"No more! I can't take it!"
Sasuke slumped over the table, groaning like he'd just gone through a year's worth of training with Guy. He felt like he had eaten an entire lifetime's worth of ramen. Sure, Ichiraku's ramen was delicious—but there was a limit to human endurance!
Not long after, Itachi followed suit, setting his chopsticks down with an almost dignified exhaustion. He had managed to last just a second longer than Sasuke. That was enough. The pride of an elder brother had been upheld.
Kakashi, on the other hand, had zero attachment to this absurd competition. At some point, he had quietly finished his bowl, placed his chopsticks down, and accepted his fate with all the enthusiasm of someone doing paperwork.
And then, there was Naruto.
The blond knucklehead, sweat dripping down his face, took a deep breath—and swallowed the last mouthful of broth like it was the final boss battle of his life. He slammed his chopsticks down with triumph.
"I DID IT!" he roared, pumping his fists. "I finished before time ran out!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, but their excitement was nothing compared to Naruto's sheer, unfiltered joy—until, of course, Satoru opened his mouth.
"Alright, now that time's up, it's my duty to announce the final winner of the Super Big Eater Competition."
Satoru dramatically paused, basking in the tension. The audience leaned in, waiting for his declaration.
"And the winner is… Uchiha Shisui!"
Naruto froze. His smile twitched. "Huh?"
Satoru ignored him and kept going.
"As for the regular Big Eater competition, the winner is Fujita Iihide."
Silence. Then, all eyes turned toward the victor.
Uchiha Shisui, smiling as always, sat there with his empty bowl, looking completely at peace—like he had merely meditated his way through the challenge.
"Wait, wait, wait." Naruto blinked rapidly. "I lost?"
Sasuke, still recovering from his food coma, gaped at Shisui. "No way…"
Even Itachi, who knew Shisui better than anyone, raised an eyebrow. His best friend had put in work today.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was having an existential crisis. "Where did he even put all that ramen?" He squinted at Shisui's lean frame. It made no sense. There had to be a genjutsu involved.
Meanwhile, Naruto—still unable to process his defeat—pointed dramatically at Shisui. "Shisui-nii! You're too strong!"
The onlookers, now fully engaged, started chattering excitedly.
"A Uchiha won?"
"I mean, three out of the five contestants were Uchiha, so the odds were kinda stacked…"
"Yeah, but they competed in the hardest challenge and actually finished it!"
For once, the discussions about Uchiha weren't dripping with paranoia or suspicion. If anything, people seemed impressed. Maybe it was the power of ramen, or maybe it was just the ridiculousness of watching a clan known for their stoic, elite image stuff their faces with noodles.
Either way, the mood had shifted. Just a little.
And if there was one person who noticed, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Meanwhile, at the Judges' Table
"Hahaha…" The Third Hokage chuckled, stroking his beard as he observed the crowd. "I never expected a Uchiha to win a competition like this."
Beside him, Fugaku Uchiha kept his expression unreadable. "It is surprising," he admitted, though his tone was neutral.
Hiruzen, ever the politician, didn't miss the way the villagers' attitudes had subtly changed. It was slight, but it was there.
He thought back to how he had ended up here in the first place—how Satoru and Teuchi had personally invited him to judge this ramen contest. It was an odd request, to say the least, and at first, he had thought nothing of it.
But then, he had learned that Naruto and several Uchiha were participating. He had also noticed Fugaku heading to the venue.
That was when he decided to see it for himself.
And now?
Now, he saw a crowd that wasn't eyeing the Uchiha with suspicion. He saw people cheering, laughing—even admiring them.
Was this intentional?
His gaze flickered to Satoru. The five-year-old troublemaker stood at the front, soaking in the lively energy of the event with a smug, satisfied grin.
Was it possible that this entire thing—the challenge, the judges, the absurdity of watching an elite clan like Uchiha gorge themselves on ramen—was carefully orchestrated?
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Maybe he was overthinking it. Maybe Satoru was just a chaotic child who liked dragging people into nonsense.
But if this was intentional…
Then the village might have just witnessed the start of something unexpected.
Something that had come far too late.
Because no matter how much laughter filled the air, Hiruzen could still sense the divide—the deep, unresolved tension between Uchiha and Konoha.
It wasn't something that could be fixed over a ramen competition.
It was too late for that.
With a sigh, the Third Hokage leaned back, choosing—for now—to enjoy the moment.
Satoru, meanwhile, was watching everything unfold with a mischievous sparkle in his eye.
[Ding! Play Value +200!]
Satoru smirked.
Another successful day of chaos.
—
(A/N: Don't Forget To Add In Your Collection And Support via Powerstone)