After leaving the Senju clan's territory, Uchiha Ryun went to a place often mentioned in fanfictions, Ichiraku Ramen.
Ichiraku Ramen was not yet a fixed storefront like in the anime, but a small food cart where the noodles were freshly made and cooked on the spot.
Even so, the cart was surrounded by villagers and shinobi, bustling with activity.
"Teuchi! One bowl of your signature tonkotsu ramen! I've been on a mission for a while, and I've been craving this!"
"Hey, boss! Among all the ramen stalls, I still think yours is the best! Two bowls of miso chashu ramen! My grandson was crying and begging me to buy some!"
"Teuchi, your skills are amazing! How did you come up with these flavors? Give me a bowl of the signature tonkotsu ramen too!"
The voices in front of the cart were noisy, but this scene made Uchiha Ryun realize just how popular Ichiraku Ramen really was.
A young man wearing a white flat-topped hat worked energetically. "Alright, everyone! The most delicious Ichiraku Ramen is coming right up!"
As he spoke, the man took out a pre-prepared ball of dough in front of everyone. The dough was clean and uniform in shape, making people smile just by looking at it.
Then, he steadied his stance and began stretching the dough repeatedly in front of the crowd. Soon, the dough became evenly thick ramen noodles.
After this step, the man placed the noodles into a pre-prepared bone broth and began preparing the toppings: pre-made narutomaki and boiled eggs, sliced evenly.
After about four minutes, the man fished out the noodles, poured the broth over them, and placed the narutomaki and eggs into a paper bowl.
Finally, he handed it to the shinobi who had just returned from a mission. The man smiled sincerely and kindly. "You've worked hard. I added an extra egg for you. Stay safe on your missions from now on!"
The shinobi was stunned for a moment, then his eyes reddened as he bowed. "I will! I'll come back next time!" He then sat at a nearby table, eating while tears streamed down his face.
The man smiled and nodded before continuing to make ramen. Everyone probably guessed it by now—this was the man who would appear throughout the entire Naruto series, Teuchi.
Well, not yet "Uncle Teuchi," but rather "Brother Teuchi," as he still looked young. However, his kindness was already evident at this point.
He was just a small street vendor, not particularly wealthy, yet he was willing to give an extra egg to a shinobi who had worked hard for the village.
This showed his love for the village and his respect for the shinobi who risked their lives for its safety.
This scene was noticed by all the customers in front of the cart, and they couldn't help but smile. This boss was a good person!
"Next! Your miso chashu ramen! I added extra noodles since your grandson loves to eat!" Teuchi's voice was bright and full of energy.
Watching this, Uchiha Ryun nodded. No wonder he was successful. No wonder he was so popular. In this world, bosses like him were rare!
Uchiha Ryun looked up at the sky. The setting sun was like fire, dyeing the entire Konoha Village in shades of orange. Looking at Teuchi and the villagers' smiles, his lips also curled upward.
Peace is truly wonderful, Uchiha Ryun thought.
"Ah, peace is truly wonderful!" A voice came from beside him.
Uchiha Ryun turned to look. A shinobi with rare white hair appeared. Under the glow of the setting sun, his expression looked incredibly gentle. He wore a green jōnin combat uniform and walked toward Uchiha Ryun.
"You are… Lord Sakumo!" Uchiha Ryun recognized the man's hair and features immediately. His first thought was of Kakashi, but at this point in time, Kakashi was probably still a child. So this man must be Hatake Sakumo!
Although Hatake Sakumo was a jōnin, his strength was undeniably at the Kage level. His mastery of the Hatake sword style was unparalleled, and even the Third Hokage would not be able to defeat him easily in a fight.
His fame began during the Second Shinobi World War against Sunagakure. In order to obtain intelligence, he single-handedly killed Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law, only to discover that they were protecting their child, Sasori, rather than any intelligence.
He earned his title, "Konoha's White Fang," and his strength as a Kage-level shinobi was widely recognized.
This event caused Sasori's personality to shift from innocent and kind to gloomy and cruel. Chiyo's hair turned white overnight, and she hated Konoha's White Fang with a burning passion!
"Oh? You've heard of me?" Hatake Sakumo scratched his head. Although he was strong, he didn't recall ever meeting this kid before.
Uchiha Ryun nodded. "Lord Sakumo, your swordsmanship has reached perfection. The Hatake sword style, paired with your White Fang, strikes fear into your enemies."
"Hahaha, those are just rumors. Don't take them too seriously!" Hatake Sakumo had just returned from the Hokage's office. Passing by Ichiraku Ramen, he saw Uchiha Ryun and, moved by the scene, decided to talk to this junior.
"Lord Sakumo, I…" Uchiha Ryun was about to say something when his stomach growled.
"Gurgle…" Uchiha Ryun's face turned red. This was so embarrassing. His first meeting with a legendary shinobi, and this was how it went.
Damn stomach! He couldn't help but feel frustrated.
Hatake Sakumo laughed. "Alright, kid. Since we've met by chance, let me treat you to some ramen!" He then looked toward the Ichiraku Ramen cart.
"Teuchi! One bowl of miso ramen and one bowl of tonkotsu ramen!" Hatake Sakumo's voice was loud, drawing everyone's attention.
The shinobi recognized Hatake Sakumo and bowed respectfully, while the villagers looked curiously at Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Ryun.
Teuchi's eyes lit up when he saw him. "Coming right up!"
With that, Teuchi got to work. Hatake Sakumo waved his hand, signaling everyone to go about their business, then turned to Uchiha Ryun.
"I don't know what flavor you like, so I ordered both types of ramen Teuchi offers. You can choose the one you prefer, and I'll take the other. I'm not picky." Hatake Sakumo smiled.
Uchiha Ryun's heart warmed at this. Sakumo was so open and friendly. If there was a chance in the future, he would try to help him. He couldn't let him die as tragically as in the original story!
Teuchi worked quickly. In less than ten minutes, two steaming bowls of ramen were ready. Hatake Sakumo took them and asked Uchiha Ryun, "Which one do you want?"
Uchiha Ryun glanced at the tonkotsu ramen first. The meat looked huge, making him swallow his saliva. Then he looked at the miso ramen, which had much less meat.
So, Uchiha Ryun pointed at the miso ramen.
Hatake Sakumo saw through this immediately and smiled. "I just had grilled meat for lunch, so I'm a bit tired of it. I'd prefer the miso ramen."
He then handed the tonkotsu ramen to Uchiha Ryun. Uchiha Ryun was stunned. He wasn't a child anymore and understood that Hatake Sakumo had done this on purpose.
His heart warmed as he looked at Hatake Sakumo, who was still smiling gently. "Take it, kid. Let's eat and chat!"
He pointed to a nearby table and chairs. Uchiha Ryun took the tonkotsu ramen from Hatake Sakumo, feeling a warmth in his heart.
"Thank you, Lord Sakumo!" Uchiha Ryun said sincerely.
Hatake Sakumo blinked. "No need to thank me." His voice was warm, like a gentle breeze…
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