Ichiraku Ramen

The villagers on the road smiled when they saw Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hello, Lord Hokage! Are you out on patrol today?" an enthusiastic villager called out to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hello, hello. I happened to have some free time today, so I came out to see how everyone was doing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as well, patiently greeting the villagers.

To maintain his image among the villagers, he had to take to the streets every so often and remind them of his presence.

Establishing a good image as a warm and people-oriented leader would also help solidify his position.

Arriving at Naruto's doorstep, Hiruzen Sarutobi knocked and said, "Naruto, are you awake? Grandpa came to see you!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was full of vigor, nothing like that of an old man.

Naruto had been immersed in cultivation when he suddenly heard that Hiruzen Sarutobi had arrived, startling him out of his training state.

What's going on? Why did this old bastard come here? Did he discover that I'm cultivating chakra? No, the God-Tier Chakra Extraction the system gave me can't be seen through that easily. I need to put on a good act and get some of these ANBU off my back. Otherwise, my cultivation won't go smoothly at all!

Naruto's mind raced through countless thoughts in an instant as he pretended to have been woken up.

Wearing pajamas, he walked to the door and opened it while saying, "Who is it? So early in the morning, and you won't even let me sleep properly?"

His impatient tone perfectly captured the essence of morning grumpiness.

After opening the door and seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi, Naruto cried out in surprise, "Old Grandpa, it's you! Why have you come to see me again today?"

In Naruto's original memories, he did not know that Hiruzen Sarutobi was the Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi had never revealed his identity, only saying that he was a kind-hearted person willing to cover part of Naruto's food and living expenses.

This had deeply moved Naruto, who had originally had no family, and he regarded Hiruzen Sarutobi as his closest relative.

If he had simply looked up at Hokage Rock above Konoha Village, he might have recognized that this old bastard was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

However, since Hiruzen Sarutobi had not taken the initiative to reveal it, Naruto naturally had to play along. They were both veteran actors, after all. When masters crossed paths, they acted for the occasion and stopped at just the right point.

"Naruto, it's been so long since we last met. Grandpa missed you. Here is this month's relief money. Remember to spend it carefully."

Perhaps because Naruto's head had been broken open by the villagers' children yesterday, Hiruzen Sarutobi softened a little when he saw the bandage on Naruto's head.

He gave Naruto a little extra relief money.

Though it looked like quite a lot—tens of thousands of ryo—he only gave it once a month. Spread across each day, it was not much at all.

He could not even afford to eat Ichiraku Ramen once a day!

You stingy old man. One day, I'll take your coffin money and spend it on wine and women, then dance on your grave!

Naruto viciously cursed Hiruzen Sarutobi in his heart.

On the surface, however, he looked overjoyed. Taking the relief money Hiruzen Sarutobi handed him with both hands, he said, "Wow, thank you, Grandpa! You're so good to me. I love you to death!"

Then he carefully put the relief money into his wallet.

Seeing Naruto being so sensible and admiring him so much, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but feel delighted.

"Have you eaten yet, Naruto? Grandpa will take you out for a meal!"

"Not yet, Grandpa. I want to go to Ichiraku Ramen. I heard everyone saying that Ichiraku Ramen is really delicious, but I've never had the chance to eat there before. Can you take me?" Naruto mentioned Ichiraku Ramen while pretending to be childish and ignorant.

But he was genuinely interested in Ichiraku Ramen. He wanted to know what kind of charm the ramen from the original story had that made Naruto crave it so much and think about it constantly.

Hearing that Naruto's wish was merely to eat ramen once, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt very gratified. This child was sensible; he knew how to save him money. Not bad, not bad.

"Let's go, Naruto. Grandpa will take you for ramen." He led Naruto out onto the street.

The sight of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, walking together with Naruto was very rare in Konoha Village.

The villagers had long since received instructions that whenever the Third Hokage was walking with Naruto, they were not to call him Lord Hokage. He did not want to reveal his identity to Naruto yet.

Thus, many villagers who had originally wanted to greet him instantly understood after seeing the Third's look and chose to leave on their own.

Before long, Naruto and Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived in front of a small building.

Several large characters were written on the sign outside: "Ichiraku Ramen."

It seemed this was the Ichiraku Ramen Naruto had been longing for.

He brought Naruto to a seat inside Ichiraku Ramen.

Seeing that Lord Hokage had arrived, Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, immediately beamed. But when he saw Naruto, a complicated expression appeared on his face.

Unlike the other villagers, his eyes did not hold only anger and resentment toward Naruto.

There were still some clear-headed people among the masses who knew none of it was Naruto's fault and that Naruto should not have to bear so much infamy.

"What would you two like to eat?" Teuchi warmly welcomed Naruto and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Seeing that Teuchi did not dislike him, Naruto's mood improved considerably. "Uncle, I want your house special!"

Hearing Naruto speak so energetically, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and said to Teuchi, "I'll have the same as little Naruto."

"Sure thing! Our house special is miso ramen. Two bowls of miso ramen. Please wait a moment, they'll be ready right away!" After hearing their order, Teuchi got busy.

While waiting for the ramen, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Naruto and asked, "Little Naruto, do you want to go to the Ninja Academy?"

"The Ninja Academy? What do they do there?" Naruto asked doubtfully, pretending not to understand anything.

"The Ninja Academy is a school established to train outstanding ninjas. You'll definitely make a lot of friends there!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's words carried a trace of temptation.

"But Grandpa, lots of kids say I'm a demon fox and don't want to play with me. If I go to the Ninja Academy, can I really make friends?" From Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Naruto understood that he had reached the age to attend school.

And Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted him to make friends at the Ninja Academy so that he would form deep bonds in Konoha Village, making him easier to control in the future.

"You can, you definitely can. There are so many students at the academy. There will definitely be friends who get along with little Naruto. Grandpa promises you."

The elite class arranged for Naruto would be filled with promising talents who were the future of Konoha.

Several clans had good relations with the Hokage's faction. Once he gave the heads of those clans a hint, Naruto could naturally gain a few friends.

The Nara Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Inuzuka Clan. The children of those clans should get along fairly well with Naruto.

There was also the Hyuga Clan. He remembered that when Naruto was little, he seemed to have saved the daughter of the Hyuga Clan head, Hiashi Hyuga. What was her name again? Hinata Hyuga?

With their company, Naruto would surely study well at the Ninja Academy and grow into an outstanding ninja.

Minato, Kushina, this should mean I haven't let down the trust you placed in me, right?

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but smile.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi grinning foolishly to himself, Naruto could only pretend not to notice. He naturally knew that this old bastard was clearly not thinking about anything good.

"Alright then, Grandpa, I want to go to the Ninja Academy. But I don't have parents, so how can I attend?" Naruto said to Hiruzen Sarutobi while putting on a pitiful expression.

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Naruto's head and said, "Don't worry, Naruto. Grandpa knows some people and can arrange for you to get in. Once you enter the Ninja Academy, make sure to work hard. When school starts, I'll send someone to take you to register."

"Then thank you, Grandpa!" Naruto revealed a brilliant smile. It was all an act!

Soon, Teuchi served up their house special, miso ramen.

Looking at the bowl of miso ramen before him, Naruto's appetite surged.

The miso ramen had a rich broth and a delicious flavor that made anyone fall in love after one taste.

The moment it was placed on the table, the aroma of miso rushed into his nose, making his mouth water.

The mellow richness of the miso blended perfectly with the smooth ramen, and every bite was satisfying.

Even after finishing it, that distinctive miso fragrance lingered in his mouth, unforgettable for a long time.

The noodles were smooth, and paired with the rich miso, they did not become cloying even when eaten in huge mouthfuls.

Not only did it taste good, its color was enticing and its aroma filled the air. It was a double delight for both the eyes and the palate.

On cold days, a steaming bowl of miso ramen could instantly warm both body and soul.

It retained the essence of traditional ramen while the addition of miso brought an entirely new flavor experience.

The savory freshness of the miso, the springy noodles, and the rich broth created a different layer of flavor in every bite.

Once one tried it, that distinctive miso flavor became addictive, making it impossible not to savor it again and again.

Naruto finally understood why the Naruto from the original story had been so obsessed with Ichiraku Ramen.

And in the end, Ichiraku Ramen had grown bigger and bigger, even opening branch stores.

It really had something special.

"Uncle, your ramen is so delicious! One bowl isn't nearly enough!"

Naruto wolfed it down, finishing the ramen in no time and even draining every drop of the soup!

"Get Naruto another bowl." Seeing Naruto eat as though he were a starving ghost reincarnated, Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing and told Teuchi to bring him another serving.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could still afford the price of one bowl of ramen.

After all, Minato had left behind quite a bit of property.

Taken from Minato, used on Naruto.

It was not only Naruto; even Hiruzen Sarutobi ate the ramen with endless praise.

The second bowl of miso ramen was served, and Naruto finished it at an astonishing speed.

Naruto, who often went hungry, simply could not stop when faced with delicious ramen!

He drank down the rich broth in one gulp as well, then patted his belly in satisfaction to show that he was full.

He turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi and said, "Thank you, Grandpa. You're so good to me!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was very pleased by Naruto's polite behavior and said cheerfully, "It's nothing, Naruto. As long as you're full, that's what matters."

Ding! System mission issued: Have Hiruzen Sarutobi pay for a bowl of ramen for the host. This is a repeatable mission and can be completed multiple times. A reward can be claimed for each completion.

Hearing the system issue a mission, Naruto knew it was time to show off his true acting skills!

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