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"Everyone's worked hard. It's already noon, so I'm treating you all to Ichiraku Ramen."
Kitazawa patted Naruto on the shoulder as he spoke.
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei!"
Naruto froze for a brief moment, then felt a quiet warmth spread through his chest.
Even though his parents were gone, he still had a sensei who took responsibility for him—and friends who cared.
That was enough.
His mood instantly lifted.
"Youth must never be defeated!"
Naruto thrust out a thumbs-up and grinned. "How about we settle this with a youthful eating contest?"
"Then we'd better call Choji too," Kitazawa said with a laugh. "Otherwise, no one here stands a chance against Hinata."
Hinata immediately lowered her head, her ears turning red.
"Since we're calling Choji, we might as well invite the others too," Kakashi said after a brief pause. Then he glanced at Kitazawa. "Do you have enough money for that?"
"No need to worry," Kitazawa waved it off lightly. "Just make sure you don't exhaust Teuchi."
"I'll go fetch them," Kakashi said, vanishing in a flash.
"Alright, let's head to Ichiraku first."
Kitazawa smiled and started walking.
"In the name of youth, I'm definitely eating more than Sasuke this time!" Naruto declared passionately.
"Hmph. That's far from guaranteed," Sasuke shot back.
Kitazawa paused mid-step, then added casually, "Whoever wins—I'll teach you a new Ninjutsu."
That immediately caught their attention.
"Really?!" Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. "What rank is it?!"
Even Sasuke looked intrigued.
Although he was currently under Kakashi's tutelage, Kitazawa still held a higher position in Sasuke's heart—simply because they had spent more time together.
"It's A-rank," Kitazawa said slowly, then added, "But it can be upgraded to S-rank."
"S-rank?!"
Naruto nearly bounced on the spot.
Sasuke's fighting spirit ignited as well.
An S-rank technique would push his strength to a whole new level.
He absolutely couldn't lose this eating contest.
Neji, Shino, Kimimaro, and the others felt a flicker of envy—but they were also realistic.
Their current training wasn't complete yet, and their talents didn't match Naruto's. Diverting focus to an S-rank Ninjutsu now would only do more harm than good.
[Current Mission: A blood-boiling brotherly combination—teach Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke the Taiji Rasengan.]
[Mission Reward: Lava Release.]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
Now this was a pleasant surprise—and the reward was excellent.
Lava Release, a Bloodline Limit formed from Fire and Earth Release, had been wielded by powerhouses like Rōshi, Kurotsuchi, and Naruto himself.
Naruto's Lava Release: Rasenshuriken had once carved through the Ten-Tails' body—an achievement reserved for only the most terrifying Ninjutsu.
"Teuchi-ossan!"
The moment Naruto stepped into Ichiraku Ramen, his voice rang out.
"Naruto? It's been a while," Teuchi said as he emerged from the kitchen.
"I was on a mission!" Naruto replied proudly. "I just got back!"
"Kitazawa, take a seat."
Teuchi smiled warmly. Even though Kitazawa now held a high position in Konoha, Teuchi still addressed him the same way—as Kitazawa had requested.
After all, they were neighbors.
"Teuchi-ossan!" Naruto added quickly. "A bunch of my classmates are coming later!"
"…Is Choji among them?" Teuchi glanced toward Hinata and asked.
"Yep!" Naruto nodded.
Teuchi felt immediate pressure. "Then today's going to be a real challenge."
"We'll help you close early," Kitazawa said as he took a seat.
Hinata hurried over and sat down at his left.
"What would you like to eat?" Teuchi asked with a grin. "I'll start early before things get crazy."
"Spare rib ramen," Kitazawa said after a moment's thought.
"Me too!" Hinata added immediately.
Teuchi chuckled as he turned back toward the kitchen.
It looked like Ichiraku was about to have a very lively afternoon.
"Just a moment, everyone!"
Teuchi turned around and headed into the kitchen, where the sound of boiling water quickly filled the shop.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Ino fluttered in like a butterfly and slipped onto the seat to Kitazawa's right.
"Kitazawa-sensei."
Shikamaru and Choji followed close behind, stepping into Ichiraku together.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura rushed in moments later.
One by one, the remaining students arrived, and before long, Ichiraku Ramen was packed full with members of the Genius Class.
"…This really is a big challenge."
When Teuchi carried out the first bowl of ramen, he couldn't help but pause in surprise.
The crowd exceeded his expectations—it felt almost like the shop's grand opening all over again.
Fortunately, he could handle it.
After all, noodles weren't cooked one bowl at a time. He simply tossed them in large batches and focused on preparing the toppings.
Besides, he wasn't alone—his daughter Ayame was helping as well.
The first steaming bowl was placed in front of Kitazawa.
Status aside, this was simply good manners.
Moments later, bowls were set before Sasuke, Naruto, and the rest.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and declared loudly, "The Youth Competitive Eating Contest officially begins!"
Sasuke didn't waste a second—he immediately started slurping down his ramen.
"I want in too!"
Choji glanced at Hinata and spoke with determination. "I'm taking back the Big Eater title for the Akimichi Clan!"
That title had once belonged to the Akimichi Clan—until Hinata appeared out of nowhere and claimed it.
It had been a long time since the last eating contest, and Choji felt his appetite had grown considerably.
Maybe… just maybe… he had a chance.
Hinata said nothing.
She simply focused on eating.
She didn't care about titles—but she absolutely couldn't lose in front of Kitazawa.
"You guys even turn eating ramen into a competition…" Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his temples.
"This is the flame of youth!" Rock Lee proclaimed, flashing a thumbs-up.
"I can't win anyway, so I'll just eat slowly."
Ino ate with elegant restraint.
"We might not beat Hinata or Choji," Kiba said, eyes blazing, "but we can definitely beat Naruto and Sasuke! This chance doesn't come often!"
With that declaration, Neji, Kimimaro, Tayuya, and the others subconsciously sped up as well.
Only Teuchi wore a conflicted expression—making money while silently shedding tears of exhaustion.
"Sasuke… are you giving up?"
Naruto glanced over and saw Sasuke grimacing slightly.
"…."
Sasuke couldn't even respond.
He truly couldn't eat another bite.
Naruto had already finished two more bowls than him—there was no way to catch up.
This wasn't just about willpower; it came down to physical conditioning.
Naruto's Taijutsu-heavy training consumed far more energy than Sasuke's, so naturally, he could eat more.
Was the S-rank Ninjutsu really going to slip through his fingers?
Sasuke clenched his fists unconsciously, frustration welling up inside him.
If Naruto learned an S-rank technique, the gap between them would widen even further.
Even mastering Hatake Swordsmanship might not be enough to close it.
"I won!"
Naruto exclaimed triumphantly.
"Why is Naruto so excited?" Kiba asked, confused.
"Isn't he always like that?" Shikamaru replied lazily.
"…Yeah, fair point," Kiba nodded.
In his mind, Naruto was always brimming with energy—shouting about youth and smiling like nothing in the world could bring him down.
"Kitazawa-sensei promised to teach an S-rank Ninjutsu to the winner," Neji explained calmly.
"…What?!"
Kiba slapped his thigh in regret. "I should've eaten two more bowls!"
"Even if you'd won, learning it wouldn't be easy," Hana said, shaking her head.
When Kakashi had come to notify them, she happened to be home and tagged along.
"Kitazawa-sensei is always fair," Karin added. "He'll teach us when we're ready for it."
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Naruto suddenly asked, "Even though Sasuke lost… can you still teach him?"
Sasuke stiffened.
"I planned to teach both of you from the start," Kitazawa said with a smile. "The competition was just for fun."
"Kitazawa-sensei is the best!" Naruto declared immediately.
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei," Sasuke said quickly, bowing his head.
Kitazawa then turned his gaze toward Hinata and Choji.
Everyone else had finished eating—but those two were still going strong.
"Who do you think will win?" Kiba asked, curiosity written all over his face.
"Hinata, probably," Ino said after a moment's thought.
"That's not guaranteed!" Sakura countered immediately. "The Akimichi Clan's appetite grows with their strength!"
After all, the Akimichi Clan converted food directly into stored energy.
And Choji… was getting stronger by the day.
In theory, the stronger a person became, the greater their appetite—after all, greater strength demanded greater energy.
Sasuke subconsciously glanced at Sakura, hesitating as if he wanted to say something… but stopped himself.
Still—could her so-called "iron tongue" really affect Choji?
Time dragged on.
In the end, Hinata won—by the narrowest of margins.
Sasuke's mouth twitched.
Although he had clearly, at this moment he couldn't help but suspect Sakura's "iron tongue" had played a role.
"…?"
Sakura was completely speechless.
"Alright, there's still half a day left. Everyone go back and rest."
Kitazawa clapped his hands, signaling the end of the gathering.
"Goodbye, Kitazawa-sensei!"
Naruto, Sasuke, and the others departed one after another, still buzzing with excitement.
Kitazawa paused for a moment, then headed toward the Hokage Office.
The mission had taken nearly two weeks in total—one week spent in Rouran, and another in travel.
It was a bit longer than expected, but the gains had been well worth it.
Now, all that remained was to ask Tsunade for the Flying Thunder God Technique.
—
Kitazawa stopped, raised his hand, and knocked.
"Come in."
Tsunade's voice rang out from inside.
"Tsunade-sensei."
Kitazawa greeted her first.
"Just got back?"
She blinked in surprise, then smiled.
"Mm."
He nodded, then added with a faint smile, "You definitely wouldn't guess what we experienced on this mission."
"Weren't you just capturing a rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand?" Tsunade replied casually.
"That part's true," Kitazawa said. "But we also ran into the Fourth Hokage."
"…What kind of joke is that?" Tsunade frowned instantly.
Minato Namikaze was a fallen hero of Konoha. This wasn't something to joke about.
"I wouldn't dare joke about that," Kitazawa replied calmly. "It's a long story. Sit down—we'll take our time."
"I'd love to hear this story," Tsunade said as she stood, walking over with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "And if you're lying, I'll kick you straight through the wall."
Kitazawa took her hand and gently pulled her down beside him, then began recounting the mission.
Naturally, he left out the part where he had deliberately maneuvered Mukade—framing it instead as an unexpected encounter.
"…Is all of this really true?"
The more Tsunade listened, the stranger it sounded.
"If you don't believe me, ask Kakashi or Naruto," Kitazawa said with a chuckle. "Neither of them would dare lie to you."
"…This is truly unbelievable."
After a moment, Tsunade accepted it.
Kitazawa had no reason to deceive her.
"There's also physical proof."
He took out the Mini Dragon Bow.
"I sealed the Power of the Dragon Vein inside."
The moment Tsunade grasped it, she felt the nearly endless chakra contained within.
She nodded silently and handed it back.
"What a pity," she sighed. "I really wanted to meet Kushina too."
What she really wanted was to see Hashirama—or Nawaki—but that was clearly impossible.
"The past is the past," Kitazawa said gently. "You have to keep moving forward."
"I'm not a child," Tsunade shot back, rolling her eyes.
"As expected of Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa praised, perfectly straight-faced.
"Your skin's thicker than mine," she laughed, standing up. "You've been gone for days. Go home and rest."
"There's still one more thing," Kitazawa said, not letting go of her hand.
"Is that not enough?"
Tsunade leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"…That's not what I meant."
Kitazawa blinked.
"Hmph. Don't push your luck," she warned.
"I meant the Flying Thunder God Technique," he clarified.
She paused—then realized her misunderstanding.
"…Fine. That already happened anyway."
"Seeing the Fourth Hokage use it firsthand really piqued my curiosity," Kitazawa continued.
Tsunade nodded.
"The Flying Thunder God is extremely difficult—no easier than Sage Mode," she warned. "If you can't learn it, don't force it."
"I understand."
"Go read it yourself," she said dismissively. "You know where it's stored."
"You're still the Hokage. I need permission."
"Being Hokage is such a pain," Tsunade muttered, then suddenly asked, "So when are you becoming Hokage?"
"…Don't you think that question's a little strange?"
If Danzō could hear this, he'd be crying in the afterlife.
"What's strange about it?" Tsunade retorted. "Am I supposed to do this forever?"
"You can stay Hokage for another two years," Kitazawa said after thinking. "Until Naruto and Sasuke graduate. After that, I'll stop teaching at the Academy."
"Deal!"
Tsunade slammed her hand on the desk. "No backing out!"
Kitazawa sighed, stood up, and nodded.
"I said it—I won't take it back."
Soon after, Kitazawa retrieved the Flying Thunder God Technique scroll and began studying it.
The technique had three requirements:
First: Space–Time Ninjutsu Talent.
Anyone capable of summoning had a baseline aptitude—but the Flying Thunder God demanded the very highest level.
Second: Dynamic Vision and Reaction Speed.
The technique was so fast that even its user could lose control—much like Chidori without a Sharingan.
Kitazawa met this requirement effortlessly.
Senju Chakra Mode, Yang Release Chakra Mode—and the Sharingan.
Third: Chakra Reserves.
The more chakra, the greater the range and mass that could be transported.
Kitazawa's chakra might not rival Hashirama's—but surpassing Minato's normal state was child's play.
The standard Flying Thunder God simply required spatial relocation via marked seals.
In short—he met all three conditions.
He returned home, greeted Kurenai, and moved to the open space behind his house.
The Flying Thunder God Technique could be divided into three stages:
Sensing Space
Placing the Flying Thunder God Mark
Establishing a Connection and Moving Through Space
Simple in theory. Incredibly difficult in practice.
Still—Kitazawa had time.
Before Naruto and the others graduated, there would be no major upheavals.
Two years.
That would be enough to master the Flying Thunder God Technique.
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