"Alright, alright—stop acting like a kid."
Wen Lan patted Akamaru on the head. Only then did the dog finally calm down.
They continued strolling through the streets, except now they had two extra tagalongs following behind.
Before long, noon arrived, and the two people with three dogs stopped at Ichiraku Ramen.
Wen Lan had eaten at this famous place more than once. To be fair—it really was delicious.
The broth, the noodles—everything was perfectly balanced.
At this point in time, Ichiraku Ramen was still very much a home-style shop. The front of the house had a simple platform set up, with stools placed outside.
Teuchi was still quite young, and Ayame was only a four-year-old girl.
Even so, she was already helping her father with work.
Wen Lan lifted the noren curtain embroidered with the words Ichiraku Ramen, sat down, and called out,
"Uncle Teuchi, five super–extra-large deluxe sets!
And charge for three extra bowls."
"So it's you again, Wen Lan! Just a moment!"
Teuchi started making the ramen while Ayame helped prepare the toppings.
The deluxe set meant everything—crab sticks, chashu pork, seaweed, shrimp—basically every topping available.
Inuzuka Hana curiously glanced at Teuchi, then at Wen Lan.
"Wen Lan, are you really close with the owner?"
"We are," Teuchi chuckled as he chimed in.
"After all these years, he's the first customer who never says 'Itadakimasu' before eating."
"Oh come on, I just don't like that pointless habit," Wen Lan waved his hand casually.
"If you want to thank the chef, just say thanks directly. Why make it so complicated?"
Truthfully, another important reason Wen Lan liked coming here was that he never felt the anti-Uchiha hostility in this place.
"Hahaha!" Teuchi laughed loudly but didn't argue.
Everyone had their own habits—there was no need to force them on others.
"Your side dishes are ready," Ayame said as she brought out several small plates.
These were complimentary extras for the deluxe set.
Wen Lan's eyes rolled mischievously as he grinned.
"Hey, little Ayame, go grab me a bottle of beer."
"No way!" Ayame shot back, hands on her hips.
"Brother Wen Lan isn't an adult yet—minors aren't allowed to drink!"
"Says who?"
"My dad! He said drinking is bad!"
Wen Lan turned helplessly toward Teuchi.
"Uncle, give me one."
Teuchi looked even more helpless than Wen Lan. Then he sighed and said to Ayame,
"Go get him one."
His squinted eyes opened slightly as he added, "Just one bottle."
"Okaaay!"
In the ninja world, there wasn't really such a thing as underage drinking.
In wartime, plenty of people died before ever growing up.
There were regulations for shinobi, but those were about moderation, not prohibition.
Ayame popped open the beer and slammed it on the counter, arms crossed angrily.
"Pay up!"
In her eyes, it was like Wen Lan had bullied her dad—no way she was giving him a nice face.
Wen Lan took out the money. Inuzuka Hana hurriedly tried to pay instead, but Wen Lan pressed her hand down and laughed.
"I'll get it. If you hadn't told me about the sale today, I wouldn't have gotten those weights so cheap."
Seeing how firm he was, Hana didn't insist further.
Not long after, the ramen arrived.
Each of the three dogs got a bowl, and they immediately buried their heads in it.
Wen Lan slurped up his noodles enthusiastically.
In Japanese culture, the louder you slurped, the more it meant you appreciated the food.
Wen Lan did make noise—but not exaggerated on purpose.
Teuchi was already used to this sight.
After eating and drinking their fill, Wen Lan and Hana went their separate ways to train.
Early the next morning, Wen Lan's alarm went off.
After washing up, he rushed to the agreed meeting spot.
When he arrived, Might Duy and Might Guy were already drenched in sweat doing push-ups!
Their posture was… bizarre.
Might Duy was doing push-ups on the ground, while Might Guy was lying on top of his father, also doing push-ups.
"Oh! Kid, you're here!"
Might Duy noticed him and signaled Guy to get off.
The two stood up and stretched.
Wen Lan stared at them in disbelief.
"I wasn't late… When did you guys get here?"
"Not long ago," Might Duy said cheerfully.
"Just a little warm-up. You should warm up too—soon we'll be running five laps around Konoha!"
"Five laps?!"
Wen Lan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
One lap around Konoha's perimeter was nearly a hundred kilometers.
Five laps meant around five hundred kilometers!
"That's right!" Might Duy gave a thumbs-up.
"And no chakra allowed!"
Wen Lan instantly regretted coming.
"For youth! Let's go!"
Watching the father and son dash off, Wen Lan clenched his teeth and chased after them.
At first, he could keep up.
But gradually, his chest began to ache with every breath, his throat burned, and his breathing sounded like a broken bellows.
Even using Breathing Techniques barely helped.
After three hours, they finally completed one lap.
But when Wen Lan looked again at Duy and Guy—
They were running on their hands, hopping upside-down, just to match his speed.
Pure humiliation.
His competitive spirit exploded.
As long as I don't die, I'll run myself to death—who are you looking down on?!
Wen Lan gritted his teeth and kept going, but eventually his body truly gave out.
Exhaustion.
Dizziness.
His clothes felt like they'd been pulled straight out of water.
His vision began to darken.
Running turned into jogging.
Jogging into walking.
By the final lap, he was dragging his legs.
Meanwhile, Duy and Guy would sprint ahead, then stop to train in place until Wen Lan caught up—
Then sprint again.
Absolutely inhuman.
No wonder you two can use the Eight Gates!
In all of Konoha, fewer than five people can do that!
Who else trained like this?!
With this kind of endurance, even Uchiha Madara could be dragged to death just by racing them!
Finally, they reached the end.
Wen Lan couldn't hold on anymore. He collapsed face-first onto the ground like a dead dog, tongue hanging out, gasping desperately.
Might Duy hurried over and helped him up.
"Kid, get moving! You can't rest immediately!"
Wen Lan didn't even want to talk anymore.
He stared at Duy with dead fish eyes and whispered weakly, "Just let me die."
Seeing that Wen Lan was completely spent, Might Duy could only squat down and massage his arms and legs.
Might Guy, meanwhile, clicked his tongue, his eyes clearly saying:
You sure you're okay? Weakling.
Wen Lan didn't even have the strength to retort.
Fine. Call me weak. I really can't move anymore.
Might Guy tossed out one last line:
"I'm going to find Kakashi."
Then he turned and left.
—------------------------------
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