"Sorry to keep you waiting, Naruto! Here's your Miso Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen."
Inside Ichiraku Ramen, steaming hot vapor mixed with a rich aroma wafted towards him. Uncle Ichiraku, smiling, brought over a bowl of ramen emitting white steam. Thick slices of golden chashu pork were generously laid over the noodles, and a perfectly halved soft-boiled egg, cut into a crescent moon shape, shimmered invitingly.
"Thanks, Uncle."
Naruto took the bowl with both hands, thanking him with feigned calmness. He stared at the slightly swaying noodles in the bowl, trying hard to control his facial muscles.
…Just as I expected! Just as I expected! Just as I expected!
No, I can't laugh yet… At least not until I get home!
Just now, the moment Naruto stepped into Ichiraku Ramen, a clear notification sound rang in his mind.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, Host: You have established a bond (Level 5) with the original character 'Teuchi (Uncle Ichiraku)'!"
"Points obtained: 500 points!"
Indeed!
He suppressed the urge to punch the air in celebration, lowered his head, and slurped a mouthful of noodles. The piping hot broth exploded on his tongue, and a familiar sense of happiness instantly filled his chest—but what made his heart race even more at that moment was the soaring number on the system interface.
I didn't expect this bond to reach Level 5… Worth five hundred points!
That's right, if one were to list Naruto's earliest bonds, Uncle Ichiraku would definitely be at the top. From the time he was a child ostracized by the villagers, this small ramen shop was the only place where he wouldn't be met with disgusted looks.
It seems the deeper the impact on the plot, the more points are gained; the bond level is essentially a manifestation of favorability.
Although Uncle Ichiraku's bond level was as high as 5, five times that of Satsuki, the points obtained were also 500. However, thinking about it carefully, in terms of the degree of influence on the original plot, no one could compare to his future rival and best friend—Uchiha Sasuke… or rather, Uchiha Sasuke now.
In this world, besides his deceased parents, Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina, Uncle Ichiraku was the first person to actively and selflessly show kindness to Naruto.
You see, in an era where even some ninjas who didn't understand the full story showed aversion towards Naruto, Uncle Ichiraku, as an ordinary person, never believed the rumors of a "demon fox," but simply warmed the lonely Naruto with his kindness.
It could be said that Naruto ultimately didn't go down a dark path, and besides Iruka, Uncle Ichiraku's contribution absolutely cannot be overlooked.
Despite having already eaten his bento, Naruto still ravenously stuffed ramen into his mouth. The hot noodles, coated in rich broth, and the chashu pork, fatty yet not greasy, truly lived up to the reputation of Konoha's old establishment. Even the Hokage frequently visited this shop; the taste was indeed impeccable.
However, for a three-year-old who had just eaten a bento, finishing an entire bowl of ramen was quite a struggle. Halfway through, Naruto's movements noticeably slowed, his small belly already round and distended.
Uncle Ichiraku poked his head out from the kitchen, squinting as he asked, "What's wrong, Naruto? You're having such a hard time eating. Is today's ramen not to your liking?"
"No, it's not!" Naruto quickly shook his head. "Uncle's ramen is as delicious as ever! It's just…" He scratched his head sheepishly. "I brought a bento today and ate it, but I didn't feel full, and now…"
Uncle Ichiraku smiled knowingly and said kindly, "I see, you didn't get the portion size of your bento right. But it's good that the ramen tastes fine. If you really can't finish it, it's okay to leave some; it wouldn't be good to upset your stomach."
But Naruto shook his head firmly. "No, I'll finish it."
Ichiraku was visibly surprised, though it was hard to see any change in his expression through his squinted eyes. Naruto, meanwhile, buried his head and started eating heartily again. Although he paused for a few seconds after each mouthful, he persevered until the very last drop of broth was consumed.
"Thank you for the meal!"
Naruto patted his distended little belly contentedly, skillfully counting out 75 ryo from his small coin purse and neatly placing them on the table.
Then Uncle Ichiraku collected the bowls and chopsticks, saying with a hint of reproach, "Naruto, children really can get stomach aches from overeating like this. Why didn't you leave some? It's just a bowl of ramen."
Naruto lowered his head. "…Because it's so delicious, I didn't want to leave any."
"That's a pleasing reason," Uncle Ichiraku wiped his hands, his squinted eyes showing concern, "but you can't use it as an excuse to harm your body."
"Hmm…" Naruto looked up, his azure eyes sparkling with sincerity. "Then, can I use the excuse that Uncle's ramen is very healing?"
"Healing?" Uncle Ichiraku smiled helplessly and shook his head. "That's a bit of an exaggeration. Ramen is delicious, but it's not quite to that extent, is it?"
"No, I'm serious." Naruto suddenly sat up straight, his small face filled with solemnity. "Because Uncle Ichiraku's ramen really is very healing."
His voice gradually lowered: "The first time I came to eat Uncle's ramen… I didn't know why at the time, but the villagers wouldn't sell me anything. It was raining that day, and they wouldn't even let me in to take shelter…"
Uncle Ichiraku's movements paused. The memory vividly resurfaced: that small figure soaked by the rain, standing alone outside the shop, his golden hair plastered to his pale cheeks, looking utterly pitiful.
"My stomach hurt from hunger, and I was shivering from the cold…" Naruto continued. "Uncle was the one who called me into the shop. He even treated me to a hot bowl of ramen…"
His voice suddenly became cheerful, and a bright smile bloomed on his face: "That's when I realized, ramen eaten on an empty stomach is such an amazing thing!"
"So—" Naruto leaned on the table with both hands, his eyes sparkling, his voice filled with unconcealed excitement, "Every time I eat Uncle's ramen afterward, I feel especially happy and warm inside! That's why, every bowl of ramen Uncle makes for me, I absolutely don't want to leave even a bit!"
When he finished speaking, Uncle Ichiraku turned around, his back to Naruto, his shoulders shaking slightly. He deliberately spoke in a helpless yet somewhat doting tone. "Alright, alright, I guess you've convinced me. When you put it that way, there really is no way to leave any ramen…"
From an angle Naruto couldn't see, Uncle Ichiraku raised his rough palm and quickly wiped his slightly warm eyes. Then, he pulled a small card from his apron pocket and carefully wrote a line of text with a ballpoint pen.
"Here, Naruto." He turned around and handed the card to Naruto, his squinted eyes full of smiles. "Take this."
Naruto's eyes widened. "This… could it be!"
Uncle Ichiraku nodded, his voice gentle. "That's right. There's nothing that makes a chef happier than someone who loves his ramen this much. Consider it… a special gift for a customer who truly appreciates good food."
The card read in clear handwriting:
"Ichiraku Ramen Special Invitation Ticket"
"Miso Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen (one serving)"
"Valid: Permanent"
It was Naruto's favorite flavor.