Chapter 4: Right, Let's Set Up a Stall
"Dad!" Ayame was anxious on the side, tugging at Teuchi's sleeve, reluctant to let go.
Teuchi patted his daughter's head: "Ayame, Haruko is a Ninja, he cannot always be a server in the Ichiraku Ramen Shop. He has his own path to follow."
Ayame's eyes turned slightly red, but looking at her father's firm gaze, and then at Haruko, she finally pursed her lips and nodded.
Falling straight from heaven to hell, that was probably how it felt.
In his past life, he had worked himself to death, and now he was reborn into this world where bloodlines reigned supreme, specifically into the Taketori Clan (Kaguya) of the Hidden Mist Village.
His adult soul displayed learning abilities far superior to his peers, which led to him being treated as a genius (weapon) at two years old and subjected to forced elite (hellish) training.
He didn't want to go crazy with that group of battle maniacs, nor did he want to die on the battlefield resisting the Bloody Mist, so he bided his time for several years before managing to escape at the age of six.
It was Old Man Teuchi who took him in when he was a drifter, giving him a bowl of hot soup, a roof over his head, and a sense of peace.
And now, this peace was lost once again.
He looked at Teuchi's sincere and hopeful face, and the words "I don't want to work hard anymore" that had reached his lips simply couldn't be spoken.
Teuchi genuinely wanted what was best for him, hoping he could be independent and successful.
What could he say? Say that he only wanted to be a good-for-nothing who lived off others and waited to die?
"...I understand, Dad."
Haruko took a deep breath, accepted the heavy envelope, and his voice sounded a bit dry.
"Thank you... for all these years, thank you for taking care of me."
"Silly boy, what are you saying." Teuchi laughed, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening, "This will always be your home; you can come back for a meal anytime."
Haruko forced a smile, nodded, and turned to walk toward the backyard.
He needed some quiet time.
...
Under the eaves of the backyard, a rocking chair swayed gently.
After counting the money Teuchi gave him and his own savings, it totaled about one hundred thousand Ryo.
It sounded like a lot, but the cost of living in Konoha was a different story.
Food, utilities, daily necessities... He had a big appetite, and his monthly expenses alone would be twenty thousand.
Plus the consumables Ninjas used, like Kunai and exploding tags, everything burned through money.
He did a quick calculation; after buying the essentials, the remaining money would last him two or three months at most.
The most fatal part was that he had no income now!
Although he had become a Genin, his instructor had not yet been determined, and he was the only one in his squad, so he couldn't accept any missions that paid!
He probably had to wait for the next batch of repeating students to graduate before he could get enough people.
'Wow, unemployed right after graduation? Does it have to be this realistic!"
Haruko scratched his hair in frustration; his previous life of endless, cutthroat competition was still fresh in his memory.
Make money!
And it had to be done in the most effortless, relaxed way that aligned with his philosophy of lying flat.
Accept D-rank missions to find cats and sweep floors? Low pay, lots of work, the cost-effectiveness was too low.
Develop new Ninjutsu scrolls to sell? Too conspicuous, and he would have to deal with the exploitation of those big clans... Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
Go back to school to be a teaching assistant? Just thinking about facing a bunch of brats gave him a headache. Keep it as a backup option.
His gaze passed through the courtyard gate and landed on the bustling street outside.
Business at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop was as good as ever, with customers coming and going, all wearing expressions of satisfaction.
Foot traffic...
Haruko's eyes narrowed.
The location of the Ramen Shop was in one of the most prosperous commercial streets in Konoha.
There was an empty lot next to the shop. It wasn't usually used by anyone, just occasionally used to pile up some miscellaneous items.
A thought flashed through his mind.
'Come to think of it, the Naruto world also has the profession of Culinary Ninja."
Be a Culinary Ninja and set up a snack stall right next to the Ramen Shop...
A slap with Earth Release, and the shop would be there; right next to Ichiraku, the customer flow would be there too.
No need for servers, one person could handle it; no need for a storefront, Earth Release could solve it; by tagging along on the customer flow, sales would be guaranteed, and he would save on promotion.
Most importantly, being his own boss meant absolute freedom.
If he was in a good mood today, he'd work until midnight.
If he was in a bad mood tomorrow, he'd just put up a sign: "Owner has run away, temporarily closed"!
This was simply a way of making money tailored for a lazy person like him!
For a transmigrator possessing culinary knowledge from another world and a repertoire of "lifestyle Ninjutsu," this was basically a welfare level in the starter village!
Peaceful, lying-flat life, here I come!
Early the next morning, Haruko walked into the shop, yawning.
Teuchi was rhythmically kneading dough, while Ayame was humming a little tune while wiping tables and chairs.
"Brother Haruko, good morning!" Ayame's smile was as sweet as ever.
"Morning, Haruko." Teuchi didn't even turn his head, his hands not stopping their work.
Haruko sat down in front of the counter and got straight to the point: "Dad, Ayame, I have an idea."
Teuchi stopped his movements, turned around, and had a gentle smile on his face: "Oh? Let's hear it."
"I want to set up a snack stall on that empty lot next to the shop."
Teuchi and Ayame were both stunned.
"A stall?" Ayame repeated, sounding a bit uncertain.
Teuchi frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed: "That place is indeed suitable. But Haruko, didn't you just become a Genin? For a Ninja to set up a stall, isn't it..."
"Culinary Ninjas are still Ninjas." Haruko explained, "I don't have any missions right now, and I can't just sit around eating through my savings. Setting up a stall is free and easy, which suits me perfectly."
Hearing the word "freedom," Teuchi and Ayame exchanged a look and understood.
This was indeed something Haruko would do.
Ayame was still a bit worried: "But setting up a stall is very tiring, Brother Haruko."
"Don't worry, I have my ways." Haruko confidently snapped his fingers, then looked at Teuchi.
Teuchi pondered for a moment and laughed: "Alright! If you want to do it, do it! Feel free to use that piece of land, and if you're missing anything, just tell your old man!"
"Thanks, Dad!"
Haruko nodded with a smile. With Teuchi's support, things would be twice as easy.
That afternoon, Haruko moved out of the Ramen Shop.
Although Teuchi said this would always be his home, since he wanted to be "independent," he had to look the part.
He carried his few belongings and walked leisurely into the apartment Teuchi had prepared for him.
The apartment wasn't big but was clean and tidy, and the lighting was very good. Standing on the balcony, he could even see the sign of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
He tidied up a bit and then headed straight to the market. Ingredients were key, and he had to select them himself.
He bought various ingredients and seasonings, as well as cooking essentials.
Back at the apartment, Haruko didn't rest and started his "R&D" immediately.
'Since I'm setting up a stall next to the Ichiraku Ramen Shop, it's best to have snacks that pair well with ramen."
The first thing he made was pan-fried dumplings. The principle of a potsticker machine from his past life swirled in his mind.
"Stirring Technique!"
He poured flour into a basin, formed hand seals with both hands, and Chakra surged. The flour in the basin was instantly stirred by an invisible force, and in no time, it was evenly mixed into a smooth dough.
Next was mixing the filling, pork and Earth cabbage, also stirred with Chakra, at an astonishing speed.
"Earth Release: Rolling Pin!"
With the injection of Chakra, a smooth rock-textured rolling pin was controlled by Haruko to rhythmically roll the dough into uniform wrappers.
"Earth Release: Funnel!"
Another rock-shaped funnel formed by Chakra appeared, automatically filling the wrappers with the filling precisely.
"Earth Release: Earth Clamp!"
A pair of rock-textured clamps moved flexibly, instantly pinching the wrappers shut, and plump dumplings formed in the blink of an eye, neatly arranged on the cutting board.
'This efficiency, in my past life, this would be an assembly line!"
Next were skewers.
Whether skewers are delicious depends on the heat control.
The combination of charcoal fire and Fire Release achieved precise control over the temperature.
Combined with Earth Release: Gear Technique to achieve automatic flipping, letting the skewers heat evenly.
And the secret marinade recipe—kiwi!
Before long, the meat skewers were grilled until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with an overflowing aroma.
'Not bad. Seems my skills from my past life haven't regressed."
Finally, mung bean paste.
Boil the mung beans for 3 minutes, then let them sit and absorb water for 1 hour, then boil for another 15 minutes.
Add sugar and milk for flavor, and then—
"Juicer Technique!"
Chakra formed a high-speed rotating vortex in the basin, and the boiled mung beans were instantly stirred into mung bean paste.
'Hmm, a bit too sweet. But I can bring the semi-finished product over and make it on the spot according to taste requirements."
Menu confirmed, time to prepare the shop.