New Year's Plans

The layout of Ichiraku Ramen in Konoha is different from other places: it always has a row of ruler-shaped counters facing the street...

Ahem, I picked up the wrong manuscript by Uzumaki Otsuki.

However, the layout of Ichiraku Ramen has indeed changed recently: the Teuchi, Mr. Tetsuya, bought the house next door, expanded the store, and renovated it again, so the whole layout is different from before.

Interestingly, while the entire Shinobi World was on high alert, gathering information on the Akatsuki organization, which had produced many powerful S-rank criminals and Tailed Beast, and preparing for war, the ordinary people in the world felt no pressure before the war. Instead of economic downturn, the economy became even more prosperous.

In reality, because each village unanimously blocked news of "Akatsuki" and adopted a defensive strategy of being loose on the outside but tight on the inside, ordinary people were unaware that there was such a sinister and powerful evil organization in the Shinobi World.

The world they could see was a peaceful Shinobi World, where no major wars had occurred for over a decade, and they could faintly see the dawn of peace:

Although Konoha and Sand Ninja had some friction a couple of years ago, it soon subsided, and afterwards their economic and political exchanges became very close, their relationship as intimate as a honeymoon. Recently, Konoha has formed an alliance with Sunagakure and Kirigakure. Instead of being alarmed or wary of the three countries forming an offensive and defensive alliance against them, Iwagakure and Kumogakure have also joined in, constantly sending messengers to communicate, showing a strong tendency to form a five-nation alliance and unify the world.

Oh wow!

The world is about to be unified!

Doesn't that mean we'll never have to fight again?

Since the death of the First Hokage, the Shinobi World has been in constant turmoil. In just over fifty years, three world wars have been fought, each lasting until one generation is wiped out, only to resume once the next generation has grown up... People have long been tired of war!

Therefore, just by seeing some glimmer of world peace, the suppressed economy instantly flourished, and even the usually conservative Uncle Yi happily expanded his business.

The unfamiliar decor and bustling crowd almost made Naruto, who had been eating at Ichiraku Ramen for ten years, not recognize it.

"Where is this...?" The orange-haired boy stopped outside the shop, his eyes wide as he stared blankly at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Ichiraku Ramen?"

"Hey! Naruto, and Sasuke too!" Teuchi spotted them in the crowd and greeted them warmly, "What are you standing there for? Come in and sit down, there are still seats here!"

Ayame (Teuchi uncle's daughter) smiled and led the two to their seats, explaining as she wiped the table clean, "Dad made the last-minute decision to renovate and expand. There's no other way; there have been just too many people these past two years. The old shop is unbearably crowded, and if we don't expand, the New Year's celebration this year will definitely be packed to the brim."

Sasuke nodded his thanks with a reserved air, then said thoughtfully, "I went out on a mission and came back to find everything completely different. Don't even Naruto, I almost didn't recognize him either... But you really should expand your store."

"Oh yeah, get up, tomorrow's the last day of the year." Naruto was thinking about something else entirely, "I want to eat ramen again for the New Year... but I guess I can't! I also want to--"

Sasuke kicked Naruto.

"Oh!" Naruto paused, realizing he'd said something inappropriate, and quickly corrected himself, "Order! Order! The usual, large pork cutlet ramen with an egg!"

"Where's Sasuke?" Ayame asked, her smile unchanged, as if she hadn't heard a word Naruto had said.

"Same."

The ramen was served quickly, and the familiar taste remained unchanged. Sipping the warm and delicious broth, Sasuke finally felt like he was back home.

Naruto ate his ramen in silence, unlike his usual boisterous self.

After finishing dinner and paying the bill, the two left the bustling ramen shop and stepped into the quiet night.

The air on the street was quite chilly.

Another year has passed without us even realizing it.

Naruto suddenly stopped, exhaled a puff of white smoke, and watched the white mist disappear into the air.

"Hmm..." Sasuke followed behind him, hands in his pockets, quietly watching Naruto, who was unusually sentimental. "Aren't you spending the New Year in Konoha?"

"If it's New Year's, there will be plenty of opportunities later." Naruto smiled slightly. "I have more important things to do than New Year's celebrations."

He's going to practice Buddhism.

"Uncle Jiraiya, it's time for me to begin training in Sage Mode. At Mount Myōboku."

Sasuke pursed his lips.

He actually wanted to invite Naruto to attend the Meiji Restoration. Sasuke had even asked Sakura Uchiha to contact her original body and Sakura Haruno to come back as well, and she readily agreed.

It's rare to see everyone from Team 7 together.

Naruto might find it hard to understand the significance of holidays like the Lunar New Year for Sasuke.

After all, for Naruto, the New Year was just an ordinary day.

Conversely, when everyone else is reunited with their families, he Earth Flow alone on deserted streets, and the pain of loneliness becomes even more uncontrollable than usual.

But Sasuke is different.

In the past, during the Lunar New Year, my father and brother would try to postpone unimportant tasks and schedule time to come home so that the whole family could eat together, go shopping, and stay up all night.

Chinese New Year means family reunion and the smiles of parents and brothers.

This happens every year.

Until Itachi destroyed everything with his own hands.

It wasn't until Sasuke began to regard Team 7 as his new home that the word "reunion" was given new meaning.

Sasuke had been looking forward to this for a long time.

But when he opened his mouth, the words he wanted to say to Naruto never came out.

"It's good to postpone the training," such a reason sounds simple and convincing, but looking at Naruto's determined eyes, Sasuke couldn't say it and finally just nodded calmly.

He didn't say a word.

Sasuke knew that Naruto's urgent desire to train stemmed from his deep resentment at his own weakness and powerlessness during the battle in the Land of Water.

Although Sasuke understands that Naruto attacked his teammates because his body and mind were possessed by Nine-Tails, and he doesn't hate Naruto for it, the problem is... Naruto himself can't forgive himself.

He risked his life to cultivate, hoping to gain the power to protect his companions, but ended up almost killing his closest friend whom he considered his own flesh and blood...

Naruto couldn't accept himself like this!

So as soon as he returned to Konoha, he couldn't wait to find his master Jiraiya, and ask him to arrange the next stage of his training. He wanted to undergo even more rigorous training to become a stronger version of himself, so that he could no longer let Nine-Tails control the fate of his teammates!

Therefore, he didn't mind sacrificing his holiday break.

"Ah, Sasuke," Naruto noticed his hesitation, "What were you thinking about?"

"It's nothing," the black-haired youth chuckled, shaking his head. "I wish you success in your cultivation!"

He exhaled a long breath into the air, and white mist immediately rose like a pillar, lingering for a long time.

We walked along the road for a while longer.

After that exchange, the two fell silent again. The boys Earth Flow quietly, lost in thought.

The journey we've been on together has finally come to an end.

On the left side of the three-way intersection stood a burly man with white hair; on the right side was the road Sasuke take home.

"Well then—" Naruto glanced over the moment he spoke, Sasuke smiled faintly, "Have a safe journey and return home soon after completing your training!"

Naruto nodded vigorously. In the end, he still didn't tell Sasuke that there were risks involved in sage training at Mount Myōboku.

Keep practicing diligently, see you next year!

Sasuke gave him a thumbs up.

He watched as Naruto walked towards the white-haired man, and the two of them, after exchanging a few words, turned and left.

He saw Naruto wave to him from afar as he turned around, then his figure disappeared into the night.

"Then, I should also..."

He muttered to himself, turned and walked into the street on the right, his figure gradually disappearing into the night.

Happy New Year everyone!