The morning of the Academy food demonstration arrived with warm sunlight spilling across the rooftops of Konoha. Birds chirped lazily, and the smell of dew-wet grass filled the air. Ichigo, standing in his cramped kitchen with sleeves rolled up, felt the excitement buzzing under his skin.
Today, everything would change.
Honestly though, He knows he is gonna nail it. No way, he failed!
The portable stove, his chakra steel knives, and a battered yet loyal iron skillet were ready. His Hidden Spoon banner lay neatly folded, waiting to be hung.
But as he opened his storage crate, Ichigo's smile faded.
"...I don't have enough meat."
He had two packs of chicken thigh, a handful of eggs, and half a jar of pickled vegetables. Nowhere near enough to feed the Academy head, Iruka, and possibly other staff who might gather out of curiosity.
Groceries were expensive, especially quality meat, and he had spent nearly all his remaining budget securing permits and a vendor license.
He drummed his fingers on the countertop, mind racing. He checks the System.
Cooking System Interface
Funds: 540 Ryo
Supplies: Critically Low
Mission: Academy Food Demonstration (Pending)
Ichigo sighed and pulled up the Gacha interface.
"I've got one token left. Please, let it be something good."
He pressed "Spin."
The wheel whirled with colorful icons—jutsu, ingredients, weapons, rare recipes, and mystery boxes flickered under the glinting light.
DING!
You pulled: "Mystery Dungeon Key (Bronze)"
Ichigo blinked. "...Dungeon key?"
Suddenly, the system window expanded, and golden text scrolled across it.
[Dungeon System Unlocked]
You have acquired a Dungeon Key (Bronze).
Use it to access an instanced Dungeon where you may defeat monsters, gather loot, hunt rare ingredients, and earn exclusive rewards for your Cooking System.
Note: Ingredients dropped in the Dungeon are sanitized and safe for cooking by the system's purification feature.
Ichigo's eyes widened. "A dungeon... to gather ingredients... and level up?" That solves the meat problem! "Wait, how does it work...?"
A smaller chibi chef version of himself appeared in the system interface, wearing a tiny apron and chef's hat.
"Dungeons are instanced battlefields designed for gathering rare ingredients, leveling skills, and earning rewards without wasting real-world resources. Monsters may drop
Fresh meat and monster parts (usable in Cooking).
Herbs, spices, and rare vegetables.
Gacha Tokens.
Skill scrolls and weapons.
Special Recipes."
Ichigo's heart thudded in excitement.
"So, all I need to do is beat some monsters... and I can stock my food stall for free?"
[Correct, Chef! When you enter the dungeon the time will stop, Once you finished, You return back where you were]
Huh! System can respond to him. And that is sweet sweet relief to know.
He grinned, rolling his shoulders.
"Well then. Let's get cooking."
Ichigo grabbed his chakra steel knife, strapped on a small pouch of soldier pills, and pressed "Enter Dungeon" on the system interface.
A bright light enveloped him.
When it cleared, he found himself standing in a grassy clearing surrounded by towering bamboo, the air crisp with the scent of moss and rain.
Dungeon: Bamboo Grove – Bronze Tier
Objective: Defeat Monsters and Collect Ingredients.
Time Limit: 2 Hours.
In the distance, he could hear rustling and soft growls. His instincts as a ninja kicked in.
He crouched, focusing chakra into his legs, and moved toward the sound.
——
A rustle.
A squeal.
Three wild boars with thick, bristled fur and tusks glinting like kunai charged at him.
Ichigo didn't hesitate.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Small, controlled fireballs pelted the boars, sending them squealing and scattering. One turned, charging him head-on. Ichigo sidestepped and delivered a precise slash with his chakra steel knife, cleanly severing its Achilles tendon before delivering a quick, humane strike to the neck.
Boar Defeated!
Loot: Boar Meat (High Quality), Leather Hide, Fat (Usable for Cooking Oil)
Ichigo's eyes sparkled as the system stored the ingredients automatically.
"This is... amazing."
——
The next hour was a blur of hunting.
He encountered giant rabbits, their legs packed with muscle. A low-tier bamboo serpent whose meat, the system claimed, had a "mild, chicken-like flavor ideal for soup."
Every battle pushed him to utilize his jutsus:
Water Release: Soapy Splash to blind and slip up fast rabbits.
Earth Release: Mud Wall for temporary cover.
Phoenix Fire Jutsu for stunning.
His Iron Skillet Strike to knock out smaller creatures quickly.
Every defeat was clean and intentional, driven by the necessity of feeding others rather than malice. Each drop purified instantly, stored in his system's cold storage.
Dungeon Rewards:
Boar Meat x12
Rabbit Thighs x8
Serpent Fillets x6
Herbs: Wild Green Onion, Mountain Pepper, Bamboo Shoots
Rare Drop: "Chakra-Infused Egg (Mystic Chicken)"
+2 Gacha Tokens
+Cooking EXP: +300
As the time limit ended, light enveloped him once more.
Ichigo stumbled back into his kitchen, panting lightly but with a grin splitting his face. He pulled up the system inventory, inspecting the clean, fresh cuts of meat and vibrant herbs.
"I can do this."
With enough meat for several bentos, soups, and skewers, he could now proceed with the demonstration.
System Notification:
Mission Update: "Academy Food Demonstration – Ready."
Inventory Stocked.
Proceed to the Ninja Academy when ready.
Ichigo glanced at the Hidden Spoon banner lying on the counter, then at the cuts of fresh boar and rabbit neatly stored away.
Today wasn't just about proving himself to the Academy. It was about proving that even a no-name shinobi could change the world... one meal at a time.
And he would feed them a taste of the future.
"This will make things even more interesting, Now that I have this dungeon.... The meat is possible to collect, I won't have to spend much on buying or hunting in the forest... I was worried for a moment that I have to hunt all animals in the forest of death..." Ichigo mused as he begins working on the dishes.
He is gonna win this!