Chapter 7: Sage of the six ramens

Words : 1735 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 7 - Sage of the six ramens Since it wasn't even noon yet, Ren decided to test his body's condition first before diving into chakra training. Without hesitation, he dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. One. Two. Three. His muscles felt fine—no lingering pain or weakness from his time in the hospital. If anything, he felt refreshed. Twenty. Twenty-five. Thirty. He kept going, counting silently in his head, pushing his arms, shoulders, and core. Even after fifty push-ups, he wasn't struggling—his body was still in good shape, probably thanks to the basic conditioning Juichi had him do since childhood. Satisfied, he stood up and immediately started doing squats. One. Two. Three. His legs burned slightly, but it was a good burn—the kind that meant his muscles were being activated. After fifty squats, he paused and stretched his arms and legs, rolling his shoulders. "No soreness, no exhaustion. My body's in top condition." That meant he could push forward with training immediately. "System, can you add a stamina attribute to the panel, please?" Ren asked, trying a cutesy tone for no reason other than to amuse himself. His hopes were immediately crushed as the monotonous system voice responded: [SYSTEM MESSAGE:] [NEGATIVE] [STAMINA IS A COMPONENT OF VITALITY AND CANNOT BE DISPLAYED INDIVIDUALLY.] Ren clicked his tongue. "Tch." "Figures. No shortcuts." Since arguing with the system was pointless, he moved on to something he could control—chakra training. He stepped outside, scanning the area for fallen leaves. They were everywhere, thanks to the village's many trees, so he easily grabbed a small handful before heading back inside. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Ren placed a single leaf on his forehead. "Alright. Just like Dad taught me—channel a steady flow of chakra and keep it balanced." Closing his eyes, he focused inward, feeling the familiar warmth of his chakra circulating through his body. He guided a small portion toward his forehead, letting it stick to the leaf. For a moment, nothing happened. Then—the leaf held in place. Ren smirked. "Not bad." He tried switching the leaf to his left hand, then his right, adjusting the chakra flow each time. His control was good—but not perfect. At times, the leaf trembled slightly before stabilizing. Other times, when he lost focus, the chakra would slip, and the leaf would fall. He frowned slightly. "I have a talent for chakra control, but I'm still not flawless." That meant he still had a lot of room to grow. "I should finish Leaf Balancing by the time the Academy begins and start with Tree Climbing after that." With that goal in mind, Ren asked, "System, what is my current Chakra Control level?" [SYSTEM MESSAGE:] [CHAKRA CONTROL MASTERY: 15% (Beginner level)] Ren nodded to himself. "Alright. Still early stage, but progress is progress." Determined, he continued his Leaf Balancing practice for hours, switching between his forehead, hands, and even trying both hands at the same time. As the sun began to set, Ren finally stopped, rolling his shoulders to relax his stiff muscles. "System, show me my progress." [SYSTEM MESSAGE:] [CHAKRA CONTROL MASTERY: 21% (Beginner level)] Ren grinned. "Nice. A solid increase." Though he wasn't at Basic Level yet, he could already feel his control improving. "At this rate, I'll master Leaf Balancing before the Academy even starts." "I should eat something. I already skipped lunch, and skipping dinner too wouldn't be smart. My organs might start protesting if I don't eat now." Ren's thoughts were interrupted by a loud stomach rumble, making him sigh. "Yeah... definitely need to eat." His eyes drifted toward the kitchen, but after spending the whole day training, the thought of cooking felt exhausting. "Might as well go out and buy something. I can also take some food for Dad while I'm at it." He grabbed some money from a small pouch in his drawer, tied it securely, and stepped outside, the cool evening air refreshing against his skin. As he walked down the streets of Konoha, he could still see the aftermath of the attack—people working late into the night repairing homes, small groups gathering quietly, talking in hushed tones. "Since this is my first time eating out in Konoha, I might as well try the food made by the hidden powerhouse." Ren smirked at his own joke as he made his way toward Ichiraku Ramen, asking a few passersby for directions. It wasn't hard—everyone in the village seemed to know where it was. After a short walk through the dimly lit streets, he finally spotted a small wooden stall with a hanging curtain that read Ichiraku Ramen. The smell of rich broth, fresh noodles, and roasted pork hit him instantly, making his stomach growl even louder. "Alright, let's see if the hype is real." He pushed the curtain aside and stepped in. Seeing the shop completely intact despite the destruction around the village only confirmed Ren's suspicions. "Teuchi-sama really might be a hidden powerhouse... There's no way a small ramen stall survives the Nine-Tails' rampage untouched unless something is up." Still, he wasn't about to start questioning it. Good food was good food. Ren pushed aside the curtain and stepped inside. He sat down on one of the stools, glancing up to see a middle-aged man with a white chef's headband turn toward him with a welcoming smile. "Well, well! A new face!" Teuchi said cheerfully as he wiped his hands on a towel. "Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen, kid. First time here?" Ren nodded. "Yeah. I've heard this place is the best in Konoha, so I had to try it." Teuchi laughed heartily, clearly pleased. "Whoever told you that was absolutely right. One bowl of my ramen, and you'll never want to eat anywhere else!" Ren smirked. "Alright then, I'll hold you to that." "Good! What'll it be?" Teuchi asked, stepping behind the counter, ready to prepare his order. Ren touched the small pouch of money at his side, feeling the meager amount of coins inside. He wasn't exactly broke, but he wasn't in a position to splurge either. Seeing his hesitation, Teuchi chuckled. "Can't decide? Don't worry, kid—I got you." With a thoughtful expression, the ramen chef tapped the counter before saying, "If you want something filling but affordable, go with the classic miso ramen with an egg. It's good and it won't empty your wallet." Ren nodded, relieved. "Sounds good. I'll take one." As Teuchi began preparing the meal, Ren remembered his father was still in the hospital. "Oh, by the way—do you guys pack food to go?" Teuchi glanced up, then smiled warmly. "Of course! Taking some for your family?" Ren nodded. "Yeah, for my dad. He's still in the hospital." Teuchi's hands paused for a second, his expression turning a bit softer. "That so? You must've had a rough time, then." Ren shrugged, not wanting to dwell on it. "We're managing." Teuchi gave him a nod of respect before saying, "Alright. I'll pack up something nice for him." As the delicious aroma of fresh ramen filled the air, Ren sat back, feeling a bit more at ease. For now, he could just enjoy his meal. As Ren took his first bite of ramen, the rich miso broth and perfectly cooked noodles melted in his mouth. His eyes widened slightly. "Damn... the hype is real this stuff is actually amazing." He focused on his meal, enjoying the warmth that spread through his body. But just as he was about to take another bite, the sound of the curtain being pushed aside made him glance toward the entrance. A young boy, around his age, stepped in. He had jet-black hair, sharp onyx eyes, and an air of quiet confidence. Ren immediately recognized him. "Uchiha Itachi." The prodigy himself had walked into Ichiraku Ramen. Teuchi greeted him with his usual warm tone. "Welcome back, Itachi! The usual?" Itachi gave a small nod, his expression calm and composed. "Yes, please." As he sat a few seats away from Ren, the two boys briefly made eye contact. Ren kept his face neutral but couldn't help thinking—"Of all people, I run into him already?" Ren didn't react and simply focused on his food. Drawing attention to himself now wasn't necessary. "Itachi might be a prodigy, but right now, he's just another kid grabbing dinner. No need to get involved." He continued eating in comfortable silence, enjoying the warmth of the ramen. Before long, he had finished his meal. Wiping his mouth, he thanked Teuchi, paid for his food, and took the packed meal for Juichi. "Thanks for the food, old man. I'll be back." Teuchi chuckled. "Take care, kid. And don't wait too long before coming back—I'll have another bowl ready for you." Ren smirked but didn't respond, stepping out of the stall. The cool night air greeted him as he turned toward the hospital, his pace steady. "Alright, time to drop this off for Dad." As Ren walked through the quiet streets, he let his mind wander, strategizing his approach to the Academy. "I need more information." Knowing the general layout of events wasn't enough—this wasn't an anime anymore. The more knowledge he had, the better he could plan for his future. "The library should be my next stop. I need to study Konoha's history and anything that helps me understand how this world actually works." Lost in thought, Ren barely noticed when he arrived at the hospital. He walked into Juichi's room, handed over the food from Ichiraku, and had a casual conversation with his father. Juichi didn't push any deep topics this time—he just ate in peace, throwing in the occasional sarcastic remark. "Thanks, kid. This is way better than hospital food." Ren smirked. "Figured you'd say that." After making sure his father was doing fine, he left the hospital and headed home. As soon as he reached home, Ren dropped onto his bed. His body wasn't exhausted, but the day had been long, and sleep came easily. "Tomorrow, I'll start training and visit the library to start gathering intel." With that final thought, his eyes closed, and he drifted into sleep.

Chapter 7: Sage of the six ramens

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