Coming Up With Titles Is So Hard...

The restaurant was bustling with noise.

It was the peak of noon, and this two-story building located by the harbor was packed with diners.

The air was thick with the savory aroma of seafood broth; servers wove through the narrow aisles carrying trays, while customers raised their glasses in loud conversation, occasionally erupting into bursts of laughter.

Sunlight pierced through the mist outside the window, casting hazy patches of light onto the wooden floor.

Uchiha Kou was devouring the large bowl of seafood ramen in his hands. Most of the noodles were already gone, leaving only a pool of rich broth and a few pieces of seaweed.

He lifted the bowl, drained the final mouthful of soup, and smacked his lips with lingering satisfaction, his black eyes filled with contentment.

"Mmm, so fragrant! The flavor is spot on!"

Kou set the bowl down, grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, and said with a hint of nostalgia:

"Although it's not as authentic as the ramen from Ichiraku, it's not bad at all. It's the best I've had in the last five years."

"It truly lives up to the reputation of a place that can survive in such a competitive environment. Verdict: definitely worth a solid rating!"

Mei Terumi looked speechlessly at Uchiha Kou, who had just polished off three large bowls of noodles, her emerald eyes filled with a sense of bewilderment: What on earth am I doing here?

Is this guy a starving ghost reincarnated? How can he eat so much?! He was already full before we even got here, wasn't he?!

Her gaze fell upon the three empty bowls stacked in front of Kou, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

Noticing her stare, Kou looked up, a hint of mischief flashing in his black eyes.

He held the bowl out toward Mei Terumi, enthusiastically recommending it:

"Want to try some? It's really quite good!"

Mei Terumi looked at the bitten-off noodles and the mangled broth in the bowl, shaking her head with an expressionless face.

"I haven't even turned my nose up at you yet, and you're already acting like that? Fine, forget it!"

Kou retracted his hand instantly, lowered his head, and happily continued eating, making loud slurping sounds as he did so.

Mei Terumi sighed, feeling utterly exhausted and completely numb.

She seemed to have adapted to this guy's rhythm and was no longer angry.

Mei Terumi simply watched him coldly and said with a blank expression:

"...We didn't come here just to eat."

"We're here to discuss the specific details of the mission, right?"

Kou swallowed his noodles and nodded in response.

"You actually know that?!"

Hearing such a normal reply, Mei Terumi couldn't help but be surprised.

This guy is actually capable of speaking like a human being?!

Seeing the shock on her face, Kou replied with some annoyance:

"Hey, hey, I'm a ninja, after all. I have at least that much basic professional integrity!"

"What exactly do you take me for?!"

"...Idiot."

"You mother—"

"Forget it, I won't stoop to your level."

Kou said irritably, pulling out a tissue to wipe his mouth.

He then leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear:

"I suggest you order something and act like a normal tourist, unless you want to attract unnecessary trouble."

Hearing the warning, Mei Terumi became alert instantly, a sharp glint flashing in her emerald eyes.

She kept her voice very low:

"What do you mean by that?"

She had been maintaining her guard from the very beginning and was certain there was no one in the restaurant capable of threatening her.

But the one saying this was Uchiha Kou, the guy who had just managed to evade her sensory perception a short while ago, making her look like a fool.

If what he said was true, it meant there was an expert hidden nearby whose stealth capabilities were strong enough to bypass her senses!

...Of course, that was assuming he wasn't just messing with her.

Although she was skeptical of Kou's words, she prioritized the mission and cautiously began to scan her surroundings once more.

Nothing unusual.

"Alright, alright, stop shaking your head around. There's nothing wrong with this shop."

Kou's voice sounded lazy.

"You!!"

Realizing she had been played once again, Mei Terumi stood up instantly, her cold and stunning face filled with irrepressible fury.

She braced her hands against the table and leaned forward, her entire posture resembling a cat about to hiss.

"Stop! Hear me out first."

Kou raised a hand in a "calm down" gesture, a rare flicker of seriousness appearing in his black eyes.

Looking at Kou's earnest gaze, Mei Terumi forced herself to suppress her emotions and sat back down to avoid drawing attention.

She glared at him, waiting for his "excuses," and swore to herself that once this mission was over, she would find a way to eliminate him and rid the Ninja World of this menace.

Seeing that Mei Terumi had calmed down, Kou smiled slightly to himself, feeling a touch of sentimentality:

This girl has really grown up; she doesn't hiss every day like she did when we first met in the Mist Village...

In reality, Kou put on a rare, serious expression and lowered his voice:

"You may have misinterpreted my meaning."

He paused, his black eyes sweeping across the surrounding diners:

"The trouble I'm referring to isn't some powerful ninja, but the ordinary people all around us."

Mei Terumi looked puzzled, her emerald eyes filled with confusion.

But seeing his serious demeanor, she suppressed her doubts and waited for him to finish.

Kou looked around, his eyes scanning like a lion patrolling its territory:

"You must have noticed by now that Mist Harbor is a melting pot; tourists, merchants, and even ninjas... just about everyone is here.

Naturally, that includes some individuals looking to engage in petty crimes."

Mei Terumi frowned; she was, of course, aware of what Kou was saying.

In this small eatery, quite a few people appeared to be ordering food, but in reality, they were constantly observing those around them.

However, because they were ordinary people rather than ninjas, Mei Terumi had only kept a casual eye on them and hadn't paid much attention.

"In a place like this, there will always be such people."

Kou continued, his tone carrying the indifference of someone who had seen it all:

"They observe the words and actions of those around them to guess their identities and wealth.

Perhaps it's to steal money, sell information to local gangs, or even kidnap someone... in any case, it's always some disgusting, low-life business."

Mei Terumi seemed to realize something; her brows furrowed tighter, and a flash of alertness crossed her emerald eyes:

"You mean... my behavior is likely to attract the attention of those guys?"

"What do you think?"

Kou rolled his eyes with a sense of helplessness:

"Although you've masked your chakra well and no one would notice your appearance unless they were intentionally looking, don't forget where we are. This is a restaurant! You're sitting here talking without eating; it's hard not to catch the eyes of that crowd."

His voice dropped even lower:

"You should know that in a restaurant, those who chat without eating are usually people discussing business—or, as they see it, 'fat sheep'."