Chapter 26: Hot Pot, BBQ, Milk Tea, Delicious!The day after the alliance at the assembly hall was settled, the open space in the center of Windmill Village became bustling.Naruto gathered the fifty people he had selected beforehand there, without harsh taijutsu training or obscure Ninjutsu teaching.Instead, there were brand-new iron pots and crates of fresh ingredients.Naruto stood at the front of the group, playing with a shiny kitchen knife in his hand. He scanned the crowd, his tone relaxed and confident:"From today on, you will only learn to cook. You will be the ones to conquer Konoha's taste buds."Naruto looked smug; in his previous life, he was a handsome guy and a Michelin five-star chef!The eight major Chinese cuisines were naturally a piece of cake, but looking at the people in front of him, he felt a bit troubled. These eight cuisines added up to hundreds or thousands of dishes, and every one of them was high-standard..."To teach them all, the efficiency would be too..."After a moment of thought, he immediately gave up on complex cuisines and instead chose five popular, fast-to-serve, and universally loved food trends from his past life."Fifty people divided into five groups, ten people per group, each specializing in one type of hit product. No need to learn everything, just master one."Naruto waved his hand and set the direction:Rotating mini hot pot, charcoal BBQ, malatang, freshly stir-fried rice bowls, and fresh fruit milk tea.Five groups for five shops, perfectly occupying five prime stalls on Konoha's commercial street.The first group focused on rotating mini hot pot.Naruto only taught the core. Since they were in the Ninja world, he naturally had to utilize their abilities: Fire Release to control temperature, Water Release to prepare the soup, and Wind Release to prevent boiling over.The soup bases were only the four most popular flavors—spicy, tomato, mushroom, and bone broth. The ingredients were fresh meat, vegetables, tofu, vermicelli, and meatballs, all commonly found in Konoha.No complex knife skills were needed, just knowing how to swish, boil, and control fire.With Chakra control, they could soon boil the soup base until it was rich and mellow. The small pots maintained a constant temperature without getting murky, making everything flavorful.The second group specialized in charcoal BBQ.This was the project that tested Fire Release and Wind Release the most.Naruto taught them to use Wind Release to stabilize the charcoal fire and Fire Release to control the temperature, ensuring the food was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without burning.The seasonings were just cumin, chili powder, salt, and soy sauce. Grilled skewers and vegetables were simple but had an overpowering aroma.With a gust of wind, half the street could smell the fragrance. The serving speed was extremely fast, perfect for hungry Ninjas returning from missions.The third group was responsible for bone broth malatang.Using Earth Release to stabilize the stove, Water Release to keep the soup boiling, and Fire Releaseto maintain the temperature.A large pot of rich soup cooked all the ingredients. With a mix of meat and vegetables and customizable spice levels, it was cheap, filling, and satisfying.Naruto only taught the soup base seasoning and cooking time. It was simple, easy to learn, and almost error-free, making it the top choice for Konoha civilians and students.The fourth group made freshly stir-fried rice bowls.The staples were three national favorite rice dishes: stir-fried pork with chili, tomato scrambled eggs, and braised pork with potatoes.Wind Release helped fuel the fierce fire to create "wok hei" (breath of the wok), while Fire Releasestir-fried quickly to lock in the juices. A portion could be served in just a few minutes.The rice was unlimited and the taste was solid, solving the ultimate problem of "what to eat for lunch," with a very high repurchase rate.The fifth group was the fresh fruit milk tea shop.No complex ingredients were needed, just tea leaves, fresh milk, seasonal fruits, and red beans.Water Release controlled the water temperature for brewing tea, and Wind Release stirred it quickly to mix evenly.Sweet but not greasy, suitable for both hot and cold, it was a must-have for kunoichi, children, and young Ninjas when shopping.Naruto didn't waste time teaching complicated dishes, focusing only on the three key points: Chakra + Heat Control + Flavor.As iron pots flew and soup bubbled, the aroma permeated the air. Above the open space, the smoke and fire of human life soared into the clouds.Naruto clapped his hands, his tone confident:"In one week, all five shops will open. Let the entire Konoha remember the taste of Windmill Village."A week later, Konoha's commercial street was buzzing with noise.Windmill Mini Hot Pot, Ninja BBQ, Spicy Malatang, Vitality Rice Bowls, and Ice Ninja Tea opened side by side, and the aroma instantly swept through the entire street.Everyone holding a cup of milk tea became the trendiest scene in Konoha.The fifty team members moved nimbly and skillfully. Using Chakra on the stove was even steadier than during combat.This advanced cuisine was like dropping a heavyweight gourmet bomb on Konoha.The lights didn't go out all night, and everywhere was filled with "Five shops!"Naruto stood among the crowd, filled with secret delight. Based on the current customer capacity, the economic situation of Windmill Villageshouldn't be much of a concern.Just as he was thinking this, familiar figures appeared in the crowd, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kakashi, Might Guy... and the future Konoha 12.Su Youwei was the first to rush over, holding skewers and smiling until her eyes narrowed into slits:"Naruto! It's delicious! The whole village is praising it!"In the distance, Uchiha Itachi was with Sasuke and Uchiha Izumi.Uchiha Izumi frowned and glanced at Sasuke, who was sandwiched in the middle, with dissatisfaction. She held a cup of milk tea and drank it in small, aloof sips.Sakura and Ino circled around the milk tea shop, picking endlessly, chattering as they chose their favorite flavors.Shikamaru found it troublesome but was so enticed by the fragrance that he couldn't walk away. He simply sat cross-legged on the side of the road and ate the rice bowl, looking satisfied.Kakashi held a cup of fruit tea, his tone rarely relaxed: "From now on, our post-mission rest spot will be here."Might Guy gave a thumbs up, his voice loud: "This is the burning cuisine of youth!"The entire commercial street was brightly lit, and the fragrance soared into the sky.Jonin, Genin, villagers, and children crowded the five shops, with cheers and exclamations rising one after another.Naruto looked at the scene before him, the corners of his mouth unable to help but rise.Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard, nodding repeatedly as he tasted everything along the way. He looked at Naruto and smiled:"Naruto, you aren't just opening a shop; you've clearly tied down the stomach of all of Konoha."Naruto smiled and humbly declined:"It's no great skill. These are just home-cooked flavors brought by people from all over to Windmill Village. I just organized and put them into practice.""See, taking them in was the right decision, wasn't it?"Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, then looked at the bustling crowd, his eyes full of gratification as he said repeatedly:"Yes, yes, it is certainly the most correct decision."The bustle continued until late at night. Only when the night deepened and the moonlight covered the streets of Konoha did the crowd gradually disperse from in front of the five shops.The next day, just as dawn broke, the commercial street regained a moment of tranquility. Narutogathered everyone to start counting the first day's revenue.Stacks of banknotes and silver coins were neatly placed on the table, the numbers climbing steadily, making people feel fired up.Each shop's income exceeded 100,000 ryo. Adding the five together, the total revenue for the first day was heading straight for one million ryo!Naruto looked at the accounts before him, completely at ease.This income was enough for Windmill Village's economy to firmly stand on its own feet, and there would be no need to worry about supplies and livelihood anymore.Since the money problem was solved, the next step was naturally to find trouble with Danzo...
