The curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was pushed aside, and the rich aroma of pork bone broth wafted out, instantly awakening the hunger pangs in their stomachs.
"Welcome!" x2
The bandana-clad owner, Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku... no, it was Teuchi and his daughter Ayame, who greeted them warmly.
"Owner, one extra-large bowl of Char Siu Miso Ramen!" Inuzuka Kiba shouted impatiently as soon as he sat down, feeling that only good food could alleviate the shock he had just experienced.
"I'll have Salted Ramen," Shino said concisely.
"I... I... I want a regular bowl..." Hinata said softly.
"Wait, how can one regular bowl be enough?" Hansen stopped Kurenai Yūhi, who was about to order for herself, and added, "Get Miss Hinata twenty super-sized bowls of Deluxe Ramen. I'll just have one."
"Eh?" x N
Not only Kurenai Yūhi, Kiba, and Shino, but Teuchi and Ayame were also stunned for a moment, looking at Hinata curiously.
The gentle main family young lady's face instantly flushed red, and white smoke even seemed to rise from her head.
Heaven knows how Mr. Hansen knew about her astonishing appetite, which she had always hidden so well!
To this, Hansen, who did good deeds without seeking recognition, gave Hinata a 'you're welcome' look.
You must have worked hard, going on missions all day on an empty stomach!
After all, she was an amazing existence who could finish 46 bowls in thirty minutes in an eating competition. Although she hadn't reached her peak form yet as a minor, even cutting off more than half, twenty bowls were still easily manageable for her.
Seeing that Hinata didn't deny it, Kurenai Yūhi didn't stop her and ordered a bowl of Pork Bone Ramen for herself. Everyone then waited quietly.
Soon, steaming bowls of ramen were brought out.
Hinata, who had become the center of attention due to Hansen's bold move, took a deep breath, as if she had made some kind of decision.
She picked up her chopsticks and quietly said, "I'm eating," then began to eat with elegant movements, yet so quickly that her hands became a blur.
Under the stunned gaze of Teuchi, his daughter, Kurenai Yūhi, and the others, the empty bowls on the table piled up at a visible speed.
She ate extremely fast, yet not a single drop of soup splashed out, and even the sound of her eating noodles was barely audible, forming a strong contrast with her storm-like eating capacity.
"Delicious!"
On the other side, Hansen finished the last sip of soup, letting out a satisfied breath of white air, "Owner, your craftsmanship is excellent. Are you interested in opening a branch? I'm willing to invest the full amount."
"Haha, you're joking, customer," the squinty-eyed Teuchi said with a chuckle, "I'm already content to run this small shop until my daughter is capable of taking over completely."
"Is that so? What a pity."
Hansen sighed regretfully, then looked at the shocked Kurenai Yūhi and said, "Speaking of which, are there any interesting things happening here recently? I see the street seems quite lively."
Kurenai Yūhi snapped out of it and nodded, "Yes, Mr. Hansen. In a few days, it will be the Joint Chunin Selection Exam."
"At that time, elite genin from various ninja villages will gather in Konoha to participate in this grand event."
Hansen raised an eyebrow: "Oh? The Chunin Exam!"
"That's right!"
Inuzuka Kiba immediately perked up at this, no longer studying where Hinata had put so many bowls of ramen, and patted his chest, boasting, "Our Team Eight will definitely pass this time! Let those guys see how powerful we are!"
Aburame Shino nodded silently in agreement.
On the face of the main family young lady, who was still happily eating, a hint of anticipation and nervousness also appeared.
Chunin Exam... Sand Village... Orochimaru... Recalling the old memories deep in his mind, Hansen completely locked down the timeline, and the smile on his lips became more playful.
It seems this trip won't be too boring.
Just then, the curtain of the ramen shop was pushed aside again.
"Yo! This place is also full of youthful sweat and deliciousness!"
A man in a green jumpsuit, with a bowl cut and thick eyebrows, walked in with three children who also had peculiar appearances.
It was Might Guy and his Team Three.
"Guy-sensei! Ramen! Ramen!" The young boy, Rock Lee, with equally thick eyebrows and a bowl cut, shouted excitedly.
Following behind them were a girl with a bun hairstyle and a stern young boy with white eyes.
Neji.
His gaze swept around and immediately fell on Hinata in the corner, his already serious expression becoming even colder.
"Ah, it's Kurenai. I didn't expect you all to be here!"
Guy casually found a seat and greeted Kurenai.
Neji's gaze lingered for a moment on the mountain of empty bowls piled in front of Hinata. A flicker of imperceptible surprise crossed his always-tense face.
But he immediately regained his cold and aloof expression, only the hostility and disgust in his pure white eyes grew stronger.
"Hmph, as the young lady of the Hyuga main family, to be gorging herself without any grace in such a simple place truly disgraces the Hyuga clan."
Neji's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying an undisguised sharpness.
It proved that when you dislike someone, even their breathing is wrong.
"Hey! What are you saying, you bastard!"
Inuzuka Kiba immediately bristled, slamming the table and standing up, glaring at Neji.
Akamaru also barked in agreement from his head, baring his puppy teeth, expressing support for his owner.
Hinata, who was eating like a storm, suddenly froze. Her small face instantly turned pale, her eyes, which had just been filled with happiness, quickly dimmed, and the chopsticks holding noodles in her hand stopped mid-air.
She instinctively lowered her head, wanting to shrink herself, and her timid appearance only deepened the contempt in Neji's eyes.
"Kiba, stop." Aburame Shino pushed up his sunglasses, blocking his impulsive teammate, and said in a low voice, "The fact is, this is an internal matter of the Hyuga clan."
"What internal matter! This guy clearly looks down on Hinata!" Inuzuka Kiba's face turned red with anger.
Kurenai Yūhi, frowning nearby, was about to say something when she felt a hand gently press on her shoulder.
Hansen had put down his chopsticks at some point and was looking at the white-eyed young boy with interest, his gaze playful.
"Neji, you must not be rude to your comrades."
Might Guy's thick eyebrows furrowed, and he reprimanded him with a serious tone.
Guy appeared to be reckless, but in reality, he was a person who was careful despite his rough exterior.
Although he understood his disciple's resentment, he immediately spoke up to stop him.
"Guy-sensei, I am merely stating a fact."
Neji's gaze moved away from Hinata, as if looking at her for another second would be an insult to himself.
"Fate is determined from the moment a person is born."
"Some people, even if born into the main family, are destined to be caged birds unable to soar in the sky. A failure is ultimately a failure."
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