Chapter 201: To cook or not to cook

Our conversation fell silent as the question caught Naruto and Kurama off guard. Naruto looked at me for a while then closed his eyes. I used my eyes to jump into the inner conversation that Naruto was having with Kurama.

Naruto: Kurama, what do you think of Sage-niisan's offer?

Kurama: Hmm, by eating the energy of this other Jyuubii I can regain the strength that was split from me, so in turn I will be complete.

Naruto: Sage-nii, I know you entered as well, would this also be offered to…

Sage: Of course, Kushina-nee as well. Other than that, I don't see any reason to share with anyone else.

Naruto: What about my dad and my children?

Sage: I was planning on giving them some, the entire family but the problem of them absorbing it is the question. Can't fill a container with a low capacity. I can give them a bit at a time.

Kurama: Won't the pure energy of the Jyuubii be volatile for those without a bijuu?

Sage: Since I'm cooking it, I will make sure that those that shouldn't be able to take in the energy, can, so it will be safe for the young ones to take in.

Naruto looked at Kurama with sentimentality because his question was to keep Naruto's kids safe. Naruto and Kurama nodded at each other in unison and we exited the inner space. We left to Minato-nii and Kushina-nee's house to tell them our plan.

Minato: So your plan is to cook and eat the Jyuubii? And do you think it will be that simple?

Sage: Well, non-existant to those who don't know the method. It only sounds simple because I'm doing it.

Kushina: True, through Sage-kun, it's highly feasible. If we do eat it, what will happen?

Naruto and I explained that the Kuramas they hold will be complete Kuramas instead of half of one. Those that can handle the power, they will have a significant boost in Chakra. For the children, they will get their portion but they will eat it in small increments once a year until they reach an appropriate age so that their bodies can handle it. After a while they agreed but they also wanted to discuss with their predecessors.

All the previous Hokages gathered to hear the plan. A few were skeptical but were tempted to gain an increase in strength, not only in them but for the village.

Hashirama: If you can cook this Jyuubii and share it with those here, why not share it with those of the village?

Sage: Other than the fact that there will be less for me, you can distribute it if you want but there is no guarantee that the ones you are giving a share to can withstand the energy. I also don't know how much will be left after I cook the Jyuubii.

Tobirama: What do you mean? I thought you were just going to simply consume it.

Sage: Sure, I can, and still walk out alive but it's like preparing a piece of meat, I will have to trim the fatty parts which is unwanted energy. When cooking meat, the meat usually shrinks, meaning it purifies the energy for consumption or intake. Sure I can add other things but those will be my extra ingredients so those I am not sharing with anyone other than those I want to share with.

Tobirama: Fair enough.

Sarutobi: Then that means that unless you get your hands on it and prepare the Jyuubii, there is no way of knowing how much of it will be left for consumption, right?

Sage: Right. If anything when I'm done with it, it could simply be a bite size piece. At this point though, I am just speculating since I don't have it on hand, yet.

Hashirama: So cooking is the refining process?

Sage: Yeah but I will literally also cook it so that the energy given will be amplified, especially if I use other ingredients that will compliment it.

Hiruzen: So how much of an increase are we talking about?

Kakashi: How dangerous will it be to consume?

All the others nodded in agreement.

Sage: The increase will depend on what the consumer can handle. Let's say that I give Kakashi a piece, if Kakashi starts eating it and feels that he is already full but he keeps eating anyway, he will explode. I will give out equal portions of it to all of you and a few others and what ever is left you can give out to the village as you please. If anything make a tournament for those of Genin and above. Not a trial but a one on one fighting tournament with the guarantee Chakra increase as the prize. That way you can regulate the amount you give out.

Minato: Like it is with food, overeating is bad, so we can at least take our time eating our portion, right? As for the tournament, I like that idea.

Tobirama: Not only will it raise morale it will also increase the strength of the village if they win or not. Smart.

Naruto and I left as they were going over the plan on how to use the leftover Chakra from from Jyuubii for the village. If anything I planned on letting the Jyuubii reach its final form so that it can grow enough to have more of it. Since it's the original form of the Biju, it should be capable of regenerating the energy lost through time so, theoretically, I should be able to cook it almost infinitely as long as it is not fully consumed. I should head over to the Toriko universe to see what I can use to go along with the cooked Jyuubii and retain its ability to regenerate so that we can harvest it.

I told Naruto to head back to Kawaki and his family while I take a short trip. I went home to invite Tsunade and Mei to come along. The reason being, I wanted them to get the skill to cook most of the ingredients that I leave for them just in case I am not there. We head over to Toriko's universe.

Tsunade: You know that this is the first time you've invited us to go along with you.

Mei: Why is that?

Sage: Yes, this is the first but it won't be the last. There is another place I would love to take you for mini vacation as well.

Tsunade: So where are we now?

Sage: We are in a Gourmet universe. A place where a cook is supreme as long as they are skilled enough.

Mei: Why are they supreme in this universe?

Sage: Because everything and anything can be cooked in this universe. Do both of you remember the foods with strange energy that I fed to you and the family?

Tsunade and Mei looked at each other then me. Both nodded.

Sage: The food came from this place. The food here has intense energy that can heal, repair, replace, modify or strengthen the body. Tsunade, I already knew you stopped using your Chakra to make yourself look younger a while ago. You didn't have to say anything because it was most likely expected of you, right?

Tsunade: Right. (Realizing) So the food you have been feeding us has that kind of power?

Sage: The power in the food here not only makes you younger, makes your hair, skin and nails healthier, it also has a pleasant side effect of prolonging your life by an outrageous amount.

Mei: How…how out..rageous?

Sage: Some of the experts and many beings in this universe have lived thousands of years.

Tsuande & Mei: THOUSANDS!!!

Sage: My main reason for bringing you here is so that you can cook the foods that can be found here. I already taught Ryu and Rose how to get here and introduced them to my friends here. While they capture and bring back the ingredients you can cook for them and yourselves when I am not around.

The two didn't refute what I said considering what happened. Toriko and Komatsu were not on the planet as they were off on another adventure but the other cooks here were great as well. I knew that Tsunade would be better off in the country of Life, as she was set as doctor. She could also learn some remedies from Yosaku or even use Dark techniques to heal and regrow limbs. As for Mei, she can be taught the regular way to cook, or in this universes case, irregular. If anything she can use her own lava for cooking.

I first dropped off Tsunade and immediately she was intrigued. When I introduced her to Yosaku and asked for her to learn from him, he was reluctant at first until he saw her skills. I taught Mei and Tsunade the Yomotsu Hirasaka so that they can return at their own convenience. I left them there for their own training and headed back to Konoha, only to find that Naruto had already engaged in battle with Jigen.