A Look Was Enough to Confirm: Naruto is Asking for a Beating

"I know."

The Third Hokage lit his pipe and took two deep drags.

"That's why I've always advocated investigating the identity of the mysterious masked man while keeping the Uchiha under surveillance. From beginning to end, Danzo was the only one planning to take risks."

"Enough of that. What exactly did Danzo do this time to make such a mess?"

Jiraiya had long grown tired of hearing this. He also knew he couldn't change his teacher's mind, so he simply couldn't be bothered to interfere.

Only after the matter at the Daimyo's Mansion was dealt with could he leave the village, continue gathering material, and search for the savior.

At the mention of it, the Third Hokage's previously decent mood turned sour, and his old face darkened.

No longer in the mood to smoke, he set down his pipe.

"The Daimyo's Mansion received intelligence from the Bounty House. It stated that Danzo had plotted to assassinate the daimyo and support someone else in his place."

"I suspect there's a traitor among the higher-ups. The information that was leaked was far too detailed."

That sounded like a real headache.

Jiraiya scratched his messy hair, looking thoroughly pained. "So not only do we have to calm the daimyo's anger, we also have to find the traitor?"

"Yes."

The Third Hokage nodded. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have urgently called you back."

"What do you need me to do?"

Too lazy to waste brainpower thinking, Jiraiya decided he would simply do whatever the Third Hokage asked of him. As for anything else, forget it.

He was still in a hurry to see Naruto.

"Find Tsunade and bring her back. The village needs her."

The Third Hokage gritted his teeth.

"The daimyos of every nation are preparing to gather at the Daimyo's Mansion. This is undoubtedly pressure on the village, so we need Tsunade to handle the matter."

"That won't be easy."

Jiraiya gave a bitter smile.

After Tsunade left the village, she had drifted from place to place, gambling everywhere and losing miserably. Creditors were after her wherever she went.

And Tsunade had no desire to return to the village or involve herself in its affairs.

That was the most important part. Otherwise, given how quickly news traveled, Tsunade would have returned long ago.

"Fine, I'll do my best. But I can't guarantee she'll be willing to come back. What happened back then hurt her deeply."

Getting up and stretching, Jiraiya jumped onto the windowsill. He looked back at the Third Hokage. "Old man, you'd better prepare a backup plan. Convincing Tsunade to come back won't be easy."

"I'm leaving."

After leaving the Hokage Office Building, Jiraiya immediately went to look for Naruto.

Unfortunately, Naruto was still at the academy, dozing with his head on his desk.

At the sight, Jiraiya's heart began to itch.

"Should I find somewhere to indulge my restless, nowhere-to-go nature?"

"That brat sure knows how to put things."

Seeing that Naruto had not yet finished class and that waiting around would be boring, Jiraiya decided to find somewhere to have a little fun first.

As night fell, Yan shook off Izumi, his little tagalong, and left the Police Department.

When he passed Ichiraku Ramen, Yan considered it for a moment before heading over. "Teuchi, one large bowl of ramen. Extra meat and side dishes."

"Haven't seen you in a long time."

Teuchi chuckled and joked, "Just so you know, extra toppings cost money."

Yan smiled too. "If you dare go to the Police Department to collect it, add whatever you want."

"Hahaha..."

After a few hearty laughs, Teuchi started cooking the ramen.

Before long, it was ready. Yan picked up his chopsticks and began eating right away.

He skipped the whole pre-meal ritual of pressing his hands together and saying, "Let's eat."

Watching Yan wolf down the noodles, Teuchi shook his head. "Yan, that's disrespectful to the food."

Long accustomed to this, Yan raised an eyebrow.

"I think not wasting food, finishing it all, and savoring it properly is the greatest respect you can show food. The rest isn't important."

[ ]

"Fine, as long as you're happy."

Teuchi could only shake his head helplessly.

"Uncle, I want a bowl of ramen! Make it quick, okay? I'm starving!"

At that moment, an unexpected person rushed in.

"Cough!!"

Looking at the blond brat in front of him patting his belly and shouting that he was hungry, Yan choked. He had not expected to run into Naruto while eating ramen, though Naruto did love the stuff.

This was the first time he had encountered him since transmigrating here.

"It's Naruto. Take a seat. What kind of ramen do you want today?"

Teuchi and Naruto were old acquaintances. Naruto, who could not buy food in many other places, had found warmth at Ichiraku Ramen because Teuchi never rejected him over the rumors about the fox demon.

"Hmm~~~"

Naruto frowned in indecision. "But I want to try them all."

Then Naruto noticed Yan sitting nearby. He sniffed the air and said happily, "I'll have the same flavor as this uncle."

"Cough, cough!!!"

Yan choked again. Teuchi froze for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Scratching his head, Naruto truly did not understand why his words had made the other man laugh so hard.

Yan: Listening to you makes me want to beat you up!

If he could, Yan would have loved to pin Naruto to the table and give him a beating, letting him know how cruel the world could be.

Women cared about their age, so men weren't allowed to care about theirs?

I'm clearly old enough to be your big brother, but after you said that, I suddenly aged more than a decade.

After laughing for a while, Teuchi wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and reminded Naruto, "Naruto, Yan isn't an uncle. He's only fifteen."

"But..."

To Naruto, fifteen was already a huge age gap. He was conflicted. Calling someone that much older an uncle wasn't wrong, was it?

"Just don't call him uncle. Hurry up and sit down. I'll make your ramen."

"Okay~~"

Naruto flopped weakly onto the counter and waited for his ramen, unaware that the Anbu ninja keeping watch outside was nearly frantic.

Yan was eating ramen, and Naruto had gone in on his own, happily calling him uncle.

Knowing the Anbu ninja were following outside, Yan couldn't be bothered to argue with Naruto. Otherwise, that one "uncle" alone would have earned him a lesson.

Besides, this blond brat had thrown a hornet's nest into a breakfast shop not long ago. If it had been anyone else, they would have been locked up in the Police Department already.

"Great! Let's eat!!!"

Naruto held his chopsticks, pressed his hands together, shouted the phrase, and only then began eating in huge mouthfuls. Teuchi smugly raised his chin at Yan.

As if saying: Look at him, then look at you.

"Give me a bowl too."

Reeking of alcohol and looking slightly unsteady on his feet, Jiraiya sat beside Naruto, only to be met with Naruto's disdain.

"White-haired uncle, can you sit farther away?"

Well, there it was again. Uncle.

This place really was trouble.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Yan was about to make himself scarce.

"..."

Jiraiya had been a little embarrassed for arriving late because he had been having too much fun and lost track of time. Naruto's disdain left him at a loss.

The rejected Jiraiya could only scoot closer to Yan and say with a smile, "Hello, Uchiha brat. You really gave me a hard time today."

If anyone else had called him an Uchiha brat, it would definitely have carried mockery and sarcasm.

But from Jiraiya, it was simply a form of address.

"It was merely my duty."

Yan said blandly, "If you're dissatisfied, sir, I can help spread the word for free."