As Second Tsuchikage 36

Chapter 36: Why Did You Break the Grill?

“Oi, having a barbecue and not inviting me?”

The Iwa ANBU noticed the commotion and immediately marched over with long, impatient strides, muttering under his breath. The Kiri jōnin trailed right behind him, both of them making a beeline for the grill.

“Hahaha! We were just about to call you. You guys were so focused on the fight, we didn’t want to disturb you,” the Kumogakure squad leader said with a grin as he spotted them approaching. With a wide gesture, he waved them in. “Come on, come on, gather the brothers and let’s eat together!”

In no time, elite units from the four great nations, previously spread out across the area, converged around the smoking grill. Some helped turn the meat, others sat around sharing stories and laughter. The air was filled with sizzling sounds, smoke, and the smell of grilled meat. The mood was alive with cheer.

Meanwhile, down below, the leaders of the four villages were engaged in a fierce and deadly clash with Hashirama Senju.

And up here? Their elite ninjas were having a barbecue.

On one end, a brutal and breathless battle raged, shaking the very earth with its intensity. On the other hand, a fiery cookout matched that intensity with the smell of roasted meat, laughter, and flavor-packed skewers.

Now this—this was a battlefield burning in more ways than one.

“Are you kidding me? You guys are really grilling up here while our bosses are down there getting their asses handed to them?” the Iwa ANBU grumbled, though his mouth never paused between bites of skewered meat.

“Heh, as the old saying goes, food comes first. Fight all you want, but not on an empty stomach. You can’t skip your three daily meals,” the Kumo jōnin said with a smirk, wiping oil from his chin as he reached for another piece.

“Mm-hmm, totally,” the Suna jōnin nodded energetically, wrapping his arms around a massive roasted pork knuckle like it was a precious treasure.

“Come on, come on! I caught this deer nearby. Not bad, right? The meat’s incredibly tender. I even used Kumo’s special sauce. Try a piece!”

“Damn, that smells insane! No wonder you Kumo guys are built like tanks. Your food’s the real deal.”

“What do you expect? This is what life in the Great Shinobi World looks like. All you need is four skewers and a grill.”

“Hahaha! Too bad the four Kage down there can’t enjoy any of this.”

“Why not send them a skewer or two? Better yet, borrow some wood from Hashirama to keep the fire going. Hahaha!”

“Hahahahahaha!!”

Laughter exploded from the group as they dug in with glee. Elite shinobi from the strongest villages sat shoulder to shoulder, eating and joking without a care in the world.

Until suddenly—

“Lightning Style: Thunder Strike!”

A blinding bolt of lightning split the sky and slammed down near the grill!

The shinobi instantly sprang to their feet, weapons half-drawn, eyes scanning.

Who dared to strike here?

These weren’t ordinary soldiers. These were the elites of the four great villages.

In an instant, four robed figures materialized before them.

The moment their faces came into view, every shinobi present turned pale. There was no mistaking who these men were; each one bore an overwhelming presence that made the very air seem heavier.

They were the leaders of the four great shinobi villages.

Iwagakure — Ishikawa
Kumogakure — First A
Sunagakure — Reto
Kirigakure — Byakuren

The First Generation Kage stood before them in full authority and presence.

Skewers clattered to the ground as every elite shinobi scrambled to their feet, standing ramrod straight in stunned silence. Their once-lively circle around the grill now looked like a lineup before a firing squad.

From within the crowd, the four squad captains rushed out at once.

“My Lord!” they cried in perfect unison.

Each captain approached their respective leader. The captains from Iwa, Kiri, and Suna greeted their Kage with formal salutes, eyes serious and posture flawless.

But the Kumo captain was a different story.

He saluted First A with all the respect due a Kage but before anyone could relax, he suddenly jabbed a finger toward his leader’s face and shouted, “Why did you break the grill?!”

The other captains stood frozen, eyes twitching in disbelief. Somewhere deep inside, though, they silently applauded the man’s bravery. Was this the famous Kumo tradition, challenging your superior as a show of loyalty?

“Hahaha! Raikage, is this one of yours?” Ishikawa laughed as he hovered a few inches above the ground, robes fluttering gently in the breeze.

“Well... the meat was pretty good...” Reto said, licking sauce from his fingers with a smirk playing on his lips.

Still holding a skewer, Reto took another bite before turning and offering one to Byakuren. “Here, Byakuren, have a taste.”

Grinning like a man decades younger, Ishikawa handed another grilled skewer to the still-scowling Byakuren, who took it with a skeptical frown. But after one bite, his expression softened.

“Hmm... yeah, this stuff’s got something. Nicely grilled,” Byakuren muttered with a slow nod of approval.

“Heheheh,” Ishikawa chuckled, finishing the meat he’d been holding.

“Hmph,” First A snorted with his arms crossed, still irritated.

Standing to attention once more, the four elite squad captains raised their voices as one. “Reporting to the Lords! We are ready to enter the battlefield at once!”

That declaration wiped the smirks clean off the Kage’s faces. Their heads snapped toward the captains with expressions of horror.

What?! You're heading into battle now?! After all that food prep and not a single bite for us?!

“You damn fools, why are you in such a rush?!”

“You all just ate your fill while we’ve been flying around hungry all day!”

“We’re old men—we can’t fight on an empty stomach!”

“What are you standing there for? You four, get that fire going again! Clear some space! We’re eating too!”

“And don’t just stand there like statues! Where are the plates? Bring out the drinks! Put on some music! And that deer. Don’t even think about hoarding it!”

Without hesitation, the First Generation Kage settled down around the grill, tossing aside their authority like old cloaks. Skewers were passed, laughter echoed, and the aroma of grilled meat filled the air once more.

The four captains stood frozen, their faces pale and spiritless, staring in disbelief.

We’re starting to think... You guys came here just to steal our barbecue.

...
Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions rocked the battlefield as Hashirama’s massive wooden golem rose like a mountain, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow everything beneath it.

But the four Kage stood their ground, eyes unshaken.

Even though the tide of battle had turned against them, surrender was never an option. As the first to bear the title of Kage, as the very embodiment of their villages’ founding spirit, how could they ever yield?

“Particle Style...” Mu’s voice rang out as he began shaping the cube of his Dust Release in midair.

But just as the blinding energy started to form in his palms—

A massive Tailed Beast Bomb came tearing through the sky, a black sphere of compressed chakra hurtling directly at Hashirama’s wood golem.

Boom!

The explosion lit up the battlefield in a roaring blaze, and the wooden titan trembled under the force of the impact.

(AN: I have no words to explain. Think of it as some kind of Omake.)