Kurenai

After parting ways with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Issui returned to Kikyo Castle and found a decent noodle shop to satisfy his hunger. After all, he had just fought and had used up a lot of energy, and it was almost lunchtime, so he decided to just grab a quick bite outside.

"Uncle, a bowl of ramen, please..." a clear and lovely voice suddenly said.

"Alright, please sit here. There aren't any extra seats, so you two will have to make do. Young man, is that alright?" the owner said generously, gesturing for the girl to sit opposite Issui. All the other seats were full, leaving only the Issui's table. The girl and young man had to share a table; business was booming today, with many Konoha ninjas flocking here...

"No problem..." Issui focused on eating the noodles in her bowl, giving a simple reply to the owner without paying attention to who was sitting across from her. After all, they didn't know each other, so who knew if the other person was A-Mao or A-Gou? She might as well pretend they didn't exist.

"Okay..." The girl reluctantly sat down across the Issui. Seriously, there were so many people! Maybe we should find another restaurant. But then again, we're already here, so we'll just stay here. Besides, the uncle here is really welcoming...

"Young lady, you're also a Konoha ninja? What a coincidence! The young man across from you is also from Konoha..." The owner placed the ramen in front of the girl and noticed that the Forehead Protector on her forehead also bore the Konoha symbol, which struck him as quite a coincidence.

"Ah... really?" The girl looked at Issui in surprise. Was he also Konoha ninja? Huh? He really was wearing Konoha Forehead Protector.

"Konoha? Ah... you... you are..." Issui looked up when he heard the boss's words... The next moment, he suddenly felt that the world was so small. Not long ago, he had just pushed her down on the bed in the future, and now he had actually run into her again. Could it be that he and she really had a great destiny? "Those who are destined to meet will meet even if they are a thousand miles apart, while those who are not destined to meet will not turn back even if they are face to face." Perhaps there really is such an ethereal thing...

Who is this girl? She is Kurenai, Kurenai Yuhi, a beautiful and alluring young woman. Of course, she's only in her early teens, still a vibrant and beautiful young girl, as innocent and youthful as a flower bud...

"You... you're also a Konoha ninja? Older than me, so you're my senior, but I don't know you!" Kurenai rested her head on her hands, leaning on the table, carefully examining the handsome man in front of her. How come she had never seen him before? She knew most of the Konoha ninjas around her age, but why had she never seen him before?

"Haha... Hello, I'm a wandering ninja. My parents, who died in Second Shinobi World War, were Konoha ninjas. This Forehead Protector is something I inherited from them. You can call me Takuya, Takuya Nakamura..." Issui extended his hand and said in a friendly manner.

"Ah... hello, I... I'm Chunin Konoha... Yuhi... Kurenai, you can call me Kurenai, nice to meet you..." Kurenai quickly extended her small hand and shook hands with Issui. This boy is so handsome, and his voice is so magnetic...

"Sit... Why are you standing up... Don't be so polite..." Issui quickly pressed Hong down into a seat. Honestly, I don't understand why she's so agitated. If anyone should be agitated, it should be me...

"Okay... um? I don't quite understand. You said you're a wandering ninja, your parents are Konoha ninjas, and you're even wearing Konoha Forehead Protector. I really don't know if you're actually a Konoha ninja or not?" Kurenai realized her blunder, sat down with a embarrassed face, and quickly changed the subject.

"Well, yes and no, yes, I should say I'm from Konoha, and my parents were Konoha ninjas, so of course I should carry on their legacy and become a Konoha ninja. But, to be honest, I'm not a proper Konoha Ninja yet. I didn't study at the Konoha Ninja Academy, I didn't participate in the Konoha ninja ranking system, and my name isn't even in Konoha's ninja records. To put it bluntly, I only call myself a Konoha ninja, not a real Konoha Ninja. I guess I'm a wandering ninja..." He made up Issui lies. Damn it, traveling to the past is tough! I have to tell a bunch of lies to everyone I meet. Damn it, I guess when I get back to the future, I'll be able to lie to Hinata without batting an eye. I've trained myself to be able to do it all...

"Ah... aren't you afraid someone will find out? You know, this Forehead Protector isn't something just anyone can wear. If you get caught, it'll be a really bad situation. You'd better leave quickly, otherwise if those adults find out, you'll be in big trouble..." Hong said worriedly. She had a bit of a crush on this handsome guy and didn't want him to get caught and beaten up...

"It's nothing, I just had a fight with the legendary Sannin..." Issui said nonchalantly, scoffing. "Tch, there's nothing to be afraid of. No one who dares to mess with me has even been born yet. Even if that old man, the Third Hokage, came, I wouldn't be afraid of him..."

"Ah... you're just bragging, aren't you? You'd better get out of the Fire Chariot. If you're going to lie, at least make it believable. What you're saying is so baseless. Fighting the legendary Sannin is too exaggerated. And even if you really had that kind of strength, it's impossible for you to fight Sannin at the same time. A while ago, Lady Tsunade took Shizune on a trip outside the village. It's unlikely they'll be back anytime soon, so it's impossible for Sannin to be together." Kurenai pouted angrily. Honestly, she doesn't understand her good intentions and even lies to her. She's speechless now. Let's see how she tries to argue this time.

"Cough..." Issui choked on his ramen, feeling dizzy. This guy, he thought, "You just have a problem with your thinking. If I lie, you believe me; if I tell the truth, you don't believe me. Fight the Sannin? I don't have the strength? You're underestimating me, aren't you?"

"Hmph, now you can't say anything, can you? Listen to me, hurry up and leave here, I won't report you..." Hong raised her little head high and said arrogantly. Hmph, I really am the smartest. I can see through it with just one analysis. This beauty's IQ is still pretty good!

"!!!" Issui cold sweat. How come she had never noticed Hong's arrogant potential before? Could it be that her mature, older sister-like demeanor masked her loli-like arrogance?

"Hey... Hong, what are you doing here? Brother Takuya, so you're here too? What a coincidence! What's going on?" Suddenly, another clear voice rang out, this time it was Lin, the cute little beauty.

"Ah... Lin, what brings you here..." Hong was startled and immediately stood up, shielding Issui's figure behind him as if afraid Lin would discover his presence.

"Lin, hello there! Haven't you eaten yet? Boss, add a seat at this table, and another bowl of ramen with an egg..." Issui waved enthusiastically to Lin. He really liked this cute Issui girl he hadn't known for long.

"Okay... I'll be right there..." the boss replied.

"You... you two know each other?" Hong asked uncertainly, pointing at Lin and Issui. She looked at one then the other, her mind a complete mess...

"Yes... what's wrong?" Lin asked, puzzled.

"Isn't he... a wandering ninja? How... how do you know him?" Red stammered, her little mind a bit blank...

"Oh... you mean this? All the Konoha Ninja in Kikyo Castle know about it... That's right, you just got here, you didn't see that amazing battle this morning. You don't know, Takuya- nii is so amazing! The legendary Sannin teamed up and still couldn't beat him, he's really incredible..." Rin excitedly gestured with her fingers, describing the battle between Issui and the Sannin so vividly that it seemed as if she herself was fighting...

"No... no way, this can't be real. I must be fantasizing, yes, it must be a dream. This can't be happening. I must still be dreaming. Yes, that's it..." Hong stammered, feeling that what Rin said was too unreal, too unbelievable. After all, those were the legendary Sannin! The strongest people in the entire ninja world! In Konoha, besides the Third Hokage, who could rival them and even defeat them? Could it be?

"Hey, why don't you believe me? I saw it with my own eyes! Minato-sensei, Kakashi, Obito all saw it. If you don't believe me, you can just Ichimon any Konoha ninja..." Rin patted her flushed face and said calmly. Actually, if it were her, she wouldn't believe it either, but who could blame her for seeing it with her own eyes?

"Now you believe me, right? I really told you the truth, I didn't lie to you..." Issui finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Honestly, you still didn't believe me, but now you should believe me, right? Lin is so kind, coming to defend her brother so promptly. For that, her brother will definitely try his best to ensure you don't meet a tragic end like in history...

"I... I still can't believe it... Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore, let's eat..." Hong shook her head with a wry smile. Some things, even though they happened, are impossible to accept all at once, unless she, like Lin, actually witnessed that battle. Otherwise, it's hard for her to believe such a thing...

"Hmm, I understand. Lin, sit down quickly, what are you standing for? Come on, eat some ramen. Look, the owner has been serving it for a while now, it'll get soggy if you don't eat it soon..." Issui placed the newly served ramen in front of Lin, gesturing for her to sit down and eat.

"Hmm..." Lin nodded, took the ramen, and started eating.

"How does it taste? I think it's alright. Although it's not as good Ichiraku Ramen Konoha, it's still pretty good..." Issui asked.

"Hmm, that's good... So Takuya- nii has eaten at Ichiraku Ramen before. Lots of people in the village like to eat there..." Rin said.

"Yes, I've had it before, it's very good..." Issui smile.

"Actually, I've always had a question I wanted to ask, I wonder if Brother Takuya would mind..." Lin hesitated, put down her chopsticks and looked at Issui.

"Just tell me what's wrong, I'll tell you anything I know..." Issui smile.

"I have a question. How did Takuya- nii become so amazing...? When he was little, Takuya- nii was really slow, even slower than Rin. He always had problems learning Ninjutsu... But now..." Rin was puzzled. How did Takuya transform from an ordinary person into a genius who surpassed even Kakashi?