Chapter Summaries

The judges tasted Hongle's ramen and then the Ichiraku family's, whose noodles stayed remarkably springy and whose broth overwhelmed everyone with its flavor. The judges began awarding Ichiraku full scores, leaving the competition result unannounced.

• The judges scored Hongle's ramen, giving it a total of 78 points.
• The judges examined Ichiraku's ramen and were astonished that its noodles remained springy after sitting for more than six minutes.
• The judges tasted Ichiraku's noodles and broth, and many described the experience as extraordinary.
• Naruto reassured Aunt Ichiraku that the judges' stunned reactions were normal.
• Hongle's three apprentices tasted Ichiraku's ramen and admitted it surpassed their master's in flavor and chewiness.
• The officiating old man began scoring Ichiraku's ramen, and the judges started giving it full marks.

Naruto helped Aunt Ichiraku defeat Hongle in the ramen competition with her Peerless Noodle, then guided her to reveal that Hongle had supplied its crucial ingredient. The chapter left the crowd stunned as Ichiraku publicly credited her rival.

• The judges awarded Ichiraku's ultimate ramen 103 points, beating Hongle's 78 and retaining Ichiraku's title as Konoha's top seasoning ramen.
• Naruto prompted Aunt Ichiraku to name the dish the Peerless Noodle, thrilling the gathered ramen chefs.
• ANBU and Root Ninjas noted Naruto's status as Ichiraku's disciple and monitored the announcement.
• Naruto signaled Aunt Ichiraku to reveal that the Peerless Noodle depended on a crucial ingredient brought back by Hongle.
• Aunt Ichiraku publicly named Hongle as the source of the ingredient, leaving the crowd in disbelief.

Naruto helped Ichiraku and Hongle form a ramen partnership, then walked with Sasuke toward the Uchiha Clan Compound and asked to visit her home. Sasuke challenged him to prove he was not afraid as they approached the dark compound.

• Aunt Ichiraku invited Hongle to partner with Ichiraku House, and Hongle accepted after hearing Naruto cheer him on.
• Ichiraku announced that the Peerless Noodle recipe would be published in three months, though two main ingredients were unavailable in the Land of Fire.
• Naruto and Sasuke left the competition grounds together and headed toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
• Sasuke complained that Naruto had not improved her strength and threatened to end their temporary relationship unless she made substantial progress within a month.
• Naruto asked Sasuke to take him to her house, and she challenged him to follow her into the dark Uchiha Clan Compound.

Naruto visited Sasuke’s home in the Uchiha compound and persuaded her to show him her sister’s room. Sasuke agreed after Naruto accepted her request to accompany her to the clan burial ground the next day.

• Naruto followed Sasuke through the silent Uchiha compound to the clan leader’s residence, where Sasuke showed him her room.
• Naruto asked to see Sasuke’s sister’s room, but Sasuke refused and activated her one-tomoe Sharingan when he asked about it.
• Naruto offered to use one of the two favors Sasuke still owed him, and Sasuke agreed on the condition that he accompany her to visit the clan burial ground.
• Sasuke led Naruto to her sister’s mostly emptied room, warned him not to touch anything, and returned to her own room.

Naruto searched Itachi's room and found a strand of hair that could serve as material for Impure World Reincarnation. After Sasuke gave him mourning attire for the next morning's memorial, Naruto left the Uchiha compound and sensed that two people were watching him.

• Naruto found a family portrait of Sasuke's family in Itachi's room.
• Naruto pried up floorboards beneath Itachi's vanity and stored a strand of hair in his system space as a contingency for Impure World Reincarnation.
• Naruto left Itachi's room after considering the dangers he would face if he pursued his own path.
• Sasuke changed into mourning attire and gave Naruto a spare set to wear to the memorial the next morning.
• Naruto left the Uchiha compound and sensed two distant gazes watching him before heading toward Ichiraku Ramen.

Naruto recruited Ichiraku and Hongle to help build his culinary ambitions, supplying them with MSG, barbecue recipes, equipment plans, and seasonings. They agreed to keep their master-apprentice relationship discreet while preparing to open a barbecue stall beside Ichiraku Ramen in three days.

• Naruto urged Ichiraku and Hongle to dream beyond becoming Konoha's Number One Chef and imagine becoming the World's Number One Chef.
• Naruto said that, if he became a professional chef, he would build a country founded on food culture, startling Ichiraku and Hongle.
• Naruto gave them five hundred catties of Lotus MSG and handed Hongle an Exquisite Barbecue Recipe and a grill design blueprint.
• Naruto told Ichiraku and Hongle to treat him publicly as a part-time apprentice at Ichiraku Ramen so they could avoid unwanted attention.
• Naruto gave Hongle one hundred catties of barbecue seasoning and told him to open a barbecue stall in front of Ichiraku Ramen within three days.

Naruto reviewed his plans, then kept the Nine-Tails absorbed with a dramatic story while withholding its ending. After training the next morning, he dressed in the mourning garment Sasuke had given him and headed to the Uchiha Clan Compound.

• Naruto checked his system points and reviewed his plans for future business and defection preparations before falling asleep.
• Naruto told the Nine-Tails a modified fantasy story about a fox and stopped at a cliffhanger, leaving the Nine-Tails furious and demanding the rest.
• Naruto woke feeling exhausted, then shouted that he would become Hokage and gained negative points from nearby villagers.
• Naruto trained for two hours, returned home, changed into the mourning garment Sasuke had given him, and went to the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Naruto accompanied Sasuke to mourn her parents at the Uchiha cemetery, where he noticed the graves of the clan’s Sharingan-wielding ninja and Root’s surveillance. After spending the weekend with Sasuke, Naruto saw his marketing campaign draw a large crowd to Ichiraku Ramen, and he brought her inside as more customers arrived.

• Naruto gained negative emotion points from villagers while wearing mourning clothes, then met Sasuke at the Uchiha compound and followed her to the clan cemetery.
• Sasuke mourned her parents and vowed to avenge them, while Naruto counted the graves he believed belonged to Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan; Root ninjas recorded their visit.
• Naruto and Sasuke spent the weekend together, and Naruto helped Hongle improve Ichiraku’s food and promoted its barbecue with flyers.
• Naruto and Sasuke arrived at Ichiraku Ramen to find a long queue and crowded tables, then entered as more Ninja Academy students and parents came to the shop.

Naruto and Sasuke helped Ichiraku Ramen and Hongle's barbecue stall handle a huge crowd, then Naruto took Sasuke home and cooked her a steak dinner. The chapter ended with Sasuke enjoying the meal despite insisting it was only so-so.

• Naruto disguised himself and joined Aunt Ichiraku in making ramen while Sasuke helped Ayame prepare orders.
• After two hours, Ichiraku Ramen and Hongle's barbecue stall sold out, and Naruto told them to hire more helpers for the next day.
• Naruto left with Sasuke, bought expensive ingredients, and brought her home to cook dinner.
• Naruto teased Sasuke into washing his laundry by arguing that cooking and doing the laundry made sense for a couple.
• Naruto served Sasuke a Dream Steak Set, and she was impressed by its dishes even as she claimed the taste was only so-so.

Naruto Uzumaki sparred with Sasuke and arranged to train with her again the next morning, then returned to the seal to continue his story for the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails became so eager to hear the ending that it offered Naruto some of its chakra to help him recover.

• Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke sparred for about twenty minutes while Root members watched Sasuke.
• Sasuke asked Naruto Uzumaki to train with her the next morning and told him to meet her at the Uchiha main gate.
• Naruto Uzumaki returned home, practiced chakra, and later entered the Nine-Tails' prison to continue his story.
• Naruto Uzumaki stopped the story at a dramatic moment, prompting the Nine-Tails to urge him to continue.
• The Nine-Tails offered to split off some of its chakra to help Naruto Uzumaki recover so he could finish the story.

Naruto continued telling the Nine-Tails a story, then trained with Sasuke before arranging to bathe and change at Sasuke’s home. Sasuke was annoyed by Naruto’s insistence but could not bring himself to push him away, and they hurried toward school.

• Naruto soothed the Nine-Tails with his story until morning, when his consciousness returned to the real world before he could finish.
• Naruto collected 300 negative emotion points and went to meet Sasuke at the Uchiha Clan Compound.
• Sasuke raced Naruto to their Training Ground, where they refined chakra, practiced, and sparred until Sasuke’s timer rang.
• Naruto told Sasuke he needed to bathe and change at his home before school, and Sasuke reluctantly agreed to take him there.
• Sasuke reflected that Naruto’s company had made his loneliness harder to bear, then hurried him along so they would not be late for school.

Naruto followed Sasuke back to the Uchiha compound, where he teased Sasuke into washing his dirty clothes and then hung them on the Uchiha gate to dry. Sasuke discovered the clothes blocking the clan name and chased Naruto down the road.

• Naruto returned to Sasuke's house, where Sasuke told him to bathe before they went to the Uchiha main gate.
• Naruto teased Sasuke while undressing, and Sasuke kicked him out of the room after he made a scene.
• Naruto pressured Sasuke into washing his dirty clothes in the pond, then Sasuke bathed and changed while Naruto left for the gate.
• Naruto hung his wet clothes across the Uchiha gate and waited for Sasuke to arrive.
• Sasuke saw the clothes blocking the Uchiha characters, exploded in anger, and chased Naruto as he ran away.

Naruto defied Iruka after the teacher suddenly scolded him for sleeping in class, and he went back to sleep despite the class watching. As combat practice began, Sasuke stayed behind and woke Naruto, who thought it was time to eat.

• Naruto and Sasuke rushed into the Academy with Iruka and entered the classroom together, drawing their classmates' attention.
• Iruka loudly forbade Naruto from sleeping in class, and Naruto challenged his sudden concern and told everyone not to disturb him.
• Iruka concealed his anger and began class, while Sasuke, Hinata, Ino, and Sakura wondered why Naruto had become so furious.
• Naruto slept through the rest of the lesson, and Hinata later approached him but chose not to wake him.
• When Iruka led the class to combat practice, Sasuke stayed behind and shouted that school was over; Naruto woke up asking if it was time to eat.

Naruto and Sasuke skipped class to cook together, but Naruto’s teasing led Sasuke to beat him with a broom. Naruto eventually agreed to cook the spicy chicken Sasuke wanted, and Sasuke settled back into arranging the ingredients.

• Sasuke woke Naruto and left school with him to buy ingredients for a meal.
• Naruto and Sasuke realized they had left during the third period and decided not to dwell on it.
• Naruto teased Sasuke about wanting to make him his, so Sasuke pretended a spider was on Naruto’s head and struck him with a broom.
• Naruto admitted he had bought the ingredients to test new dishes for Ichiraku House, but he angered Sasuke again by calling him little.
• After Sasuke beat Naruto and finished arranging the ingredients, Naruto agreed to cook spicy chicken when Sasuke threatened him with another imaginary spider.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a meal of Naruto’s Chinese dishes, and Sasuke was impressed by the braised pork but overwhelmed by the spicy chicken. After Sasuke lost a bet and asked Naruto to soothe his burning mouth, Naruto suggested a kiss, sending Sasuke storming away.

• Naruto served Sasuke braised pork and dry-fried chili chicken, which Sasuke tried despite his suspicions about the unfamiliar ingredients.
• Sasuke praised the braised pork and worried that Ichiraku and Hongle might betray Naruto if he gave them the recipe.
• Naruto and Sasuke ate the chili chicken, and Sasuke’s mouth went numb while his lips swelled from the heat.
• Sasuke cleared the table and washed the dishes after losing a bet with Naruto.
• Sasuke asked Naruto how to ease the numbness, and Naruto proposed that they kiss; Sasuke angrily rejected him and returned to the kitchen.

Naruto reviewed his system resources and worried that his spending would leave him short on money, then teased Sasuke after Sasuke struggled with the effects of eating spicy food. They headed back toward the Ninja Academy, with Sasuke still acting uncomfortable and refusing to explain why.

• Naruto checked his system panel and saw that he had 1,578 silver taels remaining after spending heavily on ingredients.
• Naruto considered his restaurant ventures and planned how to earn more money before the end of the month.
• Sasuke asked Naruto to help with his red, swollen lips, and Naruto explained that spiciness caused a pain sensation with no quick fix.
• Sasuke worried about what their classmates would think of his appearance and went out onto the balcony to get some air.
• Naruto invited Sasuke to move in if he liked the balcony so much, then left with him for afternoon classes after waiting ten minutes.
• Naruto asked if Sasuke was acting strangely because Aunt Flo was visiting, but Sasuke turned away and insisted he was fine.

Naruto arrived at the Academy with Sasuke, whose swollen lips led the class to assume Naruto had kissed him and provoked the other students' anger. After Iruka restored order and class ended, Shikamaru approached Naruto for another shogi match, and Naruto set up his board and invited him to choose how to play.

• Naruto and Sasuke rushed into the Academy just before class, and Sasuke's swollen lips drew the students' attention.
• The class mistakenly assumed Naruto had kissed Sasuke, and students challenged and threatened Naruto until Iruka ordered them to settle down.
• Iruka declared the rest of the period self-study, and Naruto slept through it until dismissal.
• After class, Shikamaru walked toward Naruto as the other students waited for a confrontation.
• Naruto took out his folding shogi set and invited Shikamaru to choose how they would play.

Naruto encouraged his classmates to pool a large Shogi wager, while concealing his confidence in his board-game skills. Unable to cover the 5,500-silver-tael stake himself, he turned to Sasuke to borrow the money.

• Ino and the other students raised the stakes, pooling their money on Shikamaru while Naruto pretended to fear losing.
• Hinata worried about Naruto, told Kiba Inuzuka and Shino that he had rescued her when they were children, and called Sasuke Naruto's girlfriend.
• Shikamaru added 1,800 silver taels, bringing the pooled wager to 5,500, and warned Naruto to find enough money to cover it.
• Naruto explained that he could borrow the stake and walked over to Sasuke, the only classmate he believed could lend him that much.

Naruto borrowed 5,500 silver taels from Sasuke to fund his shogi wager with Shikamaru, teasing Sasuke and provoking their classmates along the way. He then joined Shikamaru, who chose to set up their next endgame position.

• Naruto asked Sasuke for 5,500 silver taels, and Sasuke made him beg before lending him a wallet containing 9,600 taels.
• Naruto joked that he would repay Sasuke with his body if he lost, earning negative emotion points and angry reactions from their classmates.
• Shikamaru urged Naruto to stop arguing and get on with their match.
• Naruto went to play Shikamaru, who insisted on setting up the endgame position himself.

Naruto defeated Shikamaru at shogi, exposed the flaw in Shikamaru’s setup, and left the classroom with the students’ wager money. He returned Sasuke’s wallet and led him out by the hand as the students mourned their losses.

• Shikamaru challenged Naruto to a new endgame and played as red while Naruto took black.
• Naruto outmaneuvered Shikamaru, who conceded and acknowledged Naruto’s skill.
• Naruto showed Shikamaru that the endgame setup was flawed and defeated him again in five moves.
• Naruto collected the wager money, returned Sasuke’s wallet, and led Sasuke out of the classroom.
• The students reacted with dismay as they realized they had lost their money.