Ichiraku Ramen, a century-old shop.
Naruto and Hinata were regulars, and as soon as they walked in, Teuchi gave them a warm welcome.
"Teuchi, two large bowls of miso ramen." Naruto asked curiously, "Why isn't Ayame here?"
Teuchi wore a troubled expression as he worked. "Naruto, as people grow up, they all go through a rebellious phase."
The delicious smell of the broth made Hinata's mouth water. "Teuchi, does that mean Ayame doesn't like ramen anymore? Your ramen is so good. I don't think I could ever get tired of eating it, even if I had it every day for the rest of my life."
Naruto understood Teuchi's worries. "Teuchi, try not to worry so much. Ayame knows her own mind. She won't let some bad person lead her astray."
Deep down, Teuchi wanted Ayame to carry on the family business and, better yet, help it flourish by opening two or three more branches in Konoha.
Everyone had their own worries.
Spring Haruno's home was just a few dozen meters down the back street from Ichiraku Ramen.
Spring Haruno had graduated from the Ninja Academy. That was something to be happy about, no matter how you looked at it.
But when she got home, she found her father drunk and her mother's hair a mess.
They were arguing again.
Spring Haruno didn't want to stay home, so she shouted and ran out. She went to find Ino first, and the two of them played until nightfall before parting ways.
"I need to become independent soon. Once I start taking missions and save up a little money, I'll move out on my own. I never want to hear them fighting again." Fuming, Spring Haruno headed down the unlit path.
"Hey!"
Three men blocked Spring Haruno's way. Two of them were holding bottles, and the man in the middle wore a Konoha Forehead Protector. He reeked of alcohol, too.
"Where'd a little girl like you come from? What are you doing alone so late at night? Why don't you come have some fun with us?"
One of them suddenly grabbed Spring Haruno by the shoulder.
Spring Haruno fearfully shoved him away. "I'm almost home. Let me through!"
Drunk people had no self-control. Their emotions were running wild.
"Don't know what's good for you, huh? Grab her and make her drink!"
The man wearing the Forehead Protector was a Chunin. He lunged forward, grabbed Spring Haruno by the arms, and flung her against a nearby brick wall, pinning her there as he laughed lewdly.
It was pitch-black.
Spring Haruno's feet dangled above the ground, and her arms were twisted behind her back. Pain kept shooting through them.
A cold bottle pressed against her lips. Fear left her powerless to resist.
"Help! Help!"
The alcohol filled Spring Haruno's throat, and she couldn't get a sound out.
"You're in my way."
The three men turned around and saw Sasuke carrying the Scroll of Seals. They burst out laughing. "Hey, kid, show us some respect when you talk to us. We've got bad tempers. What're you gonna do if we beat you up?"
Spring Haruno's eyes were blurred with tears. She couldn't see clearly, but she could still hear. She struggled, trying to call for help from the passerby.
Sasuke had only wanted to take a shortcut to Konoha's back gate. He hadn't expected to run into three Konoha lowlifes. "Without the Uchiha Military Police Force, Konoha's public order has gone completely to hell. You've really pissed me off."
One of the men angrily swung his bottle at Sasuke. "You asking for a beating, kid?"
A flash of swordlight.
The man lost an arm and screamed in terror. "I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!"
The other two hadn't even processed what had happened to their companion before the weight vanished from their shoulders. Then everything went black before their eyes.
Sasuke coldly sheathed the Kusanagi Sword. He hadn't killed the three men; he had only cut off one arm apiece and blinded them.
"Are you still going to stand in my way?"
Faced with the threat of death, the three men no longer dared to stay put. Huddled together, they ran along the wall, shouting, "Murder! Murder!"
Spring Haruno fell to the ground and kept spitting out the alcohol. Her throat burned, and her face was scraped red.
Sasuke kept walking, growing farther and farther away.
When Spring Haruno had recovered, she looked up, trying to make out who it was. Through her blurry vision, she saw the Uchiha Gunbai symbol.
Uchiha?
Was that him?
Spring Haruno's heart surged with emotion as countless thoughts crowded into her mind.
Two steaming bowls of miso ramen were ready.
Naruto had just picked up his chopsticks when he vanished from his seat.
A moment later, Naruto came back, bringing someone with him. It was Sasuke, who had just passed by.
"Sasuke-chan, what a coincidence! You don't have to act cool around me. I'll treat you to ramen," Naruto said generously. "Teuchi, one more bowl!"
What an incredible ability to sense chakra. Sasuke felt a little tense. Naruto had suddenly appeared, and he hadn't sensed him at all.
Hinata asked in surprise, "Are you Uchiha Sasuke?"
Sasuke couldn't refuse Naruto, so he sat beside him and nodded. "Yeah. It's been a long time."
"Did you go home?" Naruto stirred his noodles.
Sasuke replied, "I saw them, and I read the letter. Where's my brother? Do you know?"
Naruto took a sip of broth and savored it. "How would I know? Even Big Brother Shisui doesn't know. The Akatsuki is the most mysterious group in the Shinobi World right now. Nobody knows what they're up to. Big Brother Itachi probably can't get any important information out easily. Sasuke-chan, how did Orochimaru tempt you into going with him? You could've stayed in Konoha. I could've taught you!"
A moment later, a fragrant bowl of ramen was set in front of Sasuke.
"Naruto, you've been stronger than me from the start, so I've had to chase after you. But I don't want to spend my whole life trailing behind you, so I chose to learn from Orochimaru. Over the years, I've mastered every jutsu in the Shinobi World. I might even be able to train in a power different from the chakra within us—a power that belongs to nature. That would make me even stronger. When that happens, I'll be stronger than you even without relying on the power of the Sharingan." Sasuke worked up his resolve, then dug into his ramen.
Naruto was paying, so he might as well eat more.
Naruto looked at Sasuke's lean figure and shook his head. "Sasuke-chan, you can't even imagine how strong I am. Still, Orochimaru's been so focused on you all these years that he's caused the Shinobi World a lot less trouble. You've done your part, too."
Hinata raised her hand. "Naruto, can I have another bowl?"
"Have as much as you want." Naruto exchanged a glance with Teuchi. They'd put it on his tab, and he'd pay them back later.
Teuchi had a high opinion of Naruto. He gave a slight nod, agreeing to his request.
Sasuke finished his broth. "I have to leave soon. This is the Scroll of Seals. It contains Konoha's secret forbidden jutsu and powerful techniques. Do you want to learn any?"
"Open it up and have a look. Hinata, you should learn some, too." Why would Naruto turn down Sasuke's kind offer?
A forbidden jutsu didn't have to be used. It was good to learn about it first.
That way, if they ever encountered an enemy using a forbidden jutsu, they wouldn't be caught by surprise, right?
Before you continue