"Hey there, young man, it seems like it's your first ti here." Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ran, squinted his eyes and smiled at nma, "Would you like to recomnd so popular signature dishes?"
"Oh, it's not my first ti, Teuchi-san." nma snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the squinting chef with his small cook's hat, casually ordering a bowl of ran: "One miso chashu ran, no naruto, extra nma, please."
"Huh?" Teuchi tilted his head in confusion, scrutinizing the boy in front of him… he had no mory of him at all.
"My apologies, young man. Maybe I'm just getting old." Teuchi scratched his head awkwardly before grinning again, "Then, as an apology, I'll pile on extra 'nma' for you!"
In Japanese, nma ans bamboo shoots, while naruto ans fish cake.
Perhaps due to the influence of the Limited Tsukuyomi World, nma also disliked fish cakes and had a particular fondness for bamboo shoots instead.
While waiting for Teuchi to prepare his ran, nma focused intently on the conversation between the two Konoha's Ninjas next to him.
However, whether it was because they had run out of information or because nma, an 'outsider', was now present in the shop, the two Ninjas didn't continue their earlier topic. Instead, they switched to casual gossip.
They even started discussing the newly published adult romance novels from the neighboring bookstore.
The topic was so scandalous that nma had to reach up and push down the little Nine-Tails, who couldn't resist poking her head out from the collar of his fox-patterned sweater.
'When was Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise published again?' nma recalled that Icha Icha Paradise, the most famous romance novel in the Ninja World, beca an instant hit upon release. If it had already been published, these two Ninjas would likely be discussing it too.
"Here you go, young man, your miso chashu ran is ready." Teuchi's voice snapped nma out of his thoughts as he placed a steaming bowl of ran in front of him.
nma stared at the thick layer of bamboo shoots covering the noodles, the rich aroma of the broth filling his nose. Picking up his chopsticks, he dug in eagerly.
Having spent the past three years in this world stuck in an orphanage, he had never had the chance to eat anything else.
At this mont, nma was like a prisoner who had been released after serving his sentence, slurping down the ran with gusto.
His enthusiasm even caught the attention of the two Ninjas nearby.
However, seeing that he was just a boy without a forehead protector, wolfing down ran like a starving ghost, they quickly lost interest.
After finishing the entire bowl, nma set down his chopsticks, patted his stomach, and let out a long sigh.
Even with the Transformation Technique active, his real body was still that of a child. Eating this much was bound to leave him stuffed.
"Glad you enjoyed it!" Teuchi chuckled, his eyes crinkling.
As a ran chef, seeing a custor's satisfied expression after a al was the highest praise he could receive.
"I'm leaving the money here." nma placed a 1,000 Ryo bill on the table and stood up to leave.
Teuchi picked up the money and watched the other party's back as he left. He always felt that there was sothing strange about this person.
After stepping out of Ichiraku Ran, nma walked leisurely toward the Hyuga Clan's compound, guided by his mories.
"Now that I'm full, a little exercise won't hurt." nma muttered as he pulled out a white three-eyed fox mask and put it on.
…
Hyuga Clan's compound.
A Ninja covered with a cloth mask sneaked into the Hyuga Clan's house.
'Too easy.' Looking at the little girl sleeping soundly on the bed, the masked Ninja took out a handkerchief soaked in anesthetic from his arms and pressed it against the girl's face.
Once the drug took effect, he scooped her up and swiftly retreated.
Shh-shh-shh…
Within the Hyuga Clan's compound, the masked Ninja dashed swiftly, holding a little girl in one hand.
Seeing that he was about to escape from the Hyuga Clan's compound, the masked Ninja beca more and more excited.
"Perfect timing. The show's about to begin." A voice suddenly rang out.
The masked Ninja jolted in shock, skidding to a halt as he looked up.
On the wall ahead stood a figure, gazing down at him with an air of superiority.
'Damn it! Was I discovered?' The masked Ninja's expression beneath the cloth twisted abruptly, but he quickly steeled himself for death.
This was part of their plan, after all!
'Wait! He's not a Hyuga Clan's Ninja?' The masked Ninja saw suddenly noticed that the man before him was wearing a mask on his face, and his attire did not have the Konoha's forehead protector.
'But why was this person here? What was his purpose?'
Before the masked Ninja could think further, several figures landed around him.
"Who are you?! How dare you trespass into the Hyuga Clan's territory!" Hyuga Hiashi, accompanied by several guards, appeared between the masked Ninja and the mysterious masked man.
"Hizashi! Hold off the masked man! I'll save Hinata first!" Hiashi ordered one of the Jonin beside him.
The priority now was rescuing the kidnapped Hinata.
"Understood!" Hizashi bowed slightly, veins bulging around his eyes as he activated the Byakugan and charged toward the masked man standing atop the wall.
"So eager to fight? Aren't you going to ask what I'm here for?" nma blocked Hizashi's Gentle Fist strike with one hand while casually evading his attacks along the wall.
No matter how tricky Hizashi's Gentle Fist angles were, the mysterious man seed to predict his every move, effortlessly dodging each strike.
He countered all of Hizashi's attacks with just one hand.
anwhile, Hizashi grew more and more alard. His opponent acted as if he knew exactly which Chakra Points the Gentle Fist targeted, reinforcing them with Chakra beforehand… making his strikes feel like hitting solid steel, completely ineffective at sealing the enemy's Chakra!
In over twenty years, he had never faced such an adversary!
'Damn it! Why is he so skilled?!' Hizashi realized with shock that the mysterious man was frighteningly familiar with his Gentle Fist, to the point where it felt like sparring against his clan's head himself.
On the street below, Hiashi rushed forward and dealt a heavy blow to the masked Ninja.
His initial plan was to cripple the enemy and interrogate him about which force had sent him.
But the masked Ninja suddenly rushed forward, deliberately exposing a fatal point to Hiashi's fist.
Bang!
The masked Ninja was sent flying. The mont Hinata slipped from his grasp, Hiashi swiftly caught her mid-fall.
"Hiashi-sama!" The other guards quickly gathered around him.
"Is he dead?" Hiashi handed the unconscious Hinata to a guard and approached the fallen masked Ninja, checking his neck, only to confirm he was already dead.
When Hiashi removed the mask and saw the Kumogakure's forehead protector he was wearing, his expression darkened instantly.
'Kumogakure's Ninja?'
"Isn't this the Kumogakure's envoy who just arrived yesterday?"
The two Hyuga guards also recognized this man and looked at their clan's head with so uneasiness.
'Why would a Kumogakure's envoy, who should have been at the Third Hokage's banquet, appear inside the Hyuga Clan's compound?'
After only a brief mont of shock, Hiashi imdiately turned his attention to the masked man still battling Hizashi!
"Hizashi! Capture him alive!" Hiashi's veins bulged as he barked the command.
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