No way.
Did he really have to announce their names?
Kakashi instantly felt a headache coming on. As if things weren't bad enough, he spotted his old friend, Guy, in the crowd, already flexing enthusiastically.
Yep. It could definitely get worse.
Meanwhile, Itachi radiated a silent but very clear murderous intent.
His little brother was about to be publicly humiliated.
There was only one acceptable response: violence.
The four unlucky contestants exchanged glances, coming to an unspoken agreement.
Step One: Let Satoru make a fool of himself.
Step Two: Beat him to a pulp later.
Before they could dwell on their impending vengeance, Naruto—blissfully ignorant of the looming storm—grinned.
"Do we really need names? Just start with me!" he declared. "I'm definitely gonna win!"
The crowd murmured excitedly, their curiosity piqued. Nobody questioned how a Uchiha ended up as the event host. They just wanted to see the spectacle.
Who could possibly be brave (or foolish) enough to take on Ichiraku's super ramen challenge?
Satoru let the suspense build before finally delivering the bombshell:
"Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Shisui, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hatake Kakashi!"
Silence.
Then, disbelief.
Then, outright shock.
Uchiha… in a ramen-eating competition?
Wasn't this the same clan known for their untouchable, brooding superiority? Since when did they lower themselves to something so… normal?
Even worse—Hatake Kakashi, the infamous Copy Ninja, was also participating?
A few whispered that it made sense for Naruto, but nobody was dumb enough to say it out loud.
The silence shattered when a very distinct voice cut through the crowd.
"Kakashi, my eternal rival!" Guy's teeth glinted. "Your youthful spirit burns brightly today! I shall cheer for you with all my passion!"
Kakashi, who had been quietly mourning his dignity, slowly slumped forward, letting his hair droop in sheer resignation.
This is a nightmare.
Up in the VIP section, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, thoroughly entertained.
Uchiha Fugaku, however, was considerably less amused.
"Hokage-sama, I'm surprised you'd take time out of your busy schedule for this."
"Oh?" Hiruzen smiled, puffing on his pipe. "What's wrong with a little fun?"
His expression remained unreadable as he added, "Besides… you're here too, Fugaku."
Fugaku's eyebrow twitched.
He wasn't here by choice.
His son—his disaster of a son—had personally invited him to be a judge.
At the time, Fugaku had briefly considered disowning Satoru on the spot.
If not for the fact that Hokage-sama and Akimichi Chōza had also agreed to judge, he would have never come.
And now, thanks to Satoru, the world was witnessing the downfall of Uchiha dignity.
Suppressing a sigh, Fugaku forced a neutral expression.
"I came because my sons insisted," he lied.
Hiruzen gave him a knowing look but didn't call him out.
Instead, he simply laughed.
"Now then—let the competition begin!" Satoru's voice rang through the air.
And with that, the chaos began.
—
Bowls the size of summoning scrolls were placed before the five unfortunate contestants.
Naruto's eyes sparkled. "This is the super ramen?"
He could barely see over the edge of the bowl.
"Alright, let's go!" Naruto grabbed his chopsticks, ready to dive in.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha trio sat frozen, feeling the burning gaze of their clan head.
Under Fugaku's scrutiny, they hesitated.
The three of them slowly lifted their chopsticks, put some noodles in their mouths… and struggled to swallow.
They weren't choking because of the portion size.
They were choking on shame.
If they weren't under direct observation, they would have abandoned this competition immediately.
Instead, all they could do was endure—while mentally plotting their revenge against Satoru.
This humiliation will not be forgotten.
—
(A/N: Don't Forget To Add In Your Collection And Support via Powerstone)