The next day.
Konoha.
Inside Ichiraku Ramen.
A youngster sat in the ramen shop, slurping his noodles with great gusto.
A bespectacled young man sat beside him, lifting ramen with his chopsticks and carefully taking it into his mouth. After every bite, he even used a tissue to wipe the stains from the corners of his mouth.
Compared to the youngster beside him, that dining manner was undoubtedly far more refined, making the youngster eating noodles seem rather boorish to everyone around them.
"W-Wow... so gentle!"
A girl's eyes sparkled as she looked at the refined young man.
The owner of Ichiraku Ramen was a middle-aged man. Everyone in Konoha called him Uncle Teuchi or Boss Teuchi. The girl speaking was his only daughter, Ayame.
Teuchi seemed to think it was a little impolite and lightly patted the speaking girl. "Ayame, don't stare at the customer like that. You'll disturb him while he's eating ramen..."
"I know!"
Little Ayame pouted unhappily, then secretly glanced at the youngster eating rather crudely. "He's clearly quite good-looking. Why does he wolf down his food like that?"
"Because your ramen tastes good!"
The youngster's praise was quite sincere. "I feel like I get my strength back after eating a bowl of ramen. Though that's probably because I skipped breakfast!"
"Uh... thank you for the compliment."
Boss Teuchi could only thank the customer for his praise as usual.
"I've never seen you before!"
Little Ayame was rather curious about the youngster her own age. "Are you a ninja from another village? Did you come to Konoha for the Chunin Ninja Exams?"
"I'm an Anbu ninja from the village."
The youngster brazenly declared his identity.
Apparently afraid that Little Ayame would not understand, the youngster seriously explained, "Anbu, you know Anbu, right? It's the darkest department in the village! The kind of Anbu who show up in someone else's home in the dead of night and kill the entire family!"
"..."
Little Ayame's eyes widened.
"..."
Boss Teuchi strained to open his eyes, astonished that after so many years in Konoha, he had never heard such a bizarre description of Anbu...
Boss Teuchi vaguely felt that something was not quite right.
Just then, a white-haired Anbu ninja arrived with his teammate and corrected him, "Hey, don't tarnish Anbu's reputation here, Akihara Kagura. As I recall, you aren't an Anbu ninja either, are you, kid?"
"Huh? I'm not an Anbu ninja?"
Young Akihara Kagura looked up in surprise. When he saw that the newcomer was someone familiar, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Senior Kakashi, are you saying the Anbu Training Class isn't part of Anbu's combat order?"
"..."
Kakashi Hatake fell silent, unable to answer.
Although everyone considered Root Organization ninja unofficial Anbu, Root Organization's official name was the Anbu Training Class. Theoretically, Root Organization ninja were indeed within the Anbu establishment.
This kid...
Did he seem more polite than last time?
At least he was willing to call him senior...
"Long time no see!"
Young Akihara Kagura warmly greeted Kakashi Hatake, then shifted his gaze to Tenzo beside him. "Yo, traitor, you're here too. Long time no see. Don't worry, Lord Danzō won't let me kill people indiscriminately in the village. You're safe."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake took back his earlier assessment.
"..."
Tenzo hesitated, unsure whether he should greet him.
"Slurp... slurp..."
Kabuto Yakushi still sat at the table, eating his ramen with refined composure.
"Shouldn't you be taking the Chunin Ninja Exams today?"
Kakashi Hatake walked over and asked curiously, "Do you still have time to eat ramen here? The first written exam should be starting soon, shouldn't it?"
"It doesn't matter."
Akihara Kagura shook his head indifferently. "What's the difference between entering early and entering late? I don't know anything on the test paper anyway."
"..."
Everyone present fell silent.
Why was this guy so shameless about saying that?
"Um... the Chunin Ninja Exams..."
Tenzo hesitated for a while before reminding him, "If you're late, it seems you'll be judged as having forfeited your qualifications for the exam..."
"Oh."
Akihara Kagura nodded as if he understood, then looked toward Kabuto Yakushi with the same calm expression. "Kabuto, didn't you hear what he said? Didn't you eat breakfast? Haven't you eaten ramen before? Didn't you bring money to pay the bill?"
"His personality is... kind of awful!"
Little Ayame could not help muttering that, but when she saw the youngster's gaze slowly shift toward her, she quickly lowered her head and apologized. "I'm sorry!"
"It's fine."
Akihara Kagura shook his head and pointed at the empty bowl on his table. "Then, as a sign of your sincerity in apologizing, can you waive my bill today? Otherwise, if I have to hurry to the exam, I might have to put it on credit first. Just send the bill to Anbu..."
"..."
Little Ayame was dumbfounded.
"I'll pay."
Three voices spoke at the same time.
One sounded rather helpless, one sounded somewhat nervous and restrained, and the last sounded perfectly calm.
Kakashi Hatake reached into his pocket and glanced in surprise at Tenzo, who was also pulling out his wallet, before looking at Kabuto Yakushi, who was already paying.
"Looks like you're pretty popular..."
Little Ayame took the money and, for once, praised the youngster.
"Perhaps."
Young Akihara Kagura seemed quite pleased with himself. "Actually, all three of the people who wanted to pay for me are people I want to kill..."
"..."
Everyone present fell silent.
This brat really knew how to offend people with his mouth!
"Hurry up and go take the exam!"
Kakashi Hatake frowned.
If not for Tenzo's earlier example, and because Kakashi wanted to pull Akihara Kagura out of that hellish place called Root Organization, he would not have wanted anything to do with such an arrogant brat.
"Let's go."
Akihara Kagura gestured to Kabuto Yakushi, then glanced at Kakashi Hatake and Tenzo. "Tch, what a shame. You two were a step too late when it came to paying. If you ever need something done and treat someone to a meal, you'd better be faster than everyone else when the bill comes..."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake and Tenzo exchanged puzzled looks.
At that moment...
Neither of them knew what the brat meant.
However, Kabuto Yakushi, who had paid first, soon learned what benefit came from being the first to pay when treating Akihara Kagura to a meal.
"Kabuto, I will still kill you and Director Yakushi Nonō."
"But since you treated me to a bowl of ramen today, I can tell you one fairly useful piece of information first..."
Akihara Kagura shifted his gaze to the unruffled Kabuto Yakushi and slowly continued, "Director Yakushi Nonō is also in Iwagakure, the village you intend to infiltrate..."
Second update!
Akihara wasn't a bad person.
Before you continue