Uzumaki Naruto! Arrives!

In Konohagure, there are three types of missions that ninjas carry out:

The first type comes from requests by ordinary citizens or nobles. These missions are mostly issued by villagers, merchants, and Daimyo to resolve public safety issues, escort supplies, or eliminate bandits. They apply to ninja villages through the mission release system.

The second type is direct orders from the state or the higher echelons of the ninja villages. These missions often involve national security and strategic deployment, and are usually of a higher rank, such as scouting enemy countries or assassinating targets. They are typically carried out by ninjas ranked Jonin or above.

The third type is special arrangements within the ninja village, such as the Chunin Exams or Jonin promotion tests, which are functional assessment missions within the village.

Originally, the Uchiha protagonist had accepted an A-rank mission that required leaving the village.

Due to being poisoned, the mission was put on hold, and Uchiha Rei had ample time to rest these past few days.

After an intense physical training session with Might Guy in the morning, Uchiha Rei spent the afternoon wandering around the village.

He wondered if there were any other places in Konohagure where he could "sign in."

In the afternoon, the streets of Konohagure seemed exceptionally warm under the sunlight. As Uchiha Rei walked, he unconsciously arrived at the center of the village and stood in front of Ichiraku Ramen.

It was a ramen shop. The wooden signboard at the entrance was already yellowed, but the characters "Ichiraku" written on it were exceptionally striking. It was rumored to be older than the founding of Konohagure, though he didn't know if it was true.

Uchiha Rei was also a regular customer here. But strangely, he had never encountered the legendary protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, here.

As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto was Konoha's most important strategic weapon. And the Uchiha Clan, since Uchiha Madara...

The Sharingan's ability to control Tailed Beasts had always made the Konoha higher-ups wary of the Uchiha Clan. Therefore, they never allowed Uchiha Clan ninjas to approach Naruto privately.

The Hokage did not want to see even the slightest hint of the Nine-Tails being swayed by an Uchiha.

It was still early today, and there were no other customers in the ramen shop. The air was filled with the rich aroma of tonkotsu broth, an irresistible scent. The wooden counter was wiped spotlessly clean, and a wind chime in the corner gently swayed in the spring breeze.

Inside the shop, Teuchi, wearing an apron, was intently preparing the broth in a large pot. His thick eyebrows and serious expression never changed.

Beside him, a figure was lowering her head, wiping the counter. It was his daughter, Ayame.

"Uchiha Rei, long time no see," Ayame looked up, her voice carrying a hint of cheerfulness.

She was wearing a clean white apron today, with a refreshing white short-sleeved shirt underneath, revealing her slender arms. Her short hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and her delicate face was slightly flushed. Her eyes, when they landed on Uchiha Rei, held a shy gaze.

"You haven't come for ramen these past few days. Are you feeling unwell?" she asked, moving a little closer, her tone laced with concern.

Uchiha Rei looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I just happened to be poisoned recently. It's just a minor poison, nothing serious."

"You should take care of yourself too," Ayame chided softly. Although her tone was scolding, her eyes were full of tenderness.

"The usual today?" she continued, her hand already reaching for the order board behind the counter.

"Mhm," Uchiha Rei nodded. "A large Miso Pork Belly Ramen with extra flavor."

"Got it~" Ayame made a playful gesture.

Then she rolled up her sleeves and personally went to the stove to start preparing the ingredients.

In fact, Teuchi could make ramen by himself, but strangely enough.

Every time Uchiha Rei came, Ayame would personally cook the noodles.

She picked up the noodles, flicked her wrist lightly, and the thin white noodles drew a beautiful arc, falling into the boiling pot.

At that moment, steam rose, and water droplets trembled slightly on her eyelashes. She subconsciously brushed away the stray hairs from her forehead with the back of her hand, inadvertently exposing her entire face to the mist from the hot soup, giving her a soft, hazy glow.

"You, you always have to cook it yourself," Teuchi pouted, but there was no blame in his tone.

"No, I just happened to have some free time today," Ayame replied with a smile, but her eyes secretly glanced in Uchiha Rei's direction.

When the noodles were ready, she arranged the chashu particularly neatly and gave him an extra portion of narutomaki. She brought the ramen to the counter and carefully placed it in front of Uchiha Rei.

"Please enjoy. I simmered the soup a little longer today, so the flavor is richer," she said gently, her hands resting lightly on the edge of the counter, her body leaning forward slightly. In that moment, the subtly revealed curves of her chest and the intimate proximity caused Uchiha Rei to avert his gaze slightly.

"Thank you," Uchiha Rei looked up slightly, his eyes briefly meeting hers, then he clasped his hands together.

"Let's eat."

Ayame picked up a rag and pretended to wipe the counter, her eyes occasionally falling on Uchiha Rei's profile.

Teuchi, while wiping bowls, couldn't stand it any longer. He coughed and said, "Ayame, stop staring at Uchiha Rei. There are other customers to attend to."

"I know, I know..." she pouted, straightening up, but couldn't help but glance at the figure at the counter out of the corner of her eye.

Teuchi pointed to a corner outside the ramen shop with his finger. "Look over there, that little kid with the yellow hair is back."

Uchiha Rei followed his gaze and indeed, in the corner outside the ramen shop, a little kid with yellow hair was peeking around, looking timidly.

Uzumaki Naruto.

Uchiha Rei raised an eyebrow slightly, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

It seemed that after his Taijutsu training with Guy this morning, the Hokage's high command had concluded he was just a regular genin and had relaxed their vigilance against him.

They had no idea that he had already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. If he truly harbored the ambitions of Madara or Obito, he could easily instigate a brand new Nine-Tails' Rampage.

And now, Uzumaki Naruto stood there at the street corner, timidly hiding.

Ichiraku Ramen was one of Uzumaki Naruto's few moments of happiness.

Ever since he first ate that bowl of steaming hot ramen on a rainy night, that warmth had been seared into his memory.

From then on, every time he saved up enough money, Naruto would sneak over here.

Yes, "sneakily."

He always came to hide. It wasn't because he had done anything wrong, but because the village had never truly accepted him.

The glaring stares, the whispers behind his back, the looks he couldn't avoid – they had long ago taught him to pretend to be strong.

But Teuchi had never looked at him that way. Nor had Ayame. They treated him like any other customer.

"Welcome!"

"One bowl of Miso Ramen, please wait a moment."

These simple words, perhaps ordinary to others, were like the only remaining tenderness in the village to Naruto.

"But I'm just an orphan, I don't have much money. Third Hokage always gives me living expenses, and I still need to buy other daily necessities. Because I'm a monster, people either refuse to sell me things or charge me exorbitant prices."

"It takes a very, very long time to save enough money to buy a bowl of ramen from Teuchi."

The ramen shop was the only warm place in his memory.

Even more rare was that Teuchi never charged him extra because he was the "Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails." Other shops would either raise their prices or simply refuse to sell to him. But Teuchi was always impartial.

Naruto always dared to come only when there were few customers. That way, people wouldn't mock him, wouldn't say, "You monster dare to eat ramen?"

And today, he had finally saved up enough money again.

He rounded the corner with anticipation, walking to the familiar stall as usual. But he stopped in his tracks from a distance.

Because he saw a stranger sitting at Teuchi's stall.

It was a big brother wearing goggles, dressed in a black ninja outfit, with slightly long hair and well-defined features. He could even say he was very good-looking.

"I'll go in after he leaves," Naruto muttered, clutching the change in his hand. "After he finishes eating... I'll go in after he finishes eating."

However, Teuchi, with his sharp eyes, spotted him.

Uzumaki Naruto mustered his courage and finally stepped into the ramen shop.

He looked about seven or eight years old, his clothes tattered.

"I... I'll have a bowl of Miso Ramen," Naruto said in a low voice as he approached the counter, but he still didn't dare to look up at Uchiha Rei.

He was afraid.

Afraid that this handsome-looking ninja would look at him with that same kind of gaze as other adults.

"Got it," Ayame said, taking the order and smiling at Naruto.

Soon, Teuchi himself brought out a bowl of Miso Ramen, its aroma filling the air.

Naruto took the bowl but froze.

"Why is there no... Narutomaki?" he asked, a little dejected.

"We're out of Narutomaki for today," Teuchi replied. "But I added extra Bamboo Shoots for you. The Bamboo Shoots are very fresh today."

"I don't want Bamboo Shoots..." Naruto's eyes suddenly welled up. "Ramen with Bamboo Shoots isn't ramen anymore..."

He muttered softly, his emotions a little out of control. "Why... why does everyone bully me... even the ramen bullies me..."

For a moment, the atmosphere became heavy.

"I happen to have some extra Narutomaki here," a voice rang out. It was Uchiha Rei. "I can't finish it. Can you help me out, kid?"

Naruto froze, then looked up, gazing at the handsome older brother before him.

Uchiha Rei looked at Naruto, but there was no mockery in his eyes. Instead, a faint kindness appeared.

"C-can I?" Naruto's voice trembled slightly.

"Of course," Uchiha Rei smiled gently.

"Thank you, big brother!" Naruto grinned, as if the whole world had suddenly brightened.