RNP Chapter 19 Life is all about acting skills
Chapter 19 Life is all about acting skills
Tetsuya warmly welcomed Hiruzen Sarutobi into the store and seated him.
"I really didn't expect that Lord Hiruzen Sarutobi would actually grace our humble shop with his presence. It's quite an honor. So, Lord Hiruzen, what would you like to eat?"
The ramen I offer here comes in a wide variety of flavors, sure to broaden your horizons.
As he spoke, Tetsuya took out the menu, which, under his modifications, had been transformed from a single-page menu into a booklet.
"Sarutobi-sensei! I highly recommend you try their signature ramen, it's absolutely delicious!"
Jiraiya, who was standing nearby, recommended his favorite signature ramen to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"You idiot Jiraiya, Sarutobi-sensei has his own ideas, don't interfere."
Tsunade punched Jiraiya on the head without hesitation.
"Damn it, Tsunade! Can you please stop hitting me all the time? It's so violent! No one will ever like you again! You violent washboard princess!"
Jiraiya clutched his head and wailed.
"What! Jiraiya, what did you just say?!"
Hearing Jiraiya call her the "violent washboard princess," Tsunade's anger flared even more.
Orochimaru, save me!
Seeing that Tsunade was about to go berserk, Jiraiya immediately hid behind Orochimaru without hesitation.
Seeing the three of them making a ruckus, Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed.
"Young people are so energetic."
Tetsuya simply smiled and shook his head.
Jiraiya, with you in this state, no wonder it was Kato Dan who caught up with Tsunade first.
And you, you'll always be just a little bit short.
Thinking about what Jiraiya would go through in the future, Tetsuya couldn't help but sigh for him, always just a little short.
He almost caught up with Tsunade.
I almost saw my friend Orochimaru turn around.
I almost finished writing about Intimate Paradise.
I almost saw Naruto become Hokage.
I almost saw Naruto get married.
I almost witnessed the prophecy come true and peace come to the ninja world.
Always just a little short, always just a little short—that "just a little short" was a recurring theme throughout Jiraiya's life.
Jiraiya's life was an imperfect one, but that is the story of Jiraiya, the hero.
Tetsuya was stunned for a moment as he stared at the noisy Sannin.
This scene also caught the attention of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"That boss's eyes..."
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the special look in Tetsuya's eyes when he looked at the Sannin. His eyes contained emotion, recognition, and even more regret.
But what is there to regret about my three disciples?
Tsunade is a descendant of the Hokage and has the bloodline of the Senju clan.
Orochimaru was a genius ninja who received his true teachings.
Jiraiya also had his own extraordinary encounter, and signed a contract with Mount Myōboku.
No matter how you look at it, all three of them have a bright future ahead of them. It's understandable to feel sentimental and appreciative, but we shouldn't feel sorry for them.
"Boss, I'd like a mixed ramen bowl. I'll put the bill on that idiot Jiraiya."
After beating up Jiraiya and then extorting money from him, Tsunade finally calmed down a lot.
Hiruzen Sarutobi also put down the menu.
"Then, I'll have a tonkotsu ramen."
"Boss, the usual, the flaming fried noodles, please."
"Boss, I'd like the signature ramen."
"Alright, please wait a moment, the noodles will be ready soon."
Tetsuya responded.
Following the normal procedure, Tetsuya quickly prepared the ramen that the four of them had ordered.
"Everyone, the noodles are ready. They're fresh out of the pot and a bit hot, so please eat slowly."
"Thank you, boss."
"Alright, I'm starting!"
"Let's eat!" *3
Jiraiya and his two companions were already familiar with Tetsuya's ramen, so they didn't rush to pick up their chopsticks. Instead, they looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his chopsticks and began to pick up the noodles.
Watching the noodle soup glistening in the sunlight ripple in the bowl, its aroma spreading with his movements.
He couldn't help but swallow hard, and without further hesitation, he took a big bite.
The chewy noodles break apart in your mouth, the broth overflows, and the aroma of the noodles and the flavor of the soup burst forth at the same time.
"This is really good. No wonder your business is so good, Mr. Chiba. This is definitely the best ramen I've ever had."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had tasted the ramen, also praised it without reservation.
"Lord Sarutobi, you flatter me."
Tetsuya smiled shyly, but beneath the smile lay more vigilance and wariness. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was definitely not there simply to eat ramen.
The last time this mistress came to my shop to eat ramen, her reaction was a bit strange.
Could it be that after I went to the battlefield and killed people, some of my temperament or characteristics changed, making them notice me?
"Mr. Chiba, your Chiba family was also a follower of Lord Hashirama Senju back then, right?"
It's here, it's begun.
Tetsuya knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi's interrogation had begun, but his expression remained calm.
"Yes, back then, our Chiba family was also a subordinate family of the Senju clan, following Lord Hashirama Senju to Konoha."
The two chatted intermittently, talking about how the Chiba clan followed the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and fought for Konoha.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of ninjas could tell that Hiruzen Sarutobi was interrogating Tetsuya, asking him about trivial matters from the past to see if he was a spy disguised and infiltrated into Konoha.
After all, no matter how detailed your intelligence gathering is, there will always be oversights.
However, Tetsuya perfectly inherited the original owner's memories. To be precise, the original owner and he were the same person, so naturally, he wouldn't reveal any flaws when facing these issues.
After chatting for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi finished his noodles.
At the same time, he also had an answer in his heart: Chiba was fine. As for what his three disciples had said about the boss being abnormal, it was probably a consequence of the war.
After all, the war had just ended, and many people in the village had changed their mindset, which was inevitable.
It looks like I'll have to talk to the teacher when I get back about how to do a good job of post-war reassurance.
But speaking of which, the teacher's health...
Sigh, I wonder how much longer the teacher can hold on.
However, if the teacher can't hold on, can I become a good Hokage?
I shook my head. Now is not the time to think about these things.
With my teacher still alive, my current task as his disciple and Hokage's bodyguard is to assist him well.
"Mr. Chiba, I heard you've also cultivated chakra?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly changed the subject.
Tetsuya nodded.
"Yes, I only managed to cultivate chakra when I first opened the shop. Unfortunately, I'm not very talented, and I haven't made much progress since then."
"Is that so? It's alright, hard work can make up for lack of talent."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and said.
"So, would you like to become a ninja?"
"To say I don't want to would be a lie."
Tetsuya gave an awkward laugh.
"But I know very well that someone like me would only be a burden to my comrades if I became a ninja. It would be better to just stay here and run this shop. I would be very satisfied if I could see the ninjas who have returned from their missions eating a bowl of ramen with satisfaction every day."
Life is all about acting.
Tetsuya's acting skills have gradually improved, and his performances are now completely natural.