Responsibilities | A Naruto FanFic

Chapter Ten: Traitorous Rat

" I am convinced that those people whom the world considers good and respects are all liars and fakes. I do not trust the world. My only ally is the tagged dissolute. The tagged dissolute. That is the only cross on which I wish to be crucified. Though ten thousand people criticize me, I can throw in their teeth my challenge: Are you not all the more dangerous for being without tags? "

                        - Osamu Dazai      
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It was outstanding, the ramen shop that Nezumi Masaki suggested was beautiful and extremely comfortable.

It was a small wooden shack-like but it had a warm and homely atmosphere. In front of the shop were multiple pieces with the kanji for 'Ichiraku Ramen'.

Naruto stood outside the ramen with a small smile, the aura and aroma of the shop was very welcoming.

Naruto sighed and turned to his right where Nezumi Masaki was waiting for him to enter. Naruto shrugged and entered the small welcoming ramen stand.

Naruto entered the shop with a small bell ringing to announce his presence, he was welcomed by a small kitchen with a door in the back which was most likely to shore supplies for later.

In the middle of the kitchen were two people. The first one was a tall man about 6' 1" in height, he was pretty muscular with a more lean body type. He wore the simple chef garments which consisted of a small apron around his waist which covered the entirety of his waist down. Above that he wore a white button up shirt with the kanji for 'Teuchi' on his shirt. He wore a simple white full cap which was common in food workers with the same kanji on his shirt on his hat which was most likely his name.

The person next to him was a pretty small girl about 5' 4" in height with pretty average weight for a girl of her age. She wore the same outfit which was seemingly her husband, but inside of the kanji for 'Teuchi' on her shirt and hat. There was the kanji for 'Aki' on her shirt and hat.

The second thing Naruto noticed was a certain redhead and blonde haired joūnin sitting down. Naruto and Nezumi entered the ramen stand completely which drew the attention of all attendees.

" Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen Shop, I'll be with you in a moment, " Teuchi said, both Naruto and Nezumi nodded and took a seat.

Naruto just looked at the kitchen and was amazed at the quickness and the precise movements that Teuchi and Aki were taking.

Naruto saw Teuchi making about fourteen large bowls of ramen and one small bowl. Naruto was actually impressed as Teuchi took seven large bowls of ramen with the small bowl balancing on top of his head.

Naruto turned to his left and immediately sweatdropped. About three seats away from him was that redhead joūnin and that blonde haired joūnin.

But the thing that got him was there were about twenty massive bowls of ramen that was already eaten by the redhead and the small blonde joūnin only ate one bowl of ramen which was the regular size.

" Jeez, those guys can really eat, " Naruto thought while waiting to order his food. " What can I get you two gentlemen? " Teuchi asked while opening his notepad.

" I'll like a beef ramen with extra sauce on top of it, " Nezumi Masaki asked Teuchi, the middle aged man nodded his head and wrote his order down.

" I'll like a large bowl of Miso Ramen and a small bowl of Curry Ramen, " Naruto asked politely, Teuchi smiled and wrote the order down.

Both Teuchi and Aki started to get to Making the ramen for their consumers, they were subconsciously avoiding any noise from their consumers since they both recognized they were shinobi and they didn't want to get in trouble for listening to the wrong things.

" I have to go to the restroom. I'll be right back, Naruto~kun, " Nezumi said while getting up, Naruto nodded his head.

" You better not leave me, Nezumi~sensei. Or I'll pay all of this on your tab, " Naruto said while the young silver haired sensei nodded his head while raising his hands in defeat.

— Five Minutes Later —

Naruto was just sitting there in silence, the two joūnin he saw with the hokage were making small talk with each other.

" Here you go, young man, " Teuchi said while placing two bowls of ramen in front of him and another bowl where Nezumi was previously sitting down.

Naruto smiled and thanked the ramen chef. He split the chop sticks in half and was about to dig in but stopped a few meters away from the ramen.

" May I ask why you are looking at me, Minato~san? " Naruto asked while turning to his left.

He saw the redhead joūnin eating her ramen, ten bowls in but she stopped to turn to her right to look at Naruto.

Next to her, Minato was already leading back while overseeing Naruto. " How do you know about me? "Minato asked while narrowing his eyes.

" That redhead next to you is quite loud about everything happening in your life, but I'm pretty interested in the development of your Hirais- " Naruto said but stopped mid sentence.

" I'm sorry, but I have to cheek something out, " Naruto said while getting up, he dropped his chopsticks on top of the ramen.

Naruto exited the ramen shop leaving some of his stuff behind to tell Teuchi and Aki that they are not leaving the store entirely.

" Damn it!! I lost Nezumi's presence. I've always had a bad feeling about him. Where is he? " Naruto thought while running throughout the village.

To all of the civilians, genin, and chūnin. He seemed like a blur to the wind for all but the few joūnin and above who managed to barely see the image of him.

Eventually Naruto felt the slight presence of Nezumi for a second but that was enough time to figure out where he was.

After four to seven seconds of traveling, Naruto made it outside an abandoned valley where he saw the outline of his assistant sensei and another person.

"What are you hiding, Nezumi?"