"Naruto, do you have room for more?"
"If you're up for it, we'll head down with Sasuke for breakfast. You can meet the rest of the team while we're at it."
Hearing the word breakfast again, Naruto rubbed his belly and grinned. "Old Man, I can definitely handle more!"
As for the phrase rest of the team, it didn't quite register with Naruto yet. Back in Konoha, he didn't have any teammates or friends, save for the occasional visit from the Third Hokage. He was a solo act.
"Old Man, your ramen isn't finished though. Are you taking it with you?"
Seeing that Naruto truly couldn't stand to see Gourmet Ramen go to waste, Hayate chuckled. He stepped back into the room, stored his half-finished bowl back into his inventory, and prepared to head down.
Led by Sasuke, the trio soon arrived at the opera house's dining area. Shizune, Iruka, and Rock Lee were already seated, the table before them laden with a sprawling variety of breakfast dishes.
Iruka and Shizune looked up at the sound of footsteps. Seeing Hayate arrive with not one, but two companions, they noticed the small boy in the bright orange jumpsuit.
Shizune tilted her head, wondering who this child was. Iruka, however, nearly choked on his tea, his eyes widening in shock. Uzumaki Naruto?! He's been brought here too? (Note: Shizune was summoned before she ever met Naruto during the search for Tsunade, so she didn't recognize him.)
Naruto, ever the extrovert, marched right up beside Hayate and immediately spotted a familiar face. "I-Iruka-sensei?! You're here too?!"
Sasuke watched Naruto's loud outburst and scoffed. "Idiot."
"Stuck-up Sasuke! You're dead!"
Hayate watched the two resume their bickering within minutes and found it more amusing than annoying. He didn't stop them, simply leading them to the table. He placed a steadying hand on Naruto's shoulder to stop him from lunging at Sasuke.
"Shizune, Iruka, Lee—this is Uzumaki Naruto. He's currently a student at the Academy."
Hearing Hayate introduce him, Naruto stopped trying to kick Sasuke and straightened up. "Iruka-sensei, good to see you again! Hello, Auntie Shizune! Hey, Rock Lee! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
When Hayate specifically mentioned Academy student, Shizune's expression became thoughtful. She guessed that perhaps because the Dragon Bone energy was limited, it had only been enough to bring over a student rather than a high-level combatant.
"Hello, Naruto," Shizune said with a kind smile.
Iruka, meanwhile, was perplexed. In his memory, both Naruto and Sasuke had already participated in the Chunin Exams. Seeing this version of Naruto—who hadn't even graduated yet—gave him a bit of a headache. Naruto had been the ultimate prankster back then; he hoped the boy wouldn't cause trouble for Lord Hayate.
"Naruto, it's been a while." For Naruto, it had been less than twenty-four hours since he saw Iruka, but for Iruka, it had been three years.
Rock Lee stood up and gave a thumbs up. "Naruto-kun! Long time no see!"
Naruto scratched his head, looking puzzled. "Uh... have we met, bushy-brows?"
Lee's face instantly dropped into a mask of despair. "Naruto-kun doesn't remember me? My presence during the Chunin Exams must have been so weak that I left no impression at all! How youthful-ly tragic!"
Seeing Lee spiral, Iruka quickly pulled him aside and whispered a few words of explanation. Lee's eyes widened as he realized this wasn't the Naruto who fought Neji, but a younger version still in school.
Lee's energy returned instantly. He marched over and extended a hand. "Let's start over! I am Rock Lee! From now on, we are comrades!"
Seeing how enthusiastic the "bushy-brows" guy was, Naruto shook his hand vigorously. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Take care of me!"
With the introductions over, Hayate sat down next to Shizune and gestured for the others to join. Once everyone was settled, Hayate looked at the spread and pulled out six more bowls of Gourmet Ramen.
"To celebrate our new comrade, we're having a little extra this morning. One bowl of Gourmet Ramen for everyone."
Since they were all ninjas with high metabolisms, Hayate wasn't worried about them overeating. A ninja's appetite was legendary for a reason.
Naruto's eyes sparkled. He couldn't believe his luck—two bowls of his new favorite ramen in one morning, plus everything else on the table. "Thanks for the food, Old Man!"
Since arriving in this world, Naruto felt a strange sense of peace. No one was glaring at him with cold eyes. This "Old Man" treated him to incredible food and introduced him to friendly people. It felt like paradise.
"Let's eat," Hayate said.
As they ate, Naruto couldn't stop stealing glances at the others' headbands—specifically Sasuke's. Lee's headband was tied around his waist, making it harder to see, but Sasuke's was front and center.
Sasuke noticed the staring. With a small smirk, he reached up and adjusted his headband, tilting it slightly to catch the light. Naruto's envy was palpable.
Sitting next to Hayate, Naruto leaned in and tugged on his sleeve, whispering, "Old Man... how come Sasuke has a headband? Do you have one? Can I borrow it?"
The table went silent. Even though Naruto was whispering, the room was full of trained ninjas; they heard every word.
Iruka opened his mouth to explain, but Hayate held up a hand. He set down his chopsticks and, using the system store, purchased a standard Hidden Leaf headband. He held it up, letting the metal plate glint in the morning sun.
"Naruto," Hayate said, his voice calm but firm. "After breakfast, we're going to have a little exam. If you can pass it, I'll give you this headband, and you'll officially be a Genin."
Naruto's face lit up with pure determination. He slammed his fist into his palm. "You got it, Old Man! Just you watch—I'm gonna pass that test and get that headband!"