A familiar voice approached as Sakumo Hatake entered the shop with his son, Kakashi.
Lifting the curtain, Sakumo saw Xin slurping down his noodles.
"Xin!" Sakumo laughed.
Kakashi shyly looked at Xin. After Sakumo's recent comments, he had grown more curious about him.
"Senior, what a coincidence," Kakashi greeted.
"Yes, quite a coincidence," Xin smiled.
After seating Kakashi, Sakumo sat beside Xin and called out to Teuchi, "Two bowls of extra-large pork ramen, and add some extra veggies."
"Got it, just a moment," Teuchi replied.
"I thought you'd be heading to the front lines with the main forces," Xin remarked.
"Things are still uncertain, so I'll be going with the next group," Sakumo explained.
At this point, Orochimaru had stopped worrying about earning accolades or boosting his reputation. Ensuring victory in this war was the priority. The Mist Village wouldn't be easy to deal with.
"Really?"
Sakumo's eyes dimmed for a moment, but he quickly pulled himself together and forced a smile:
"That might not be too far off. After all, the Mist Village is surrounded by the sea, and they excel at naval battles, whereas we're at a disadvantage in that regard. Plus, their mobility is high."
"It's easy for them to launch surprise attacks from all directions. I imagine Orochimaru must be having quite a headache right now."
In terms of strength, Sakumo Hatake was almost at the pinnacle of ordinary shinobi, and he wasn't lacking in battle command either. He was outstanding in all aspects.
If there were any shortcomings to point out, Xin would say it was Sakumo's lack of political insight—to be precise, a lack of political acumen.
"Pretty much," Xin said with a smile. "From what I heard from Tsunade, it's been a hassle. The Mist Village doesn't engage in direct combat; they just keep harassing us, building military installations on small islands in the sea."
"It probably won't be long until you get the order to head to the front lines, senior."
"Hahaha, I hope so."
Sakumo's mood lifted quite a bit after hearing Xin's words.
Ever since his request to head to the front lines was denied, he'd been cooped up at home, feeling down.
So much so that he didn't even have the motivation to prepare food for his son.
Instead, he took his son out for ramen.
"Senior, I'm finished. I'll take my leave now."
"Alright, take care. I'll treat you to a meal next time."
Xin paid for their ramen along with his own. Sakumo didn't think much of it; he figured he'd just return the favor next time. There was no need to insist.
Xin waved to the busy Teuchi and leisurely headed home, carrying his groceries.
He couldn't help but wonder when Sakumo would finally come to realize the situation.