"If it's possible, please allow me to participate in the competition!" Hinata said with earnest determination, bowing again to Ayame with formal politeness that reflected her careful upbringing.
The sincerity in her voice was unmistakable, carrying a quiet strength that surprised everyone present. This wasn't the hesitant, uncertain tone that most people associated with the shy Hyuga heiress—this was the voice of someone who had made a firm decision and was prepared to see it through regardless of consequences.
"I understand," Ayame replied, nodding in response to Hinata's request, though her expression still reflected concern about what the young woman was getting herself into.
Relief and joy immediately brightened Hinata's fair features as she smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much for allowing this."
Turning to face Naruto, who was still struggling with his overloaded stomach, she offered him a gentle but confident smile. "Naruto-kun, please don't worry. I'll win that prize for you."
"Hinata..." Naruto's eyes widened in amazement, his voice carrying a mixture of gratitude and concern.
Her uncharacteristic boldness had drawn the attention of everyone at their table and many of the spectators throughout the restaurant. Chiharu, Sasuke, and Sakura all stared at her with expressions that mixed admiration with worry about the implications of her decision.
"Is that the reason?" Ayame murmured to herself, having noticed the way Hinata looked at Naruto when she made her declaration.
The restaurant owner's daughter immediately understood the motivation behind this seemingly impossible decision. The gentle love in Hinata's eyes when she looked at the struggling blonde boy explained everything about why she was willing to risk her reputation and family standing for a ramen eating contest.
"Wait, look at those eyes—is she from the Hyuga clan?" someone in the crowd whispered with growing recognition.
"You're right! I just noticed—those are the distinctive white eyes of the Byakugan!" another spectator added with excitement.
"I remember now! She's Lady Hinata of the main Hyuga family.!" a third voice chimed in with certainty.
The recognition spread through the gathered crowd like wildfire, creating a buzz of conversation that made the situation even more extraordinary.
"With her status and family position, why would she participate in this kind of competition?" someone wondered aloud, their voice carrying genuine puzzlement.
"I heard that Hinata's father is extremely strict about propriety and public behavior!" another person added, emphasizing just how shocking her participation really was.
The growing discussions made Hinata lower her head in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing with color. The attention was clearly making her uncomfortable, and even Sakura, Sasuke, and the others sitting with her began to feel awkward about the scrutiny their table was receiving.
At that moment, a staff member approached with professional efficiency, placing Hinata's competition number and a large bowl of freshly prepared ramen in front of her position at the table.
"Please enjoy," the server said politely, though his expression reflected the same amazement that seemed to be affecting everyone in the restaurant.
"Thank you very much," Hinata replied with characteristic grace, her gentle smile helping to ease some of the tension in the immediate area.
She reached out with delicate fingers to pick up her chopsticks, handling them with the same precise movements that characterized everything about her careful upbringing.
"Sister Hinata, please don't force yourself to do this," Chiharu said with obvious concern, having finally understood the true motivation behind Hinata's unprecedented decision.
Everything she was risking—her family's approval, her public reputation, her personal comfort—all of it was for Naruto's sake!
"Don't worry about me," Hinata replied with quiet confidence, offering Chiharu a reassuring smile that seemed to transform her entire presence.
With practiced grace, she gathered the hair falling on both sides of her face and tucked it behind her delicate ears, revealing the elegant line of her neck and jawline. The hot steam rising from her ramen bowl created a soft halo around her features, adding a rosy flush to her already pink cheeks that made her appear almost ethereal.
She carefully selected a portion of noodles with her chopsticks, blew on them twice with gentle breaths to cool them properly, and then slowly, deliberately placed the first bite in her mouth.
"Even eating ramen, she looks so beautiful," several passersby commented with obvious admiration.
There was no question that Hinata had grown into a genuine beauty over the three years since the war's conclusion. Her features had matured and refined themselves, creating a combination of gentle elegance and natural charm that drew attention wherever she went.
"You're all focusing on the wrong thing," someone else pointed out with practical skepticism. "The way she eats is certainly lovely to watch, but at that slow pace, she has no hope of winning this competition."
At that same moment, Choji, who was sitting diagonally across from Hinata, had already finished his thirteenth bowl of ramen. He raised his empty container with mechanical efficiency and requested his next serving without any apparent strain or discomfort.
As he waited for his fourteenth bowl, Choji's gaze shifted to observe Hinata more carefully, and his expression changed slightly with something that might have been surprise.
Compared to the aggressive, almost violent eating style that both he and Naruto employed, Hinata's approach seemed almost meditative in its calm deliberation. Yet despite her seemingly leisurely pace, the ramen in her bowl was disappearing at a rate that defied her gentle movements.
When the staff delivered Choji's fourteenth bowl, Hinata had somehow managed to completely finish her first serving. She looked up at the server with polite attention and said, "Please bring me another bowl as well."
The staff member hesitated for just a moment, clearly surprised by the request, before bringing Hinata her second bowl with something approaching reverence. She began eating this serving with the same steady, unhurried rhythm that had characterized her first.
Before long, she had finished her second bowl as well, maintaining her composed demeanor throughout.
At this point, the spectators who had initially dismissed her chances were beginning to show expressions of genuine surprise and curiosity.
Hinata appeared to be a naturally slender young woman, yet she had just consumed two bowls of Ichiraku's generous ramen portions without showing any visible effects. Her stomach remained flat, her breathing steady, and her movements as graceful as when she had started.
Even Sasuke, who had initially shown no interest in the competition beyond being dragged to witness it, was now watching her performance with growing fascination.
The third bowl followed the second. Then the fourth. By the time she reached her seventh bowl, her steady pace had become a source of amazement throughout the restaurant.
The entire establishment had fallen into near-complete silence, broken only by the rhythmic sounds of Hinata and Choji consuming their respective meals. Every other conversation had stopped as people focused their attention on this unprecedented display.
By this time, Choji had managed to finish nineteen bowls of ramen, with empty containers piled in front of him like a small mountain of ceramic testimony to his legendary appetite. However, like Naruto before him, he was now showing signs of strain, occasionally suppressing the urge to expel what he had consumed while carefully observing his unexpected rival.
Although seven bowls of ramen represented an impressive achievement for anyone, let alone a young woman of Hinata's apparent build, this was still a competition based on total consumption. Choji had planned to take a brief rest to consolidate his position and then continue when he felt more stable.
But the girl across from him continued to work through her current bowl with the same unhurried precision that had characterized her entire performance so far.
Soon, a substantial pile of empty bowls had accumulated in front of Hinata's position. Including the one she was currently eating, this represented her fourteenth serving of the competition.
At this moment, everyone in the restaurant was staring at her with expressions of complete disbelief.
"This can't be possible," Naruto whispered, his voice filled with amazement as he compared his own twelve-bowl achievement to her ongoing performance.
He studied Hinata's midsection carefully, looking for any sign of the distension that had made his own stomach uncomfortably prominent. To his astonishment, there was virtually no visible change in her figure at all.
"Where is she putting all that food?" Naruto muttered, running his hands through his hair in complete bewilderment.
"Excuse me," Hinata said softly after finishing her fourteenth bowl, her voice carrying the same polite tone she had maintained throughout the entire competition.
"Y-yes," the nearby staff member responded, clearly still stunned by what he was witnessing.
After taking his own brief rest to recover his equilibrium, Choji recognized that he was facing a genuine threat to his victory. "Please bring me another bowl as well," he requested, his competitive instincts overriding his physical discomfort.
Two fresh bowls of ramen were promptly placed in front of both remaining contestants, and they resumed their respective eating styles with renewed focus.
"This is his twentieth bowl already," someone in the crowd observed with shocked admiration. "What kind of stomach capacity does that guy possess?"
However, the people around him were now focusing their primary attention on Hinata instead. "Compared to him, I'm more interested in understanding how her stomach works," another spectator said with a trembling voice.
Choji's eating pace had become noticeably slower as he approached his physical limits, each bite requiring more effort and concentration than before.
Meanwhile, Hinata, despite having consumed fewer total bowls, continued to eat at her steady, sustainable pace, showing no signs of strain or discomfort.
On the Streets of Konoha
Shikamaru was guiding Chojuro through the village's most interesting districts when they noticed the large crowd gathered in front of Ichiraku Ramen. Curiosity overcoming their planned itinerary, both young men decided to investigate what had drawn so many spectators.
After working their way through the dense crowd of onlookers, they finally managed to get close enough to see what was happening inside the restaurant. The sight that greeted them was extraordinary even by Konoha's standards.
The piles of empty bowls in front of both Hinata and Choji were impressive enough to make both Shikamaru and Chojuro's eyes widen with amazement.
"Is this really happening?" Shikamaru muttered under his breath, his strategic mind struggling to process the scale of what he was witnessing.
At that moment, Hinata added another empty bowl to her collection and calmly requested her twenty-third serving from the increasingly amazed staff. Her demeanor remained as composed and dignified as if she were participating in a formal tea ceremony rather than a competitive eating contest.
Choji, meanwhile, was struggling through his twenty-second bowl, his legendary appetite finally approaching its absolute limits. Each bite now required visible effort, and his usual enthusiasm for food had been replaced by grim determination.
Just as he managed to swallow the last portion of ramen in his bowl, Choji looked up at Hinata, who continued to eat as if nothing unusual was happening. The sight of her unshakeable composure finally broke his resolve.
Unable to continue any longer, Choji suddenly stood up from his seat and rushed toward the restaurant's exit, his hand covering his mouth as his body finally rebelled against the enormous quantity of food he had consumed.
The crowd immediately parted to give him a clear path, recognizing the urgency of his situation.
"Ugh—" The unmistakable sound of Choji losing his stomach contents could be heard clearly from outside the restaurant.
Everyone inside looked toward the door with stunned expressions, then slowly turned their attention back to the competition area where only one contestant remained.
Hinata finished her current bowl with the same careful deliberation she had maintained throughout the entire contest, then looked up at Ayame with her characteristic shy smile.
"I believe that's sufficient," she said with gentle finality.
Ayame snapped back to awareness, looked at Hinata with an expression that mixed disbelief with profound respect, then turned to address the crowd both inside and outside the restaurant.
"If no one else wishes to continue the competition..." she announced, waiting for any remaining challenges.
Of course, no one responded. The idea of trying to match Hinata's performance seemed absurd to every potential competitor present.
Choji returned to the restaurant with the assistance of both Shikamaru and Chojuro, his face pale but his dignity intact. Ayame looked at him with sympathetic understanding as she made the official announcement.
"According to the rules of the competition, Choji-kun has been disqualified due to his inability to retain his consumed food," she declared with professional formality.
"Therefore, the winner of this Ichiraku Ramen Big Eater Contest is..." She paused dramatically, letting the tension build before announcing, "Lady Hinata!"
"Thank you very much," Hinata replied with gracious humility, inclining her head in acceptance of the honor.
At that moment, spontaneous applause erupted throughout the restaurant and spread to the crowd gathered outside. The ovation reflected not just appreciation for her victory, but genuine amazement at the impossible feat they had all witnessed.
"This is absolutely incredible!" people called out with enthusiasm.
"I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!" others added with wonder.
"Who could have predicted this outcome?" still more voices chimed in with admiration.
The sustained cheering and attention made Hinata lower her head with characteristic shyness, clearly overwhelmed by the public recognition despite her satisfaction at achieving her goal.
Both Sasuke and Chiharu exchanged meaningful glances before swallowing hard, both of them reassessing their understanding of their gentle friend's capabilities.
At that moment, Sakura quietly moved to Hinata's side and whispered in her ear with obvious curiosity, "Hinata, your impressive development in certain areas—is that related to your appetite?"
As she spoke, Sakura's gaze fixed on Hinata's notably generous figure with obvious envy, comparing it to her own more modest proportions.
Understanding exactly what Sakura was implying, Hinata's cheeks immediately flushed bright red. She replied in an almost inaudible whisper, "Perhaps... though I don't normally eat nearly that much."
"I see," Sakura murmured thoughtfully, looking down at her own chest with visible disappointment.
"No matter what, I could never use that method," she concluded with frustrated resignation. "I couldn't eat that much ramen even if my life depended on it."
She returned to her seat with obvious irritation at the unfairness of natural advantages.
At that moment, Naruto unexpectedly positioned himself directly in front of Hinata's face, bringing their noses within just a few centimeters of each other. His sudden movement made her startle slightly, like a surprised rabbit caught in an unexpected encounter.
Behind them, Chiharu observed this interaction with raised eyebrows before thinking to herself with relief and satisfaction, Brother, have you finally figured it out?
Then Naruto spoke to the blushing young woman before him with innocent enthusiasm, "Hinata, that was absolutely amazing! Could you teach me how to eat that much ramen?"
"..." Complete silence fell over the entire restaurant.
Even Shikamaru, who was generally tolerant of his friends' quirks, couldn't contain his exasperation. He gritted his teeth and muttered with disgust, "What a hopeless fool."
After the Competition
Following the formal presentation of the winning prize to Hinata, Naruto and his group gradually departed from Ichiraku Ramen under the continued stares of many fascinated spectators. The story of the unexpected champion would undoubtedly spread throughout Konoha within hours.
Shikamaru took the opportunity to introduce Chojuro to the group, and given the friendly personalities of Naruto and his friends, it didn't take long for them to help the shy Kirigakure ninja feel welcome and accepted.
"Choji-kun, I'm sorry about what happened. Are you feeling better now?" Hinata asked with genuine concern, studying the Akimichi clan member who still appeared somewhat shaken by his defeat and its aftermath.
Choji managed his characteristic innocent smile as he replied, "Don't worry about me—I'm perfectly fine now."
The group spent considerable time walking through Konoha's streets as the day gradually transitioned toward evening. During this period, Chojuro was called away by his companions from the Hidden Mist Village delegation, who had completed their own exploration of the village.
"Naruto, Chiharu, Hinata, we're heading home now," Sakura announced, waving farewell to the three remaining friends.
Sasuke, maintaining his characteristic cool demeanor, simply put his hands in his pockets and began walking away without further ceremony.
"Goodbye, everyone," both Hinata and Chiharu replied with warm smiles.
"Sasuke-kun, wait for me!" Sakura called out, quickly hurrying to catch up with his longer strides as they disappeared around a corner.
"Come on, Sister Hinata, we'll escort you home," Chiharu offered with sisterly consideration.
Hinata shook her head politely, "That's not necessary—I can manage the journey by myself."
At that moment, she reached into her pocket and withdrew the prize coupon she had won through her unprecedented victory in the eating contest. With gentle deliberation, she extended it toward Naruto.
"Naruto-kun, this belongs to you," she said with quiet satisfaction at being able to fulfill her promise.
"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement, though he felt embarrassed about accepting something Hinata had worked so hard to earn.
"Yes, absolutely," Hinata confirmed with a firm nod.
The two young people found themselves in an awkward moment, with Naruto hesitating to accept the gift and Hinata unsure how to overcome his reluctance.
Unable to tolerate the uncomfortable silence any longer, Chiharu stepped forward and smoothly took the coupon from Hinata's hand with a warm smile. "Sister Hinata, I'll accept this on behalf of my brother and make sure he uses it properly."
The intervention dissolved the awkward atmosphere, and Hinata's smile returned with obvious relief.
"As proper thanks for your generous gift," Chiharu continued with sisterly authority, "my brother and I will definitely escort you home safely."
Without waiting for further protests, she linked her arm through Hinata's and began walking in the direction of the Hyuga clan compound, with Naruto following close behind them.
At the Hyuga Main Gate
"Thank you both so much for walking me home," Hinata said with genuine gratitude as they reached her family's impressive compound entrance.
"It was our pleasure," Naruto replied with his characteristic bright smile.
"Sister Hinata, we should plan another outing together soon," Chiharu suggested with obvious enthusiasm for maintaining their friendship.
"I would enjoy that very much," Hinata agreed immediately.
"My brother will come along as well," Chiharu added with a meaningful glance at Naruto.
"Absolutely no problem," Naruto confirmed, raising his thumb with typical confidence. "Hinata, I'll treat you to ramen when we go out!"
"That sounds wonderful," Hinata replied with a gentle laugh. "Naruto-kun, it's clear that you really love ramen above everything else."
"Of course—it's my absolute favorite!" Naruto declared enthusiastically.
At this point, Chiharu rolled her eyes and interjected with sisterly mischief, "That's not entirely accurate. Mom told us we need to manage our mission earnings carefully, so the amount of money left over seems to be just enough for my brother's ramen addiction."
"Hey, why are you sharing that embarrassing information in front of Hinata?" Naruto protested, glancing at his sister with obvious mortification.
Seeing his discomfort, Hinata burst into delighted laughter at the sibling interaction.
"Aunt Kushina sounds like such a caring and practical mother," she observed with warm appreciation.
Chiharu continued with obvious affection, "Sister Hinata, before we left home this morning, Mom specifically mentioned that she misses you terribly since it's been so long since your last visit. She asked me to invite you to come over whenever you have free time."
"I will definitely make time for a visit soon," Hinata promised with obvious pleasure at the invitation.
She waved farewell to both siblings, saying, "Goodbye, and thank you again for everything today."
Under the watchful gazes of Naruto and Chiharu, the young woman's slender figure gradually disappeared into the impressive Hyuga compound, leaving them with warm memories of an extraordinary day.
On the Way Home
The brother and sister turned to head back to their own home, with Naruto clutching his newly acquired Ichiraku coupon and practically radiating excitement about the year of free ramen that awaited him.
During their walk, Chiharu looked at him sideways and suddenly asked with deceptive casualness, "Brother, do you understand why Sister Hinata would participate in that eating contest?"
Naruto nodded without hesitation, "Of course I know—it was for my sake."
"You actually realized that?" Chiharu exclaimed with surprise, her eyes widening at this unexpected display of perceptiveness.
"What's so strange about understanding something that obvious?" Naruto replied with genuine confusion. "Hinata is a friend who's grown up with us. Given her personality and natural shyness, she would only do something that public and embarrassing for the sake of a close friend."
"Do you honestly believe it's just because you're friends?" Chiharu asked with growing frustration, holding her forehead as she realized she had been far too optimistic about her brother's emotional intelligence.
"Of course—what else could it be?" Naruto looked at his sister with complete puzzlement, genuinely unable to imagine any other explanation.
"You... you're absolutely hopeless!" Chiharu exclaimed in exasperation, stamping her foot in place.
Feeling indignant on Hinata's behalf for such obliviousness, she quickened her pace to put distance between herself and her frustratingly dense brother.
Seeing Chiharu suddenly walking much faster and leaving him behind, Naruto frowned with confusion and hurried to catch up.
"Don't walk so fast all of a sudden! Wait for me!" he called out, completely bewildered by her sudden change in mood.
"Wait for me, hey!"