Senju Haruto lifted the curtain and stepped into Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto trailing close behind.
The moment Teuchi, the owner, saw Naruto, his expression brightened with genuine joy.
And just as Haruto entered, his favorite sound rang in his ears:
Congratulations, Host! You've reached a sign-in location. Sign-in initiated!Exiting midway will count as failure.Progress bar starting...
1%23%
Instantly, Haruto perked up.
After completing two sign-ins before, he had grown fond of this strange helper. Every reward so far had been valuable, and now his heart filled with anticipation for what would come next.
77%100%Sign-in successful!Reward acquired: Mastery of the Lonely Gourmet.
Haruto blinked.
That wasn't what he expected.
He had assumed the reward would be something tied to the Naruto world — maybe chakra, nature transformations, Wood Release, or even a Sharingan.
Instead, it was… food-related?
Did that mean if he kept signing in, he could eventually get rewards from other worlds, not just the shinobi one?
"Come on, sit down already!"
Naruto's cheerful voice snapped Haruto from his thoughts. The boy was patting the stool beside him with enthusiasm.
"I'll have the tonkotsu ramen!" Naruto declared to the menu like a conquering hero.
"Two bowls, please," Haruto added as he sat down beside him. "My treat today. Eat as much as you want — don't worry about the bill. I'm rich."
"Really?!" Naruto's face lit up as he turned to Teuchi. "This is Haruto, my new friend!"
Teuchi's eyes softened immediately.
"So you've finally made a friend, Naruto?"
There was no trace of sarcasm — only warmth. And then, with arms folded seriously, he turned to his assistant:
"In that case, to celebrate Naruto making a friend, today's ramen is on the house!"
Haruto had originally planned to pay for Naruto's meal, but seeing Teuchi's attitude, he said nothing more.
Teuchi had always been one of the few villagers who never judged Naruto. He had quietly watched over the boy — who, every time, came in alone and left alone.
But today was different.
Now, Naruto wasn't alone anymore.
And for Teuchi, that was worth celebrating.
When there's someone you want to see, you're no longer truly alone.
Which is why today, Teuchi was fired up and cooking with real spirit.
"I'm telling you," Naruto said excitedly, "Teuchi-ojisan's ramen is the best thing in the whole world! Especially the tonkotsu ramen — I get it every single time!"
Naruto puffed out his chest like an expert critic. In the world of ramen tasting, he was Hokage-tier.
"Mhm," Haruto nodded approvingly.
Then, just as Teuchi turned to prepare the ramen, Naruto grew hesitant again.
"Hey… um…"
Haruto glanced over. "What is it?"
"I mean… can I…"
"No need to be nervous, Naruto. We're friends, right?"
Hearing the word "friends," Naruto took a deep breath. "Then… can I call you Haruto?"
In the Naruto world, names were important. Calling someone by their first name was reserved only for those with a close relationship — a show of affection and familiarity.
While Haruto had been calling him "Naruto" all along, for Naruto, this meant everything.
He had finally made a friend — a peer — someone who didn't avoid him, who didn't judge him, and now someone he could call by name.
But Haruto hadn't befriended Naruto out of pity.
Yes, part of it was the boy's lonely circumstances.
But it was also because Naruto, in his heart, was a good person.
After all, when Sasuke defected from the village, Naruto spent three years chasing after him.
Even after becoming Hokage, getting married, and having a family — he still never gave up on Sasuke.
That kind of loyalty… how many people could manage that?
If properly guided...
"Call me Senju Haruto," Haruto said with a soft smile, pulling himself out of his daydream.
"Senju Haruto?" Naruto tilted his head. "But why the Haruto part?"
"Ah, well…" Haruto paused, pretending to think. "Haruto's a name I've carried for over ten years. 'Senju' is from my previous life. But it feels weird to keep two separate names, you know?"
"So from now on, I'm going to live in the village with my full name — Senju Haruto."
He added, casually,
"'Haruto' means not forgetting who I am. No matter how powerful I become, I'm still just a normal person among the crowd."
Naruto's eyes sparkled. "That's so cool, Haruto!"
Just then, Teuchi placed two steaming bowls of ramen in front of them, arms folded across his chest like a seasoned chef in a white coat.
"I'm digging in!" Naruto clapped his hands together, full of anticipation.
Haruto followed suit, mimicking the traditional motion before picking up his chopsticks.
Every bowl of Ichiraku Ramen was made fresh to order. You could watch the noodles being boiled, flipped, and strained behind the open counter. The broth was ladled with precision, toppings arranged with care. Even seated, the rich aroma wafted around them.
The soft-boiled egg is the soul of this bowl — its delicate texture like a perfect onsen egg.The deep, savory broth is the true heart — simmered for over twelve hours using pork bones to unlock its full flavor.The narutomaki swirl and bamboo shoots provide signature bites of chew and crunch…
Without thinking, Haruto began narrating a full critique of the ramen in his mind — like a seasoned food critic.
But wait.
Where had all this knowledge come from?
He couldn't remember ever knowing this much about ramen before.
In the past, he'd just shovel it down and mutter, "Good."
It was the "Lonely Gourmet" skill.
Suddenly, it clicked.
The moment he started tasting the ramen, his brain had been flooded with vivid detail — from ingredient selection, cleaning techniques, regional variations, even ramen culture.
It wasn't just knowledge — it felt like instinct.
"Whoa…"
Naruto let out a stunned gasp. He had always thought he was the ramen expert.
But clearly, Haruto was on a whole other level.
When he turned to look at Teuchi…
The old ramen master was frozen — utterly slack-jawed.
Every single detail. Every step. Haruto's description had been flawless.
It was like he had been silently standing next to Teuchi the entire time, carefully inspecting every movement behind the counter.
But no… it wasn't just observation.
This wasn't something the naked eye could learn.
It felt… divine.
As if Haruto had been blessed by the god of ramen himself.
Teuchi declared silently in his heart:"I, Ichiraku, recognize you as the strongest!"
Naruto looked at Haruto with newfound reverence.
"Haruto, you're amazing…"
Haruto shook his head modestly. "It's nothing."
But deep down, he was thrilled.
This sign-in reward wouldn't make him stronger in battle — not directly, anyway.
But any food he tasted, he could now instinctively learn to recreate.
And this was just basic mastery.
What would happen if he reached perfection?
Sure, getting stronger was important… but so was enjoying life.
"But still…"
Just as Haruto was about to speak again, the curtain of Ichiraku Ramen fluttered open behind them.
A group of uninvited guests walked in.