Ichiraku Ramen

He had used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as a ninja from another village to test Naruto and Sasuke's reactions. He had taken Moegi as bait, but Naruto caught up with him before he had run very far. Then his neck went numb.

Then everything went black.

Iruka subconsciously raised a hand to touch the side of his neck. Feeling a patch of bruising that had not fully faded, he could not help showing a complicated, bitter smile.

"Naruto, I never expected you to become this strong. Before I could even react, you knocked me out."

There was gratification in Iruka's tone, as well as a trace of indescribable disappointment.

A teacher was naturally happy when his student surpassed him, but the feeling of being slapped dead on the beach was bound to sting the first time.

"Iruka-sensei, don't do this again."

Naruto set down the basic taijutsu textbook in his hands and looked at Iruka. "This time, I knocked you out. What if I misjudged the situation and failed to hold back?"

"What if I'd thrown a kunai instead of using a knifehand strike?"

Iruka froze for a moment.

He had originally thought Naruto would proudly brag about how he had caught up and defeated him in a single move.

That was what the Naruto he knew did best.

But Naruto did not do that now.

He merely reminded him to be careful, in an utterly ordinary tone.

After taking a moment to process it, Iruka smiled softly.

Naruto really had changed.

Naruto pulled his chair a little closer. Watching Iruka sit up in bed and lean against the headboard, he handed him a cup of water.

Iruka accepted the cup and took a sip to wet his throat, then cleared it.

"The Chunin Ninja Exams... you already know about them, don't you, Naruto?"

"Though we haven't received official notice yet, the atmosphere in the village lately already says enough."

Naruto nodded. "And just now, I ran into some Genin from Sunagakure. We had a direct encounter."

"Sunagakure? Did you fight?"

Iruka sat up slightly straighter, concern immediately appearing on his face.

"Not really. There was a minor conflict, but neither side suffered any losses, and no one was disrespectful."

Naruto briefly recounted what had happened in the street: Konohamaru had bumped into someone, Naruto had stepped in to stop things, the other side had backed down, and the Sunagakure ninja had left on their own.

Iruka sighed in relief after listening, but his expression remained serious. "The Genin Sunagakure sent this time aren't simple."

"The person in charge of them is Jōnin Baki. I saw his name at the registration office yesterday. He holds a high position within Sunagakure."

"The candidates he personally led definitely won't be weak."

Naruto nodded without replying.

Of course he knew Sunagakure's candidates were not weak. Gaara was the strongest candidate in this year's Chunin Ninja Exams, without question.

And Baki was not only the Jōnin leading Gaara's group, but also Sunagakure's public liaison for the Konoha Crush Plan.

But that was how the plot would unfold next. This was not the time to discuss such matters with Iruka.

"Back to business."

Iruka set down his cup, his expression turning solemn. "Naruto, your Jōnin instructor, Kakashi, has already submitted the Chunin Ninja Exams application forms for the three of you."

"The main reason I put on that little act today was because of this. I wasn't at ease about you participating in the Chunin Ninja Exams, so I wanted to personally test your strength and your ability to handle unexpected situations."

"The result... how should I put this?"

Iruka gave a bitter smile. "Every one of you exceeded my expectations, especially you, Naruto."

Naruto did not act modest. He merely smiled faintly. "I went to the Land of Waves and experienced some things."

"I saw what real ninja battles looked like, and I saw how truly powerful ninja survived on the battlefield."

"I guess that was when I started feeling like I'd wasted too much time in the village before."

Iruka looked at Naruto and remained silent for a long time.

He had taught Naruto for several years. From Naruto's first day at the Ninja Academy, to when he had stolen the Scroll of Seals for his make-up exam, to when he had finally put on his forehead protector and been assigned to Team 7, Iruka had been there for every stage.

He understood better than anyone what kind of environment Naruto had grown up in.

Precisely because he understood, the gratification and pride welling up inside him as he looked at Naruto now were so intense that his nose stung.

"Naruto..."

Iruka's voice softened. "You've grown up..."

Iruka straightened up in bed and patted his knee. "Even though you nearly broke my neck today, your teacher can still afford to treat you to a meal."

"Come on. Ichiraku Ramen, all you can eat."

Naruto smiled from the bottom of his heart.

As night fell over Konoha's streets, streetlights lit up one after another, their warm yellow halos spreading across the stone-paved road like a rippling river of light.

Iruka and Naruto walked side by side toward Ichiraku Ramen. The shops around them were closing for the night one after another, while the emblem on Ichiraku Ramen's noren stood out especially clearly in the darkness.

The aroma of broth drifted out from behind the curtain, fragrant enough for the whole street to smell.

Iruka lifted the noren, and Naruto ducked in after him.

Ichiraku was wiping bowls. Hearing the curtain move, he looked up, and the instant he spotted that blond head, his eyes lit up.

"Yo! Isn't that Naruto? Long time no see!"

"Long time no see, Uncle Ichiraku."

Naruto took a seat on a tall stool and smiled.

In Konoha, Ichiraku Ramen was one of the few places where the original Naruto did not have to watch other people's expressions.

Ichiraku and his daughter had never treated him differently because he was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. His money was money, and everyone else's money was money. Here, he was no different from any ordinary customer.

The original Naruto had regarded Ichiraku Ramen as one of the most important things in his life. Aside from Iruka, Uncle Ichiraku and his daughter were probably the only two people he could be completely at ease around.

Naruto remembered that feeling of being treated sincerely in his heart as well.

"Uncle, two bowls of your signature tonkotsu ramen!"

"Uncle, add bamboo shoots to mine!"

Iruka sat down beside Naruto and held up two fingers.

Naruto added his own request.

"Huh? Bamboo shoots?"

"Coming right up, two signature tonkotsu..."

Though puzzled, Uncle Ichiraku still grabbed his noodle strainer, his movements smooth and practiced.

Before long, two steaming bowls of tonkotsu ramen were set before Iruka and Naruto. Each bowl was filled nearly to overflowing, with no fewer than five slices of chashu arranged on top.

"Let's eat..."

Iruka broke apart his chopsticks and pressed his hands together.

Naruto did the same, then picked up a bundle of noodles, blew on them, and put them into his mouth.

The noodles were springy, and the tonkotsu broth was rich without being greasy. It tasted exactly like the ramen the original Naruto had eaten in his memories, but this was the first time Naruto himself had tasted it with his own tongue.

He picked up another slice of chashu. The balanced fat and lean meat melted in his mouth, while the half-set yolk of the soft-boiled egg flowed out and coated the noodles. One bite filled him with satisfaction.

"Well? Tastes pretty good, doesn't it?"

Watching Naruto's expression as he ate, Iruka asked with a smile.