Travel Frog Plush Toy

Naruto sprinted down and threw an arm around Chiye Jun.

"Haha, you beat that guy! That was awesome! To celebrate, treat me to ramen after school!"

Uh...

Fine.

From beginning to end, Sasuke remained frozen in a daze.

Chiye Jun released the ninjutsu.

The enormous flames vanished in midair, leaving behind only a cloud of smoke.

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief.

When they looked at Chiye Jun again, it was as though they had seen a ghost.

All this time, the students had envied Sasuke's Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

But who would have thought!

This newly transferred blacksmith's apprentice was actually even stronger!

Iruka was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped.

When the Third Hokage had assigned him to Iruka's class, Iruka had been quite puzzled.

A child who had dropped out of school and could not even use the Three Basic Techniques—could he graduate in three months?

Now he finally understood!

He was a hidden genius!

He had enrolled only to get a graduation certificate, then naturally become a ninja...

"All right, the test is over... Chiye Jun, don't forget the Seal of Reconciliation."

Chiye Jun nodded, walked over to Sasuke, and held out his hand.

Sasuke was completely numb at the moment.

There was none of his usual arrogant swagger.

Still, he did not accept Chiye Jun's help. Instead, he staggered to his feet using his own strength.

The students gave him all sorts of complicated looks.

There was sympathy, surprise, and even gloating.

Sakura shot Chiye Jun a fierce glare and said with disgust, "Another annoying idiot just like Naruto. Moron!"

Hinata, on the other hand, had little stars of love shining in her eyes.

Chiye Jun glanced sideways at her and gave her a gentle smile.

After the test ended, Iruka, having calmed himself, asked,

"Chiye Jun, you must have trained hard for a long time to reach your current level, right? Why not share your experience with the class?"

Chiye Jun did not know how to answer that.

He could hardly tell everyone that he had cast it hundreds of times in the space to raise his proficiency, could he?

He could only smile and scratch his head.

"Today was my first time using it..."

What!

His first time using it!

The moment they heard that!

The entire place erupted!

His first time, and he was already this incredible...

Sasuke's feelings were indescribably complicated.

The night was dark, the roads were slippery, and society was complicated.

Someone who looked so unassuming turned out to be a hidden expert.

At the Ninja Academy, this was supposed to be my stage. I was supposed to be the protagonist!

Fortunately, Sasuke was fairly broad-minded. Though he sometimes liked to show off, he never bullied others.

He did not dislike this blacksmith's boy.

So he walked up to Chiye Jun and smiled faintly.

"You won this time."

With that, he shoved his hands into his pockets and left the training ground.

"See? That's Sasuke for you—so gracious!"

"Exactly. Even in defeat, he remains honorable..."

Sasuke's fans raised their arms and cheered once more.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Konoha Village.

Danzo sat on a tatami mat, his eyes narrowed. Several trusted Root subordinates stood beside him.

That little brat possessed astonishing strength. He could not be underestimated!

And as soon as he enrolled, he had been seated next to Naruto, and the two had quickly become close...

That was it!

Naruto!

The jinchuriki!

That was his purpose in approaching Naruto!

He wanted Naruto's help in the future!

"But he is only a teenager. Could he really be so calculating?"

Suddenly!

Danzo had an epiphany!

He had been arranged by Hiruzen Sarutobi to take over his position as Hokage!

At that thought, Danzo trembled with rage.

No!

He absolutely could not allow him and that little brat to gain the jinchuriki's support!

Danzo imagined plots that did not exist at all, his thoughts growing ever more unhinged.

"Gather a ten-man squad!"

After school.

The setting sun dyed Konoha Village golden.

Naruto clamored for ramen to celebrate, so Chiye Jun could only agree with a smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Hooray!"

Naruto jumped up excitedly.

"Chiye Jun, you really are my good friend."

After his father died in the line of duty, Naruto received a pension at the start of every month.

But by the end of each month, he would always shamelessly ask Iruka to treat him to ramen.

Now, Naruto had latched onto Chiye Jun for free meals.

Chiye Jun did not mind in the slightest.

Money.

It was just numbers.

How much could a teenager eat, anyway?

But.

Something happened that he had not expected...

The two arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.

"Then I'm digging in!"

Naruto pressed his palms together and shouted excitedly.

Half an hour later.

"Wow... I'm so full..."

Sitting in his seat.

Naruto patted his watermelon-like belly and sighed in satisfaction.

In front of him were eight empty bowls stacked together.

Miso, seafood, char siu, spicy, volcano, tonkotsu, fresh clam, corn...

He had ordered every variety they had in one go!

"I've been a little short on money lately, so I haven't eaten any for over a month. I accidentally ordered a tiny bit too much today, hehe."

He scratched his head and laughed.

Several black lines appeared on Chiye Jun's forehead. A tiny bit... That's eight bowls! In my previous life, you could have been a food streamer...

Konoha Village's prices were not particularly high, to be fair.

The cheapest ramen cost only sixty ryo.

But.

Chiye Jun had spent all his money on ninja tools and weighted lead blocks.

He only had a little over two hundred ryo left in his pocket...

Looking at Naruto's cheeky grin, Chiye Jun glanced out the window and came up with a plan.

He touched his wallet and revealed a sly smile.

Naruto felt as though he had entered paradise.

"It's so great knowing you... I haven't had ramen this delicious in so long. Let's come here often from now on!"

Eating his favorite Ichiraku Ramen, with someone else paying for it—this was Naruto's happiness.

"Jun, I really made you spend a lot today. Sorry..."

Pop!

A soft sound was his response.

The blond boy looked at the seat beside him, and the smile on his face instantly froze.

Then he bared his teeth in fury.

"Bastard!"

Chiye Jun, who had been sitting beside him moments ago, was gone. In his place was a travel frog plush toy.

It was a sample displayed in the window of the toy store across the street.

Clearly.

Chiye Jun had used the Substitution Technique... and slipped away!

Naruto was on the verge of losing his mind.

Normally, even eating one bowl of ramen would leave him strapped for cash for the next few days.

But today there had been eight bowls!

And they were all extra-large portions...

"Thank you for your patronage, customer."

Ayame bent down with a warm smile, extending her slender hands toward Naruto.

Fortunately, Ichiraku's owner was an honest, kindhearted man who took good care of Naruto.

Whenever he saw him, he would sometimes ask kindly, "Naruto, want me to make you some noodles?"

This time, Naruto could only put it on credit again...

This little incident did not affect their relationship. Instead, it brought them closer.

Their personalities were similar, and they soon spent every day glued to each other.

Chiye Jun also taught Naruto some internet slang from his previous life.

Naruto learned it with great enthusiasm...

There were still half a month until the start of the next month, when the money would arrive.

"If only there were Huabei and Jiebei..."

Chiye Jun suddenly had an idea and ran to the blacksmith shop.

Since he had quit as an apprentice, the blacksmith uncle was now drenched in sweat as he worked the bellows.

Chiye Jun took out an electric blower from the space warehouse!

"Uncle, this is more efficient!"

Then he demonstrated how to use it.

The flames in the furnace indeed burned more fiercely, while also saving manpower.

In the end, he traded it for 1,000 ryo!

Haha!

He had money!

Just then, the system popped up and issued a new sign-in mission.