…"

And with that, the old Leviathan spun on his heel and stord off, muttering curses under his breath about smug brothers and insolent children as he marched toward the arena.

Kaoru watched him go, a sly grin spreading across his face. He folded his arms and tilted his head, amusent radiating from him in waves.

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‘As long as he registers before talking to Grandpa Iseki, I’m in the clear.’ He stifled a victorious chuckle. It was a rare thing - outwitting both old n in a single night. But tonight, Kaoru Taki allowed himself the win and fun.

‘I’ll definitely have to pay for this later… but forget the tournant, just tricking Grandpa Ogashi was worth it. Maybe I should prank people more often?’

Kaoru wandered the settlent in high spirits, a rare, weightless bounce in his step. His feet dragged lazily across the ground, kicking pebbles and drawing zigzag lines as he walked without a destination. It was rare for him to allow this kind of freedom, and even rarer to enjoy it so much.

But he was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as his nose picked up on a delicious sll.

A rich, warm aroma curled through the air like a beckoning hand, rich with spices he couldn’t na and a depth of flavor that made his stomach rumble on instinct. Kaoru didn’t even need to guess. There was only one Leviathan who would be in the kitchen on a day like this, cooking with such intensity even when the restaurant was officially closed.

“Anya,” he called out, knocking gently on the fra of the restaurant’s open door.

“Kaoru, co in!” ca the warm reply, her voice already beaming with excitent. A mont later, Anya poked her head out from behind the kitchen door just to make sure it really was him and he would not be slipping away.

“Why are you here?” she asked, though her expression made it clear that the question was just for formality’s sake. Her entire face was practically glowing.

“I was visiting Grandpa Ogashi. I’m heading back now,” Kaoru replied with a half-smile, though his full attention had already locked onto the source of the sll. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his nose twitched as he leaned forward just enough to sniff like a bloodhound.

Anya laughed and turned, opening one of the lower drawers behind the counter. From inside, she pulled a simple but elegant ceramic plate piled with tightly wrapped bundles of reddish-green herbs, dotted with strange, textured seeds and paired with a small bowl of thick, red sauce.

“Here,” she said, sliding it toward him. “Try it.”

“What is this?” Kaoru asked, barely able to keep himself from drooling. His nose hovered so close to the plate that if it had a tongue, it would've tasted the al first.

“I have no idea,” Anya replied proudly, hands on her hips. “I’m experinting with flavor blends again. It’s not even nad yet.”

Kaoru eyed the food cautiously, but only for a mont. When he’d first started eating Anya’s cooking, her dishes had made him hesitate. Unfamiliar textures. Strange colors. Ingredients that looked more like potion components than food. But ti and taste had changed him. Her als, no matter how bizarre, always ended in flavor that felt almost divine.

“Alright. I’m giving it a try,” he said with a grin, grabbing one of the tightly wound herb rolls.

The outside was coated in what looked like tiny, bark-like grains - rough, textured, like edible tree nuts - and topped with delicate yellow round seeds that shimred faintly in the light. He dipped the whole thing into the crimson sauce, which was denser than soy and clung to the food like syrup, and then moved it into his mouth.

The mont his teeth sank into it, Kaoru’s entire body stilled. His eyes slowly drifted shut, and a soft hum escaped from his throat.

The herbs were soft, almost buttery in texture, and infused with a salty, earthy richness. The nut-like grains added a subtle crunch, not intrusive but complentary, and the yellow seeds followed with a faint, whispering sweetness that lted into the sauce’s bolder flavor: sweet and deep with a spicy afterbite that ward his throat.

He chewed slowly, reverently, not wanting to miss a single note of flavor. Each bite was like a small discovery, and the combination of textures danced across his palate with layered complexity.

“So?” Anya asked, leaning forward on the counter, eyes glittering like a child waiting for praise.

Kaoru opened one eye, then the other, slowly pulling himself back from flavor-induced bliss.

“Yes. As always, it’s incredible,” he said with a smile, voice light with genuine admiration. “Anya, you’re so kind of kitchen sorceress.”

She laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Flatterer.”

“I an it.” Kaoru laughed along, grabbing another bundle and devouring it with noticeably less restraint. “Honestly…” he continued between bites, mouth still half-full, “...I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do when I go back ho. I’ll miss your cooking so much, I’ll probably cry.”

Anya’s expression softened, the pride in her craft glowing warmly across her face.

“But… you’re not going back yet, right?” Anya asked softly, though it ca out more like a plea than a question.

Kaoru tilted his head at the sudden shift in her voice. He had already noticed how Anya, for all her kindness and vibrant energy in the kitchen, seed to exist just slightly apart from the others. The elders clearly adored her, treating her with respect and warmth, but among the younger Leviathans, she didn’t really have anyone. No real friends. No one to share als with when the restaurant closed. It wasn’t hard to see why she tried to linger whenever Kaoru ca by - he was human, yes, but he was also open in ways most Leviathans weren’t.

“No, no. I’m not going anywhere yet,” Kaoru said quickly, flashing a grin ant to scatter the faint shadow clouding her expression. “And even when I do leave, I’ll still co back every now and then. Especially if you keep cooking like this.”

Her lips tugged upward, the corners of her eyes softening.

“Actually,” Kaoru continued, puffing out his chest dramatically as if to show off a physique twice his size, “I’m going to register for the tournant. I’ll smash every Leviathan who dares to stand in my way!”

He raised his arms in mock intimidation, striking a pose so absurd it pulled a snort from Anya, then full-on laughter. She laughed freely, her shoulders relaxing in a way that suggested she hadn’t done so all day.

But the mont passed too quickly.

Her expression turned thoughtful, then serious. She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms as she fixed him with a look.

“You do realize the tournant starts the day after tomorrow,” she said. “And registration ends… today.”

Kaoru blinked. His grin faltered slightly as the realization sank in.

‘So that’s why Grandpa Ogashi took off like that. He wasn’t just being dramatic, he was trying to make the deadline.’

“It’s fine,” Kaoru said, though the confidence in his voice had lost its edge. “I’m sure Grandpa Ogashi handled it. He probably registered already…”

“Also,” Anya interrupted, her tone shifting again. “There’s soone else. Our strongest Leviathan is competing this year too.”

Kaoru’s brows rose slightly.

“Well, strongest among the younger generation,” she clarified, though her tone didn’t lighten at all. “He’s a piece of work. Arrogant. Cold. The kind of person who makes others uncomfortable just by walking into the room.”

Her fingers curled slightly on the counter as she stared past Kaoru, as if rembering sothing unpleasant. “But when he fights… he’s terrifying. Even the elders admit it. He doesn’t hold back.”

“Kaoru, are you ready for that kind of fight? This isn’t like sparring with Soma or dealing with Sona’s chaos. If you face him… he won’t show rcy.”

There was a pause.

Then Kaoru smiled.

Not the goofy grin he used when comforting Anya before. Not the quiet smirk he wore after outsmarting soone. This one was bright and clear - full of eagerness, confidence, and sothing deeper… excitent.

“To that,” he said calmly, “I say, bring it on.”