In front of Ichiraku Ramen Shop in Konoha Village.
"Sasuke, this is Ichiraku Ramen!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly as they approached the shop, pointing enthusiastically. "Uncle Teuchi's cooking is amazing! His ramen is my absolute favorite—the flavor is just..."
Naruto sniffed the air, his face radiating pure bliss.
Sasuke glanced at Ichiraku Ramen. This wasn't his first time here; when he'd first arrived in this world, he'd been curious about this place, touted as Konoha's top culinary treasure.
He'd tried it once before. The taste was indeed good, but he'd only visited that one time and never returned.
It wasn't that he disliked Ichiraku Ramen's flavor—truth be told, it tasted far better than anything he could cook himself.
Nor was it about the nutritional value; Ichiraku Ramen came with plenty of meat and eggs.
But compared to the various rare and expensive ingredients and medicinal herbs his family purchased, those were what he truly needed to consume now.
So after trying it once, he'd never returned.
Sasuke had come to Ichiraku Ramen again today because Naruto had been begging him to come for ages.
After their sparring session earlier, Naruto had once again begged him to join him for ramen. After a moment's consideration, Sasuke relented and agreed.
"Yosh!" Regaining his composure, Naruto clenched his fist, ready to head inside.
But out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of pink hair and immediately turned toward the figure.
"Sakura!" Naruto waved enthusiastically, calling out loudly.
It was indeed Sakura. In the past two years, she had grown taller and radiated a more mature, girlish aura.
She was strolling leisurely through the street, a small liquid creature perched on her shoulder.
The Water-Type Puppet, resembling a humanoid doll, darted playfully around her, full of lively energy.
"Naruto?"
Sakura, who had been window-shopping, turned her head at the call. Her eyes widened when she saw Naruto.
The Water-Type Puppet on her shoulder instantly transformed into a small stream of water and vanished into her chest.
Naruto rushed over, extending a warm invitation. "Sakura, what a coincidence! Want to join us for ramen?"
"I think I'll pass—"
Sakura's brow furrowed slightly as she began to decline.
While Naruto had matured considerably over the past two years, he still caused Sakura plenty of trouble on a daily basis.
'Sasuke?!'
Sakura's eyes lit up, and she immediately swallowed the rest of her sentence, quickly changing her question: "Is Sasuke here too?"
As if sensing its master's excitement, the Water-Type Puppet crawled out and curiously gazed in Sasuke's direction.
"Of course!" Naruto pouted.
"Then let's go! I'm starving too."
Sakura grabbed Naruto's arm and practically dragged him forward, looking even more eager than he did.
"Sakura, your Chakra control has improved remarkably," Sasuke remarked, glancing at the Water-Type Puppet leaping playfully around her.
Sasuke couldn't train the way Sakura did; his elements were fire and lightning.
If Sakura lost control, at worst she'd get wet. But if Sasuke made a mistake, this story would end prematurely.
Not that Sasuke envied Sakura; everyone had their own path. His current fire and lightning sculpting training method was just as effective as her Water Release creature training.
Moreover, his sculpting honed not only his Chakra control but also his swordsmanship and wrist strength.
'Sasuke complimented me!'
'Thump-thump-thump-thump!'
Sakura's heart raced. Suppressing her joy, she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and murmured demurely, "I must thank Sasuke-kun for this."
She maintained a perfect lady-like demeanor.
But Sasuke could hear her frantic heartbeat and see the tiny figure on her shoulder, pulsating in sync with her racing pulse, its movements growing more frantic with each beat.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
'Why are they always so captivated by my looks, completely overlooking my inner qualities?'
In the original timeline, both Naruto and Sasuke had been popular with girls, but Sasuke's appeal had always stemmed from his striking appearance, while Naruto won hearts through his actions.
He inspired young women, shared trials with them, and earned their affection through shared experiences.
"Let's go inside," Sasuke said.
Inside Ichiraku Ramen Shop:
Naruto slurped down his ramen, loudly recounting what he considered his latest amusing adventures.
Neither Sasuke nor Sakura paid him any attention, letting him rant on uninterrupted.
Sasuke genuinely had no interest in Naruto's ramblings. Sakura, meanwhile, had her eyes glued to Sasuke from the moment they entered, barely touching her ramen.
Uncle Teuchi, his arms crossed and face serious, listened intently to Naruto's boisterous chatter, occasionally chiming in with a remark.
"Oh, right, Sasuke," Naruto suddenly turned to Sasuke mid-meal, his expression serious. "Do you know any other training methods that could make me stronger?"
Sakura, sitting nearby, perked up her ears, her interest piqued.
Sasuke paused for a moment before replying, "Read more books!"
To be honest, Sasuke had exhausted his repertoire.
Scientific physical training, basic Wind Release ninjutsu, the Shadow Clone Technique, and Chakra control—he had already taught Naruto everything he knew.
If it weren't for Naruto's complete lack of interest in yoga, Sasuke could have taught him that too.
Of course, Sasuke's advice to "read more books" wasn't just a flippant response.
The knowledge contained within the world's literature held genuine value, from which he himself had benefited greatly.
"Huh?!" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief. "What kind of answer is that?"
After all, he absolutely hated reading. Though he no longer slept through class, he still barely absorbed anything.
"Brutalize your body, civilize your spirit," Sasuke muttered, repeating an old saying.
Sasuke said coolly, "Naruto, your physique is already excellent. You should consider reading more books to enrich that pitiful brain of yours."
Sakura nodded vigorously in agreement. "Sasuke-kun is right!"
"Hmph!" Naruto grunted, burying his face back in his bowl to continue devouring his ramen as if taking revenge on the noodles for his frustration.
Just then, the curtain parted, and an elderly man entered.
He wore a gray vest over a mesh undershirt and carried a large black pot and several spatulas on his back.
"Eh? Grandpa Kosuke! Hello!" Sakura exclaimed, startled, quickly standing up to greet him.
"Oh? Sakura," the old man smiled warmly. "Having a get-together with your classmates?"
"Yes!" Sakura nodded.
The old man chuckled. "Then I won't disturb you."
Stepping forward, he called out, "One bowl of ramen to go, Teuchi."
"Not eating here, sir?" Uncle Teuchi asked.
The old man shook his head. "I have a mission later. I'll take it to go and eat on the road."
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