Maruboshi Kosuke

In front of Ichiraku Ramen in Konoha.

"Sasuke, this is Ichiraku Ramen." As soon as they reached the entrance, Naruto pointed at the shop and introduced it excitedly. "Uncle Teuchi's cooking is amazing. His ramen is my favorite. That flavor..."

After saying that, Naruto sniffed theatrically, looking utterly intoxicated.

Sasuke glanced at Ichiraku Ramen. This was not his first time here; when he had first arrived in this world, he too had been curious about Ichiraku, supposedly Konoha's finest cuisine.

He had come to try it once before, and it had indeed tasted good, but he had never returned after that.

It was not that he disliked Ichiraku Ramen. Honestly, it tasted far better than anything he cooked.

Nor was it lacking in nutritional value. Ichiraku Ramen had plenty of meat and eggs.

But compared with Ichiraku Ramen, the expensive premium ingredients and medicinal herbs he bought for his home were what he needed to eat more right now.

So, after coming once to taste it, he had not returned.

The only reason he had come again today was because Naruto had asked him many times over the past while. After they finished sparring today, Naruto once more invited him to Ichiraku Ramen. Sasuke considered it briefly, then came along.

"Yosh!" Snapping back to his senses, Naruto clenched his fist and was about to head inside when a pink-haired figure suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye. He quickly turned to look in that direction.

"Sakura!"

Naruto waved and called out loudly.

It was indeed Sakura. By now, she had grown quite a bit taller than two years ago, and she carried more of a young girl's air about her.

She was leisurely strolling through the streets, with a small liquid creature on her shoulder. Like a tiny humanoid doll, it scampered all over her, looking lively and animated.

"Naruto?"

Sakura, who had been shopping, turned around at the call. When she saw Naruto, she froze for a moment. The water doll on her shoulder turned into a small stream and slipped into Sakura's chest to hide.

Naruto hurried over and warmly invited her. "Sakura, what a coincidence. Want to have ramen with us?"

"I'll pass, I..."

Sakura frowned slightly, about to refuse.

Although Naruto had become much steadier over the past two years, he still caused her plenty of trouble in everyday life.

Sasuke!?

Sakura's eyes lit up. She immediately swallowed the rest of her words and quickly changed her question. "Is Sasuke here too?"

The water doll seemed to sense its owner's feelings as well. It crawled back out and curiously looked in Sasuke's direction.

"Of course!"

Naruto gestured with his lips as he answered.

"Then let's go. I'm starving too."

Sakura grabbed Naruto and headed over, looking even more impatient than he was.

"Sakura, your chakra control has improved a lot."

Sasuke glanced at the water doll bouncing around on Sakura and gave his assessment.

Sasuke could not train the way Sakura did, after all. What he had were fire and lightning.

If Sakura lost control and made a mistake, at worst she would get wet.

But if Sasuke made a mistake, this book would reach its ending ahead of schedule.

Of course, Sasuke was not envious of Sakura. Everyone had their own path.

His current fire and lightning carving training method was no less effective than Sakura's Water Release creature training method. Moreover, besides training his chakra control, carving could also train his knife skills and wrist strength.

Sasuke praised me!

*?!*

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

Sakura's heart raced. Suppressing the joy in her heart, she brushed back the loose strands by her ear and softly said, "I have Sasuke-kun to thank for that."

She looked every bit the refined lady.

Yet Sasuke could hear her heartbeat, as well as the little figure on her shoulder hopping higher and higher in time with its owner's pulse.

He could not help sighing inwardly.

Why did they always obsess over my looks while overlooking my outstanding inner qualities?

In the original timeline, both Naruto and Sasuke had been very popular with women, but Sasuke generally attracted them with his exceptional looks.

Naruto, meanwhile, encouraged those girls through his actions. They went through hardships together, and love grew from there.

"Let's go in."

Inside Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto kept stuffing ramen into his mouth while loudly talking about things he had found particularly interesting lately. Yet neither Sasuke nor Sakura showed any intention of responding, leaving him to shout away on his own.

Sasuke truly had no interest in what Naruto was talking about, while Sakura's gaze had been fixed on Sasuke ever since she entered. She had barely eaten any noodles.

Only Uncle Teuchi, arms folded and wearing a stern expression, pricked up his ears to listen to Naruto's rambling and responded now and then.

"Oh, right, Sasuke."

Halfway through his meal, Naruto suddenly turned to Sasuke with a serious expression. "Do you know any other training methods that can make me stronger?"

At that, Sakura beside him pricked up her ears as well, looking deeply interested.

Sasuke was silent for a while before saying, "Read more books!"

Honestly, Sasuke had run out of material himself. Scientific physical training, basic Wind Release ninjutsu, the Shadow Clone Technique, chakra control—he had already taught Naruto everything he could.

If Naruto's personality had not made him completely uninterested in Yoga, Sasuke could have taught him that as well.

Of course, Sasuke was not just brushing him off by telling him to read more. The books and knowledge of this world truly had their own unique insights, and he himself had gained a great deal from them.

"Huh!?" Naruto said in disbelief. "What kind of answer is that?"

After all, he hated reading more than anything. Though he no longer slept during class, he still could not take much of it in.

"Strengthen the body, cultivate the mind."

Sasuke said blandly, "Naruto, your physique is already very good. You can consider reading more and enriching that pitiful brain of yours."

Sakura nodded repeatedly beside him and agreed, "Sasuke-kun is right!"

"Hmph!"

Naruto snorted, lowered his head, and resumed wolfing down his noodles, as if venting all his resentment on the ramen.

Just then, the curtain was pulled aside, and an elderly man entered. He wore a gray vest over a mesh undershirt and carried a large black pot and several spatulas on his back.

"Huh? Grandpa Kosuke, hello!"

Sakura froze when she saw the newcomer, then quickly stood up to greet him.

"Oh? Sakura."

The old man smiled kindly. "Having a get-together with your classmates?"

"Mm!"

Sakura nodded. The old man laughed heartily. "Then I won't disturb you."

Walking forward, the old man said, "One bowl of ramen to go, Teuchi."

"Not eating here, sir?"

The old man shook his head. "I still have a mission later, so I'll take it with me and eat it on the road."

Note: Maruboshi Kosuke appeared in the TV anime Naruto: Shippuden and Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison.