The Conqueror of The Shinobi World

A Snake Lady

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through Konoha's bustling streets as Naruto trudged along, hands stuffed in his pockets. The usual whispers and sideways glances followed him like an unwanted shadow. "Demon brat," someone muttered. Naruto kept his chin up, plastering on his trademark grin even as his stomach growled fiercely.

"Man, I could really go for some Ichiraku's right now..." he mumbled to himself before shaking his head. "No! Gotta try something different if I'm gonna be the greatest ninja ever,"

The shinobi-only dango shop came into view, its traditional wooden facade a welcome sight. The sweet smell of dango drifted out, making Naruto's mouth water. As he pushed aside the shop's curtain and stepped inside, the server's face immediately twisted into a familiar scowl.

"What do you want?" the man growled, crossing his arms.

Naruto opened his mouth for a heated retort when movement caught his eye. A kunoichi sat at the counter, gracefully popping a dango ball into her mouth. Her purple hair was pulled back in a spiky ponytail, and she wore a tan overcoat that made her stand out from the usual ninja attire.

"Oi! I asked you a question, brat!" the server barked.

The purple-haired woman's head snapped around, her sharp eyes narrowing at the server's tone. "Hey now," she drawled, a dangerous edge to her playful voice. "That's no way to treat a paying customer, is it?"

"But Mitarashi-san, he's-"

"He's a student of the Academy of the Leaf," she cut him off, spinning on her stool to face Naruto fully. "And from what I hear, he's got quite the appetite. Wouldn't want to lose out on good business, would you?"

The server's mouth opened and closed like a fish before he grudgingly grabbed an order pad. "What'll it be?"

Naruto stared at the woman before scrambling onto the stool next to her. "Three sticks of mitarashi dango, please!" he chirped, his earlier melancholy forgotten.

"Make it six," the woman called out. "Put his order on my tab."

"You don't have to-" Naruto started, but she waved him off.

"Name's Anko. Mitarashi Anko. And you're the infamous Uzumaki Naruto, right?" She grinned, showing slightly pointed canines. "I've heard all about your pranks. The one with the ANBU headquarters and the pink paint? Classic."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You're not mad about that?"

Anko threw her head back and laughed. "Mad? Kid, I nearly died laughing when I saw those stuck-up ANBU trying to maintain their dignity while covered in glitter. Takes real skill to get past their security too."

The dango arrived, and Naruto cautiously took a bite. His eyes lit up at the sweet and savory flavors. "This is amazing! Not as good as ramen, but still!"

"Ah, a ramen fan, huh?" Anko popped another dango in her mouth. "Nothing wrong with having a favorite food, but variety is important for a growing ninja. You need proper nutrition to pull off those awesome pranks, after all."

"That's what I was thinking!" Naruto exclaimed between bites. "I want to be the strongest ninja ever, so I gotta eat right and train hard!"

"Smart kid," Anko nodded approvingly. "Tell you what - since you've got good taste in both food and pranks, how about I show you some of the best food spots in Konoha? Places that don't turn their noses up at paying customers?"

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Sure, why not? Us outcasts gotta stick together," she winked. "Plus, I've got a reputation for being crazy anyway, might as well live up to it by corrupting the youth with good food and better pranking techniques."