"Forget it." Zixu tapped the table lightly with his fingers. After a moment of thought, he decided against bothering Hyuga Chinano. The main reason? It probably wasn't a good idea to pay the bill before his noodles even arrived.
Just as he came to this conclusion, Chinano, who had picked up a toy pistol and was ready to shoot, seemed to sense something. Her gaze shifted in Zixu's direction.
"Slurp, slurp~"
The shop owner placed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of Zixu. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrant aroma. The broth smelled rich and inviting. Taking a sip, he found it decent—not quite on Ichiraku Ramen's level, but passable.
"What? Haven't you eaten enough?" Zixu asked, raising an eyebrow as he noticed Chinano approaching. He pointed at his bowl of noodles.
"Not really. I haven't had much of an appetite lately," she replied, her face expressionless. She rested her chin on one hand, simply watching him.
"…..."
"Look, I'm eating. I can't eat peacefully if you're just staring at me."
"Oh."
"…Forget it. As long as you're happy."
Zixu felt an odd tingling at the back of his neck, and the diners around them were getting more and more excited.
"Oh my god, who is that guy? He seems to be really close to Instructor Chinano. How come I don't know him?"
"Wait… isn't he the one who came to our village trying to recruit people? I thought he was just some random lackey."
"This isn't good… really bad…."
Ignoring the murmurs around him, Zixu turned his attention back to Chinano. Since she was already here, he figured he might as well give it a shot—maybe it really would help his luck.
"Well, since you're here, I need you to do me a favor." Zixu downed the last sip of his noodle broth, patting his stomach. He wasn't full at all.
"Go ahead."
Chinano straightened her posture, and the sudden movement caused a certain part of her body to bounce slightly. The effect wasn't lost on the surrounding diners, and several of them blushed.
"It's… big, really big—"
"Hey! Babe, I wasn't looking at her, okay? Okay, okay, let's go, let's go."
Several men who had been admiring Chinano quickly felt the deadly glare of their female companions. None of them wanted to go home and end up kneeling on a kunai, so they made a hasty retreat.
"Never mind..." Zixu sighed, standing up and walking toward Chinano, who remained seated. He wasn't sure how to explain his strange idea of trying to improve his luck, so he decided not to explain at all.
Chinano usually unreadable expression showed a rare trace of confusion as she watched Zixu approach.
Then, just as she was about to ask what he was up to, Zixu reached out and placed his hand on her head.
Her brain went blank.
Was he about to teach her a technique? She wasn't sure how to react.
Zixu closed his eyes in a solemn gesture, mimicking the legendary "sage blessing." At the same time, he mentally activated his lottery draw.
"Ship! Ship! Ship it out for me!"
[You have received: Agent Uniform (Kalifa)]
"..."
"Well… better than Bucky's socks. Maybe my luck isn't that bad after all."
Although it wasn't an amazing pull, at least it wasn't something useless. That alone was enough to make him feel a bit emotional.
Chinano, who was still frozen in place, slowly came back to her senses. Yet, she made no move to stop Zixu from ruffling her hair.
"Hmm, your hair's actually in great condition. I brought some conditioner when I left the village, but it looks like you don't need it. Guess I'll just give you a different gift."
Zixu quickly made up an excuse, pulling out a sealing scroll. Inside was the agent uniform he had just drawn. He had no use for it, and it wasn't exactly prize-worthy, so he might as well hand it over.
"Alright, I'm heading out. Thanks for your hard work all this time."
Seeing the growing crowd of onlookers, Zixu swiftly paid his bill and left. Meanwhile, Chinano sat there in a daze, staring at the scroll in her hands.
A Stroll Through the Night Market
After leaving the ramen shop, Zixu wandered through the bustling night market. If he ran into Karin and the others, great. If not, he'd just enjoy the atmosphere—he hadn't eaten enough anyway.
As he strolled through the crowded streets, he stopped at a particular stall.
Unlike the others, this one had a distinct difference—two men were grilling skewers.
One was a standard-looking ninja, using Fire Release (Katon) to roast food. The flames perfectly activated the rich oils and spices, sending an intoxicating aroma into the air.
The other was a middle-aged man, dressed stylishly and wearing blue sunglasses. Before him was a sophisticated-looking contraption—a combination of charcoal fire and a blower. The skewered meat rotated evenly, and the dripping fat sizzled over the embers, releasing an even stronger fragrance.
"Now, we can see the Robot Team gaining a huge advantage in numbers! As expected of the Robot Team, their efficiency is as high as ever!"
"But look at the Ninja Team! Even though they're behind, they don't seem panicked. They must have confidence in their skills and speed! Who will emerge victorious in this fierce competition?"
As Zixu listened to the announcer, a strange sense of déjà vu hit him. He couldn't quite place where he had seen a scene like this before.
Then—
"Gotcha again!"
A chill ran down Zixu's spine as darkness suddenly swallowed his vision.
Needless to say, he didn't even have to guess who it was.
He peeled off the little figure clinging to his back like an octopus—Aburame Hatsuizumi.
Looking down at the small girl, he noted with amusement that she hadn't grown much taller over the years. Had Ichikishima-hime passed on her short stature as a passive trait?
She still looked like a little loli. With Zixu standing at 1.8 meters, walking around with her always attracted strange looks.
"By the way, Hatsuizumi, why haven't you grown taller?" he asked offhandedly.
If it were anyone else, she would have exploded in fury.
It wasn't her fault! She had been growing just fine until she started training in Sage Mode under Ichikishima-hime. Ever since then, she hadn't grown a centimeter. She had even asked if it was some kind of side effect, but the snake princess had only stammered out a vague "maybe."
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Being small has its advantages—you're more agile that way."
Sensing that she was about to bite him, Zixu wisely shut his mouth. Instead, he reached out and ruffled her short hair.
And, of course—he drew his prize.
[You have received: Giant Unicorn Beetle]
"Emmm… not bad? Why does everyone else get something related to themselves, but I got Bucky's stinky socks? Does the system think I have some special connection with those damn socks?"
Zixu held off Hatsuizumi's small but deadly hands, feeling an odd sense of injustice.
Was he somehow fated to be compatible with Bucky's stinky socks?
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