บท 25: Task
A door opened up and the ringing of a bell accompanied the action. It was an indication of new visitors arriving.
"Welcome!", shouted a smiling Ayame. After noticing who it was she became all energized "Kaito! Naruto! Take a quick seat you two!"
Naruto grinned and strode a little bit quicker to the chair right in front of the place where the food was prepared.
"It always surprises me how this place becomes bigger and bigger each time I come here." Iruka looked around the place and was commenting about Ichiraku now being somewhat more looking like a proper restaurant instead of just a stand at the side.
There were even people sitting at the chairs to the sides and enjoying their meals. But he could already see that from outside through the small windows. What surprised him was that there were a few Ninja mixed under the civilians. Obviously wearing those headbands in public was noticeable.
"Is it really that much of a change, sensei? We were here just a few days ago.", smiled Kaito and replied to his comment.
"You are saying it is normal that a place like this changes so abruptly like this? "
"What? It just got a change in the menü. Tasty food just keeps attracting people."
"Right." Iruka smiled and stared at Kaito while he also walked and sat down beside his brother. Shakin his head Iruka also joined.
"Congratulations both of you! You really made it! Here! Enjoy the best ramen on the house!", said a smiling Teuchi.
"What!? Really!?", asked Naruto again after hearing that he would be getting free ramen.
"Of course, you deserved it.", nodded Ayame and kept preparing the food.
"Thanks!", replied Naruto with a grin. "Did you hear sensei? The ramen is on the house today."
"I heard that. Looks like I wont to have to buy it for you, huh.", grinned Iruka back.
Naruto actually blushed a little. "Hey, that was only because I forgot my wallet that one time..."
"Or when you used up your pocket change....", added Kaito with a smirk.
Iruka laughed lightly seeing Naruto now feeling all guilty. "It's alright. I like spending time with you two."
Naruto looked at Iruka and there were certain thoughts running through his head. "Just you wait, Iruka-sensei! Now it won't be long and I will become Hokage."
"I am already proud that you actually made it in one go, Naruto."
Right, Iruka still developed into a figure that Naruto would confide in and tried to impress a lot.
"Here you go. Enjoy." Ayame delivered the food.
"Ittadakimasu!" Naruto clapped his hands together and dug in.
"Oh right. Kaito, here is the letter." Teuchi placed a white envelope on the desk.
Kaito nodded and placed it into his pouch.
"What´s that?", asked Iruka somewhat curious.
"Its the share of our profit that goes to our sponsor. He said we should just give it to Kaito.", answered Teuchi quite honestly.
"Oh, that Kimura guy? I heard the story as well. A rich merchant that came by Konoha and ate here while Keito helped out, right? And that he actually fell in love with this shop and the food. So much so that he invested in it. That is quite the story.", laughed Iruka a little.
Kaito to the side also started to laugh a little bit awkwardly. There were even small drops of sweat rolling down his face. He felt a little bit uncomfortable.
"Hey! My brother is a great cook!" Naruto actually thought Iruka made a comment about his brother´s skill in cooking.
"That´s not what I mean, Naruto. I am just saying it is quite the luck. Maybe a little bit too much to be true. Did you never think he could be up to something with being that generous?"
Kaito sighed then and there. It looked like Iruka was not actually questioning Kaito but was actually worried about the twins. True, the story was quite ridiculous and Kaito himself knew it as well. But he somehow had to -wash- his money into the economic cycle.
He couldn't just go out and spray his money around without being questioned where he got it all. So creating that Kimura persona was a must he had to do.
"I don't think mister Kimura has any bad intentions.", said Kaito now to clean that image.
"If he really had any, why would he waste so much money to buy more space and make this shop so welcoming and advanced? He even got me to cook up some new recipes for the shop so that it would not only be good tasting but also healthy." Kaito looked around and glanced at the ninja in the building. "Now even shinobi visit this place for its nutrients...And then there would be our home..."
"Yeah...I may just overthink some stuff. Where is he now anyway?"
"He said he would go to the land of lightning for something", intercepted Naruto the question."He did mention to make this into an enterprise I think? Just imagine that everywhere we go we could see an Ichiraku!" Suddenly Naruto started to brin brightly by his idea.
"...I see..." Iruka was not really convinced by that suggestion.
"He is probably just doing his business. He is a merchant after all, right", said Kaito and also ignored Naruto´s idea about a chain.
"That is probably the most reasonable reason...", nodded Iruka.
Then the bell at the door rang again.
"Here you are, Iruka!", shouted a male voice. The person that shouted that also approached them.
The man had a Konoha bandana on his head and underneath that strands of silvery-white hair could be seen that went down to about his neck. It looked like white was a rare color but not yet that unusual as Kaito´s own crimson red.
"Mizuki. What is it?", asked Iruka after looking back and recognizing his friend.
"The third sent me to get you. It is about the teams." Mizuki answered and sat right beside the group.
Kaito got somewhat vary since him being here did not mean anything good. But at the same time, he was curious about how fate changed. What was this guy going to do? It couldn't be something too flashy like a direct attack, right?
"I see..." Iruka looked at his half-finished ramen. "Well, it looks like I will have to go, kids. Naruto, you can finish my bowl if you like."
"Really? Hmm...Alright." Naruto sounded a little bit down but probably was happy about having a second portion of ramen.
A short while later Iruka left and Mizuki still sat with them. He even ordered himself some ramen.
"So...you two made it, huh? There are congratulations in order I guess?" Mizuki tried to start a conversation with them and skillfully used his position as one of the instructors at the academy. Others would not have that information yet for sure.
"Yep." Kaito actually wanted to answer first since he was interested but Naruto was faster and gave it.
"And do you know which team you are going to be put in?", asked Mizuki again.
Now Kaito became even more curious.
"Teams?", asked Naruto back and even stopped eating.
"Yeah, after graduation you will be put into teams of a few people each. They haven't told you yet?"
Naruto actually became worried for some reason. "Wait, how do they put them together?"
Mizuki smiled creepily. "3 people in each team and they will be put together depending on your results in the exam..."
"So I may not end up in the same team as Kaito?" At that question, Kaito also raised both his brows. Right, he nearly forgot about that! In what freaking team is he going to be put into?
"Hehe, I like that. You worry about your brother a lot huh? Hmm.." He made it so as if he was contemplating something.
"Actually...well let's make this a little gift to you since I want you two to succeed. The grouping is actually another test that will be performed. And depending on how the teams fare they will truly graduate."
"Truly graduate?", asked Kaito now. He knew he was talking about their Jonin accepting them or not. But even then if they did not succeed they would at the most end up in the MP like all other people that messed up the graduation.
"Yeah, you are still not through yet. So keep that in mind. But you know what? I will help you out. The next test will be sneaking into the Hokage office and grab a certain forbidden scroll. You would prove your skills as a shinobi since stealth is important and also showcase your wits in figuring out how to do it.", explained Mizuki.
´Asshole. I must give him credit for camouflaging that theft as a test and underlining it with shinobi skills...But there is a certain flaw...´
"If it is a forbidden scroll is it not bad if we take it? Also, security is probably very tight. How are we Genin going to make it? And why should we get it now before the actual test?", said Kaito and questioned him.
"I am actually one of the test instructors and just give you a headstart. I may even try and get you both into the same team. And don't worry about that. Of course, security is not as high anymore since the exams are in progress. Besides, we do want to give you a chance, right?"
Kaito just stared at him...He thought that Mizuki probably made sure the security was handling other stuff. There is no way that the village would lower it even for exams. He did not know how but he sure was confident in the security being low at the moment.
But then again, Naruto did manage it on his own as well and that made Kaito question if this was just elaborate plot armor or true scheming of this guy.
"And there are not really forbidden things inside the scroll. Just a few Jutsu that have been put down by the previous Hokage."
"Really? Kaito, we could learn some super Jutsu. And I would like to be in a team with you. What do you think? Should we do it? It doesn't sound too hard."
"Naruto..." Kaito looked at his brother and sighed. "Alright, we can do it. But you better follow my instructions. Mizuki-sensei, where should we meet when we have it?"
Mizuki smiled and handed Kaito a piece of paper. "Here are the locations we are to meet. Also, be careful that you do reach me. Because if you get caught it will be a mess to explain since you do this test a few days sooner than planned."
"I see..." Kaito nodded and knew this guy is scum. "We will be on our way then...Thanks."
"See you later~" Mizuki waved at them.
And as soon as they left the ramen shop he also stood up and left the shop with a gloomy face.
Ayame saw that Mizuki didn't even touch his bowl and frowned. At least he paid but she was still angry. She also suddenly got a bad feeling and looked towards the shop door.
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