Fukasaku's house wasn't big; Naruto had to bend over to enter. He could move around inside, but Gamabunta definitely wouldn't come home to such a small place.
Shima was very enthusiastic, bringing out plates of "plump" bugs. Toads must use the word "plump" to describe these bugs.
"Come on, eat more, don't be shy!"
Fukasaku ate with relish, "The taste is really great."
Shima pushed the plate towards Naruto, "Of course, I made this especially. Naruto, try this taro worm."
Naruto looked at the wriggling worms on the plate and swallowed hard.
I just had Sansho Granny's Curry of Life a while ago, witnessed Sakura Bro's dark cuisine yesterday, and now I have to try Mount Myoboku's bug feast. Can I exchange for a reward from the Sage of Six Paths if I collect the three dark cuisines of the ninja world?
I'm not Naruto Grylls, I can't swallow this even if you remove the head!
At the critical moment, Naruto suddenly thought of a foodie: "Big Fox, do you want to try it?"
Nine Tails politely declined, "Get lost."
Helpless, the Fox Spirit was unreliable, so Naruto could only bite the bullet and ask, "Shima, can I process it a little according to my own taste?"
Seeing that Shima didn't object, Naruto took out a scroll containing the charcoal, grill, seasonings, and the few remaining ingredients he had packed up after yesterday's picnic.
He finally recalled how to grill silkworm pupae, and Naruto unconsciously hummed a melody and said the lines:
"Deng deng deng deng~ High-end ingredients often only require the simplest cooking methods...
Fresh larvae are boiled in clean water, with an appropriate amount of salt, sugar, and five-spice powder added.
Drain the water, put them on the grill, sprinkle with pepper, brush with chili oil, and grill for a few minutes before serving.
Even the Hua Nong Brothers next door are crying with envy..."
Naruto busied himself for a while and finally made it into something he could accept. He smelled the tempting aroma and ate one after another, crunchy and with a chicken flavor.
Fukasaku and Shima were stunned. Having experienced several generations of contractors on Mount Myoboku, this was the first time they had seen someone so playful.
Do ninjas nowadays carry a set of kitchen utensils with them when they go out?
Naruto was embarrassed by their stares and handed over two skewers, "Would you like to try some?"
Fukasaku shook his head, "No need, old frogs like to eat something light."
Naruto looked at the larva rice ball in his hand, You're not eating anything light at all! But being old was true, these two must have lived for hundreds of years.
After filming an episode of A Bite of Mount Myoboku, Naruto looked at the remaining bugs on the table and had an idea, asking, "Can I take these away?"
Shima was very happy, "Naruto, do you like these?"
Naruto smiled, "Yeah, who wouldn't like something so delicious? My dad left in such a hurry just now that he didn't get to taste the deliciousness, so I was thinking of bringing some back for him."
Fukasaku was very pleased and praised, "Naruto is such a good boy."
Shima also said with a smile, "Take them all, this is too little. I'll prepare some more and give some to Jiraiya when you leave."
Naruto nodded happily, "No problem, they will definitely thank you!"
Hmph, you can't hide forever. I can't refuse the old woman's kindness. Dad, can you feel your son's love?
Far away in Konoha, Minato, who had just finished receiving the envoy from the Land of Snow, suddenly felt a chill.
...
After packing his things, Naruto followed Fukasaku to a small waterfall.
Below the waterfall was a small pool with a stone toad statue, like an artificial fountain, spraying brownish-yellow liquid from its mouth, which should be Toad Oil.
Fukasaku held a black rod and said, "Since Minato has already told you some knowledge about Sage Mode, I will only emphasize some important things."
"Okay." Naruto sat down obediently.
Minato had indeed tutored him, so Naruto was now like a student waiting for the teacher to highlight the key points before an exam.
Fukasaku's little classroom officially began:
"First of all, mental energy and physical energy are internal energies, while natural energy is an external energy. The technique that combines these three energies, cultivates Sage Chakra, and activates it is called Sage Mode."
"And natural energy exists in the atmosphere and the earth. The first step in cultivating Sage Mode is to integrate into nature and sense natural energy."
...
Fukasaku took some Toad Oil and applied it to Naruto's hand, saying, "We'll start by sensing natural energy. This Toad Oil has the effect of attracting natural energy. As long as you apply it to your body, natural energy can enter your body."
Naruto felt a coolness on the back of his hand, as if something was flowing into it along his hand. It felt like applying a plaster...
Immediately afterward, webs grew between Naruto's fingers, and toad-like bumps appeared on his arms.
Naruto looked at his reflection in the pool and found that his face was swollen and red patterns had appeared:
"So ugly."
"This is the consequence of not being able to control natural energy. If you can't control it, you will gradually turn into a frog and eventually become a stone statue." Fukasaku said, "Don't worry about your appearance for now, focus on feeling the natural energy in your body."
"Oh, oh." Naruto sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and carefully searched his body, trying to capture the natural energy. But that thing was like a loach, scurrying around and slippery, impossible to grasp.
Bang!
"Awoo~" Naruto let out a husky-like cry, "It hurts, even more than when my mom hits me."
Fukasaku said, "This Black Rod is specially used to knock out natural energy, because the body becomes very sensitive the moment natural energy leaves the body, so it will be very painful."
Naruto quickly recovered: "Okay, I'm fine, let's do it again!"
A few minutes later:
"Awoo~"
"Again!"
"Awoo~"
That afternoon, wolf howls echoed through Mount Myoboku.
In a certain valley, Gamabunta calmly passed on his experience to his son Gamakichi: "Don't be surprised, I remember decades ago, that Jiraiya guy screamed even more miserably than this kid."
A few hours later, Fukasaku wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Little Naruto, let's stop here for today."
"Fukasaku, I'm fine, I can still handle it." Naruto remembered that a big shot in the cultivation world once said that you have to feel the pain, endure the pain, get used to the pain, and finally you will find that the pain is nothing more than that.
Now that I'm also cultivating immortality, listening to the seniors is definitely the right thing to do.
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