The next day, Hoshino Sora chose not to comfortably lie in bed but instead went to the market to buy ingredients. At this point, there wasn't much time left until the summer vacation, and he planned to reopen in the next few days.
However, this time he was not in a hurry at all, because he had no financial pressure and no urgent desire to improve his strength. So, he decided to set the restaurant's operating hours for the evening.
5 PM - 12 AM.
The reason for doing this was simple: to reduce customer flow. Too many customers was not a good thing for him. After all, he wasn't counting on this to make money; he just wanted to cook in a relaxed and enjoyable manner.
So, after purchasing some ingredients that were temporarily out of stock in the Gourmet Manor from a nearby market, Hoshino Sora returned to Xingye Restaurant.
By this time, Aka Rika was fully awake, but they weren't idle. As soon as they got up, they started tidying up the restaurant, which they hadn't had time to fully clean the night before.
By the time Hoshino Sora returned, the restaurant was completely refreshed.
"You two worked hard to get the restaurant so clean. We'll start operating tonight."
"Yay!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Aka Rika exchanged glances, and both saw excitement and joy in each other's eyes.
The reason was simple: since the restaurant was reopening, Hoshino Sora would inevitably be spending his time here, and this way, the three of them could always be together.
Once they understood this, how could Aka Rika not be excited!?
"Then, from now on, I'll be relying on Asaka-nee and Rika-nee in the evenings."
Looking at Aka Rika's excited expressions, Hoshino Sora said with a smile.
"No problem, but we're going to charge for it, you know."
"That's right, working for free is a no-no~"
As she spoke, Aka Rika surrounded him once more, revealing a teasing expression. As she spoke, she looked at Sora, her meaning incredibly obvious!
"Then I'll give you an advance on your salary now."
Seeing that his sisters enjoyed this kind of teasing, Hoshino Sora didn't say anything and tried his best to cooperate with Aka Rika in playing the 'salary replacement' game. As he spoke, he had already lowered his head and 'stamped' a kiss on both sisters' cheeks.
"Not enough."
Feeling the warmth on their faces, Aka Rika exchanged glances and then said in unison.
"Not enough? Then what else do you want? That kind of thing, let's do it tonight. During the day, it's a bit..."
Hoshino Sora was a bit puzzled. If this wasn't enough, then what did they want?
"A date!"
Almost at the same time, Asaka and Rika said in unison, then stared intently at Hoshino Sora, observing his reaction.
"I thought it was something else. Just that? Well, no time like the present. I have time from morning until 4:30 PM, and I also have time tomorrow and the day after. Simply put, Asaka-nee, Rika-nee, you can date whenever you want!"
Hearing their request, Hoshino Sora couldn't help but chuckle. Then, he stepped forward, took their hands, and very naturally started making grand promises.
Actually, it wasn't really a grand promise, because he truly would do what he promised.
"Then let's go now," Rika said excitedly.
"That's right! It's been so long since we've had a date with Sora. We've been looking forward to it day and night, almost to the point of lovesickness."
Asaka complained, and this was also her heartfelt thought. After not seeing him for many days, she felt a void in her heart, and that void was instantly filled the moment she saw Hoshino Sora.
"I miss Asaka-nee and Rika-nee very much too."
"Sora~!"
Hearing their words, Hoshino Sora immediately expressed his feelings, and upon hearing him, Aka Rika's faces immediately showed expressions of gratitude. It must be said, they were truly easy to win over.
"Then let's set off."
"Okay!"
Each holding one of Hoshino Sora's arms, the two sisters spoke in unison.
Next, Hoshino Sora took them to the zoo and aquarium they wanted to visit. Although the two sisters were high school students, they still showed expressions of shock when seeing animals they hadn't seen much before.
When they saw the dolphin show, their faces were full of joy, and they patted Hoshino Sora's shoulder, saying how amazing it was. Rika was even invited on stage as a special guest and had close interaction with the dolphins.
From the start of the date, the smiles on the two sisters' faces never stopped. Of course, this was definitely not just because the places they went were interesting, but more so because they were with Hoshino Sora.
And time quietly slipped away amidst their happy laughter, quickly reaching four o'clock in the afternoon, the end of their date.
"Can't we stay a little longer...?"
Looking back at the aquarium with reluctance, Rika looked pitifully at Hoshino Sora. She really hoped that this kind of time could continue forever today.
"Don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, especially since summer vacation is coming soon."
Reaching out, Hoshino Sora gently stroked Rika's fluffy little head. Her hair was still as soft as ever. Hoshino Sora comforted her softly. They still had a long time together in the future, so there was no need to worry at all.
"Mm!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Aka Rika nodded heavily, a relieved smile appearing on their faces. Then, their steps became light, and they looked very happy.
"It's almost time. We'll start operating around 5 PM and continue until midnight. You two can prepare a bit, and I'll go prepare in the kitchen."
Looking at the time on his phone, Hoshino Sora looked up at Xingye Restaurant, took out his key, and opened the door. He was the first to walk in, with Aka Rika following closely behind.
[Triggered Quest]: Dimensional Restaurant in the Space-Time Rift
[Quest Description]: Because your culinary skills have reached a certain level, now affected by the power of the system, your restaurant, Xingye Restaurant, will appear in different worlds. Only those who have reached a certain strength, possess a certain status, or have a certain amount of luck in that world can enter the Dimensional Restaurant.
You have absolute power amplification in the Dimensional Restaurant. Even giant dragons capable of destroying worlds will not be your match here.
[Quest Requirement]: Please create delicious food for characters from different worlds and fulfill their aspirations for cuisine. You will receive rewards equivalent to the value of your dishes.
[Quest Reward]: Unknown
Shock!
As the three entered the restaurant, the space immediately vibrated, and a faint, profound power spread around them. This made Aka Rika instinctively grab Hoshino Sora's arm.
"What's happening?!"
Feeling the vibrations all around, Asaka said with some fear, but still remained alert to her surroundings, subconsciously shielding Hoshino Sora with her body.
Although she had been strengthened by Gourmet Cell, her essence was still that of a little girl, and encountering such a situation naturally made her feel panicked.
"I'll protect you, Sora."
In contrast, Rika was clearly much braver. She clenched her fists and stood in front of Hoshino Sora and Asaka. Although she didn't know what kind of danger they would encounter, as an older sister, she believed her primary task was to protect her younger brother from harm.
Even if Hoshino Sora's strength was much greater than hers.
"It's okay, Asaka-nee, Rika-nee. No enemies will suddenly attack. Look, didn't it just stop?"
Hoshino Sora said with a smile, a warm current flowing through his heart as he looked at Rika-nee, who was blocking him to protect him, and Asaka-nee, who was looking around for danger and was very concerned about him.
In this world, perhaps only these two sisters could protect him so unconditionally.
[System Prompt: Spatial calibration complete. The Dimensional Restaurant's door will be randomly teleported to corners of different worlds. Those inside the Dimensional Restaurant must coexist peacefully. Violators can be forcibly erased.]
As the restaurant stopped shaking, the system's voice also echoed in Hoshino Sora's mind.
Looking at the unchanged environment around him, Hoshino Sora walked to the door, opened it, and outside was still Sanhe Street. Because it was evening, pedestrians were bustling.
"So what's going on, Sora?"
Aka Rika followed him out of the restaurant, their expressions puzzled as they looked at Sanhe Street, where the environment was unchanged. The people on the street seemed normal, as if they hadn't noticed the tremor just now.
"We might be entertaining guests from Other World next. The tremor just now was from a space-time transfer. I'm not quite sure how it's done, but the restaurant will become lively from now on."
Thinking of the system's prompt just now, Hoshino Sora's face showed a thoughtful expression. The only thing he could confirm now was that he had unlimited authority in this restaurant; even if a world-destroying giant dragon came, he could easily kill it.
Then, he could entertain people of a certain status from different worlds, and by providing them with delicious food, he could gain benefits. The better the food he made, the more benefits he would receive.
As he pondered, Hoshino Sora returned to the restaurant, with Aka Rika following closely. However, no sooner had the restaurant door been closed than it was opened again the next second. A small hand reached out from within and pushed the restaurant door open.
"When did a new shop open here? Is anyone here? It seems there is. Excuse me, what do you sell here?"
Short golden hair, sapphire blue eyes, small stature, and six whisker-like marks on his cheeks.
He wore a white T-shirt with the Konoha symbol on the chest, shorts, and dark green goggles.
"Yes, my specialty here is Ramen. Would you like to try some?"
Recognizing the person, Hoshino Sora's face immediately showed a friendly expression. Then, he looked at Aka Rika: "You two entertain the guest first, I'll go prepare in the kitchen."
"Okay."
"Little brother, what would you like to eat?"
Watching Hoshino Sora's retreating figure into the kitchen, Aka Rika nodded in response, then turned her gaze to the strangely dressed little brother in front of them.
"Can I come another time? I'm having some financial difficulties right now."
Facing their enthusiastic welcome, Naruto Uzumaki's face showed a hint of embarrassment, then he unnaturally took a step back, looking ready to slip away at any moment.
"Today is our grand opening, and you're our first customer! All dishes are free to eat, eat as much as you like. Just order whatever you want, not just Ramen."
Hearing the voice from outside the room, Hoshino Sora poked his head out of the kitchen with a spatula, left that message, and then continued to busy himself in the kitchen.
"Really?! Then I'll have a bowl of Ramen!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Naruto Uzumaki's face immediately showed an excited expression. Looking closely, he was indeed the only customer in the shop. Lucky! So, he chose a seat near the kitchen and sat down, his eyes full of curiosity as he looked at the novel decor in front of him.
"One bowl of Ramen."
Although there were only four people in the room, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. This is where Asaka's rigorous attitude towards matters was shown, even though Rika said it wasn't necessary.
"Alright, please wait about ten minutes."
Hoshino Sora said, then took out pre-fermented dough from his storage space, kneaded it, stretched it, then quickly slammed it on the table, folded it, stretched it, folded it, slammed it, repeating this several times. After pinching off the ends, a portion of uniformly thick noodles was complete.
He put the pork bones into a pot and brought them to a boil, skimmed off the foam, then poured out the water, refilled it with water and brought it to a boil again. Then he added pork chunks, green onions, ginger, and garlic, continued to boil, then reduced to a simmer for 2-3 hours until the flavors of the pork and pork bones were fully released.
Normally, that's how it would be, but because Hoshino Sora had prepared in advance, this step could be completely omitted. He could simply take the steaming hot bone broth directly from his storage space.
It has to be said that the storage space effectively solved many time-related troubles. Preparing ingredients in advance allowed customers to enjoy the most delicious food in the shortest amount of time.
He scooped out the cooked secret char siu, tossed it into the air, quickly sliced it into thin pieces for later use, then cooked the freshly made soba noodles, scooped them out, and prepared to drain them. As his wrist flicked, the flung noodles made a delightful sound.
He poured the cooked broth into a bowl, added appropriate amounts of salt, soy sauce, MSG, and chili powder for seasoning, stirred well, then poured in the drained noodles.
The thinly sliced char siu was laid flat on top, along with some prepared braised bamboo shoots, some shredded wood ear mushrooms, half a soft-boiled egg, sprinkled with chopped green onions, and a piece of nori inserted. A visually appealing, fragrant, flavorful, and incredibly exquisite Tonkotsu Ramen was complete.
Hoshino Sora had put in a lot of effort privately for each side dish, and although the final presentation was quick, it didn't mean he hadn't put thought into it; on the contrary, he had put a lot of thought into it.
"Hehehe, Ramen is here."
With a simple, honest smile on his face, Hoshino Sora entered, carrying a steaming hot bowl of freshly made Tonkotsu Ramen.
"Tonkotsu Ramen..."
Hearing the sound, Naruto Uzumaki immediately focused his attention on Hoshino Sora's hands, where there was a bowl of Ramen emitting an astonishingly rich aroma.
Large slices of Chashu were spread over the Ramen, and the golden yolk of a soft-boiled egg flowed out, emitting a faint fragrance. Braised bamboo shoots and shredded wood ear mushrooms added color to the Ramen, making the entire dish visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious.
"That's right, it's delicious Tonkotsu Ramen! Open your belly and enjoy it to your heart's content!"
With a hearty smile on his face, Hoshino Sora did not leave after serving the dish; instead, he stood by, ready to observe Naruto Uzumaki's reaction to the meal.
He hadn't forgotten the system's prompt: "Create gourmet food for characters from different worlds and fulfill their aspirations for cuisine to receive rewards equivalent to the value of the dish."
As the male protagonist of the Hokage world, Naruto Uzumaki's status was undoubtedly high, and the luck he carried was not low. If he could gain his approval, the system might reward him with something novel.
He felt anticipation in his heart, but his face remained expressionless. Under his gaze, Naruto Uzumaki finally broke apart his chopsticks and began to taste the dish before him.
"Delicious! The broth is rich and robust, the Chashu is thick and firm, and these braised bamboo shoots have a chewy, satisfying texture! This is absolutely the best Ramen I've ever eaten in my life!"
Drinking the soup first when eating Ramen, Naruto Uzumaki's face showed an expression of enjoyment as he swallowed a mouthful of rich soup. The Tonkotsu Ramen's broth had a slight spiciness, warming his body quickly. The Chashu was also thick, providing immense satisfaction with every bite!
The noodles were firm and distinct. With a deep slurp, they all went into his mouth. Although scalding hot, Naruto Uzumaki didn't care at all at this moment, slurping the Ramen into his mouth bite by bite.
He slurped with a blissful expression, marveling in his heart how there could be such delicious Ramen in the world—even more delicious than Ichiraku Ramen, the popular hit in Konoha!
In just about five minutes, a bowl of Ramen was devoured. Naruto Uzumaki leaned back on the sofa, contentedly rubbing his belly and letting out a satisfied burp, then looked at Hoshino Sora.
"Shopkeeper, your cooking is too good! When I become Hokage and have money, I'll definitely come here to eat every day!"
Naruto Uzumaki said, his eyes shining.
"I will look forward to it. Go for it, young man!"
Unlike others in Konoha who would mock him, Hoshino Sora gave Naruto Uzumaki's dream his absolute affirmation. From the final outcome, he indeed became the Seventh Hokage.
"Mhm! I will!"
Seeing that Hoshino Sora didn't deny him like others, Naruto Uzumaki nodded heavily, feeling a sense of being acknowledged by someone else for the first time in his heart.
No matter what, he would definitely frequent this place from now on!
"Then I'll be going now. I'll come again next time."
"Alright, be careful on your way."
Watching Naruto Uzumaki wave to him before leaving, Hoshino Sora smiled and waved back. As he left the restaurant, the system's notification sound echoed in his mind.
"Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission! You have received the reward: Nine-Tailed Cloak."
"Hm?"
Hearing the sound, Hoshino Sora was first puzzled, then felt a warm current surge within his body, like an electric shock. Then, red bubbles began to emerge from his body.
In just over ten seconds, a cool fox cloak formed, though to outsiders, he looked as if he were trapped within the fox cloak's bubbles.
"What's wrong with you?"
Hoshino Sora suddenly started emitting bubbles, startling Aka Rika. She instinctively reached out to touch him but feared her actions might cause undesirable consequences.
"It's nothing, I just feel a surge of power within my body. It's a subtle feeling; although it's full of power, I don't like it…"
Looking at the red bubbles emerging from his hand, wisps of violent emotions arose from deep within his heart. This feeling was very strange; the emotions produced could not be controlled by human consciousness at all.
"Detecting negative effects on the Host from the Nine-Tailed Cloak. The system is triggering a corrective force. Detecting Gourmet Cell · Modified within the Host's body. Now merging the two."
"Correction complete. Gourmet Cell has advanced to Gourmet Cell - Nine Tails."
"Gourmet Cell - Nine Tails": Lv5
"Skill Description": Can increase Gourmet Cell level by consuming high-quality gourmet food. Increasing Gourmet Cell level can strengthen the Host's body and spirit.
"Nine-Tailed Cloak": Provides a layer of red gaseous cloak, increasing physical attributes by 50%. Consumes bodily energy when used, causing hunger. Can be restored by eating gourmet food.
A series of notification sounds left Hoshino Sora's mind a bit dazed, his mouth wide open. At this moment, the Nine-Tailed Cloak reappeared on his body, existing in a gaseous form.
It's worth noting that this time, the Nine-Tailed Cloak was no longer the deep red of its first appearance, but golden yellow, and without bubbles; it was purely gaseous, emitting waves of majestic aura.
"What a great system!"
His words carried a hint of emotion. The dizziness in his head that came with using the Nine-Tailed Cloak had vanished without a trace, and the malice that had arisen from the depths of his heart also disappeared.
Now, all that remained was immense power. With a slight swing of his fist, the powerful energy wave caused space itself to subtly warp, showing just how powerful the Nine-Tailed Cloak was!
"So cool!"
Looking at the golden Nine-Tailed Cloak, Rika's eyes instantly sparkled. This was the first time she had seen Hoshino Sora dressed so handsomely; he looked just like the protagonist in a hot-blooded manga!
His heroic and handsome face, combined with this incredibly domineering 'cloak,' made him seem like a character from an anime who had just unleashed his full power in a life-or-death crisis, about to embark on a high-octane plot!
"What is this? It feels so warm to the touch, and why is the golden light climbing up my hand? But it seems to know the arm…"
Asaka tentatively touched Hoshino Sora's body with her finger. The Nine-Tailed Cloak's flames immediately climbed up Asaka's body along her fingertips, which caused her to show a surprised expression.
Fortunately, there was no harm, otherwise she would have screamed out loud.
"I don't know how to explain this either. Perhaps it's because you two have the same Gourmet Cells as me, so after physical contact, you can also gain a temporary cloak buff."
As he dispelled the Nine-Tailed Cloak, Hoshino Sora returned to normal, and the flames on Asaka's finger instantly vanished. At the same time, his stomach suddenly felt very hungry, even letting out a rumbling sound.
"How long has it been? Two minutes or three minutes…"
Feeling the emptiness in his stomach, Hoshino Sora's face showed confusion. This thing consumed energy way too fast!
It seems it can only be used as a trump card in the future; it's best not to bring it out for everyday use.
However, in this peaceful era, is there really a need to use these abilities?
Hoshino Sora remained doubtful about this point.
"I'll go make dinner for you all first."
Feeling the hunger pangs in his stomach, Hoshino Sora said as he walked into the kitchen. The kitchen was fully equipped with pots, bowls, and various utensils. A young man was seen casually brandishing a slicing knife in the air.
The next moment, the green bell pepper that had just been tossed into the air was sliced into fine shreds, then evenly dropped onto the plate Hoshino Sora had prepared beforehand. This was true for meats as well; no ingredient could last more than one round in his hands.
Heat the wok, turn up the heat!
"Ding, ding, ding."
"Welcome."
Hoshino Sora was bustling in the kitchen, and in the dining room outside, the wind chime at the door jingled. Aka Rika also turned their gaze.
It was a face of exquisite perfection...
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