Tsunade sat to the side, the muscles at the corner of her mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Once again, her understanding of the boy in front of her had been completely upended.
They had known each other for less than two minutes, and yet somehow, Jaxon had already thrown Minato Namikaze into a complete daze.
"Thank you so much for trusting me! And thank you for supporting my dream, Jaxon! I promise I'll not only pursue my goal but enjoy every bit of the journey as well!"
Minato jumped off his seat, bowed deeply in gratitude, and returned to his chair with a beaming face. The sincerity in his voice was undeniable.
However, he failed to notice the subtle, knowing smile curling at the edge of Jaxon's lips. This sort of quiet satisfaction wasn't something a child like Minato could yet comprehend.
"Lady Tsunade, your two bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen are ready!"
Teuchi emerged from the kitchen with practiced ease, setting two steaming bowls in front of them. The aroma quickly overtook the scene, effectively interrupting the emotional atmosphere.
Minato's eyes widened as he caught sight of the overflowing ingredients in their bowls.
The ramen was practically drowning in toppings—thick slices of pork, perfectly boiled eggs, spiraled fish cakes, and a generous drizzle of oil and sauce. It looked more luxurious than anything he'd expected.
"I humbly partake..." Tsunade said, putting her hands together before picking up her chopsticks.
Beside her, Jaxon didn't bother with any ceremony. He grabbed his chopsticks, shoved them into the noodles, pulled up a tangled strand, blew on it lightly, and slurped it down.
"What an impolite brat."
Tsunade didn't voice it, but she inwardly scolded him for his lack of manners.
"Wow!"
"This tastes amazing!"
Jaxon's eyes lit up as he savored the broth-soaked noodles. The surprised delight in his voice wasn't faked.
In his mind, no matter how good the so-called Ichiraku Ramen was, he had expected it to be average—certainly not enough to warrant such a strong reaction. But it was delicious, shockingly so.
It was on par with some of the best dishes he had eaten in his previous life.
Considering how chaotic the shinobi world was, food innovation was never its focus. And yet here, in this humble ramen shop, someone had crafted something this satisfying.
"Thank you for your kind words!" Teuchi's grin widened in response to the compliment.
Even if he didn't know who Jaxon really was, anyone accompanied by Princess Tsunade clearly wasn't just some random customer.
"Hey, Uncle Teuchi, if your ramen is this good, then how come your shop looks so run-down?"
"Well," Teuchi replied, understanding what Jaxon was getting at, "it's just me and my son running the place. Even if we had a bigger shop, we couldn't manage the extra load. This is just right for us."
"That does make sense," Jaxon nodded thoughtfully.
Then, as if an idea suddenly struck him, he leaned forward.
"Uncle, how about this—I pay you tuition, and you teach a few of my family's older servants to make ramen. Don't worry—they won't open any shops within Konoha, I promise."
"Huh?"
Minato nearly dropped his chopsticks. His ramen had just arrived, and before he could take a bite, this outrageous suggestion hit him like a thunderclap.
To him, Jaxon was someone destined to be a legendary ninja. So why was he suddenly talking about... ramen apprenticeships?
"Kid," Tsunade interjected, raising a curious eyebrow, "you don't seem like someone who's short on money."
"I'll pay ten million Ryo," Jaxon said calmly, raising one finger. "I want to give the old servants in my household a chance—a real shot to change their fates. In this world, even survival can be a form of hope."
His tone was completely serious.
Teuchi blinked, speechless. Before he could react, his son Ichiraku—bare-chested and dusted with flour from kneading dough—rushed out from the kitchen.
Eyes sparkling with excitement, Ichiraku stared at Jaxon with disbelief.
However, the moment he saw Jaxon's young face, the hope in his eyes dimmed a little.
Ten million Ryo? That was more money than he and his father could earn selling ramen for two lifetimes.
"If you both have no objections," Jaxon said nonchalantly, "the money will be delivered tomorrow. All I ask is that you teach them with care."
He returned to eating, completely unaffected by their stunned silence.
"Father, what are we waiting for?" Ichiraku whispered, struggling to contain his excitement. "We have to agree!"
Teuchi sighed deeply.
If this were just any ordinary kid, he'd have dismissed the offer without a second thought. But the presence of Tsunade changed everything.
The fact that she didn't object or look the least bit surprised spoke volumes. If anything, she looked like she expected something like this.
"All right," Teuchi finally said after a long silence, nodding.
Jaxon didn't even look up from his bowl, but his body suddenly froze.
The reason for his pause wasn't Teuchi's agreement—it was something else.
Something unexpected... and yet, somehow, entirely natural.
Suddenly, he burst into laughter—loud, hearty, and completely unrestrained.
Everyone around him stared in confusion.
"Don't worry," Jaxon said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, "the money will arrive tomorrow. But your shop is way too small. I'll talk to the Hokage about buying this land for you and expanding the place. A proper ramen academy deserves better."
He hadn't even eaten half his bowl before he hopped down from his chair.
"Tsunade, finish up quickly! I'm going back to rest!"
He called out to her casually, then walked off toward the stairs at the back without bothering to say anything else.
"Lady Tsunade..." Ichiraku hesitated, voice trembling slightly. "That boy... is he really capable of doing what he just said?"
Tsunade put down her chopsticks and sighed.
She glanced over at the empty seat Jaxon had just vacated.
"That brat is unreliable, impulsive, and completely out of line half the time," she said softly. "But when it comes to money? He wasn't exaggerating. To him, it's just a number."
Ichiraku's eyes widened again, but his father's sudden, stern voice cut through the moment.
"Ichiraku!"
Teuchi's tone snapped him to attention.
"No matter what happens in the future, our duty is to take care of this shop. Don't get too ambitious. Understand?"
"I understand, Father..." Ichiraku looked down, chastened.
The old ramen chef turned away, wiping his hands on his apron.
But behind his calm exterior, his heart was beating fast.
Ten million Ryo. A brand-new shop. Ramen disciples.
He had never dreamed any of this would be possible.
And yet... thanks to one eccentric child who had walked through his doors with Tsunade, the future had suddenly cracked wide open.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)