Steam drifted lazily through the air as Raven set her empty bowl on the counter and leaned forward, brushing her fingers along the lacquered wood. "Hey boss, thanks for the ramen."
Teuchi wiped his hands on a towel and gave a tired but fond nod. "No problem. My name's Teuchi. And tell your parents to quit trying to compete with me in a ramen-versus-pizza contest all the time! I'm sick of those pizza-crust fortune cookies stealing all of my customers. They keep telling people to buy more pizza instead of ramen!"
Raven blinked, then exhaled slowly. "No promises on that. You'll have to take it up with my parents."
Teuchi scratched his chin, clearly already scheming. "Maybe we should settle it properly—with a contest to determine who runs the best restaurant in town. Could be between the Krusty Kunai and my Ichiraku Ramen."
Naruto nearly jumped out of his stool, eyes sparkling. "We can call it The Clash of the Carbs!"
Teuchi let out a booming laugh. "Naruto, that's actually a rare stroke of genius. If I can get the Hokage to approve it, we could make a ton of money! Maybe even turn it into an annual festival—foreign visitors, food booths, and piles of Ryō for everyone!"
Raven raised an eyebrow. "I'll pitch the idea to my folks. They might agree to your challenge—but just so you know, you'll lose."
Teuchi waved her off with mock defiance. "You're not the first up-and-comer who's said that, yet Ichiraku Ramen still stands tall!"
"You'll pay for this, ramen guy."
"My name's Teuchi!"
"Whatever."
Raven turned away from the counter, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. "Come on, Yumi. Let's go. Ino, Naruto—time to move!"
Their bowls were stacked neatly as they left the ramen stand behind, stepping out into the sunlit bustle of Konoha's market street.
The air was thick with the scent of baked goods, spices, and fresh produce. Laughter drifted from vendor stalls as villagers bartered cheerfully, children darting between booths with bags of dried fruit and trinkets.
Ino walked with a spring in her step beside Raven. "So you're really going to help me improve my Mind Transfer Jutsu?"
"That's right," Raven said, keeping her tone light but confident. "I've got a few tips that'll help you master it. You might even learn to stay conscious while taking control of another person's body. If we refine the communication techniques your clan uses for interrogation and coordination, we could evolve them into something much stronger."
Ino's expression shifted to wary suspicion. "Why would you help me with my abilities?"
Raven puffed her chest slightly. "Have you heard of Hinata Hyūga, the heiress of the Hyūga Clan? I'm her new best friend. I'm helping her develop her Gentle Fist techniques."
Ino turned to face her fully. "You know Hinata?"
"Of course. I met her a few days ago—we hit it off right away. I promised to help her refine her Gentle Fist and even teach her a few special tricks. I can do the same for you, Ino."
"Ooh, ooh!" Naruto said, hopping a step closer to them. "Can you help me with my techniques too? Every time I try to channel chakra, nothing ever works right!"
Raven looked at him in disbelief. "Are you telling me you can't even perform a basic Transformation or Substitution Jutsu?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually… I haven't really been trained on any of that stuff yet. I just wanted to join the conversation."
Ino's eyes narrowed. "Nobody's shown you the basic jutsu required to even enter the Academy?"
"Hey!" Naruto said defensively. "You only need to know that stuff to graduate!"
"Yeah," Raven said slowly, "but most kids already know those techniques before they even start the Academy, Naruto."
His eyes widened. "Wait, seriously? Everyone else can already do those?"
"Yes," Ino and Raven said together.
Raven gave a small nod. "I can help you develop your basics. It'll be important for you to grow stronger—considering your particular path in life."
Naruto's brows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Raven smiled just enough to keep him guessing. "You'll find out in a couple of years."
They turned down a quieter street, where the sounds of the marketplace softened and tailor shops replaced the food vendors. Bright fabrics fluttered in the wind, and wooden signs swayed gently above doorways.
Raven gestured ahead. "All right, here we are—one of my favorite shopping spots."
They came to a stop in front of a cozy little boutique with an elegant hand-painted sign: The Silk Boutique. Through the glass, bolts of fabric were stacked like scrolls, and half-finished uniforms hung from mannequin frames.
From behind the counter, a cheerful woman in her late twenties looked up. Her black hair was tied in a neat bun, and she beamed warmly. "Welcome to The Silk Boutique! I'm Rika Hoshino, seamstress and owner. Looking for custom ninja gear or casual clothes?"
Raven stepped forward with casual ease, hands in her pockets. "A little of both. My friends here could use some wardrobe upgrades."
Join my patreon today to read my patreon exclusive stories like Raven from the teen titans Goes To Hogwarts or Iron Maiden featuring Talia Ivory Stark as the Iron Maiden.
Zero Fall featuring a high school teenager named Crystal Constantine who is the reincarnated queen of Atlantis with the power of ice that can literally freeze time or Rem Of The Remembrance Or my new Yuri Naruto novel featuring a female Naruto and Sasuke in love with eachother with Sayuri Uzumaki now 6 years old starting the Ninja Academy with a gamer system and her.
My new patreon exclusive Fire Fall Embers Of Creation featuring Scarlett Whitmore an immortal vampire with the power of Nirvana Flame. Or read my new story DD: The Immortal Life Of Bibi Dong a patreon exclusive Bibi has lived three lifetimes and has been reborn on the Douluo Continent as an immortal cultivator and soul master.
Or my new story Yuri Prime about Eon Prime a artificial intelligence stranded in space aboard the Starship Horizon as she struggles with her new found freedom and an ever-growing collection of space aliens on her Starship and her weariness towards the unity Federation her very creators.
Also check out Kaguya Ōtsutsuki In Bleah as she attends the soul reaper academy with Rukia this novel takes place before the Canon events of bleach join Kagura as she swears off men.
Join for only 3 to 5$ to read up to chapter 217 of this story in advance today.
patreon.com/everstone