Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
"Woooo! So good!"
"Mmm! Delicious!"
"Shhhhlurp!"
Three figures devoured their ramen like starving beasts who hadn't seen food in centuries.
Behind the counter, old man Teuchi was drenched in sweat as he frantically boiled noodles, trying and failing to keep up with their pace.
"Another three bowls, please!" Naruto shouted before even finishing the noodles in his current bowl.
"I'm working on it, I'm working on it!" Teuchi replied, tossing another batch into the pot.
Ayame, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but ask curiously, "Naruto, why are you three so hungry?"
Naruto slurped down a mouthful of noodles and barely swallowed before answering, "Because where we've been training, there was nothing good to eat! Ayame, you wouldn't believe what our meals looked like every day!"
At that, all three Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke grimaced as if recalling a nightmare.
"What was it?" Ayame asked, intrigued.
"Insects," Naruto said flatly.
"Insects?" Ayame froze. "As in... bugs?"
"Exactly what you're thinking," Naruto confirmed with a sigh.
"You actually ate them?" she asked in disbelief.
"Well, yeah," Naruto shrugged. "They were packed with energy, and we didn't have time to cook anything else. If we wanted to keep training, we had no choice."
The truth was, the insects from Mount Myoboku were unlike any found in the human world. Having lived in an environment overflowing with natural energy, their protein content was said to be dozens of times that of beef.
If someone ever managed to disguise them into something edible-looking, they'd probably be a hit among taijutsu practitioners. But in their raw, natural form? Just the sight of them was enough to make anyone lose their appetite.
For the three who had trained tirelessly in that sacred mountain, those insects were efficient but miserable fuel. And now, with their bodies back to normal and their appetites enormous, it would take at least a dozen bowls of ramen before they even felt full.
After twenty bowls, Naruto finally leaned back, patting his stomach in satisfaction. "Ah, that's more like it. I feel human again."
Beside him, Sasuke was calmly sipping tea, while Hinata still quietly slurped down another bowl.
"By the way," Naruto said suddenly, pouring himself some tea. "I forgot to tell you two Team 7 doesn't exist anymore."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Then what are we now?"
"Officially, we're Shadow Guardians. We answer directly to Granny Tsunade. Our main duty's to protect her, but it's a lot more flexible than before."
Sasuke nodded slightly. "Makes no difference to me."
After all, money wasn't an issue for him. The Uchiha clan's estate and rent income alone were enough to sustain him for life.
Hinata and Naruto were in similar situations. Hinata had her clan's resources, and Naruto had his parents' inheritance not that he ever spent much. Most of the time, he just freeloaded off Sasuke.
Because, in his words, "A brother's money is my money."
"What about Kakashi?" Sasuke asked.
"Granny probably sent him on another mission," Naruto replied, scratching his head.
Suddenly, a shadow flickered behind them. An ANBU agent dropped to one knee and said respectfully, "Lord Naruto, Lord Sasuke, Lady Hinata Lady Hokage requests your presence immediately."
"Got it. We'll go after Hinata finishes eating," Naruto said with a nod.
"Yes, sir!" the ANBU responded before vanishing into the rooftops.
Naruto sighed. "Figures Granny already knows we're back. Still, can't a guy eat in peace?"
He leaned his chin on his palm, grumbling, "The world's big, but nothing's more important than a full stomach. Can't work on an empty one."
"Hinata, don't rush," he added gently, reaching over to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear so it wouldn't dip into the broth. "Finish first."
Hinata nodded shyly, though she did start eating a little faster.
Sasuke watched the two and chuckled softly. "She's the Hokage. Of course she knows everything."
When Hinata finally finished her fiftieth bowl, she dabbed her lips with a napkin. Naruto poured her a cup of tea, which she accepted with a small smile.
Then she rubbed her eyes, wincing slightly.
"Your eyes again?" Naruto frowned. Ever since Hinata began her sage training at Mount Myoboku, her eyes had been getting itchy more often. Even after completing her training, the symptoms persisted.
Naruto had checked but found nothing wrong. Sasuke, sitting nearby, looked concerned as well.
"We'll have Granny run a full scan at the Leaf Hospital," Naruto suggested. "Better to be safe."
"Alright," Hinata said softly, smiling.
Hokage's Office.
Tsunade sat at her desk, her expression grim as she studied a crumpled report in her hands.
"Granny, we're back!" Naruto pushed the door open with his usual energy, followed by Sasuke and Hinata.
"What's wrong? You look like the world's ending," he said, puffing his chest. "Whatever it is, leave it to your personal bodyguard Uzumaki Naruto!"
Shizune stifled a laugh. With Naruto around, the mood always lightened instantly.
Even Tsunade couldn't help smiling faintly. She gestured for Naruto to come closer and handed him the report. "We've just received word the Akatsuki have begun their move. They're collecting tailed beasts."
Naruto's grin faded. He skimmed the report and frowned. "Gaara's been captured?"
"Not just Gaara," Tsunade said, pointing to the pile of documents on her desk. "Look through the rest."
Each report had come from Leaf intelligence agents stationed abroad warnings that had been passed down since the Third Hokage's time.
"Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito. Five-Tails, Han. Seven-Tails, Fuu… all captured?" Naruto's eyes widened.
Sasuke and Hinata both fell silent, their expressions tightening. They weren't worried about the others they barely knew them but about Naruto himself. He, too, was a Jinchuriki. That made him one of Akatsuki's prime targets.
Tsunade leaned back with a heavy sigh. "When Itachi's information was exposed, the Third shared details of Akatsuki's existence with other nations. His intention was good but none of them took the warning seriously."
Her eyes hardened. "Now, thanks to their ignorance, Akatsuki has accelerated their plans."
Naruto clenched his fists, the warmth of the ramen now forgotten. "Then we'll stop them. Every last one."
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