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When others were so polite to him, Ye Wen wasn't the kind of god who, after ascending, viewed mortals as insignificant ants. He responded casually and then began looking at the menu.
At this time, Ichiraku Ramen wasn't yet the large chain it would become after Naruto became the Seventh Hokage—it was just a small, six-seat ramen shop that looked a bit old and worn.
However, unlike the tiny "fly restaurants" from his previous life, even this humble ramen shop kept its tables impeccably clean, free of any greasy residue.
Just based on this alone, eating here would surely lift one's mood.
The prices, though, weren't exactly friendly—a standard bowl of ramen cost sixty ryō.
But Konoha, as the economic center of the Land of Fire second only to the capital, held a status equivalent to "Magical City" Shanghai in his previous life. Higher prices were to be expected.
Moreover, the service here was impeccable, so the higher cost was justified.
It was only now that Ye Wen realized he didn't have any currency from the Land of Fire!
But Ye Wen wasn't worried at all—he could simply pay with something else later.
Being new to the area, Ye Wen didn't want to order any fancy upgraded ramen dishes. Instead, he ordered a basic bowl of Ichiraku Ramen with extra chashu (braised pork).
Soon, a large bowl filled to the brim with ramen appeared before Ye Wen. The bowl, big enough to fit a human face, was packed with noodles and a rich, aromatic broth. On top, various side dishes were neatly arranged, making it visually pleasing.
Unlike those garbage restaurants that served tiny portions on oversized plates, Ichiraku Ramen gave generous servings. No wonder Naruto, with his massive appetite, had relied on this single bowl of ramen to get through his difficult childhood.
Ye Wen didn't follow local customs by saying "Itadakimasu" before eating. Instead, he naturally picked up his chopsticks and began tasting the food.
The soup did not disappoint. Its rich and complex flavors flooded his mouth—it was indeed quite delicious.
Next came the noodles. In a soup-based dish like this, the relationship between the broth and the noodles was crucial. If either was subpar, it would directly lead to a loss of customers.
Teuchi's ramen, to be honest, wasn't really "ramen" in the strict sense. It was just handmade noodles, following the naming conventions of this region. After kneading the dough by hand, the noodles were rolled out with a machine and then cut into strips with a knife.
However, the noodles were made with excellent texture, complementing the rich broth perfectly.
The chashu and side dishes were decent—neither bad nor particularly impressive.
In the end, Ye Wen rated Ichiraku Ramen at least three and a half stars out of five. For mortal hands to achieve such culinary heights, Ye Wen's divine palate was quite satisfied.
At this moment, Ye Wen was the only customer in the shop. After he finished the last sip of soup, Teuchi's face lit up with a fatherly smile.
As a chef—and an ambitious one at that—the greatest praise was seeing a customer devour every last bit of his food without hesitation.
Noticing Ye Wen's luxurious yet non-local attire, Teuchi was about to strike up a conversation to gather feedback for improving his craft.
But just then, a small figure popped up from under the counter.
Ye Wen was somewhat surprised—wasn't this little guy Naruto?
Come to think of it, shouldn't he still be in class right now?
Ah yes, skipping class was routine for Naruto, the perennial dead-last. Later on, he'd even graffiti the Hokage Monument to grab attention—a naturally restless soul, much like his mother, Kushina.
"Uncle Teuchi, here."
Naruto handed over a small slip of paper to Teuchi. Ye Wen recognized it as a ramen discount coupon given to Naruto by Teuchi.
"Oh dear, just wait a moment, Naruto," Teuchi responded warmly.
It was ironic, really. Sarutobi Hiruzen had tried to isolate and PUA Naruto, treating him like a dog to make him dependent. But ironically, the person Naruto truly depended on was this unassuming ramen shop owner.
No amount of Hiruzen's words could compare to the warmth of a hot bowl of ramen served by Teuchi during Naruto's lonely and hungry moments.
As for why this was—
While ramen was undeniably delicious, its heavy oil and salt content meant no one would realistically eat it every day—it grew tiresome quickly.
But because of Teuchi's unintentional kindness during Naruto's childhood, Naruto had developed an incurable love for ramen.
Pfft, though it couldn't compare to the combat power of his wife Hinata's homemade ramen.
Thinking about this, Ye Wen chuckled mischievously.
That said, Naruto really did end up as a life winner. Not only did he marry a beautiful, fair-skinned woman with long legs, but he also became fabulously wealthy and widely respected.
Unlike a certain proud Uchiha descendant who still had to pay off a mortgage.
At this moment, Teuchi turned to Ye Wen with a warm smile and asked, "Honored guest, how did you find our ramen?"
Ye Wen replied with satisfaction, "Among the countless delicacies I've tasted, your ramen ranks among the top hundred. Though I'm not a professional chef, I can't offer more specific advice. I just hope you'll continue maintaining this quality—I look forward to enjoying the same deliciousness when I return next time."
Though ranking in the top hundred among countless dishes left Teuchi slightly dissatisfied, the sincerity in Ye Wen's words cheered him up. With a respectful bow, he said,
"Thank you for your kind words, honored guest. I will continue to strive for excellence."
Though there were many flaws in this society, Ye Wen appreciated the humility and rule-abiding nature of the weak toward the strong. As a ruler, how could he not admire such a populace?
Ye Wen pretended to rummage through his pocket and placed a small gold ingot on the table.
"This is for the meal, boss."
Teuchi, known for his squinty eyes, finally opened them wide in shock at the sight of the gold. *0.0*
Hmm, so much for the rumors about Otsutsuki descendants having terrifying eyes—these were just ordinary eyes after all.
"Honored guest, this gold is far too much! A bowl of our ramen only costs sixty ryō."
Teuchi quickly pushed the gold back to Ye Wen, urging him to take it back.
Though there was currently a Kazekage who wielded Magnet Release (essentially Gold Release), the gold he controlled wasn't pure. Otherwise, the price of gold in the ninja world would have already collapsed disastrously.
Thus, this small gold ingot, no bigger than a pinky finger, was worth hundreds of thousands of ryō—far more than enough to buy a simple bowl of ramen. It was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Teuchi's mind worked quickly, and he soon understood.
This was clearly a foreigner who, lacking local currency, had used gold to settle the bill.
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