Friendship

As if on cue, the three Jōnin arrived, strolling into the training ground, each with their characteristic flair. Kakashi's casual demeanor, Asuma's relaxed confidence, and Might Guy's exuberant spirit changed the scene instantly.

They had been juggling missions, and Naruto knew that the recent losses in their ranks, like Inoichi and Hayate, were still fresh in their minds.

"Naruto!" Asuma called out, waving as they approached. "Hope we didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Forget that!" Naruto shot back with eagerness. "I'm just glad you're all finally here! What took you guys so long anyway?"

Kakashi remained quite calm as he closed his eyes and answered, "We were just thinking about life."

Both Jada and Naruto pointed at him in unison: "You liar!"

It wasn't long until their greetings subsided.

"Jada, what brings you here?" Kakashi asked, noticing her presence.

"I wanted to see how Naruto handles this training," she replied cheerfully.

"You picked a good day for it," Asuma said, smiling at her. "Margaret wouldn't stop bugging us about training him."

"Right!" Might Guy's fiery enthusiasm sparked. "Now that we're free from missions, I think it's a great time to see what Naruto can do!"

"Best believe I've been working hard!" Naruto said, punching the air.

With pleasantries exchanged, they formed a small circle, readying themselves for the training session. Naruto squared off against all three Jōnin.

Jada stood back to let things unfold. She herself couldn't wait to see how Naruto interacted with the Leaf's elite shinobi. It was one thing to hear stories of their skills; it was another to witness the action firsthand.

She wasted time activating her Sharingan, eager to replicate any skills they demonstrated. She knew the value of their experience and wanted to absorb everything.

The sparring started with Naruto scrapping with Might Guy.

"Your taijutsu needs more work," Guy said, dodging Naruto's punch and countering with a series of rapid strikes.

Naruto didn't relent, meeting Guy's fists.

In truth, his taijutsu was almost as good as Rock Lee's, thanks to all the training he had pursued.

Naruto gathered his momentum, launching forward with a kick aimed at Guy. But before he could make contact, Asuma quickly intervened, intercepting him and punching him back a few feet.

"You should also watch your back when there's more than one opponent," Asuma added, shaking his head with a grin.

In the heat of the moment, they thought they had Naruto pinned. But just as they prepared to attack, they saw that Naruto had poofed away—it was a shadow clone. But when was it summoned?

Turning their heads in unison, they were stunned to see the real Naruto already engaged in a taijutsu match with Kakashi. The Jōnin parried Naruto's hits while also squeezing in his own.

Asuma smiled and said, "Smart play, Naruto. By distracting us, he managed to isolate Kakashi."

Might Guy nodded in agreement. "That's the kind of strategy that makes a real shinobi shine!"

Even Jada was impressed at how quickly Naruto had planned that. She had never thought she'd be witnessing the main character having progressed so far and so quick.

She recounted a moment in the original story of the first event that took place in the Valley of the End. Everyone remembered how it unfolded. Sasuke had activated his curse mark level two and defeated Naruto at that moment.

But things were different now. Naruto had learned to harness the Nine-Tails' chakra and had grown significantly stronger in his battles since then.

During their last encounter, though complicated, Naruto had managed to overpower Sasuke. It was a bittersweet victory, however, as he recalled getting struck down by someone else, allowing Sasuke to escape.

That same person was Arthur, who no one had expected to intervene. If it wasn't for him, Sasuke might not have gotten away.

As the training session continued, Jada observed every exchange, considering how far Naruto had come. Though he had never been known for his strategic mindset in fights, his willpower and recent growth were evident.

Maybe she would even learn something from his fighting style.

Hours passed, and at the end of the training session, the group gathered in a circle to finish exchanging farewells.

Exhausted but exhilarated, Naruto looked at them all and said with gratitude, "Thanks, everyone! I really learned a lot today."

"No need to thank us," Asuma replied. "You've put in the work better than I expected."

Might Guy cheered, punching his fist in the air. "I look forward to seeing your progress!"

As they wrapped up, Naruto turned to Jada to ask, "Wanna grab some food? I could really go for ramen right now."

"Sounds great!" she answered with a warm smile.

They made their way to Ichiraku, where they were welcomed inside. William was already seated at the counter, comfortably perusing a menu.

"Hey, you two!" he called out, waving them over.

"Cuz! Have you seen anyone else?" Naruto asked as they settled in next to him.

"I think Marge is at the spa or something," William replied. "And Jasper's busy training, Alex has Hyūga business, and no one really knows where Alice is."

Naruto shrugged, dismissing their absence. "Oh well, I guess."

As they discussed their training session and the lessons Naruto had learned, it was clear that they were having a good time, even if some of their friends weren't around.

Naruto made his way to the back, determined to cook something special for his friends.

"What are ya trying to make this time?" Teuchi asked.

"I wanna to treat them with a great bowl of ramen!" Naruto exclaimed.

Teuchi stepped aside to let Naruto take over. With the kitchen under his control, he began prepping the ingredients.

He first boiled the broth, letting it simmer with various spices. He then carefully selected the toppings—blanched vegetables, slices of beef, and freshly made noodles. For this evening, he had chosen to make shoyu ramen, miso ramen, and tonkotsu ramen.

Each dish would have its own unique flavor profile, and he wanted to highlight the best of each style for his friend.

First up, shoyu ramen. This was going to be his cousin's dish.

Naruto turned on the stove and placed a large pot filled with water on the burner. He reached for the dashi stock ingredients—kombu (dried kelp) and bonito flakes. After a moment spent soaking the kombu in cold water, he brought it to a simmer and released umami aromas into the air.

As the dashi stewed, he prepared the shoyu tare. For this, he measured out soy sauce, mirin, and a touch of sake into a separate bowl, mixing them together. Quite the classic base for any good shoyu ramen.

While the stock simmered and the tare combined, he prepared the toppings. Perfectly boiled eggs were a necessity, so he boiled some in a separate pot. He then sliced green onions, knowing the meats were ready from the earlier preparations.

Once the dashi was infused, he strained it, returning the clear broth to the heat. He then added the shoyu tare until the broth took on a lovely translucent brown hue. Meanwhile, he cooked fresh ramen noodles in another pot until they were al dente.

He drained them before quickly rinsing them under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Naruto brought out the bowl, layering noodles, pouring the broth over them, and arranging the toppings: a halved egg with a perfectly runny yolk, slices of meat, menma, and a sprinkle of green onions.

"First bowl down!" he declared as he stepped back to admire his creation.

Next was his favourite: miso ramen.

Not lingering too long on his accomplishment, he washed the pot to get rid of the remnants from the first ramen and prepared new ingredients. He started with the broth again but this time mixed a different base: chicken bones, simmered to extract the flavors.

He followed that by heating up another pot to cook miso paste with chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant, then added a ladle of the broth to loosen the mixture.

As the two combined in the pot, he tossed in vegetables like corn, bean sprouts, and stir-fried cabbage—the best combination that miso ramen was known for. He also prepared a small bowl of spicy sauce on the side if he felt like he wanted an extra kick.

The noodles were cooked in the same way: rinsed under cold water and added to a bowl. He ladled the steaming miso broth over the noodles, enhancing the dish with a scattering of green onions, a dollop of spicy paste, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

"Done!" he exclaimed, ready to move to the last dish.

Finally, tonkotsu ramen, Jada's dish.

Naruto had only cooked this dish a handful of times. And from what he knew about Jada, it was that she didn't eat pork. That meant he had to use beef broth.

First, he prepped beef trotters and bones—anything with plenty of marrow and collagen. He boiled them for a few minutes to remove impurities, then let them simmer in clear water while he blended them with the dashi stock he'd previously made to create that desired creamy texture.

As the broth cooked down and thickened, he prepared the garnishes. He sliced garlic and ginger, which he would fry later. He also cooked up another batch of classic gyuniku (beef).

Once the broth finished, he added salt. Like the previous batches, he cooked fresh ramen noodles, waiting until they could quickly whip through the boiling water before straining.

Then came the final steps: noodles on the bottom, followed by the beef broth. He then layered the chashu and added a swirl tare. The fried garlic and ginger completed the dish, along with an ocean of green onions, a sprinkle of nori, and a soft-boiled egg nestled in beside it.

Now Naruto felt accomplished.

As he finished, Teuchi clapped his hands, impressed by the quality of his work. "I should really start charging a fee each time you use my kitchen. Ha-ha-ha!" A harmless compliment due to how delicious and distinct each bowl looked.

It wasn't long until he brought out the bowls, capturing the attention of William and Jada as they eagerly awaited the taste test.

"Alright, you two!" he announced, grinning from ear to ear. "Time to dig in!"

They all gave thanks, and William picked up his chopsticks first. His eyes widened in surprise after the first slurp. "Wow, cuz! This is really great!"

Jada followed suit, taking a bite of her tonkotsu ramen. Then with a lightened expression, she exclaimed, "I've never tasted beef quite like this before!"

The two quickly plunged their chopsticks back in for another taste, making Naruto blush. "Thanks, guys, but it's really nothing."

William shook his head in disbelief and praised, "Kidding? This is crazy good! I mean, you've come a long way since before!"

"Before?" Naruto laughed, not knowing William was referring to his original self. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jada quickly defused the situation so as not to cloud Naruto's mind with unnecessary information. They continued to eat their food with glee.

Then Naruto decided to confess something: "What do you guys think about us opening up a restaurant one day?"

Teuchi, overhearing them as he cleaned up in the kitchen, chuckled loudly. "Oh really? Trying to run me out of business, are you?"

They all laughed as Naruto shook his head emphatically and said, "No way, Boss Teuchi! I could never dream of that! Ichiraku will always be my favourite place."

"Good!" Teuchi replied with a knowing smile.

"No need to think about that, Naruto," Jada teased. "Don't forget that you're gonna Hokage one day."

Naruto's eyes shone brightly—he loved the banter, but he also made sure to keep his goals in sight. He pumped his fist confidently and said, "That's right! No way I'd ever forget that!"

As the trio finished their meal, Naruto leaned back with a full stomach. He loved this moment, the friendship, and the possibilities that lay ahead. The laughter and discussions, the dreams of things to come—it all felt so tangible, reminding him that while he had big ambitions, the bonds he formed would always push him to reach those heights.

"Whatever happens," he continued, "I'll never forget the people who supported me. You guys are the best!"

"Right back at you," William said, raising his bowl in salute.

They all lifted their bowls together in a toast, a moment solidifying not just their friendship but also Naruto's dreams—a soon-to-be Hokage who would protect his home while sharing his love for food.