Among fans, it is rumored that Otsutsuki-style Ichiraku was actually the shadowy mastermind behind the entire Naruto universe. His so-called "Face Sealing Technique" rivals even the Yin-Yang Release of the Sage of Six Paths. Normally, he hides in plain sight as a ramen shop owner right beside the protagonist, personally serving him bowls of ramen mixed with chakra to aid his training. And whenever Konoha faces a major catastrophe, it's always secretly him stepping in to save the village from destruction.
Hmmmm, all of that is just a fantasy spun by idle Naruto fans. In reality, he really is just an ordinary ramen shop owner. As for why he, a regular person, could survive unscathed through crises like Orochimaru's destruction of Konoha and Pain's Shinra Tensei—truly devastating attacks—he must've simply invested in the production team of the Naruto series.
"Mr. Ichiraku, I'm back again!"
Naruto burst in shouting joyfully as soon as he entered. Mr. Ichiraku and Ayame were among the few people in Konoha who didn't dislike him. Naruto really enjoyed coming to Ichiraku Ramen. However, although the price wasn't too high, relying mostly on orphan welfare payments meant he couldn't afford to come here every day. He could only stop by occasionally to treat himself, which made each bowl of Ichiraku Ramen something truly precious to him.
"Eh?! What happened to your hand, Mr. Ichiraku?!"
However, as soon as they walked in, they noticed Ichiraku's left hand completely wrapped in thick bandages.
"Father wanted to create an entirely new flavor of ramen, but accidentally cut his own hand while chopping vegetables!" Ayame shot her father an annoyed look and said, "Honestly, you're already at this age, yet still insist on acting cool and slicing ingredients at such speeds. Now look what's happened—you're injured!"
"Ahhh, well, yesterday I had a chat with Guy from the village, and got a little carried away by his youthful energy," Ichiraku replied awkwardly. Inspired by Guy's motto about the power of youth, he had sliced the vegetables at his fastest pace, only to end up injuring his hand.
"You hurt your hand? That means… there's no ramen today!" Naruto immediately looked deflated.
"Sorry, Naruto. I can't make any ramen until this wound heals," Ichiraku apologized, looking rather guilty.
"Um, Mr. Ichiraku, may I borrow your kitchen for a bit?"
Sakura placed the oil-treated paper umbrella by the door and turned around to ask. Konoha was famous for two foods: Ichiraku Ramen and Konoha barbecue. Since she definitely couldn't afford Konoha barbecue now, Ichiraku Ramen was her best bet.
"Ehh? You know how to cook ramen, little girl?" Ichiraku looked surprised. Judging by her appearance, she certainly didn't seem like someone capable of cooking.
"I know a little!"
Sakura smiled, having learned independence through years of living alone in her past experiences—and as a true foodie, she had tasted countless delicacies and memorized many recipes. When it came to culinary knowledge, she wouldn't hesitate to say proudly that Han cuisine could stand strong side by side with any cuisine around the world.
Dressed in the tiny chef's uniform and cap especially made for her by Ichiraku, Sakura now looked every bit the part of a professional cook.
When it came to ramen, the most famous type in her previous life had definitely been Lanzhou-style (hand-pulled) noodles. Although Sakura didn't know how to make the specific Lanzhou-style ones, she could still handle regular hand-pulled noodles.
A lump of dough was skillfully pressed and kneaded in her small hands. Once properly worked, she grabbed both ends and pulled forcefully, whipping and stretching it with smooth, rhythmic motions, as if crafting an artistic masterpiece.
Thanks to the Power Stone's enhancement, the process wasn't tiring at all. The only problem was her short arms — at just four years old, she couldn't stretch the dough very far. As a result, each batch she made barely filled one bowl.
"Neh, I'll make just a little for you guys to try first! If you think it tastes good, I'll keep making more!"
A bowl of noodles was placed before them. Sakura exhaled deeply as she floated back down to the ground. At four years old, her tiny frame barely reached the stove, so she'd used the Reality Stone to stay airborne while cooking. As for how the Third Hokage and others might interpret this ability, she could always blame it on a Kekkei Genkai later — after all, no one even knew all the possible bloodline limits in the ninja world to begin with.
"Oh… Okay," Ichiraku murmured absentmindedly, picking up a strand of noodles with his chopsticks and tasting it. The elastic texture and chewy sensation made his eyes light up. Though they used Ichiraku Ramen Shop's own seasonings, the different preparation method created an entirely new flavor.
While Ichiraku Ramen Shop did sell noodles called ramen, what they served was actually closer to instant noodles compared to the hand-pulled noodles Sakura made. Having spent his entire life making ramen, Ichiraku could swear he'd never tasted anything like this before.
"How is it? How is it?" Naruto drooled, watching Ichiraku closely. Just looking at it made him hungry already, and after smelling the aroma filling the air, he was practically starving!
"Delicious! It's completely unlike any ramen I've ever tasted. Little girl, you've created something entirely new!" Ichiraku's perpetually slit eyes practically popped open wide as he stared intently at Sakura. "You have great talent! Why don't you learn to make ramen from me?!"
"Nope," Sakura immediately shook her head without hesitation. "I love food, but I don't want to be a professional chef. That's way too much work!"
"Is that so? What a shame!" Ichiraku almost felt his heart breaking. Such a promising young chef slipping away right before his eyes — it hurt terribly inside.
"Well, while I don't want to be a full-time chef, I wouldn't mind occasionally exchanging cooking ideas with you as a hobby!" Sakura then said words that quickly revived Ichiraku's spirits.
"Really? Can we?!" For someone whose life revolved entirely around pursuing culinary delights, Ichiraku was now practically bursting with excitement.
"No problem! I happen to know many different kinds of delicacies unlike what we're eating now. Let's work together. And as for our goal? One day, I'll make our restaurant spread throughout the entire shinobi world!"
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Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** on the weekend!