10 10 - Because I am still not old enough...

Konoha…

The park beside the Ninja Academy was bustling with activity. Kirito and Naruto were waiting for Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, to join them. As the sun began to set, Naruto suggested leaving, thinking that Hiruzen wouldn't show up.

"No, let's wait a little longer. I have a feeling he'll arrive soon," Kirito said with confidence.

"How can you be so sure?" Naruto asked, confused by Kirito's assurance.

"I just have a feeling. Let's stay a bit more, but don't blame me if he doesn't come," Kirito replied with a playful smile.

Just as Naruto finished speaking, Hiruzen appeared at the park's entrance, calling out to the twins with a wide smile. "Hey, kids, over here!"

"You're late, Gramps," Kirito said, looking at Hiruzen. He then turned to Naruto with a nod, as if saying, "See, I told you."

"I had some important matters to attend to. That's why I'm late," Hiruzen apologized.

"Whatever, let's go. I'm hungry. Lead the way," Naruto said, excitedly running ahead.

"Where are you going, brother?" Kirito stopped Naruto and brought him down from his excitement. "Do you even know the way?"

"Oh, right, I forgot," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at Hiruzen, signaling for him to lead the way.

"Just follow me, kids. It's not too far from here," Hiruzen said with a smile as he led the twins to their destination.

After a short walk, the three of them arrived in front of a small ramen shop—the famous Ichiraku Ramen shop.

In front of the ramen shop, Hiruzen stopped, and the twins followed suit, wondering why they had stopped. Kirito looked at the shop with a small smile and asked, "Gramps, are we going to eat here?"

"Yes, Kirito, this is the place. Although it doesn't look like much, I can assure you it serves the best ramen you'll ever taste in your life," Hiruzen said with pride.

"Really?" Naruto asked skeptically, not fully convinced but excited about trying something new for the first time.

"Are we going in, or did you bring us here just to show us the shop?" Kirito couldn't contain his excitement and asked eagerly, eager to try the famous ramen.

"Oh, right, my bad. Let's go inside," Hiruzen said, leading the way.

As soon as they entered the shop, they were greeted by a middle-aged man wearing a chef's apron, smiling at them. "Welcome, what would you like to eat?"

"Teuchi, how's business going today?" Hiruzen asked, addressing the middle-aged man.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you, Lord Hokage," Teuchi said, about to apologize before Hiruzen stopped him with a signal. Hiruzen pointed at the twins to indicate his purpose, and Teuchi understood. "Yes, the business is quite good today. What can I serve you?"

"Give us all the special ramen and a regular one for them," Hiruzen said, indicating the twins, and they took their seats, waiting for their orders.

The ramen was served promptly, and Kirito silently enjoyed his meal. 'Not bad, but to be honest, I don't like it that much. Maybe I'm not old enough to fully appreciate ramen yet,' he thought, wondering why Naruto seemed so excited about it.

Meanwhile, Naruto was overjoyed with his meal, exclaiming, "This is the best food I've ever tasted in my life!"

After the satisfying meal, the twins were introduced to Teuchi, the ramen shop's owner. As they returned home, Naruto had a contented smile on his face, feeling fulfilled after such a delightful meal, and he soon fell asleep.

On the other bed, Kirito lay awake, contemplating the changes in his life. He had a sense that something significant was about to happen. After a while, he decided to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would bring new opportunities for him and his brother.

The next morning, Kirito was awakened by a knock on the door. He was always aware of his surroundings, even in his sleep, so the sound roused him from his slumber.

Although he wanted to sleep a bit longer, the persistent knocking prevented him from doing so. He called out to Naruto to answer the door, but his brother was too immersed in sleep to respond.

With Naruto still sleeping, Kirito decided to investigate the source of the knocking himself. As he opened the door while still half-asleep, he asked, "Who are you?"

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