Chapter 57: The Man Who Became a Real Estate Mogul

Chapter 57: The Man Who Became a Real Estate Mogul

"Good morning, Teuchi-ossan! The usual, please."

"Oi, Toneri, I'm only twenty years old. Why do you keep calling me 'uncle'?" Teuchi replied, though his hands never stopped moving. He skillfully boiled noodles, prepared toppings, and started assembling the ramen.

Thud—

He reached into the cabinet and pulled out a massive bowl, easily three or four times the size of a regular one.

This was Toneri's special bowl—there was only one like it in the entire Ichiraku Ramen shop.

Given Toneri's astounding appetite, serving him in regular bowls would mean Teuchi spent all day catering to him alone. So, he prepared this oversized bowl, or rather, a basin.

Toneri adjusted his stool for comfort and grinned. "Teuchi-ossan, isn't it natural for me to call you 'uncle'? I'm only six years old, after all. That makes you... fourteen years older than me."

Teuchi glared at him in disbelief. Even with Toneri's short stature, there was no way he looked six.

His eyes drifted to the sign at the entrance:

"Monthly Special: Kids under six eat for half price!"

So that was it. The brat had his sights set on the discount.

Teuchi sighed but wasn't mad. Since Toneri first came to his shop, he'd fallen in love with the ramen and became a regular customer, visiting almost daily. For a new business, this was the highest form of praise.

Despite their age difference, they'd struck up a friendship.

"Teuchi-ossan, you're already twenty! Why don't you have a girlfriend yet? You should think about settling down!" Toneri teased while waiting.

This man, often jokingly referred to as the "Ōtsutsuki of Ichiraku," was practically invincible in the grand scheme of things.

Toneri figured it was wise to maintain a good relationship with someone so legendary—perhaps even learn a thing or two about surviving in style.

Most importantly... Ichiraku Ramen was delicious, but it lacked something.

Something crucial.

Oh, right—wasn't Teuchi's future daughter, Ayame, supposed to be quite pretty?

"Ahem, Toneri, you're too young to worry about such things. Focus on yourself. I, Teuchi, am more concerned with building my business!" Teuchi's face flushed as he tried to brush off the topic.

At just twenty years old, Teuchi had spent the past decade learning the art of ramen-making. Now, with his very own shop, he felt he needed to focus on growing his business before thinking about marriage.

Watching Teuchi's shy reaction, Toneri smiled knowingly.

"Still a virgin, huh?"

Their conversation was interrupted as Teuchi placed the massive bowl of ramen in front of Toneri. The size of the bowl alone was enough to showcase Toneri's appetite.

And, of course, one bowl would never be enough.

"You've got time to worry about me, but what about yourself? That yellow charm hanging from your belt—is it some love token from a girl at the academy?" Teuchi joked.

In the ninja world, kids matured quickly. Marriages in their teens weren't uncommon, and it wasn't unusual for academy students to develop crushes or even confess their feelings.

This societal norm stemmed from the harsh reality of a low life expectancy in the ninja world—most people didn't live past forty. Early marriages and maturity were almost expected.

In this context, a twenty-year-old bachelor like Teuchi was already considered a "leftover man."

"Oh, this? It's just a good luck charm I found by chance. I like to think it's brought me a lot of luck. Plus, it smells like mint—soo refreshing!" Toneri twirled the charm playfully.

Teuchi didn't press further. Everyone had something they cherished, and he assumed the charm held sentimental value for Toneri.

"By the way, Teuchi-ossan, did you ask about that vacant shop next door? I'm thinking of buying it," Toneri said, tucking the charm away.

This was the real reason for his visit today.

Yesterday, after learning the Summoning Technique and forming a contract with Ryūchi Cave, Toneri had summoned the terrifying Manda right in Orochimaru's lab. The resulting commotion had caused significant disruption to nearby residents, with some even thinking it was an earthquake.

Now that he had the Summoning Technique, Toneri's plans with the Two-Tails could finally begin. But first, he needed a private space where he could experiment without interruptions.

Ideally, the space would include a small lab—not as extravagant as Orochimaru's, but sufficient for minor experiments.

Having conducted experiments in his past life, Toneri was eager to apply scientific methods to the ninja world. With enough innovation, he might just rival Orochimaru someday.

The vacant shop next to Ichiraku seemed perfect—safe and conveniently located.

"I asked around," Teuchi said. "Since this area is on the outskirts of Konoha's bustling streets, the price is relatively low. With my recommendation, you could probably get it for two million ryō.

"But you're just a kid. Do you even have that kind of money? You're not a ninja yet."

Teuchi glanced at Toneri, who was happily slurping his noodles.

Well, given how much he ate, it was clear Toneri wasn't an ordinary kid.

Swallowing a mouthful of noodles and washing it down with broth, Toneri grinned. "Two million, huh? It's not exactly pocket change, but I can manage.

"Do you think the owner would agree to let me pay half upfront and the rest in installments?"

Teuchi raised an eyebrow. While unfamiliar with mortgages, the concept wasn't unheard of in a world with loan sharks.

Toneri, on the other hand, saw a golden opportunity.

Currently, Ichiraku's location wasn't in Konoha's busiest district, so property prices were still reasonable. But with time, this area was bound to flourish. If he bought properties now, he could live off rental income in the future.

And with Ichiraku Ramen's resilience, even the village's worst disasters wouldn't affect his investments.

Owning countless properties and becoming Konoha's biggest landlord...

Slurp—

Just imagining it made him giddy.

"You're serious? If you can put down one million ryō, I can help you negotiate," Teuchi said, intrigued.

"Great! Let's do it today. The sooner, the better," Toneri said eagerly.

I'm going to become Konoha's real estate mogul!

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