The bustling commercial street teemed with life, crowded with both civilians and ninjas clad in their traditional garb.
In the wake of the war, Konoha—the most prosperous village in the ninja world—slowly began to regain its former vibrancy.
Satori Hyūga walked down the street, scanning newly opened shops, trying to pick a place to eat.
Following behind him were several young members of the Hyūga clan.
These young men were his students, trained by him in the New Gentle Fist technique.
Thanks to them, Satori's wallet had grown considerably heavier.
In line with tradition in the ninja world, Satori planned to treat them all to a meal.
Under his lead, the group entered a small ramen shop.
It was an ordinary noodle restaurant—but the price wasn't cheap at all.
Good food was rare in the world of ninja.
To both civilians and shinobi alike, it was a rare delicacy.
Once seated, Satori called out to the owner inside, "Excuse me, we'll need eight bowls of ramen."
"Coming right up."
Before long, a slim, pretty girl stepped out from the kitchen.
Though still quite young, she carried the heavy bowls of ramen with surprising steadiness.
With surprising ease, she served all eight bowls by herself.
[Itadakimasu]! Thank you so much for treating us, Satori-kun," Chonghuo Hyūga said, pressing his hands together in gratitude.
The others followed suit.
Most were from the Branch House, and they deeply respected Satori for all he had taught them.
After thanking him, they quickly transformed into big eaters, diving into the food with gusto.
They ate with wide smiles, clearly savoring each bite.
Seeing that expression made Satori think about sending them to host a food stream.
That could definitely turn into a profitable stream.
"This is amazing! Old man, teach me how to make ramen!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? This is my secret recipe—I'd never teach it to anyone!"
"Please, old man! I'll work for free here—you just have to teach me!"
Behind the counter, a thin, dark-skinned boy clung desperately to the cook's sleeve, pleading incessantly.
His eyes gleamed with excitement—the unfiltered passion of a true ramen lover.
In this world full of bland food options, ramen was already an incredible luxury for most people.
The boy had completely fallen for ramen and become a true ramen enthusiast.
"Don't even think about it! This is the skill that keeps me alive in Konoha. It's a legacy I plan to pass down to my descendants!" The chef and shop owner firmly refused.
But the boy refused to back down. As if declaring his devotion, he shouted, "Please, just once! I've already fallen in love with ramen. Teach me how to make it, and I'll be your apprentice—or even your son!"
Such unwavering devotion to ramen!
The Hyūga members were too busy watching the scene unfold to remember to swallow their own bites of ramen.
Satori himself regarded the boy with a flicker of surprise.
The dark-skinned, skinny kid standing before him was none other than Teuchi—the future owner of Ichiraku Ramen.
In a past life, netizens jokingly claimed he was the strongest figure in Naruto lore—Otsutsuki Ichiraku.
Despite enduring countless attacks and destructions across Konoha, the ramen shop's ability to remain open was proof enough of his exceptional resilience.
Satori Hyūga stroked his chin thoughtfully, observing the scene with a curious gaze.
"Am I witnessing history here?"
"Oh, right—I suppose I'm part of that history too. I'm practically the same age as Teuchi."
He muttered to himself, drawing Chonghuo Hyūga's attention.
Since being defeated by Satori Hyūga, Chonghuo's attitude had completely changed.
Now he treated Satori with deep respect.
At first, Satori suspected a Main House member might have activated the Caged Bird Seal on him.
But seeing how clear and free of hatred his gaze remained, he dropped the suspicion.
There was only one explanation left.
The ninja world respected strength above all else.
Back then, while secretly cultivating the Replenishing Jutsu during class and nap times, he had seemed weak.
Now, having shown even a portion of his power combined with his Main House status, it was no surprise that he wouldn't dare act out.
"Are these kids bothering you, Satori-sama?" Chonghuo asked respectfully.
Satori shook his head, giving him a skeptical look.
"No need. Actually, I quite like this kid."
"Just from his eyes and actions, you can tell how much he loves ramen. If he ever masters the craft, maybe he could make this ramen shop flourish."
"You really believe in him that much, Satori-sama?" Chonghuo said, surprised.
Satori smiled slightly.
After all, this was the future founder of Ichiraku Ramen—the delicacy that would eventually dominate Konoha.
"Hmm, maybe I should consider investing early," Satori's eyes flickered as he pondered business ideas.
Don't underestimate Ichiraku Ramen just because it's a small ramen shop now—many influential figures frequent it.
The main characters often gathered here for meals, forming strong relationships with Teuchi.
As the heir of the Hyūga Main House, investing in Ichiraku wouldn't bring any disadvantages.
And if he expanded it into a chain, opening branches in other nations—
Owning shares in Ichiraku Ramen could bring in massive annual profits.
Thinking this far, Satori stood up and walked over to help Teuchi.
"Shopkeeper Uncle, I don't think this young man is acting on impulse. Why don't you give him a chance?"
"Also, your daughter seems to be doing everything alone. With her small frame, she must get worn out easily after long hours."
"If this boy helps out, things will definitely be easier for her. And at worst, you're simply offering him a meal."
The shop owner studied Satori's noble clan attire and listened carefully to his words. Observing his exhausted daughter, he decided to let Teuchi take on the workload.
He gave Teuchi a stern up-and-down look before speaking, "Alright kid, I'll give you a shot. But if I'm not satisfied with your work, don't expect me to hold back—I'll kick you out without hesitation."
Hearing that he'd been accepted, Teuchi leapt up joyfully.
"Yes, sir! I swear I'll give it my all!"
"Thank you for your help. I, Teuchi, will definitely repay you," he said sincerely, turning to face Satori Hyūga.
Satori smiled. "There's no need for repayment—just focus on making great ramen. Oh, and if you could recreate instant noodles, that would be even better."
"Instant noodles?" Teuchi asked, puzzled.
Satori replied, "You're not ready for that yet. Master how to make ramen first."
In his opinion, instant noodles tasted better than ramen. Compared to ramen, he preferred instant noodles.
Not only were they convenient to eat, but they could also be sold outside.
If he could create them, he'd likely make a fortune.
Instant noodles hadn't been invented yet in this era. However, by Naruto's time, they were already around.
That's just how strange the Naruto world is.
Ninjas seemed isolated from the outside world, and the Hidden Villages appeared ancient and conservative.
Yet within these ninja villages, one could always come across surprisingly advanced technology—things that might not have even existed in their past lives.
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