Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 299 The Girl's Shyness

Kushina Uzumaki felt her cheeks burning uncontrollably.

Like a startled rabbit, she rushed into the Vortex Clan's residential area without looking back, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, almost bursting out of her throat.

The street behind her, the lights, and the figure of the blond boy were all resolutely left behind.

"Bang!"

Kushina Uzumaki rushed into her new home, the gust of wind she created slamming the door panel heavily against the door frame.

The mother, who was packing her luggage in the living room, was startled and turned around. "Kushina? What's wrong? Why is there such a commotion?"

"N-nothing!"

Kushina gave a mumbled reply, and without even changing her shoes, she rushed into her room like a red whirlwind, slamming the door shut with another loud bang.

She collapsed onto the soft bed, burying her face deep in the pillow.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

The muffled, frustrated, and shameful screams were completely absorbed by the cotton and fabric.

"What am I even doing?!"

She rolled around in bed, wrapping herself up in the blanket as if that would shut her out the whole world.

That image kept playing on repeat in my mind.

The evening breeze, fallen leaves, the lantern at the door, and his gentle smile.

And that sentence that slipped out of my mouth without thinking.

"Let's eat ramen together tomorrow too!"

God!

How can a girl be so proactive! So unreserved!

What will he think? He'll definitely think I'm a weird, carefree, and not cute girl at all!

Kushina buried her face even deeper, her ear tips turning so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

She could even picture the stunned look on Minato's face, probably laughing at himself in his heart!

The shame was like a tidal wave, one after another, almost drowning her.

"Knock knock".

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Kushina, open the door, it's Mom."

A mother's gentle voice came from inside.

"I...I'm going to sleep!" Kushina called out in a muffled voice.

A soft chuckle came from outside the door. "Really? You went to bed without even having dinner? I heard from your teacher that you had a great day at school and even made some new friends?"

New friend...

Minato's image inappropriately resurfaced in my mind.

Kushina's body stiffened, and her rolling motion stopped.

She doesn't seem to regret it that much.

The thought of seeing him again tomorrow, sitting with him in that little shop, eating steaming hot ramen, and listening to his gentle voice...

A strange, unprecedented anticipation, tinged with a hint of sweetness, quietly emerged from the deepest part of my heart, like a tender sprout striving to break through the soil.

This feeling made her heart beat even faster.

……

Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze returned to his bedroom.

The room wasn't big, but it was very tidy and spotless.

He walked to his desk and turned on the desk lamp.

Under the warm orange light, he unfolded a blank scroll, picked up a pen, and looked focused and serious, as if he was about to begin analyzing intelligence for an S-level mission.

At the very top of the scroll, he wrote a title in neat and elegant handwriting.

"A Plan for the Growth of Friendship with Kushina Uzumaki"

His pen moved across the paper without pausing.

Uzumaki Kushina.

[Personality Assessment]: Extroverted, enthusiastic, with high initiative and curiosity. Communication style is straightforward; dislikes beating around the bush. Initial assessment suggests a charming contrast between their inner personality and outward demeanor, requiring further observation.

1. Taste Preference: She showed extremely high acceptance and enjoyment of Ichiraku Ramen's tonkotsu broth. She ate extremely quickly, more than three times the average person, and finished all the broth. This indicates a clear preference for rich and full-bodied flavors.

II. Areas of Interest: A deep interest in the various shops and local customs of Konoha Village. Respect and admiration for the "Hokage".

III. Core Demands: To integrate into a new environment and make new friends.

As he wrote this, he suddenly smiled, recalling the girl's urgent and shy words when they parted, and her hasty retreating figure.

With a slight movement of the pen tip, another line of writing appeared.

I. Consolidate and enhance friendship.

Second, let her feel the warmth of home in Konoha.

Third, we will provide a ramen experience that surpasses yesterday's.

Minato rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

"Hmm..."

The question is, what kind of ramen should I recommend to her tomorrow to achieve the same effect as yesterday?

He took out another piece of paper and wrote down several proposals on it.

Option A: A Classic Recreation

Content: Continue to choose tonkotsu ramen.

Advantages: Lowest risk, highest success rate, and aligns with the target person's known tastes and preferences.

Disadvantages: Lacks originality, fails to provide surprises, and is not conducive to starting new topics.

Overall assessment: Conservative and prudent.

Option B: Flavor Innovation

Content: Miso ramen recommended.

Advantages: The rich flavor of miso, unlike tonkotsu, offers a completely new taste experience. If successful, it will significantly enhance the dining experience for the target audience. This can serve as an opportunity to explore the mysteries of different flavors and deepen the exchange.

Disadvantages: There is a risk that the target audience may not like it, which could lead to a decreased user experience.

Overall assessment: High risk, high reward.

Option C: A Refreshing Variation

Content: Salt-flavored ramen is recommended.

Advantages: The mild flavor contrasts beautifully with the rich tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, showcasing the diversity of Konoha ramen culture. Risk is moderate.

Cons: Lacks impact; may be described as "not as good as yesterday's tonkotsu".

Overall assessment: Mediocre, lacking highlights.

Under the lamplight, the blond boy frowned slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, his brain working at a rapid pace.

Choosing option A is like performing a standard task that has been rehearsed countless times—safe, but boring.

Choosing option C is like a routine patrol, unlikely to make mistakes but also unlikely to achieve anything significant.

Option B, on the other hand, is like an encounter battle, full of unknowns and variables.

As a ninja seeking the optimal solution, he was instinctively drawn to solution B.

……

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi held his teacup, so happy he was almost humming a tune.

He had just finished reading the latest report submitted by the Anbu overnight. The report was short, but it brought great comfort to the old Hokage.

"...The target, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki dined together yesterday evening, and the atmosphere was pleasant. Upon parting, Kushina Uzumaki extended an invitation for them to meet the next day... After returning home, Minato Namikaze spent the night in his study researching... the content of which is unknown."

The unknown is better.

This shows that Minato has finally figured things out and is starting to use his brain.

The happiness index of the two is a matter of paramount importance to the long-term peace and stability of Konoha, and cannot be taken lightly.

After all, I will get old.

"Squeak—"

The office door was pushed open.

A heavy aura, mixed with weariness and resentment, hit me.

Nara Shika, sporting two enormous dark circles under his eyes, carried a stack of scrolls taller than himself and sauntered in as if in a daze.

"Good morning, Lord Hokage." His voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded.

"Oh! Deer antlers!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted him with a spirited smile, "You've come at the perfect time! Please, have a seat. You look great; you must have slept very well last night!"

? ? #￥￥#%!

Nara Shikano looked at him with the eyes of someone looking at a devil, and slammed the mountain of documents heavily onto the desk with a loud thud.

"These are all the documents you gave me yesterday regarding the verification of the Uzumaki clan's identity information, the preliminary housing allocation plan, the standards for the distribution of living supplies, and the review of the ninja academy's admission qualifications."

He paused, then dragged an even larger box from behind him.

"Inside here is the draft for evaluating the merits of all the ninjas who participated in this war, the detailed rules for distributing compensation to the fallen ninjas, and the list of war reparations obtained from Kumogakure and Kirigakure."

As Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the mountain of paperwork, his smile grew even more amiable.

"Thank you for your hard work, Shikanobu. I knew entrusting these tasks to you was the right choice. You are the inexhaustible brain of Konoha!"

"This is so troublesome..."

Nara Shika slumped onto the sofa, radiating an aura of utter despair. "Hokage-sama. I need to sleep, at least for three days and three nights."

"Horns."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly, "With great power comes great responsibility. Just think about it, when our next generation can eat ramen and fall in love without a care in the world in this peaceful village we've built, won't all our current hardships be worthwhile?"

Nara Shika gave him a suspicious look.

Why do I feel like the Hokage was implying something today? He even specifically mentioned ramen and romance?

He rubbed his sore eyes, picked up a file from the top stack of documents, and prepared to begin his report.

However, a small note slipped through the gap in the document and floated to his feet.

It didn't seem to belong to any official document; it was more like... a casually jotted-down intelligence summary.

He picked it up instinctively.

There are only a few lines of text above.

"Observation subjects: Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki"

Location: Ichiraku Ramen.

"Key conversation record: Let's eat ramen together tomorrow too!"

Nara Shika stood there, stunned, holding the note.

His brain, the one hailed as the strongest in Konoha, finally connected all the clues after working continuously for forty-eight hours.

The Hokage has been in a strangely good mood these past few days.

The next generation and the future are always on their lips.

And then there was that suggestive remark about eating ramen and dating.

It turned out to be the case.

So that's how it is...

Nara Shikazuki slowly raised his head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was holding a teacup with a look of satisfaction on his face, as if he were watching his own child finally get a cabbage.

An unnamed anger, mixed with the immense sorrow of being a corporate slave, surged into my heart in an instant.

So, I'm working myself to the bone dealing with this mountain of post-war affairs just to free up your time so you can leisurely read about the love stories of two little devils?!

Nara Shika's hands began to tremble slightly.