Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, gazing into the distance as the smoke from his cigarette curled into the night sky. He exhaled slowly, lost in thought. "Youren... would you be proud to see Youyu today? Or would you..." His voice trailed off. He didn't finish the thought, didn't need to. So things were better left unsaid.
Ti flowed like a river, silent but ever-moving.
After the day Asuma was completely broken by Youyu's overwhelming presence, his defeat had an unintended side effect—Youyu's reign over the Ninja Academy had been cented. No one dared challenge him anymore. Teachers avoided getting in his way. Students moved aside when he walked by. Even Kakashi, hailed as a genius, kept his distance.
But strangely, Youyu noticed that Rin and Kurenai had beco... a little too enthusiastic toward him.
They always brought him new alcohol, rare varieties he'd never tried before.
And every lunch break, they raced to invite him to eat with them.
Naturally, his response was simple—free drinks and food? Why say no?
"Youyu, eat more! I made this bento myself!" Rin pushed a large lunch box toward him, her violet eyes shimring with anticipation.
"Youyu-kun, this bottle is from my father's private collection. Try it!" Kurenai, not to be outdone, slid over a well-sealed bottle of premium sake.
Youyu smirked. "Well, let's see what we've got." Without hesitation, he popped open the bottle first, bringing it to his lips.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
The rich, smooth liquor slid down his throat, warming his stomach instantly.
"Haaah! Good stuff!"
Ding! The host has reached peak enjoynt while drinking. Kendo Comprehension 3.
His eyes widened slightly. Three points?
Regular alcohol only triggered a 1 bonus from the Bacchus System. This ant Kurenai's sake was sothing special.
"Youyu-kun, as long as you like it," Kurenai said, grinning in satisfaction. She cast a side glance at Rin, who was visibly irritated that he had reached for the drink first.
Rin crossed her arms and huffed. It wasn't fair. She had stolen liquor from ho too, but her mother had caught on and scolded her badly. She couldn't risk it anymore, so instead, she had focused on learning how to cook.
She had worked so hard to perfect her als—yet the first thing Youyu went for was the drink?!
Rin clenched her fists. "I won't lose!"
A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she suddenly smiled. "Youyu, you can't just drink! You need food too. Try my bento!"
At that, Youyu's gaze finally shifted toward the oversized lunchbox sitting beside him. He blinked. Why was it so big?
Rin carefully opened the lid, revealing an entire al of exquisite, carefully prepared ats—fried chicken, grilled beef, glazed pork.
Youyu's pupils dilated slightly.
at. A full box of at.
He had a simple rule—good drinks need good food.
atless als didn't count. Vegetables were an insult to his liquor.
And Rin had figured that out.
"Well, don't mind if I do," Youyu grinned, popping a golden-brown piece of fried chicken into his mouth.
The crisp outer layer gave way to juicy, well-seasoned at, perfectly complenting the rich warmth of the sake.
"Damn, this is good!" He gave Rin an appreciative nod before taking another deep gulp of sake.
Ding! The host has reached peak enjoynt while drinking with food. Physique 5.
Ding! The host has broken through a critical threshold. Chakra 15. The host is now at the Elite Chunin Level.
A wave of power coursed through Youyu's body, but he barely reacted. Instead, he leaned back, sipping from the bottle with a lazy grin.
Kurenai and Rin both froze as the system's invisible boost washed over him. Neither of them could see the notifications, but they could feel it.
Youyu, who had already been terrifyingly strong, had just beco even stronger.
The air shifted slightly, his re presence growing heavier.
Kurenai gulped. "Did... he just get stronger from drinking?!"
Rin bit her lip, realizing sothing unsettling.
If Youyu kept getting stronger from this...
How far would he go?
She clenched her fists again. If she wanted to stay by his side—she had to keep up.
Kurenai, watching Rin's expression, had the exact sa thought.
Neither of them would say it aloud, but from that mont forward—
They weren't just competing for Youyu's attention.
They were competing to stand beside him in strength.
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