The Crow Who Likes Ramen

Late at night.

Kitahara once again witnessed the meticulous nature of Uchiha Itachi... He actually climbed out of bed in the middle of the night to tuck a small blanket over a crow, and even whispered after Kitahara was startled by his movements: "I'm sorry, are you thirsty?"

"...Caw..."

Kitahara turned its head to look at the puzzled little boy. It had originally been thinking about many things: the source and activation methods of the Chakra and ninjutsu within its body, the crises and trends of the future ninja world... and... Uchiha Itachi...

Itachi of the Sharingan, he is still such a kind-hearted, natural airhead right now!

Kitahara gradually grew accustomed to life with Uchiha Itachi. Every morning, they would head to the woods for their routine shuriken and basic taijutsu training. In the afternoon, they would stroll around Konoha, occasionally visiting the bustling districts to have afternoon tea and listen to the stories of the ninjas.

Several of the techniques within its body had been activated... Based on its deductions, it indeed required someone to actively mention a technique in its presence. The problem was that the ninjutsu activated so far seemed a bit underwhelming...

Well, things like the Clone Technique and the Substitution Technique... So, does it only activate common, run-of-the-mill stuff?

Come to think of it, the Summoning Technique seems to be the same... a technique that any ninja can master.

Kitahara felt dejected for a few days, until it activated the Shadow Clone Technique, which improved its mood. This proved that it might be possible to activate a forbidden technique: the Multi Shadow Clone Technique.

At the small training ground in the woods.

Kitahara stood on a tree stump, struggling with a wild fruit that it had pecked full of holes... A gust of wind suddenly blew through the forest, sending dust and leaves flying, and the fruit flesh was stained by the dust...

"Caw!"

The crow's cry was filled with dissatisfaction.

A figure stomped hard on the ground and leaped into mid-air, throwing four shuriken that struck four wooden targets in succession. After landing, Uchiha Itachi saw the shuriken hit their marks and turned his head, saying: "Sorry, I'll treat you to cake later..."

"...Caw... Caw?"

Kitahara was still somewhat reluctant; the little boy clearly just wanted to reward himself!

Through their connection via Chakra, Itachi could understand what Kitahara meant. He scratched his cheek helplessly: "But if we go to Ichiraku Ramen, I'll feel very strange in my heart..."

After all, every time they went to Ichiraku Ramen, this crow's behavior was very rude! It would either stare at the owner or stare incessantly at some ninja customer. Itachi had tried to persuade it many times, but he couldn't see any change in Kitahara's attitude...

Besides, if they ate out, his mother would ask him if he wanted to change the menu... whether the food she cooked wasn't to his taste... His mother had to go to the hospital in the morning, so they could go once...

"Caw!"

Kitahara flapped its wings and knocked the fruit onto the ground... If it went to Ichiraku Ramen for the first time, it would be hard not to be attracted by Teuchi, right? Moreover, that place was one of the gathering spots for ninjas. Most of the ninjas in Konoha had been to Ichiraku Ramen; it was a place where it could activate the ninjutsu within its body.

Perhaps a ninja training ground would be more appropriate, but at Uchiha Itachi's age, it was unlikely he would be with other ninjas... Wait!

Kitahara realized that it had fallen into a wrong line of thinking. It could go to the ninja training ground by itself instead of quietly waiting for the little boy to grow up... Perhaps it was because Itachi took such good care of it that life had become too comfortable...

Shadow Clone Technique!

This was the technique it had newly activated yesterday, and it could come in handy right now.

"Huh?"

Itachi looked in surprise as Kitahara performed the hand signs for the Shadow Clone Technique, and he subconsciously followed the sequence to perform the technique... A B-rank ninjutsu was clearly quite difficult; it was impossible for Itachi to learn it successfully just by watching a simple hand sign, especially since his Chakra had already been exhausted after training.

"It's not a normal Clone Technique, it's a new technique." Itachi noted down the hand sign sequence of the crow's wings and patted his own shoulder: "Come on, let's go, let's go eat at Ichiraku Ramen."

"..."

To be honest, I am already... still very interested in Ichiraku Ramen!

Kitahara flapped its wings and landed on the little boy's shoulder. Its shadow clone had just flown near a training ground when it was pierced by a shuriken!

How could one just casually approach a ninja training ground... The targets used for ninja training were strange and varied. A crow suddenly approaching looked like a living target no matter how you saw it...

"We have to pick up Mom this afternoon, so we can't stay too long." Uchiha Itachi held Kitahara and placed it on the long table of the ramen shop before climbing onto a chair himself.

Kitahara nodded obediently, its sharp beak tapping on the menu: "Caw!"

"Teuchi-san, please give us one bowl of chashu ramen and one bowl of miso ramen."

"Got it! You've brought your crow to visit my shop again, Itachi-kun." Teuchi looked up at the strange duo on the table and took a small dish of soybeans from underneath, placing it in front of Kitahara: "It seems it really likes eating ramen!"

"...Yes, thank you for the trouble." The little boy bowed his head.

Teuchi shook his head helplessly: "You don't always have to be so polite, kid!"

Among the customers at Ichiraku Ramen, ninjas made up a large proportion, and most were quite forthright. Uchiha Itachi did not have the arrogance of other Uchiha clansmen. Even though he didn't come often, his politeness and the crow duo had left a deep impression on Teuchi.

There were fewer and fewer customers at Ichiraku Ramen. With the war against Iwagakure having just ended and the victory of the Third Shinobi World War basically secured, Konoha had accumulated a large number of commissions. There were also post-war tasks and the reconstruction of strongholds, all of which required ninjas to go out and execute.

Clearly, there was one person in Konoha who could not possibly leave the village to carry out missions under any circumstances... Konoha's ultimate weapon--the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Kushina.

"Itachi? Why are you here?"

"Kushina-auntie?" Uchiha Itachi was surprised and wanted to jump down to greet her, but was pressed on the shoulder by Kushina: "Kid, you don't have to be so reserved in front of me! You haven't answered my question yet? Where is Mikoto?"

"Mom said this morning that she was going to the hospital for a check-up..."

"Huh? Is Mikoto sick?"

"Mom and Dad said..." Itachi shook his head, recalling his parents' flushed faces that morning, and said: "It's just a routine check-up. Where is Namikaze Minato-sama?"

"I heard that those bastards from Kirigakure want to continue provoking war, so Minato went to carry out a mission..." Kushina held her forehead helplessly, radiating a heavy, gloomy pressure: "Cooking and all that is just too much trouble! After finally being able to..."

"Your noodles are ready!"

Teuchi served two bowls of noodles, placing one in front of Itachi and the other in front of Kitahara, before looking at the new customer: "What would you like to eat today, Kushina?"

"Tonkotsu ramen will do..." Her gaze was drawn to Kitahara, who was busy carving beans, and she pointed in surprise at the ramen in front of him, saying, "Does this crow like eating ramen?"

This was her first time seeing this kind of ninja beast!

Even with the Nine-Tails sealed inside her, having seen many ninja beasts and talking ninja dogs... but a bird that liked ramen just like a normal person was, to say the least...

Itachi couldn't understand it either, but... he could always find a suitable reason for any occasion: "It must be because Teuchi's ramen is very fragrant..."

Kitahara snapped out of his bean-pecking game, realizing that an incredible... person had arrived!

His crimson eyes suddenly turned to look at Kushina, piercing through all barriers to see a ferocious creature within—the creature with the most Chakra in the ninja world: the Nine-Tails.

Compared to the other Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails had it a bit rough; Konoha wasn't very interested in using its power, only because its reputation for ferocity was clearly on display... though that was debatable.

After all, the last time the Nine-Tails showed off its might, it was... controlled by Uchiha Madara, which didn't sound like a glorious affair... and of course, the so-called ferocity that followed was even less glorious... yes, being pinned to the ground and beaten up by Senju Hashirama.

Compared to future events, it was even less worth mentioning... the God of Shinobi, who had thrashed the Nine-Tails, felt its threat was a bit too great, so he had his wife, Uzumaki Mito, seal the Nine-Tails away.

Is that something a person would say? Is that something a person would do?

Ever since then, the Nine-Tails had been forced to begin its life as a tenant; currently, the Nine-Tails was living in the belly of its second landlord, where the environment wasn't great and the landlord collected rent irregularly...