Chapter 112: Defeating Asuma with a Flick of the Finger, Encounter with Kurenai
The undercurrents in Konoha grew increasingly turbulent, but all of this seemed to have nothing to do with Uchiha Akira. In the afternoon, he changed into a simple black casual outfit and walked on the bustling street like an ordinary villager.
Ichiraku Ramen. This small shop, revered as a "holy land" by countless people in his previous life, now seemed to possess a unique charm. Pushing aside the curtain, a rich aroma of bone broth wafted over.
"Welcome!" Teuchi greeted him warmly.
There weren't many people in the shop. Akira naturally sat down in a corner. "Boss, 1 bowl of miso ramen."
"Coming right up!"
His gaze inadvertently fell upon the blond kid next to him, who was slurping his noodles with his head down. Uzumaki Naruto. His tender face still had a few uncleaned whisker-like marks, and he was eating with sweat on his brow, his cheeks puffed out like a hamster hoarding food.
Uchiha Akira quietly watched Naruto.
[Ding! Target detected: Uzumaki Naruto.]
[Potential Rating: SSS (Asura's Incarnate, Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Child of Prophecy)]
[Current Status: Extreme Desire for Recognition (High), Malnutrition (High), Chakra Disorder (High)]
[System Evaluation: An unpolished ace, but requires proper guidance.]
"Ramen's here!" Teuchi placed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of Uchiha Akira.
Naruto seemed attracted by the aroma, looked up, and saw the large piece of chāshū in Akira's bowl, instinctively swallowing. His bowl was already empty.
"Old man, another bowl!" Naruto touched his shriveled toad wallet in his pocket, calling out with a hint of uncertainty.
"Little guy, your wallet doesn't seem to have enough," Teuchi said with some difficulty.
Naruto's face instantly turned red. The gazes of the surrounding diners drifted over, subtly, carrying undisguised disgust.
"Fox demon…"
"Stay away from him…"
Naruto lowered his head, his eyes misting over. Just then, a hand pushed a bowl of ramen, full of chāshū, in front of him.
"Eat."
Naruto abruptly looked up. It was the black-haired, seemingly aloof older brother from the next table.
"Wh-why?" Naruto asked blankly.
"You're pleasing to the eye," Uchiha Akira's answer was simple and blunt.
Akira picked up his chopsticks and slowly ate his own noodles. Naruto looked at the ramen in front of him, then at Uchiha Akira, hesitating for a long time, until the "grumbling" in his stomach finally overcame his pathetic self-esteem.
"Thank you, big brother!" He picked up his chopsticks and ate ravenously.
"What's your name?" Akira suddenly asked.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto answered indistinctly, his mouth full of noodles. "My future dream is to become Hokage! And then, to make everyone acknowledge me!"
Akira's eating motion paused. He didn't mock this unrealistic dream like others did. He just looked at Naruto calmly.
"The Hokage is not the strongest person in the Village. The Hokage is the one who can bear the pain and hope of everyone in the entire Village and still keep going."
Naruto was stunned. It was the first time he had heard someone explain "Hokage" like that.
"Eat your fill," Akira picked up the last piece of chāshū from his own bowl and gave it to Naruto. "If you want to bear the burden of others, you must first stand firm yourself."
After saying that, he put down the money, stood up, and prepared to leave. A good start, indeed.
Outside a dessert shop not far away, Sarutobi Asuma, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, was playfully pestering a red-eyed, black-haired female shinobi. Yūhi Kurenai's face showed obvious embarrassment and annoyance, but she couldn't bring herself to lash out.
"Kurenai, don't be so uncooperative," Asuma blew out a smoke ring, trying to put his arm around her shoulder. "Just 1 drink; I recently found a really good izakaya."
His tone carried a sense of self-evident superiority. "My father is still the Hokage, after all."
Kurenai turned sideways, deftly avoiding his hand, her brows furrowed even tighter. "Asuma, I told you, I'm busy. And please, in the future, don't use Hokage-sama's name to do such things."
"Hey, how can you be so..." Asuma was somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, about to say something more.
A figure appeared in front of him without warning. It was Uchiha Akira. "What are you looking at?" Asuma pulled another cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it with an arrogant posture. "Kid, if you don't want trouble, scram."
His word "scram" was not yet finished when Akira moved. No one saw his movements clearly. Everyone only saw a blur flash by. The next second, the newly lit cigarette, still sparking, that was in Asuma's mouth, had disappeared. It appeared between Akira's thumb and forefinger.
"Scram! Don't let me see you harass her again!" As the words fell, Uchiha Akira flicked his finger lightly.
Whoosh— The burning cigarette shot out, precisely embedding itself into a wooden utility pole more than 10 meters away. Sizzle… The cigarette butt was still emitting smoke, and a small, visible hole was burned into the pole.
The arrogance on Asuma's face instantly froze. What terrifying force was this? Cold sweat dripped from his forehead onto the ground.
Just as Asuma was stunned, a cold hand gripped his throat. Akira, with 1 hand, lifted Asuma into the air.
Asuma's feet kicked weakly in mid-air, his hands desperately trying to pry off Uchiha Akira's hand. His face turned a purplish-red from lack of oxygen, his eyeballs bulging and bloodshot.
"Next time, it won't just be a warning."
The next second, the strength gripping his throat suddenly vanished. Asuma was casually tossed out like a bag of garbage, falling heavily to the ground.
"Cough… cough, cough, cough!" Fresh air rushed into his lungs, bringing a sharp burning pain. Asuma lay on the ground, coughing violently, tears and snot smearing his face. He was in a sorry state. The instinct for survival overwhelmed all dignity and pride. Asuma scrambled to his feet, using both hands and feet to escape, stumbling and nearly falling again.
Akira turned around, preparing to leave.
"Please… please wait a moment!" A clear, yet slightly trembling female voice, sounded from behind him. It was Yūhi Kurenai.
Akira stopped. His gaze fell on Kurenai, and her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. She composed herself and bowed deeply to Akira.
"I am Yūhi Kurenai! Thank you very much for your help."
Akira nodded faintly. "It was nothing!" He then intended to leave.
Seeing this, Kurenai gathered all her courage and spoke again. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. "Um… I still don't know your name."
The air became quiet again. This time, however, there was a subtle, inexplicable ambiguity. Uchiha Akira looked at her. Kurenai had a head of black curly hair and a pair of eyes as brilliant as rubies, looking at him with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
"Uchiha Akira." He uttered 2 words.
This name… The new clan head of the Uchiha, who had integrated the entire Uchiha Clan with thunderous methods. Uchiha Akira, secretly referred to as "Tyrant" and "Ambitious." It was this man… in front of her.
Kurenai's gaze subconsciously re-evaluated the man in front of her. Completely different from Asuma, who was like a persistent nuisance, Uchiha Akira wore simple black casual clothes, his figure tall and straight. His face was sharply defined, excessively handsome.
The rumored image of a cold-blooded, ruthless man who regarded human lives as grass, and the man in front of her who casually taught the Hokage's son a lesson for the sake of an unknown female shinobi, could not be reconciled. Kurenai's heart thumped! Thumped! Thumped! Her face felt warm.
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