Kakashi, Eat... Times Have Changed

"Kakashi, do you want to eat first, take a bath first, or…"

It wasn't until Natsuhiko repeated the question that Kakashi snapped out of his previous shock.

When he heard the mention of food, Kakashi couldn't help but glance at the steaming pot of curry. The military ration pill in his hand suddenly didn't seem as appetising...

When a bath was mentioned, he realised that his body did feel sticky, and the thought of a hot bath seemed very appealing.

And that last option, which Natsuhiko-sensei hadn't finished mentioning, sparked his curiosity…

Wait a minute!

As Kakashi pondered whether he could have all three, a sudden wave of shame washed over him.

Kakashi, oh Kakashi, how could you be so indulgent?

Had he forgotten the core principles of the Ninja Code?

Kakashi scolded himself internally for being so easily swayed by a bit of comfort.

Now fully awake, he started to notice something off about the house they were in.

"Uh… Sensei isn't this house a bit too conspicuous!?" Kakashi instinctively asked, running outside to take another look.

Sure enough, the odd-looking white building stood out strikingly in the middle of the dense forest.

Moreover, the light from inside was clearly visible through the windows, making it easy to spot the house from a distance in the darkness.

This was entirely against the discreet nature a ninja should maintain!

So, when Natsuhiko emerged carrying a plate of curry, Kakashi hesitated slightly before speaking up:

"Sensei, according to Rule 27 of the Ninja Code, a ninja must remain hidden while on a mission and not draw attention. But this house…"

As Kakashi spoke, he felt a sense of déjà vu.

This situation was just like when he had a conflict with his teammates during his Genin days...

Could Natsuhiko-sensei really be no different from those who blatantly disregarded the Ninja Code?

It was at this point that Natsuhiko, after taking a bite of curry, slowly chuckled:

"Kakashi, don't be in such a rush. Have you forgotten what technique you've been learning recently?"

With that, Natsuhiko raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, the entire house began to blur and distort, gradually transforming into an image of trees and shrubs, blending perfectly with the surrounding forest.

"This… this is a projection technique…" Kakashi murmured in awe as he watched the house merge seamlessly with its environment.

"Exactly."

Natsuhiko smiled and explained, "This house is equipped with a projection function and a large chakra capacitor, so it can simulate the surrounding environment for long periods, providing camouflage."

"With this, Kakashi, you won't need to worry about being conspicuous anymore."

"—If you want to be even more discreet, there's also an underground version of this capsule house, but what we're using now is more than enough."

As the newest member of Natsuhiko's research team, Kakashi was still unfamiliar with the projection technique's many applications. So, when he saw it in action, he was utterly amazed.

Who would've thought that the projection technique had such creative uses…

Clearly, he had been too naive to overlook this possibility.

However, it seemed that Natsuhiko-sensei wasn't finished with his clever moves.

"Oh, almost forgot."

Natsuhiko suddenly tapped his forehead, then snapped his fingers again.

This time, the house, which had vanished into the projection, briefly reappeared. Simultaneously, intricate runes spread outward from the house, covering a 20-meter radius around it.

Once the runes formed a large barrier array surrounding the house, both the symbols and the house itself gradually faded from view once again, as if nothing had happened.

Natsuhiko smiled in satisfaction and said:

"With this combined alert and defence barrier, everything should be foolproof."

Meanwhile, under his mask, Kakashi's mouth had dropped wide open in shock at Natsuhiko-sensei's incredible techniques.

He had never imagined that, in addition to the projection technique, this house also had barrier capabilities!

At this point, Kakashi wouldn't have been surprised if the house suddenly grew legs and started walking.

And he couldn't help but think about all the time he had just spent setting up bare alarm traps, which now seemed utterly pointless…

But more importantly, Kakashi was beginning to feel a sense of confusion.

While Natsuhiko-sensei's actions seemed to contradict the principles outlined in the Ninja Code, it was obvious that his methods were far more effective.

If one could remain hidden while still eating well and sleeping comfortably, then perhaps the strict rules of the Ninja Code wouldn't be as necessary to follow.

Could it be, as Natsuhiko-sensei had suggested, that the teachings of the Ninja Code were outdated?

No, no!

Kakashi instinctively rejected this dangerous thought.

Because if that were true, then everything he had believed in until now would be rendered meaningless, leaving him unsure of what was right or wrong.

So, Kakashi quickly found a justification for the situation.

Natsuhiko-sensei is special.

With his mastery of sealing techniques, he could easily pull off such feats, making this a unique exception rather than something that disproved the correctness of the Ninja Code.

Just like when Natsuhiko-sensei had explained their mission objective and the situation with Lady Tsunade, who, despite being a medical ninja, frequently fought on the front lines and was incredibly powerful.

Using her as a standard for other medical ninjas would be unreasonable.

Just as Kakashi finally convinced himself and felt relieved, Natsuhiko delivered another surprise blow.

As Natsuhiko ate his dinner, he casually said:

"Kakashi, during this mission, could you also help me think of ways to improve this house?"

"Because this thing might eventually become the flagship product of a tavern and could be popularised across the ninja world…"

"Pop... Popularization???"

Kakashi repeated in confusion.

Natsuhiko nodded and said, "Yeah, don't you think this thing is quite convenient? Its market potential should be pretty good."

"Also, the runic techniques required for many parts of a house are relatively simple. It's perfect for large-scale production in the factory that the tavern is about to establish in collaboration with the school, and it also gives students a chance to train."

This time, Kakashi was utterly speechless.

What the heck!

So this thing can be popularised!?

Does that mean that in the future, every ninja will have a fully functional secret base, just like the teacher?

Wouldn't that imply that a large portion of the ninja code's mission guidelines will be seriously challenged...

Meanwhile, Sensei Natsuhiko was still going on:

"Moreover, it's not just houses. Weapons, food, and even various modes of transportation can be made into this capsule form."

"Though considering the habits of ninjas, perhaps it's better to make them into scrolls. Let's call them 'Universal Scrolls.' Maybe we can even establish a company to sell these things. What do you think, Kakashi..."

But by this point, Kakashi no longer had the energy to listen to SenseiNatsuhiko.

Even when he later sat at the dining table, staring at a steaming plate of curry, one phrase kept repeating in his mind:

Kakashi, the times have changed...

As the Sensei said, with the progress of the times, even the ninja code, which he had always held sacred, may need to be updated...

With this thought, Kakashi suddenly felt a bit empty inside.

Because if that were really the case, then the man who once violated the rules of the ninja code might not have been wrong after all...

For a moment, Kakashi didn't know how to feel.

However, his thoughts were soon interrupted.

Maybe it was because he instinctively stopped himself, or perhaps the growl from his stomach brought him back to reality.

Grrr~~~~

Across the table, Natsuhiko, still talking non-stop, paused and laughed when he heard it: "Looks like we should finish our meal before continuing this discussion."

Slightly embarrassed by his stomach growling, Kakashi temporarily set aside the troubling question.

Smelling the delicious aroma of curry in front of him, Kakashi couldn't help but tighten his grip on the military ration pill he had been holding.

After a brief internal struggle, he made a difficult decision.

Without practice, there's no right to speak.

To find out whether the teacher's way or the ninja code was correct, Kakashi decided to investigate personally and experience Sensei Natsuhiko's approach firsthand.

The first step was to taste this curry...

Hmm, it's delicious.

...

The following day, outside the capsule house.

In the dawn light, the sounds of "huff" and "ha" shouts, along with the whoosh of sharp weapons slicing through the air, echoed through the forest.

Although it hadn't been long since sunrise, Kakashi had already gotten up early for morning training.

Even though the teacher's bed was big and soft, Kakashi hadn't slept well all night, so he simply got up to train.

After swinging the White Fang short blade once more and performing the Hatake swordsmanship, Kakashi sheathed his short sword and lightly caught his breath.

Though he tried to use training to clear his mind, Kakashi couldn't help but think about last night.

Rules aren't necessarily set in stone.

Realising this left Kakashi feeling somewhat lost.

If this were true, what would a ninja follow in their conduct?

Another question was...

Did Sensei Natsuhiko do this on purpose or by accident?

Could it be that the Sensei deliberately showed him the capsule house and subtly tried to persuade him?

Could it be... that he really made a mistake?

At that moment, Kakashi couldn't help but think that perhaps he had graduated too early.

Because he realised that, aside from the knowledge of ninjutsu, there were many things he still didn't fully understand...

Unable to find answers to these questions for now, Kakashi continued to bury himself in training, hoping the doubts would leave his body with the sweat...

(End of Chapter)"