As Shen Mo had just told Tsunade, his clients were, at minimum, people with pursuits and goals.
These pursuits weren't solely about power—they could be something else.
Teuchi bustled behind the counter, his expression deadly serious. Clearly, Shen Mo's words and his apparent closeness with Tsunade had sparked his competitive spirit.
As a chef obsessed with ramen, his goal was simple: make customers love his ramen.
Utterly pure.
Yet unwavering.
"Please, enjoy."
A steaming bowl of ramen was soon placed before Shen Mo.
Teuchi's face radiated confident pride.
This bowl—its ingredients, its timing—was flawless, the absolute best he could offer.
"Meow." Haimaru, perched on Shen Mo's shoulder, stretched her neck slightly, her cute little nose twitching, revealing a disdainful expression.
Yes, disdainful.
Despite her fluffy cat face, it was strikingly human-like, especially those gem-like purple-blue eyes, akin to a picky girl facing unwanted vegetables.
Teuchi's mood grew a touch uneasy.
Cats… did they even like human food?
But some ninjas brought ninja dogs to eat ramen. Surely, the meaty aroma would appeal, right?
Shen Mo paid no mind to Teuchi's thoughts. He skipped local customs like saying "Itadakimasu," instead following ramen-tasting etiquette. Using a spoon, he scooped some broth, sipped it, and savored it carefully.
The moment it hit his tongue…
His brow furrowed.
Teuchi's heart clenched.
"You can't just say it's bad without reasons," Tsunade said from the side, propping her chin with one hand, leaning on the table at an angle, her gaze openly teasing. "I think Teuchi's skills have gotten even better than before."
Shen Mo smiled, shaking his head, and set down the spoon.
"It's not bad, but compared to the ramen I've had, it's merely average."
This was honest. The flavor was certainly delicious, but it lacked the soul-shaking, transcendent bliss of the Food Wars!world's cuisine.
"Hey, hey, Uncle!" Naruto shot up from his seat, indignant. "Tsunade-neechan just said no ramen outside the village beats Teuchi-ojisan's. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"Naruto!" Sakura hurriedly pulled him down.
This guy came with Lady Tsunade. They didn't know who he was, but that fancy tuxedo screamed high status.
"That's no reason," Tsunade said, shaking her head too. "Unless you can prove what you said."
In truth, of everyone here, Tsunade was likely the only one who believed Shen Mo.
He was from another world, after all.
But believing didn't mean she'd back him up.
This mysterious man always carried an unflappable, almost aloof air, as if he didn't belong to this world. Seeing him falter would be amusing.
"Yeah, where's the proof?!" Naruto kept yelling, even as Sakura restrained him.
Teuchi was one of the closest people to Naruto in the village, second only to Iruka-sensei.
"Proof? How about tasting it for yourself?" Shen Mo said slowly.
"You're not cooking it yourself?" Tsunade asked, surprised.
"No." Shen Mo shook his head, his gaze fixed on Teuchi. "As an ordinary chef, you've reached the pinnacle of what an ordinary chef can achieve. But beyond that lies a vast realm. Are you ready to awaken to it—to witness the true Food Wars!world?"
At that moment, Shen Mo's aura shifted.
Solemn, majestic.
And deeply mysterious.
Even Naruto quieted under the inexplicable atmosphere, fists clenched, feeling an odd tension.
After a long pause…
Teuchi exhaled slowly.
"The true cuisine?" He straightened, adjusting his chef's uniform, then looked at Shen Mo with respect. "If it exists, I must see it."
"Even if it shakes your confidence in cooking?" Shen Mo pressed.
"A chef who shies from challenges will never grow," Teuchi declared, fearless.
"Then—"
Shen Mo raised his hand, waving it lightly.
In an instant…
A covered ramen bowl appeared abruptly on the table.
This—this was!?
Teuchi's eyes widened slightly. The others gasped.
"What's this? A magic trick?" Naruto eyed the bowl, then Shen Mo, trying to figure out where he'd hidden it.
Sasuke, too, was incredulous.
No sealing scroll.
No puff of smoke from a scroll. He saw nothing.
"Please, taste it," Shen Mo gestured.
From the Food Wars!world, crafted by Nakiri Senzaemon, the "Demon King of Food" himself—this bowl of ramen was a pinnacle work of that world.
Teuchi felt his heart pound uncontrollably.
He cautiously reached out, touching the bowl.
The temperature… perfect!
As if fresh from the pot.
He glanced at Shen Mo, gritted his teeth, and yanked off the lid.
Aroma flooded the air.
Everyone—Sasuke included—inhaled deeply, their mouths watering involuntarily.
Gulp.
In unison, they swallowed.
"What is this smell?" Naruto's drool was unstoppable, his eyes locked on the ramen.
And Teuchi…
He was trembling, a mix of disbelief and exhilaration as he absorbed the aroma.
"What a sublime broth," he murmured, gazing at the ramen like a priceless treasure. "Not a hint of murkiness, with a hue that sparks appetite. The noodles' shape, the arrangement of the meat slices—hiss—what is this meat…?"
Teuchi was a man who loved ramen to his core.
For over thirty years…
He'd devoted nearly his entire life to it.
Now, he felt the same wonder as when he first tasted ramen.
"Ramen has a limited window for peak flavor," Shen Mo reminded.
"Right!" Teuchi snapped to attention.
Carefully, slowly, he spooned some broth and brought it to his lips.
Naruto and the others watched him intently.
Then—
Tears welled up.
"This feeling… like being cradled by a mother," Teuchi, a grown man, trembled, tears streaming like a child's, yet his face bore an enraptured, blissful smile. "So magical, so delicious. So this… this is true ramen…"
Done, Shen Mo thought, smiling inwardly.
The newly launched Food Series cans had a buyer. Now, how much could Teuchi afford?
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