Although ramen wasn't exactly the kind of "treat" Tamako had in mind, and she vented her frustrations on Mo Yu for a good while, in the end, she still accepted it.
After all, Ichiraku's ramen really was delicious.
"Yo, Yu, Tamako! You're here, welcome, welcome!"
Ichiraku greeted them with a wide smile when he saw the two walk in.
"So, Yu, how was the mission? Smooth?"
Mo Yu grinned. "All done. That's why we came here to celebrate. The usual."
"Got it! Two extra-large, extra-spicy pork bone ramens coming right up!"
Ichiraku's smile widened—he was genuinely happy for his friend.
"I told you, how could a mere D-rank mission possibly give you trouble?"
Tamako, poking her head out from behind Mo Yu, found them a table and sat down. She muttered jealously, "Not just D-rank missions—even B-rank ones wouldn't stop him now."
Ichiraku raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
Tamako then gave him a simple rundown of the mission. When she got to the part where Mo Yu single-handedly wiped out several Chūnin, clang!—the bowl in Ichiraku's hand slipped and fell to the floor.
But he didn't even bother picking it up. Instead, he just stared at Mo Yu in shock.
"Yu, you—you're that strong now?? Didn't you just graduate from the Academy?"
Mo Yu answered humbly, "It's nothing. Just a case of late blooming. Years of quiet preparation are finally paying off—it's normal."
Ichiraku, not really understanding the intricacies of the ninja world, nodded sincerely. "Right, right, late bloomer. Well then, sit tight, you two—I'll get your ramen started."
Tamako muttered under her breath, "Normal my ass…"
"What was that?" Mo Yu smiled at her.
Tamako felt his gaze and froze, shaking her head in denial. "N-nothing."
She quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, what do you think? When Deadpan comes back, won't he be shocked by you?"
The "Deadpan" she was talking about was Hatake Sayun.
Mo Yu replied, "More like we'll be shocked by him. Every time he returns, his strength jumps another level. At this rate, I'd bet he's already preparing to advance to Jōnin."
Tamako sighed. "True. Ugh, you two freaks—one more insane than the other. I feel so much pressure."
Mo Yu rolled his eyes. "Try carrying the pressure I've had these past six years, then we'll talk."
Tamako blinked, then patted his shoulder softly. "You're right… You really did have it hard."
Mo Yu smirked. "Now that's unsettling. I'm not used to you being all serious. I prefer your usual shameless self."
"You're the shameless one!"
As the two bickered, Ichiraku came over with two steaming bowls of ramen.
Meanwhile, inside a study within the Uchiha compound, the atmosphere was grim.
Uchiha Fugaku knelt in seiza, teeth clenched.
"Father, it seems the Yuma families' attempt failed. The ninjas they sent haven't returned, and that brat Mo Yu has already come back to the village. Useless trash—they couldn't even take down a lowly Genin."
At the seat of honor sat a stern-looking middle-aged man.
He cast a cold glance at his son. "The useless one here is you. You've already shamed me enough."
Cold sweat ran down Fugaku's back.
The man continued, "Do you still think that boy is just an ordinary Genin?"
Fugaku stiffened. "Father… you mean he was hiding his strength?"
The man nodded. "From what I've heard, the Yuma families didn't just send three Chūnin. They even had a Jōnin stationed outside as backup. Now that even the Jōnin has disappeared… I suspect…"
Fugaku's eyes widened. "Impossible! How could that failure kill a Jōnin? Even if he's hiding strength, at his age, it's impossible!"
The man's face darkened. "Even if he didn't do it himself, he's certainly involved. He might even have someone powerful supporting him."
Fugaku muttered blankly, "Support? He's just some stray orphan brat—how could he possibly have support?"
The man snorted. "Use your head for once. Look at the friends around him. That girl, Mizuki Tamako, is no simple character. But the most terrifying one is Hatake Sayun. His rise has been meteoric. They say he's currently on an A-rank mission—his target is a Jōnin. And given his perfect mission record, I'd wager he'll succeed."
"The three of them are orphans, yet all display rare talent one after another. Don't you think that's too much of a coincidence?"
Fugaku faltered. "You mean… they really do have backing? But Father, what do we do then? We can't just let this go, can we?"
The man sneered. "Of course not. For them to humiliate the Uchiha like this—there must be a price."
Fugaku hesitated. "But their supposed backing…"
"Backing?" The man's eyes flashed coldly. "What backing could outweigh the Uchiha? Remember, our clan is still the mightiest in the ninja world."
Fugaku's eyes lit up. "That's right! The Uchiha are the strongest clan! Father, what's your plan?"
The man tapped his fingers on the armrest. "If I'm not mistaken, that boy will definitely enter the upcoming Chūnin Exams. When the time comes…"
He shot Fugaku a glare.
"You don't need to worry about the details. I'll handle this and avenge you. But mark my words—only this once. If you disgrace me again, I'll cripple you myself."
Fugaku quickly bowed. "Y-yes, Father." He didn't dare lift his head.
The man's tone softened slightly. "What you need to focus on is training. Your loss to Mo Yu has already stirred discontent among the elders. They're using it to attack me. If you humiliate yourself again, you can forget about being clan heir—because even I won't be able to protect you."
"Yes, Father. I'll train harder, I swear."
Though Fugaku kept a respectful face, inside, he was seething.
Over the years, the power of the clan elders had grown stronger, and they were starting to unite. Meanwhile, the leader's line had failed to produce another Kage-level powerhouse, making it impossible to suppress the elders like before.
With the balance shifting, many elders now had thoughts of overthrowing their father and seizing control.
Fugaku clenched his fists, swearing in his heart:
"Just wait, you old bastards. I, Uchiha Fugaku, will become a Kage-level shinobi. And when that day comes, I'll deal with every single one of you."