Here's @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.
You can now get early access to Chapter 116 of Re: Naruto Uzumaki on my Patreon. You can also read up to Chapter 40 of Satoru Senju: Conquering the Omniverse!
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"Let's go find a ramen stall, Naruto!" exclaimed Karin excitedly, scanning the surroundings with her gaze.
Naruto, who until that moment had been lost in his thoughts about why Tsunade had allowed Nawaki to leave, immediately reacted upon hearing that.
He nodded right away, totally agreeing, and also began scanning the area.
"Unfortunately, there's no ramen better than Ichiraku's…"
"You've got plenty of money, Naruto. You should hire Teuchi as our private chef…" Karin murmured absentmindedly.
The image of old Teuchi cooking ramen every day at home made them both lick their lips. The idea didn't sound bad at all...
"There's a ramen stall over there!" Karin suddenly shouted, pointing toward an alley not far away.
Before Naruto could react, she had already grabbed his hand and was dragging him there at a run.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, realizing he was already seated inside the stall. Karin, full of energy, had settled into her seat and was ordering for both of them enthusiastically.
She... seems addicted to ramen...
Not even Naruto was that addicted to ramen... And that's saying a lot — he's part of the religion of the ramen god! He's got a card to prove it!
[Mito Uzumaki: I'd kill anyone for a bowl of ramen...]
Even Mito, from the group chat, sighed in regret at the sight of ramen. In the Pure World, there was no food, and it was a tragedy for them every time they saw someone eating.
[Asura Ōtsutsuki: Ramen! I love ramen too! Naruto, find a way to send me a bowl! I need it!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Give me Wood Release and I'll look for a way…]
[Asura Ōtsutsuki: No! Only once you've found a way!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Tch. Since when do you think? Weren't you an idiot...?]
[Asura Ōtsutsuki: …]
[Indra Ōtsutsuki: Don't mess with Asura, Naruto! Only I can do that! He's mine!]
[Naruto Uzumaki: …]
Naruto decided to stop replying after seeing Indra in Yandere Mode.
Karin and he ate ramen until they were completely full.
When they finished, Karin wanted to go shopping.
"With what money are you going to pay...?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms in front of her, raising an eyebrow, slightly amused.
"U-uh..." Karin looked away, fiddling with her fingers.
Naruto let out a light laugh and ruffled her hair. "I was joking. Come on…"
Karin's face lit up, smiling wide and brightly.
But just then, Tanzaku Castle was destroyed in the distance by a giant snake emerging from Ryūchi Cave.
The people around them began screaming and running in all directions, desperately trying to avoid being crushed by the debris falling from the sky.
Though Karin was more concerned for other reasons...
"Noooo!" Karin screamed, puffing her cheeks. "I wanted to go see it later with Naruto…! That damn snake ruined my perfect date!"
Karin raised her fist strongly, silently vowing revenge against the creature.
"Let's go beat up that...!"
But when Karin turned around to look at Naruto, he had already disappeared.
...
Tsunade, who had agreed to indulge her student Shizune with one last visit to the castle before leaving the Tanzaku District, frowned as she stared at the man standing in front of her.
It seemed the visit to Tanzaku Castle would have to be postponed for a few years, once it was rebuilt.
"Long time no see, Orochimaru..." Tsunade greeted coldly.
Her gaze briefly shifted to the person beside him.
"And you... whoever you are," she added indifferently. "Frankly, I don't care."
"It took me a while to find you, Tsunade," replied Orochimaru with a slight smile, ignoring the remark aimed at Kabuto.
His face was drenched in sweat, occasionally contorting in a grimace of pain. His skin was even paler than usual, and his arms hung limp like those of a rag doll.
"I see that old man took something very important from you when you killed him..." Tsunade remarked, crossing her arms.
Orochimaru frowned as he recalled his fight with the Third Hokage. He had paid a very high price for that victory.
"That's exactly why I've come. I need to ask you a favor."
Tsunade watched him closely.
His breathing rhythm, his pulse, the slight tremble in his legs... it was clear Orochimaru had a fever and had been exhausted for some time. As for his arms... Tsunade didn't think she could help him.
Though she couldn't be certain until she examined him up close.
Of course, she had no intention of doing anything of the sort.
"Why would I help you, Orochimaru? I don't have the slightest reason to do so."
"Tsunade-sama, don't talk to these traitors. We should end this right now," Shizune intervened firmly.
She knew who Orochimaru was. She knew what he had done. And if he was injured, this was their best opportunity.
But Tsunade just gave her a look, frowning, and that was all it took.
"Stay out of this, Shizune."
In case her student hadn't understood, Tsunade decided to express her orders in words.
Shizune gritted her teeth but took a silent step back.
"You can relax. We didn't come to fight," Kabuto said gently, trying to ease the tension.
"You too, Kabuto. Shut up and stay out of this," Orochimaru ordered without looking at him.
Kabuto bowed his head and stepped aside obediently.
Since Tsunade had sidelined her student, Orochimaru decided to do the same with Kabuto.
"I can return your fiancé... and your brother," Orochimaru said, staring at Tsunade. "You only have to heal my arms."
Tsunade's expression hardened. A slight twitch ran through her brow upon hearing his proposal.
"Don't you want to see them again...?" Orochimaru added, in a seductive tone.
Tsunade just looked at him, still with her arms crossed, showing no more reaction than before.
The idea of getting Dan back was tempting, a deep longing that had never completely disappeared. But she knew Orochimaru too well to be fooled.
And luckily, Nawaki had already returned to her... more or less.
But before Orochimaru could keep speaking, a foot descended from the sky and smashed into his face with force.
"I think I landed on something soft…" said Naruto, looking under his foot. "Oh. I stepped on a transvestite. This is the Tanzaku District, my dude, not the Red District."
He grinned widely, a mocking smile dripping with cheek.
"Though being so ugly, I don't think many men want to play with you… Then again, from what I hear, you prefer little boys, don't you?"
Orochimaru, without his arms, couldn't remove Naruto's foot from his face.
Kabuto, seeing the scene, immediately lunged at Naruto, attempting to stab him.
Naruto didn't even bother to look at him.
Tsunade, watching from a distance, felt a lump in her throat as a dense and overwhelming wave of chakra surged from the young man accompanying Jiraiya. It was so powerful it could be seen with the naked eye.
"T-this… this surpasses a Bijū…" she murmured, struggling to remain standing as the chakra enveloped her like a storm.
That power… was even greater than any demonstration she remembered from her grandfather, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Beside her, Shizune had already dropped to her knees, drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe.
And then, as if it had never been there, the pressure suddenly vanished.
"My apologies. My chakra control is terrible..." said Naruto, looking in her direction with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
Then came the dull thud of a body hitting the ground.
Kabuto, unconscious, lay sprawled a few steps away from them.
Naruto looked at him briefly, and in an instant, a pair of shadow clones appeared at his side.
"He's not fooling me that easily. I'm sure he's faking. Beat him up, guys."
"Let's beat the crap out of that bastard!"
"Let's make him uglier than Senjutsu!"
Both clones pounced on Kabuto and began kicking him mercilessly.
Tsunade watched them with narrowed eyes, unable to decide whether to laugh or be scandalized.
Kabuto, certainly, was unconscious. He wasn't faking it.
Even though he was one of Orochimaru's followers, Tsunade couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him.