"Then give us two bowls of honey-glazed char siu ramen."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up toward the counter and spoke crisply.
Kakuzu's eyes curved into a smile as he responded loudly, "Got it, please wait!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and headed straight into the kitchen to start preparing the ramen.
Amid the bustle in the back, the atmosphere in the shop remained relaxed. Hiruzen and Danzo naturally began talking about the most talked-about matter in Konoha at the moment.
"Hiruzen, for this Hokage election, has the Sarutobi clan decided on who to support?"
Danzo turned his head slightly, his calm gaze settling on Hiruzen as he asked directly, a trace of thoughtfulness beyond his years in his eyes.
Hiruzen scratched the back of his head. "My father already gave instructions. The entire Sarutobi clan will cast their vote for Lord Hashirama."
After saying that, he asked in return, "What about you, Danzo? What's the Shimura clan planning?"
Danzo shook his head lightly, a hint of helplessness in his tone. "Personally, I lean more toward Lord Madara. His way of doing things suits me better."
"But the clan has already issued orders. Everyone must uniformly support Lord Hashirama. I can only follow them."
This situation had come about because events had deviated from their original course.
Shimura Danzo's attitude toward the Uchiha had also undergone a complete reversal due to Arisu's existence.
After all, the First Hokage himself was from the Uchiha clan. If the Uchiha were all inherently evil, then wouldn't the two ancestors who founded Konoha together become the very source of that evil?
That kind of logic simply didn't hold up.
"I see."
Hiruzen grinned and patted Danzo's arm, speaking sincerely to comfort him. "Don't worry about it. Once we grow up and gain the right to vote, we'll be able to choose for ourselves."
At that time, the two of them were still young and did not yet have the qualification to participate in the Hokage election, so they could only passively follow their clans' arrangements.
Arisu, standing to the side, listened quietly to their conversation and nodded inwardly.
In the end, the ordinary people of Konoha still hadn't truly grasped that precious vote in their hands. Most simply went along with the flow, never seriously considering their own will.
Suddenly, Danzo turned to look at Arisu, who was standing by the counter, and asked, "Shopkeeper, who are you common folk planning to vote for?"
He genuinely wanted to know what the civilians of Konoha thought. After all, they made up the overwhelming majority, and their opinions should have mattered.
Arisu waved his hand with a smile, his tone even. "We run a small restaurant. We don't understand politics. We'll just follow whatever everyone else chooses."
"Whether it's Lord Hashirama or Lord Madara, as long as they let us run our business in peace and give everyone a good life with enough to eat and wear, they're qualified to be Hokage."
Hiruzen's eyes lit up with agreement the moment he heard this.
He casually picked up a bottle of Coca-Cola from the table and raised it with a smile.
"Well said, shopkeeper. That deserves a toast!"
"Heh…" Danzo let out a helpless chuckle.
Civilians were always straightforward in their thinking. All they wanted was a stable life, unlike clan-born individuals like them, who had to weigh the pros and cons of their clan's stance in everything.
On one side was the powerful Senju clan; on the other, the deeply rooted Uchiha clan. Every step required careful consideration.
"Ramen's here! Eat while it's hot, you two. Once it cools, the flavor won't be the same!"
At that moment, Kakuzu came out of the kitchen carrying two steaming bowls of ramen and placed them steadily in front of them.
The rich aroma instantly filled the air, blending the sweetness of the honey-glazed char siu with the deep fragrance of the bone broth, rushing straight into their noses.
Hiruzen and Danzo's eyes lit up at the same time, and they both exclaimed in unison, "It smells amazing! And there's so much char siu! No wonder the First Hokage liked it!"
They couldn't wait any longer and picked up their chopsticks, each taking a small bite.
The next second, they both jerked their heads up and looked at each other, their eyes filled with uncontrollable delight.
"Wow! Damn, this is insanely good!"
"Truly delicious!"
Before they even finished speaking, they lowered their heads and began devouring the food, eating with great relish.
Watching the two of them wolfing it down, Arisu couldn't help but glance at Kakuzu and tease, "You didn't put drugs in this ramen, did you?"
However, Kakuzu didn't seem to understand the joke.
He answered honestly, "Old Master, we're honest businessmen. A gentleman loves wealth but takes it the proper way. We wouldn't do anything shady."
Looking at Kakuzu's earnest expression, Arisu couldn't help but laugh.
"Shopkeeper, this sweet drink is too good. Can I buy a few more cups and take them home to drink slowly?"
Hiruzen took a sip of cola and praised it sincerely.
Arisu nodded repeatedly. "Of course. But this drink is limited. Each person can only buy up to two cups."
Kakuzu, standing nearby, raised his brows slightly when he heard that.
Hiruzen's face instantly showed disappointment, but in the next moment, he thought of Danzo beside him, and his eyes lit up.
"Danzo~ help me buy a few, please~"
Hiruzen turned toward him and pleaded softly.
Seeing Hiruzen lower himself like this for once, Danzo couldn't help but let a faint smile creep onto his lips.
Hiruzen taking the initiative to ask him for help... such a scene was truly rare…
"Honestly, I don't know what to do with you, Hiruzen."
Danzo waved his hand as if helpless, then calmly took out money and handed it over. "Go buy them."
After Hiruzen and Danzo had walked away, Kakuzu casually opened a bottle of cola and drank it, his face full of confusion. "We clearly have a huge stock in storage. Why deliberately limit sales?"
"Heh, scarcity drives value. Just a bit of business sense."
Arisu stood with his hands behind his back, speaking leisurely.
Kakuzu grew even more puzzled. "You governed Konoha for years and held the position of Hokage. The village's finances were all under your control. Logically, you should have amassed great wealth. Why bother with such careful calculations running a small business?"
Arisu chuckled lightly, his expression calm.
"You don't understand, Kakuzu."
"Have you forgotten the famous saying I once spoke?"
Standing with his hands behind his back, Arisu spoke in a steady, composed tone, "If you can… then don't…"
Kakuzu paused slightly, then nodded in realization. "Now that you mention it… I think I really have seen that line in old newspapers."
———
[Atop the Hokage Rock]
Madara and Hashirama stood side by side on the statue of the First Hokage, overlooking the entire village.
Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was subtle.
"Madara, about the Hokage…"
Hashirama had just begun to speak, intending to discuss the matter, but Uchiha Madara quickly cut him off.
"Hashirama, there's no need to say more."
"Becoming Hokage is my dream... and yours as well. Let's settle it fairly and see whether the villagers choose me or you."
Madara spoke with his arms crossed.
Seeing this, Senju Hashirama immediately said, "Madara, if I'm chosen, I'll step down after a few years and hand it over to you. We can take turns being Hokage."
Madara's face darkened.
He knew Hashirama meant well, but those words were still hard to hear.
'What did he mean, if you're chosen? So certain I'd lose to you?'
'And "hand it over" to me…'
'I, Uchiha Madara, have always been proud... since when do I need something handed to me?'
'And taking turns being Hokage?'
'What is this, a street stall selling rice and fried dough sticks?'