Farewell to the Old, Welcome the New

A group of five people strode into the shop, lifting the curtain in a grand manner. Luckily, there were no other customers at that time, otherwise...

There aren't even enough seats for everyone.

When the Teuchi man saw so many customers arrive, a bright smile immediately appeared on his face. Just as he was about to ask the customers what they needed, he was interrupted by Obito's loud shout.

"Boss, bring five large bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen first." Obito turned to the crowd on both sides and said provocatively, "How about it, to be fair, shall we all choose this one?"

Everyone shook their heads, indicating that Obito, you have a loud voice, so you're in charge.

Obito was also eager to try, clearly very confident about the competition. He kept opening his mouth, jumping around, and even loosening his belt, preparing to eat even more.

Kakashi looked at Obito's meal preparations and was speechless for a moment. He couldn't help but roll his eyes and mutter, "Idiot!"

But then, Kakashi's innocent voice came from behind. "Kakashi, are you talking about me?"

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw that not only Obito, but also Guy was making preparations for the match. Guy's preparations were even more exaggerated, clearly a warm-up exercise before training.

A bead of cold sweat slid down Kakashi's forehead, while Rin covered her mouth and couldn't help but giggle.

"Kakashi, it looks like they're all targeting you. Shouldn't you get ready too?" Taiichi, who was watching the drama unfold, kept urging Kakashi on.

"Aren't you also going to have a competition? I haven't seen you preparing!" Kakashi retorted, adding under his breath, "These two are such a handful!"

Although he said he didn't care, Taiichi noticed that Kakashi's constantly shifting buttocks and his mouth, which was still open and closed despite being covered by a mask, were clearly preparing.

Before long, five steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of everyone.

The milky white, rich broth, the glistening, authentic ramen noodles, paired with tender yellow bamboo shoots and glistening char siu, create an irresistible aroma that whets everyone's appetite.

They exchanged glances, and without needing anyone to give a signal, the Companions years of tacit understanding, simultaneously began showing off the ramen in their bowls.

Obito picked up the bowl and started shoveling food into his mouth, only to scald himself and jump up in frustration; Kakashi, on the other hand, calmly ate bite by bite, only to be mocked by Obito for looking like an old lady; Guy, meanwhile, ate while shouting, "This is the taste of youth!"

"Uncle, another bowl here!" Obito spoke first, not forgetting to give Kakashi a provocative look after he finished speaking.

"Okay~"

"Uncle, over here, over here too!" Kai wasn't going to be outdone, and only a little later than Obito, he also ordered a bowl.

One by one, everyone ordered a second bowl of ramen, which made the busy uncle Teuchi from Kakuzu to ear with joy!

After the second bowl, Rin was the first to leave the battle, followed by Taiichi, leaving only Kakashi, Obito, and Guy still fighting.

This is their fourth bowl of ramen, which shows that they are already at their limit and are only holding on by sheer willpower.

Sure enough, before he had even finished half of the fourth bowl, Kakashi was the first to raise his hands in surrender, puffing out his big belly to indicate that he couldn't eat anymore.

Meanwhile, Obito and Guy, the only two remaining on the field, were staring at each other, slowly stuffing ramen into their mouths, though the speed at which they were doing so was rather unbearable to watch.

The shop owner, Teuchi man, watched the two men's final struggle and, worried about their health, couldn't help but say, "If you two can't eat anymore, please don't. Be careful not to upset your stomachs!"

These words were like a steel needle puncturing a balloon; the two of them instantly dropped their chopsticks, covered their mouths, and desperately tried to suppress the urge to vomit.

Taiichi stepped forward, his hands glowing green as he gently massaged the stomachs of both of them. The rich Yang Release Chakra rapidly stimulated the peristalsis of their stomachs, promoting digestion.

After a long while, the two, having recovered their composure, stared at each other, neither willing to admit defeat. Lin stepped in as mediator and declared that they were tied for first place.

Obito immediately started showing off in front of Kakashi, mocking Kakashi for losing the match.

Unexpectedly, the Teuchi man then said, "I remember there was a little girl who ate six..."

"Bowl." She said, feigning surprise, then, as if remembering something, pointed at Taiichi: "Wasn't this young man the one who came with me back then?"

Obito, who had been feeling smug, froze instantly. "6~6 bowls!" Obito turned to look at Taiichi in disbelief, only to receive Taiichi nod of approval from Taichi.

Everyone burst into laughter when they saw his blank expression.

"Look!" Lin suddenly pointed out the window, "It's snowing again!"

Everyone turned to look, and sure enough, fine snowflakes began to fall again. Several mischievous children darted out from the roadside, running around in the snow. Konoha has had quite a bit of snow this year; next year will surely be a bountiful year.

The group of friends walked out of Ichiraku Ramen, laughing and joking. As they were discussing where to go next, they bumped into Asuma and Kurenai, who were traveling together.

"Hey, isn't this Asuma?" Obito teased, winking at him. "Going shopping?"

Kurenai nodded blankly, while Asuma glared at Obito with a resentful look. "Shut up, you loser!"

"Since we've run into each other, why don't we play together?" Rin suggested gently. Now it was Obito's turn to look resentful. There were already too many people, and now two more had arrived, which would divert Rin's attention.

"Okay!" Hong readily agreed, while Asuma hesitated, and finally could only sigh helplessly. He had finally managed to get Hong out, but their nice time together was ruined.

"Youth is all about excitement!" Kai exclaimed with his usual fiery enthusiasm, while Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

So the seven of them continued their sightseeing in a grand procession, while Asuma followed behind Kurenai with a sullen expression, occasionally glancing resentfully at Obito —it's all that guy's fault for being so talkative!

Taiichi walked at the back of the group, staring at Asuma, who was walking in front, with a strange look on his face. What a poor kid. I wonder what his expression will be when he finds out that his father sold him to the Daimyo so early.

After a fun-filled afternoon of playing, Taiichi get home until 8 p. m., took a nice hot bath, and then lay down on his big bed.

Having completed all preparations, Taiichi Hand Seals and released the Shadow Clone he had created during the day. Instantly, a flood of memories rushed in: practicing Taijutsu, studying Ninjutsu, playing with children at the Orphanage, and helping out at the hospital.

Accompanied by a flood of memories and insights, and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, Taiichi's mind suddenly went blank, and for a moment even his thoughts ceased to function.

In a daze, Taiichi seemed to feel a call from the Shikkotsu Forest, but at this moment he was completely out of control. His last thought before losing consciousness was: It seems that five Shadow Clones are still a bit of a stretch.

The next day, the chirping of birds could be heard outside the window from time to time. Taiichi, who was sleeping, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the bedside. It was already 8 o'clock in the morning.

It seems yesterday was really tiring; even his powerful biological clock couldn't wake Taiichi from his deep sleep.

Shaking his still slightly groggy head, Taiichi got up and washed up.

After tidying himself up, Taiichi chewed on some bread, his mind gradually clearing. Only then did he remember that he seemed to have received a summons from Shikkotsu Forest yesterday.

What? Teacher Tsunade replied so quickly? She usually takes ages to reply. Did she gamble away all her money during the holidays?

Unaware that he had correctly predicted reality, Taiichi had already Hand Seals and summoned the slug.

Happy New Year, Katsuyu!

"Lord Taiichi, Happy New Year! This is a letter from Lady Tsunade."

As he spoke, the envelope emerged from the Katsuyu's body. The moment Taiichi received it, he sensed something was wrong with the letter and squeezed the envelope tightly.

Sure enough, there was something else in the envelope. He glanced at the Katsuyu with surprise, but seeing that she didn't have anything to say, he canceled the summoning.

He opened the envelope, emptied it, and a key slid into Taiichi's palm. Holding the key, Taiichi looked at it from all sides, Taiichi bewildered. He then took out the letter, and what came into view was Tsunade's messy yet forceful handwriting.

Little devil:

I received your New Year's gift; thankfully you have a conscience. Since you mentioned wanting a bigger place to live, there happens to be an old, vacant house in the Senju Clan Grounds. The key is enclosed. The house is in disrepair; you can take care of cleaning it yourself.

P. S.: Don't neglect your Medical Ninjutsu, I'll be checking it next time we meet - Tsunade believed that aside from the house issue at the beginning, all she talked about was where she lost money again, who was chasing her for debts, and how no one cared about her during the New Year, except for her disciple who remembered her.

Taiichi heartbroken and helpless watching this. He really wanted to go directly to Tsunade back to Konoha.

But Taiichi knew that was impossible, at least not now.

However, judging from the current situation, at least half of his plan has succeeded, and the possibility of welcoming Tsunade back ahead of schedule has greatly increased.

Putting all that aside, Taiichi couldn't help but feel a little excited as he looked at the brass key in his hand.

This is the residence of the Senju clan. As one of the founding clans of Konoha, the residence still in Tsunade's possession must have been the core residence of the clan in the past.

Turning the letter over, an address appeared before my eyes: Southeast corner of the Senju Clan, No. 7 Green Maple Lane.

It was an address he'd never heard of before, but Taiichi of the Senju clan knew it.

Most of the houses there have been redistributed to the people of Konoha, with only a few houses in the very center remaining as the private property of the Senju.

And this one is probably one of them.

Taiichi carefully put the key into the inner pocket of his Ninja Tool Pouch. He quickly finished his now-cold breakfast, grabbed his coat, and rushed outside.

After passing through three commercial streets, the surrounding buildings gradually became more ancient. When Taiyi saw the stone tablet engraved with the Senju Clan emblem, Taiichi unconsciously slowed down.

In the past, this place was frequented by members of the Senju clan, but now, most of the people who come into view are Civilian without Chakra.

The Senju clan is different from the Uchiha. Although both are founding Ninja Clan of Konoha, the Senju chose to have their members fully integrated into Konoha. Now, any child running on the street could have parents or grandparents who might be members of the Senju clan.

The Uchiha, like traditional clans, lived together in close-knit communities, relying on each other for support.

After passing the stone tablet, Taiichi followed the road signs to Green Maple Lane, where the residences were significantly larger than those in front.

The moment Taiichi turned into Green Maple Lane, his breath hitched. The No. 7 residence was even larger than he had imagined. Although the walls covered with vines were somewhat dilapidated, the green tiles on the eaves were still neatly arranged, and the paint on the porch pillars gleamed dark red in the sunlight.

Taiichi took the key to the front door from his Ninja Tool Pouch. With a "click" as the key teeth engaged the lock, the long-sealed house finally welcomed its new owner.

Slowly pushing open the heavy door, the hinges groaned under the strain. Taiichi glanced at the hinges and thought, "I need to add some lubricant here. I'll write that down."

As the door opened fully, a cloud of dust poured down from the door frame. Taiichi casually waved his hand, and Chakra transformed into a whirlwind to sweep away the dust. It was truly a unique welcoming ceremony.

The courtyard was filled with withered branches and fallen leaves, indicating that it had been rarely cleaned since it had been uninhabited. Taiichi stepped into the courtyard, inspecting his future residence.

The house is very large. It took Taiichi 10 minutes just to walk through it all. There are more than 30 rooms of various sizes in the house, and there are also 4 courtyards.

The largest courtyard covers an area of about 1,000 square meters and has a pool of flowing water that connects to the Naka River, which runs through the village.

Taiichi valued this courtyard the most. With a little tidying up, it would become an excellent training ground, and he would no longer have to worry about damaging the house when practicing Ninjutsu.

Most importantly, being at home offers significantly greater security and privacy than Training Ground outside. Later, once the Sealing Jutsu are mastered, a sealing Barrier can be set up at home, ensuring that even the Hokage's Telescope Technique cannot see in.

As for all those rooms, Taiichi planned to set aside one as a laboratory for future Ninjutsu research, in addition to the necessary living quarters. The other rooms would have to be sealed off.

Thinking about it, such a big house, and only living alone, does feel a bit too spacious.

After planning the use of the entire house, Taiichi returned to the front yard and Hand Seals to create more than ten Shadow Clones.

"You guys are in charge of cleaning the main house, you clean the backyard, and the rest of you go and tidy up the training ground," Taiichi ordered his clones. "This place will be our territory from now on, so everyone give it your all and try to get it ready today!"

The clones scattered, and soon the sound of cleaning filled the entire mansion.

Taiichi himself stood in the center of the courtyard, gazing at the mansion that was about to be reborn, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

Despite the efforts of more than a dozen clones throughout the day, they still hadn't finished cleaning up the enormous mansion. However, Taiichi was still overjoyed, estimating that another day would be enough to finish it and allow him to move in.

Back at his lodgings that evening, Taiichi's first action was to write a letter to Tsunade, recounting his day's experiences, sharing his joy, and thanking her Teacher Tsunade providing him with accommodation.

At the end of the letter, Taiichi subtly suggested that Teacher Tsunade should come back when she had time to see how he had tidied up the mansion and ask for her feedback.

The next morning, Taiichi got up early, did the necessary morning prayers, and went straight to his new residence to continue the great work that he had not finished the day before.

After a morning of hard work, Taiichi finally completed the initial cleaning of the house with the help of his Shadow Clone.

With that, Taiichi's new home was finally habitable.

That same afternoon, Taiichi packed up all the useful items in the old house, locked the door, and moved into his new home.