Chapter 19: Betting, Ramen, and the Power Struggle

[Shinji's Perspective]

After the fight, I casually walked over to the betting area, where the atmosphere was divided between pure despair and unfiltered joy. Those who had bet on Itachi looked like they had been personally robbed by fate, while the few who had bet on me were grinning like madmen, counting their winnings.

I approached the bookie, a man who had gone visibly pale upon seeing me.

"I placed a bet on Shinji Murakami—10,000 ryo," I said with a smug grin.

The man's face twisted in horror. He started hurriedly packing up his makeshift stall, clearly planning to run. Before he could even take a step, I summoned Shiro and Kuro in front of him.

The moment my two massive shadow wolves appeared, his shoulders slumped in defeat. With trembling hands, he counted out my winnings—50,000 ryo—and handed them over with tears in his eyes.

"Five times the money in just an hour…" I mused, flipping through the ryo. "I should do this more often."

I walked over to my friends, who were also counting their winnings, their smirks telling me exactly who they bet on.

"You all believe in me so much," I said, wiping a fake tear from my eye. "I'm so touched."

Shigeo scoffed. "We just like easy money."

Aoi patted his stomach. "We should celebrate Shinji's win at a restaurant!"

"You just want to stuff your face," Fumiko muttered before leaning toward me. "We should go where Shinji wants."

Everyone turned to me, waiting for my decision. I thought for a moment before smirking.

'Might as well experience the legend firsthand…'

"Ichiraku Ramen."

'Maybe I'll meet the Sage of Six Bowls.'

Ichiraku Ramen was exactly how I had seen it in the anime—a small, cozy stall with white curtains hanging over the entrance, each one bearing the name "Ichiraku Ramen." Despite its size, it had an aura of warmth and home-cooked perfection.

Luckily, there was enough space for all six of us. As we sat down, Teuchi—the legendary ramen master himself—greeted us with a warm smile, eyes closed as he prepared our bowls. A small girl, Ayame, was helping him out, carefully placing bowls in front of us.

The first bite? Heaven.

"This…" I swallowed, savoring the taste. "This is definitely going to be a problem."

Akane raised an eyebrow. "A problem?"

I nodded solemnly. "Because I'll be coming here every day now."

We all laughed, enjoying the meal and each other's company. Eventually, we parted ways, each of us knowing that the final exams were drawing near.

For me, however, the exam wasn't the real challenge.

I had my sights set on graduation.

[Jiraiya's Perspective]

After months of tracking Orochimaru's movements, I had finally returned to the village.

'Catching that damn snake is impossible. I started late because of Shinji, and now all I ever find are small traces.'

But that wasn't my priority right now.

Seeing what ridiculous things my student had done in my absence was.

It was always a pleasant surprise… and a terrifying one.

Humming to myself, I entered the Hokage's office, only to find Hiruzen, Shikaku, and Danzo standing over a single document, their expressions unusually tense.

"What's with the grim faces?" I asked, strolling in. "You all look like you just found out your pensions were cut."

Grabbing the paper, I skimmed it.

'Chunin Exam Application—Itachi Uchiha.'

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I know this kid. Already aiming for Chunin? Konoha's producing a lot of geniuses lately. What's the issue?"

Danzo sneered. "It's an Uchiha."

I rolled my eyes. "So what?"

Danzo gave me a look like I was an idiot. As usual, Shikaku took over the explanation.

"Ever since the Nine-Tails attack, suspicions toward the Uchiha have skyrocketed. We moved them to the outskirts of the village under the guise of reconstruction efforts."

Danzo scoffed. "There's no suspicion. It was an Uchiha."

I ignored him. Shikaku continued, "Tensions have been high, but Fugaku managed to calm the clan, convincing them to comply. However, they're clearly playing the long game, placing their hopes on Itachi. If he becomes a respected ninja—maybe even a Hokage candidate—they could push for power. Right now, their biggest rival is Kakashi… but he has no interest in leadership. That means Itachi was uncontested."

I exhaled. "So, what's the real problem? If Itachi proves himself worthy, why shouldn't he become Hokage? He loves the village. I've seen it in his eyes."

Danzo glared at me. "And that's why you're not Hokage, Jiraiya."

I smirked. "I'm not Hokage because I refused it." Danzo's eye twitched, but I ignored him.

Hiruzen finally spoke, "Until now, we thought the situation was under control—that the Uchiha would wait patiently for Itachi's rise. But that changed."

I frowned. "What happened?"

Shikaku sighed. "Your student happened."

I blinked. "What did Shinji do?"

"He fought Itachi—publicly," Shikaku said. "And won."

I stared at them, processing the words.

"… What?"

Danzo scowled. "It was a restricted match—no genjutsu, no ninjutsu—but the public doesn't care about that. They only saw an outsider defeat the Uchiha prodigy."

I leaned back, rubbing my temples. "…Yeah, that sounds like something he'd do."

Hiruzen sighed. "Now, Shinji isn't just a strong student. He's a Hokage candidate—and because he's your student, the village already favors him over Itachi. If the Uchiha see their path to power slipping away, it could trigger a civil war."

Shikaku nodded. "This is dangerous, Jiraiya. We need to be careful."

Danzo, ever the opportunist, added, "We should eliminate the Uchiha before they act."

I slammed my fist on the table. "Are you insane?! They're part of Konoha, one of its founding clans!"

Hiruzen cut in before the argument could escalate. "Itachi will be assigned to the Anbu. We will monitor him closely."

I stared at my old teacher. "Sensei, if you keep pushing them down, you're just brewing more hatred for the future."

Hiruzen remained silent.

After a long pause, he changed the topic. "Jiraiya, Shinji is ready to graduate. Which Jonin should I assign him to?"

I took a deep breath before making a decision. "Cancel his graduation request."

Hiruzen frowned. "Why?"

I looked at him seriously. "Because I don't want him to become like Orochimaru… or Itachi."

"I want him to become someone who gives hope like Minato, not just a powerful ninja but the one that could bring peace and hope in people".

"But training him as a ninja early will be more beneficial for the village" said Danzo.

"He is my student and I want him to experience more what a kids life should be like, we are not at war right now Danzo" I said thoroughly angry at him due his ideas today.

Hiruzen sighed. "One more year, then. But you'll have to convince him."

I smirked. "Oh, I will."