Not long after, Uchiha Ryun walked out of the Root headquarters completely unharmed.
Regarding Danzo's recruitment attempt, he dismissed it with just a few simple words.
The reason he gave was reasonable enough, but if Danzo really went to the Third Hokage to ask for him, Sarutobi Hiruzen would absolutely refuse without hesitation.
They had just established Ryun as a heroic role model for the younger generation. How could they suddenly have him wear a mask and do shady, dirty work?
Hiruzen even wanted Ryun to serve as a squad leader in the ANBU. There was no way he would hand him over to Danzo's Root.
Ryun essentially "passed the ball" to the Third Hokage. Even if Danzo was unhappy, he could only vent his anger on his "good friend" Hiruzen or take it out on the door of the Hokage's office.
Ryun had no intention of working for Danzo. To hell with the "Will of Root." He was neither Uchiha Shisui nor Uchiha Itachi, so he would never obey Danzo's orders or serve under him.
This man was nothing but trouble. Anyone associated with him would suffer a bad end.
On the rooftop late at night, Ryun lay alone, gazing at the moon while pondering how to obtain even greater power.
His previous plan of tempering himself through life-and-death battles on the battlefield to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan had failed.
He had indeed grown stronger rapidly during the war, but his current strength was still far from enough.
To summarize his situation in one sentence: "Enough to protect himself, but not enough to advance further."
"No, the power of Sage Mode is too important. I can't give up on it just because of the side effects..."
Ryun silently made up his mind. After handling some trivial matters in the next couple of days, he would head to Ryūchi Cave.
Since he couldn't obtain the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan for now, he couldn't afford to give up on another attainable source of strength.
The next morning, after his usual training, Ryun attended a jonin celebration party hosted by his classmates along with Kushina.
At the party, he felt the warmth of his classmates and received many gifts.
In return, he booked the most expensive and famous large-scale barbecue restaurant in Konoha, treating everyone in the class, including Instructor Koda, to an all-you-can-eat luxury barbecue feast.
"Hey, hey, what's going on? Why won't you let us in to eat?"
Outside the barbecue restaurant, three boys were stopped by the staff.
"We're very sorry, but the restaurant has been reserved for a private event today... Since you're not on the guest list, we can't let you in. There are no available seats," the security guard apologized.
"Damn it! We eat here all the time. Even if there are no seats, you should make space for us!"
A chubby boy started making a fuss. He had been looking forward to this barbecue feast all morning.
"But the host specifically requested no disturbances... The entire place is booked. How can we make space for you?" The guard looked troubled.
The big spender had already paid upfront, so they had to provide the best service possible.
"Tch, who's so arrogant they can just book the whole restaurant? I want to see who it is!" The chubby boy refused to back down.
"Hey, you can't go in. Please come another time... We really can't help you today..." The guard continued to plead.
"Choza, forget it... Let's just eat somewhere else today."
"Yeah, let's go. The place is already booked."
A blond boy with a ponytail and a dark-haired boy with spiky hair tried to calm him down.
But the chubby boy's obsession with barbecue was too strong, and he kept complaining.
Inside the restaurant.
"Pack up a serving of barbecue and deliver it to Yunkā Flower Shop," Ryun instructed the restaurant owner.
"Lord Ryun, takeout barbecue might lose its flavor. Would you like us to send someone with a charcoal grill and ingredients to prepare it fresh for your mother?" The owner asked respectfully.
Ryun was now a household name in Konoha. Most villagers recognized him and knew that the owner of Yunkā Flower Shop was the mother of the hero.
"You offer that kind of service? You can prepare it on-site for takeout?" Ryun looked surprised.
"Not for just anyone, but for Lord Ryun, of course we can!" The owner smiled.
As long as the money was right, they could even hire a Konoha ninja to personally deliver the food. There was nothing they couldn't do... And Ryun happened to have plenty of money right now.
"Alright, make the arrangements then," Ryun nodded with a smile.
"Right away!"
"What's all that noise outside?"
Ryun noticed the commotion at the entrance and stepped out to see three boys arguing.
'The Ino-Shika-Chō trio!'
"Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza... What are you three doing here?" Ryun called out to them.
"Ryun!!!"
The three were shocked to see him.
"Wait, don't tell me you're the one who booked the whole place for lunch!" Choza exclaimed.
After a brief conversation, Ryun understood the situation and generously invited them inside to join the feast. Though they were a bit embarrassed, they couldn't refuse Ryun's insistence and eventually agreed.
"Ryun, we're really sorry. We didn't prepare any congratulatory gifts for your jonin promotion. Let us pay for this meal as a token of our appreciation..."
After eating their fill, the trio raised their glasses (of juice) to "toast" Ryun.
"Haha... No need for that. I've already paid. I appreciate the sentiment, brothers!"
Ryun laughed and patted Choza's round belly.
"Choza, you probably haven't had enough yet, right? Since I booked the place, the owner promised an all-you-can-eat deal at a fixed price. If you eat too little, the owner profits, and I lose money..."
"What?! Unlimited barbecue?!" Choza's eyes widened in excitement.
"That's right," Ryun nodded with a smile.
The moment Ryun confirmed it, Choza immediately rushed back to his grill and demanded ten more servings of barbecue...
The comedic scene drew laughter from the classmates, while Shikaku and Inoichi covered their faces in embarrassment.
But as a seasoned glutton of the Akimichi Clan, what was a little shame compared to good food?