Until noon, Uchiha Obito arrived at Fenghuo's house right on time and cheerfully declared that he'd take him out for lunch.
The corner of Fenghuo's eye twitched. The last time Obito treated him, they ended up at some old auntie's ramen stand—and he had to wash dishes afterward to "pay back the meal." That embarrassment was not something he wanted to relive.
"I'll cook myself," Fenghuo said flatly, rejecting Obito's offer.
"You can cook?" Obito scratched the back of his head, eyeing Fenghuo skeptically. "Did your mom teach you?"
Fenghuo's parents had both been Chūnin of Konoha, but they died on a mission the year before. Since then, he'd been living alone—a tough life for a six-year-old. Honestly, if it weren't for Obito visiting him regularly this past year, Fenghuo might've starved.
Fenghuo blinked, shrugged, and answered confidently, "Even if I haven't eaten pork, I've seen pigs run! Just watch me."
He marched into the kitchen—only to be met with a tragic sight: pots, pans, and absolutely nothing edible. Even if a Michelin-star chef were summoned by Kuchiyose no Jutsu, there'd still be no saving this kitchen.
"How much money do you have?" Fenghuo asked without shame.
Obito dug through his pockets and produced a sad pile of change. Not much.
Fenghuo snatched it up. "Let's go. Shopping!"
"Hey! That's all my pocket money for the week!" Obito protested.
"Don't worry. Cooking at home is definitely cheaper than eating out."
And so the two six-year-olds headed toward the market. After asking for directions from three old ladies and a passing shinobi, they finally found the vegetable stalls.
Half an hour later, they returned, arms full of bags. Without wasting time, they washed their hands, vegetables, and rice, and got to work.
Obito crouched at the kitchen door, resting his chin in his palms with a doubtful expression—until something hit his nose.
"Mmm… mmMM?! That smell!" Obito's eyes widened. His stomach growled audibly. "Fenghuo, what did you make? It smells amazing!"
"Hot and sour napa cabbage," Fenghuo replied, casually stirring the pot. It was a common dish in his previous life, but rare in the Hidden Leaf.
Obito leaned in so close, his drool almost fell into the pot. Fenghuo gave him a kick to keep him back.
After the cabbage, Fenghuo made mashed potatoes with scallions, and the aroma alone had Obito's jaw unhinging.
When the rice finished cooking, Fenghuo dished out a full bowl and handed it to Obito. "Here, taste it."
"Don't mind if I do!"
Obito took a bite of the cabbage, then hissed, "So spicy—so sour—SO GOOD!"
He moved on to the mashed potatoes. Tears welled up in his eyes. "This is better than ramen! You really can cook! I'm eating at your place from now on!"
"Hey! Don't eat it all! Leave some for me, you freeloader!" Fenghuo shouted, trying to wrestle the bowl back.
In the end, the two cleared every last grain of rice and lay sprawled out on the floor, stomachs full, happily burping.
After a peaceful moment, Fenghuo turned to Obito. "Hey… what's your dream?"
"Huh? Easy!" Obito sat up, eyes sparkling. "I want to become Hokage! I'll be recognized by everyone—believe it!"
Fenghuo tilted his head. "And Rin? If you had to choose… between becoming Hokage or saving Rin, who would you pick?"
Obito froze. "Huh? Why do I have to choose?" he muttered, scratching his head. "Can't I… have both?"
Fenghuo sighed. "Reality doesn't give us that many choices."
Then, changing the subject with a grin, he teased, "Anyway, now that you're full, go help that old lady who lives on the corner cross the street. Help her all afternoon."
"You bastard! Why me?!" Obito groaned, stomping out of the house. As he left, he called back, "I'm coming back for dinner tonight!"
Left alone, Fenghuo stared at the aftermath of their feast.
"…Washing the dishes?"
He ran to the window. "Obito, you bastard! Come back and help me wash up!!"
But Obito was long gone.
Resigned, Fenghuo rolled up his sleeves and got to it himself.
Once the dishes were done, he finally took a proper look around the house he'd been dumped in by fate. It was small but cozy—kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and a modest living room. Out back was a little garden and even a tiny pond, though there were no fish.
Curious, he wandered into his parents' bedroom. "If they were Chūnin… maybe they left some jutsu scrolls behind?"
After rifling through a few boxes, he found a wooden chest. Inside were two scrolls.
Opening the first, he grinned.
Fire Style – Phoenix Fire Jutsu
Fire Style – Great Fireball Jutsu
Fire Style – Dragon Flame Bullet
Fire Style – Dragon Fire Jutsu
All signature Uchiha clan fire techniques. Four C-rank jutsu. A perfect inheritance for the son of Chūnin.
The second scroll contained Genjutsu:
Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique
Fox's Heart Trick
Everything Technique
Mind-Body Disturbance Technique
Basic illusions—learnable even by non-Uchiha. Still, better than nothing.
"No Sharingan-exclusive stuff, huh?" he muttered. "I was hoping for Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change or something flashy…"
Still, he was grinning. With these, he had a solid foundation.
"But before I start flinging fireballs around," Fenghuo reminded himself, "I've got to nail two basics: hand seals and chakra control."
Seals trigger the jutsu. The faster your hand seals, the faster your jutsu. Uchiha Itachi could perform six seals per second. If you can only do two, you're three jutsu behind—and probably dead.
And chakra control? Even Naruto struggled early on because he couldn't control his due to the Nine-Tails messing with it. If you can't mold chakra precisely, even a simple Clone Technique will fail.
"Okay, morning for chakra refinement. Afternoon for hand seals. Evening? Tree climbing and water walking practice!"
Fenghuo grinned with resolve. The path of a ninja wasn't easy, but with his knowledge and a head start—he was going to survive this world. Maybe even thrive.