Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Trouble that comes to you
Ichiraku Ramen
"Hey there, Link-chan, just finished another mission, huh?"
Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, greeted him with a cheerful smile.
Link responded with a smile of his own. Officially, ninja missions were confidential, but as a genin, his assignments weren't exactly covert.
For instance, just recently, he'd spent days pulling garbage out of a river—something any passerby could see. Add to that his habit of treating himself to a bowl of ramen after every mission, and it wasn't hard for the owner to guess he'd completed another one.
"The usual, please, Uncle Teuchi," Link said casually, walking over to the refrigerator to grab an ice-cold soda.
Summer had arrived, and the heat was becoming unbearable. An ice-cold drink was exactly what he needed.
"Got it! You've earned it, kid," Teuchi called back loudly.
"Mmhm." Link responded absentmindedly, his focus on cracking open the soda and taking a refreshing sip. He'd just sat down, barely getting comfortable, when he noticed someone staring at him.
Turning his head, he saw a blonde boy with spiky hair wearing an orange jacket—none other than Naruto Uzumaki, the child of destiny himself.
Naruto's eyes kept darting toward the headband tied to Link's arm, his expression full of envy.
Ah, right. He's failed the genin exam for three years now, hasn't he?
Link thought to himself. Having taken two years to pass his own exam, he understood the frustration.
Fine. Let him stare.
Feeling quite pleased with himself, Link took another sip of soda. It was a special kind of satisfaction knowing someone envied his status as a genin—it added a certain flavor to his day.
Soon enough, his ramen arrived. Clasping his hands together, he said, "Itadakimasu!"
Whether it was the lingering high from completing a mission, the promise of a hefty reward, or just Naruto's envious gaze adding flavor to the moment, the ramen tasted especially delicious that day.
"Burp!" Full and content, Link sat for a few moments to let his meal settle before heading home.
There was laundry waiting for him, after all.
…
On his way back, Link noticed someone trailing him—a clumsy shadow keeping a suspiciously close distance. Timing his turn carefully as he crossed the street, he glanced back quickly.
It was Naruto.
Seriously? Does this kid have nothing better to do? Why's he following me?
Deciding not to let it bother him, Link kept walking. Naruto would probably get bored and leave soon enough.
Although… I have to say, for the supposed child of destiny, his tracking skills are downright terrible. Even Iris and Ami are better at hiding their presence.
Link had no intention of striking up a relationship with Naruto. The boy was a magnet for trouble, and getting too close to him meant courting disaster.
Forget the outside enemies eyeing Naruto for his status as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Konoha's own higher-ups kept him under constant surveillance. Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was likely watching him right now with his telescope jutsu while juggling village affairs and missions.
Getting close to Naruto would do nothing but paint a target on his back.
Even before discovering his cheat ability, Link had decided it was safer to befriend Konohamaru, hoping to indirectly connect with Naruto. Direct involvement was a recipe for disaster.
So, ignoring the blonde's clumsy attempts at stealth, Link went home, washed his clothes, changed into a clean tracksuit, polished his ninja tools, and left again at around 1:30 PM.
No sooner had he stepped outside than he felt that same awkward, bumbling presence tailing him again.
For crying out loud.
Suppressing the urge to confront Naruto outright, Link chose patience over impulse. A confrontation might feel satisfying in the moment, but it would only lead to trouble later.
As he made his way to Training Ground Seven, he reflected on the situation. He suspected Uncle Teuchi had said something to Naruto—perhaps praising Link for becoming a genin so young and performing well on missions.
Naruto, for all his eventual heroism, was still a brat at this age—a chaotic, attention-seeking child. The kind who'd pull a girl's hair because he didn't know how to express his feelings.
In this scenario, I'm the one getting my hair pulled.
Confronting Naruto might only make him cling harder—or worse, view him as a rival, potentially stealing Sasuke's spot as the "antagonistic friend."
Link didn't want anything to do with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, so he decided to ignore him.
By the time Link arrived at Training Ground Seven, his two teammates were already waiting.
"Boss!" Iris waved enthusiastically, grinning ear to ear. "Good afternoon!"
Ami hesitated for a moment, then echoed, "Good afternoon, boss."
But Link felt a sharp glare directed at him. Turning slightly, he realized Naruto's presence had followed him here. The kid's gaze was now tinged with something like hostility.
Ah, right. Iris and Ami were in Naruto's class at the academy. Makes sense.
Recalling their shared history, Link scratched his head and walked up to his team. "Good afternoon." He brushed aside the unease and asked, "Shall we start?"
"Boss," Ami said softly, gesturing toward the bushes where Naruto was clearly trying—and failing—to hide.
Iris, meanwhile, clenched his fists, looking eager for action.
The three had spent enough time together to communicate with a glance. Link shook his head. "Let him watch," he said quietly before addressing his teammates directly.
"Now, let's go over some of the issues I've noticed during the mission…"
As Link listed their flaws, he had them demonstrate, correcting their mistakes on the spot.
In the bushes, Naruto scratched his head in frustration, occasionally cupping his hands around his ears to catch snippets of their conversation.
"Chakra… balance…"
"Footwork… water walking…"
"Stealth…"
The disjointed words made no sense to him, and every time he started to zone out, the trio would begin sparring, snapping his attention back with wide-eyed fascination.
Link, on the other hand, had completely forgotten about his unwanted audience. Let him watch—it wasn't worth the trouble of chasing him off.
Two hours later, his throat dry from talking, Link wrapped up the session. "That's it for today. Practice what you've learned, and we'll meet here tomorrow at 8 AM to continue."
He gave his teammates a chance to absorb what they'd been taught, planning to review and build on it the next day.
Standing on tiptoe, he patted Iris's shoulder before turning to Ami, whose expression had grown… peculiar. Giving her shoulder the same pat, he ignored her increasingly baffled look and headed off.
As a temporary teacher, fairness is important, after all.