Chapter 25: A Night at the Stall with Pakura
The porridge was thicker than Souta had imagined, with a soft texture yet still having a slight bite from the grains of rice that had not fully dissolved.
Small pieces of eagle meat mixed in looked tender and juicy, soaking up the rich broth. The aroma intensified as warm steam rose to Souta's face, carrying a fragrant blend of distinctive spices.
As the porridge touched Souta's tongue, the taste was truly beyond his expectations. Savory and slightly sweet, with a hint of spicy seasoning that provided a warm sensation in his throat. The flavor of the eagle meat was so tender, creating a delightful contrast with the creamy texture of the porridge.
Unconsciously, Souta began to eat eagerly, enjoying each bite with enthusiasm.
Pakura, sitting across from him, remained silent, waiting for her order while occasionally glancing at Souta, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his meal.
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Souta and Pakura sat facing each other in Takuma's simple stall, enjoying their dinner in peace. The night air coming through the small window carried a faint aroma of spices, mingling with the smell of firewood from the kitchen at the back of the stall.
Souta slowly scooped his still-steaming porridge. Its warmth flowed through his throat, providing a comforting sensation that was hard to describe. This porridge was indeed simple, but the seasoning was just right, and the small pieces of meat inside added a richer flavor.
On the other hand, Pakura was enjoying the freshly cooked desert hyena skewers. The slightly chewy and fibrous meat seemed to pose no problem for her. Souta glanced at Pakura a few times, somewhat surprised by her choice of food. This morning, Pakura had only ordered cheap food, but now she opted for something a bit more expensive.
Souta noticed this pattern. Perhaps Pakura was intentionally saving her money in the morning to enjoy a more decent meal at night. That made sense. Unlike Souta, who did the opposite of Pakura—ordering expensive food during the day and cheap food at night.
After they finished their meals, Souta let out a small sigh and began to tidy himself up. He then pulled out a few bills from a small pocket on his waist and handed them to Takuma.
"Here's the money," Souta said, casually handing over the payment.
Takuma accepted the money with a friendly smile, his rough hands slightly dusty from working in the kitchen. "Yes, thank you! Please come again!"
"Of course," Souta replied with a satisfied tone, then smiled slightly. "The food was delicious. I'll definitely come here often."
For Souta, this stall was the ideal place—affordable food, but the taste was more than just decent. He had no doubt he would return here next time.
After Pakura paid for her meal, they both exited the stall and walked together toward the apartment building where they lived. The streets of Sunagakure Village were still quite busy, even though it was getting late.
Street vendors selling various foods and daily necessities were still busy serving customers. Small lanterns hung along the street, casting a dim yellow light.
In between their steps, Souta finally spoke up.
"Hey, do you know when the Ninja Academy will start?" Souta asked casually, trying to lighten the mood.
Pakura turned with her eyebrows slightly raised. "What? Don't you remember?" she asked with a confused expression. "Wasn't it explained when we were accepted as students at the Ninja Academy? We'll start learning in thirty days."
Souta fell silent for a moment. He tried to recall, but of course, he found nothing. That was because he was not the real Souta. Souta was just someone from another world who somehow got trapped in the body of a boy named Souta.
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Chapter 26: Starting Physical Exercise
Souta realized that he needed to find an excuse, scratching his head while laughing awkwardly. "Well... you know, right? I don't have a good memory! Ha ha ha..."
Pakura continued to stare at Souta with a blank expression, then let out a short sigh and chose not to continue the conversation.
Souta could feel the slightly awkward silence. Even so, he couldn't blame the girl. His existence in this world was indeed filled with gaps that were hard to explain. There was a lot of information that Souta should have known as himself, but his memory was limited.
After a moment of walking in silence, Pakura finally spoke again. "Anyway, you should use this month to practice," Pakura said in a flat tone.
Souta was a bit surprised. Usually, Pakura only spoke when asked, but this time, she offered advice unprompted.
They arrived at the apartment building, and without much small talk, Pakura climbed the stairs and entered her room without looking back.
Souta stood there, watching Pakura disappear behind the door before finally smiling slightly. "Wow, that girl can actually be sweet too," Souta murmured quietly.
After that, Souta went up to the second floor and entered his own room. That night, the moon shone brightly in the sky, and the sound of the gentle wind could be heard from outside the window. This world was starting to feel a little more familiar to Souta.
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The next morning, the sunlight streaming through the window cracks woke Souta from his sleep. He stretched a bit on his thin mattress, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness.
After a few minutes, Souta got up and walked to the small bathroom in his apartment. The cold water touched his skin as he washed his face, providing a bit of refreshment to start the day.
After finishing, he stepped out of the apartment and stood in the small yard in front of the building. The morning air felt fresh, with a gentle breeze carrying the slightly damp scent of the earth.
Feeling the need to move his body, Souta began doing some light stretches. He stretched his arms up, rotated his shoulders, and then started with push-ups.
One... two... three...
By the time he reached ten, Souta's arms began to tremble.
"Ugh... crazy... this is harder than I thought..." Souta muttered, breathless.
Souta fell to the ground, trying to catch his breath before continuing with sit-ups. Again, only ten times before his stomach started to ache. Finally, Souta attempted squat jumps, but after ten, his legs began to feel weak.
Souta let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky. "Oh man... this body is really weak..."
In his previous life, Souta hardly ever exercised. Now, being in the Naruto world with the body of a five-year-old, he had to start everything from scratch.
However, even though Souta's body was weak, he knew one thing for sure—if he wanted to survive in this world, he had to become stronger. And that could only be achieved through consistent training.
With renewed determination, Souta slowly got up, stretching the muscles that still felt stiff.
"Today, I'm going to start taking this a bit more seriously," Souta said to himself.
The day had just begun, and a long journey to become stronger awaited Souta.
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Souta took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the still fresh morning air. His eyes stared straight ahead, his legs began to move, and his body leaned slightly as he started running around his neighborhood.
The cold morning air hit Souta's face, bringing the distinctive scent of leaves and earth still damp with dew. The sound of birds chirping in the distance could be heard, while occasionally, Souta heard the sounds of people starting their activities in the morning.
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