Chapter 44: Watching Chunin Exam!
That day, Tsuna received quite a generous payment in the currency of the world.
He wasn't particularly surprised by this as Temari was well-off, being essentially royalty from the Sand Village.
With that money, Tsuna could now afford to buy the adjustable weight buckle that he would otherwise never have been able to purchase by just working at the Ichiraku Ramen shop.
Although he already had a similar weight buckle from Guy, and he appreciated the gesture, having an adjustable one would be more helpful, especially if he could bring it back to his world.
Guy was quite understanding after getting to know Tsuna for a while.
He was confident that Tsuna would quickly get used to the weight and supported his decision to buy the adjustable weight buckle.
From then on, Tsuna's routine remained the same.
He continued his training, enjoyed visits to the onsen, and sometimes met with Jiraiya.
However, the white-haired old man had disappeared for the last couple of days. Tsuna assumed something was going on, or perhaps Jiraiya was busy working on his latest Icha-Icha Paradise novel.
As for his progress in perfecting his ramen recipe...
"Phew," Tsuna let out a satisfied smile as he looked at the bowl of ramen he'd just made.
The sun was slowly setting, and darkness was beginning to envelop the village.
It was just before the busy time at the ramen shop, so he had only made a small portion to test.
This time, Tsuna felt like he had finally created something he was truly satisfied with.
"Whoa, it looks so good, Tsuna!"
Teuchi exclaimed from the side, looking very proud of what Tsuna had made, a small smile on his face.
"Congratulations, Tsuna! It seems like you finally made something you're satisfied with!"
Ayame stared at the bowl of ramen in front of Tsuna with amazement.
She had noticed how Tsuna was never satisfied, no matter how good the ramen was. Seeing his expression now, she couldn't help but slightly drool at the sight of the ramen.
"...It must taste so good!"
She couldn't help but silently comment in her mind as she continued to admire the ramen.
"This is all thanks to you both," Tsuna said as he placed a bowl in front of Teuchi. "Here, I want you to have a taste."
"Of course, I didn't forget about your portion, Ayame," he added, placing another bowl in front of her.
"Yay! You're the best, Tsuna!" Ayame beamed, looking at her portion with delight. Teuchi chuckled happily as he sat down. "Whoa! Alright!"
Both of them gazed at the golden-brown broth, shimmering with a rich aroma. The pale yellow noodles were perfectly cooked, nestling in the broth.
They gulped in anticipation, nodding at each other before taking a bite.
"...!"
The second they put the noodles in their mouths, their expressions morphed into one of pure delight. They immediately devoured their portions, emptying their bowls without even realizing it.
"...That's so good," Ayame said, looking at her empty bowl with a sigh.
"It's probably the best I've tasted so far..."
"As much as I don't want to admit it," Teuchi chimed in, turning to Tsuna with a kind smile, "I think you might have surpassed me in the art of ramen, Tsuna!"
"Come on, don't joke around. Your ramen will never be replaced. Mine is just a bit different," Tsuna replied, shaking his head.
He had a deep respect for Ichiraku Ramen.
"Hahaha, you're so humble, Tsuna!"
Teuchi laughed heartily.
He took the bowls to the back to wash later and said, "Alright, let's prepare for the night rush. We're about to get busy."
"Ah, you're right," Ayame smiled wryly, realizing it was about time for customers to flock in for the evening.
However, Tsuna seemed stunned as he saw a transparent screen in front of him, showing another panel beside his completed mission.
He muttered to himself, "...Well, fuck."
"Eh? Are you guys closed already?"
A familiar voice was heard at the entrance, bringing a smile to both Teuchi and Ayame.
Teuchi beamed, "Come on in, Naruto! You're about to fight tomorrow. I'll treat you to our specialty tonight!"
"Eh! Really! Yatta!"
Naruto's face lit up with excitement as he walked in.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was lively, with Naruto chattering about his training experiences over the last few days.
"..."
Tsuna noticed how Teuchi and Ayame treated Naruto like family, listening attentively to his stories. Their warm smiles and genuine laughter filled the room, creating a heartwarming scene.
As the night wore on, the laughter gradually died down, and the shop finally closed for the day.
"Ah, Tsuna, could we use your recipe today?"
Teuchi's voice echoed from the shop.
Tsuna responded with confusion, "Hmm? Are you sure?"
"Haha, why not? Your recipe is great!"
"Then, I won't shy away," Tsuna chuckled along.
Today, Ichiraku Ramen shop would feature a special ramen recipe Tsuna had developed during his time there.
They wouldn't open until late in the afternoon, as Teuchi and Ayame wanted to go to the Konoha Dome to watch the Final Stage of the Chunin Exam and cheer for Naruto.
Tsuna told them he was going to train for a while and would join them shortly.
With that, he continued with his usual morning routine, heading to the quiet training ground.
"Oh, Tsuna, you're so early today!"
Guy's laughter rang out as he joined Tsuna in training, the sunlight basking them in its glow along with their glistening sweat, having just completed their run around the village, their breath slightly ragged.
"Tsuna, let's watch the Chunin Exam today. I have someone I'd like to introduce you to!"
Guy suggested.
"Someone? Oh, are you talking about your disciple, Lee?"
"Haha, no, unfortunately not. As much as I want Lee to meet you, he's still in the hospital, so no, not yet," Guy replied with a sigh.
But his expression brightened once again as he flashed Tsuna his signature smile and a thumbs-up. "But this time, I want you to meet my rival!"
"...Rival?"
With that, Tsuna was then brought to the Konoha Dome by Guy, who looked around and scratched his head. "Eh? Is he not here yet?"
Tsuna quietly followed, knowing who he was going to be introduced to.
"Whoaa!"
He stared at the excited crowd around the arena as the Final Stage of the Chunin Exam was about to begin.
"Finally..."
"We've been waiting for a whole month for this!"
"Yeah, I don't understand why they had us waiting for a month. It better be worth it!"
The sounds of civilians and ninjas murmuring among themselves filled the air, and the lively atmosphere showed just how much these people were looking forward to the final stage they were about to watch.
"...Seems like Kakashi is still out," Guy shook his head before sighing.
"Oh, Guy! You're here already?"
A voice called out from behind as a man with short black spiky hair, and a beard walking side by side with a fair-skinned woman of slender build with a long black untamed hair on his side.
Guy's eyes lit up at this as he exclaimed, "Asuma, Kurenai! Haha you both finally came!"
"Tsuna, let me introduce you to two good friends of mine..."
Guy turned to Tsuna before gesturing to Asuma and Kurena, "Asuma and Kurenai, they're both have a youthful energy as well!"
"And for both of you..."
He then introduced Tsuna as well, "He's my brother from another mother, Tsuna!"
"Hello... Hmm?"
Tsuna greeted them, but his attention was quickly drawn to a girl with lavender eyes approaching them.
Asuma and Kurenai noticed Tsuna's distraction. Kurenai smiled and addressed the girl, "Ah, Hinata... Are you here to cheer for Naruto?"
However, Kurenai could see Tsuna looking Hinata up and down before turning to her. He glanced at her chest and then back at Hinata's, nodding to himself while murmuring, "She wore baggy clothes, but I could tell that she's got a good gene..."
"...?"
Though Tsuna's words weren't loud, both Guy and Asuma could hear, as well as Kurenai, whose expression turned to one of irritation.
Veins bulged on her forehead as she smiled dangerously at Tsuna.
"...!"
Asuma felt a chill down his spine at the sight of her familiar smile.
Despite the lively atmosphere in the Dome, in that particular area, the atmosphere seemed to turn cold for some reason.
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