Naruto: Ghosts of the Warring States

Chapter 412 412: Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku

Three Days Later — Night, Nara Compound

Akio sat across from Shikaku Nara, a shogi board between them.

Young Shikamaru observed from the side, dutifully refilling tea like a bored but polite intern.

"Your game's improved," Akio said calmly.

"Still not at your level," Shikaku replied.

"Well, of course. I was playing shogi before you were born."

Shikaku: "..."

Akio's skill had only reached its current level years ago, after losing repeatedly to his "grandnephew" and getting so competitive he'd essentially power-leveled himself out of spite. Once he hit an expert tier, he crushed the poor kid so badly the matches stopped being fun.

Since then, he hadn't touched a board.

Tonight, he'd only meant to watch Shikaku coaching Shikamaru but nostalgia kicked in.

He'd even lost the first game from rust.

After that, though? He got serious.

Shikaku could hold him off for a long time, clearly near the same level but in the end, experience won out.

Akio studied the board thoughtfully.

Shikaku's probably reached his ceiling… but give it a few years and Shikamaru might surpass even me.

He smirked. Too bad I'll never give the brat the chance.

"Elder," Shikaku said carefully, "you didn't come here this late just for a game, did you?"

Akio smiled.

"I told Shikamaru at the Academy I'd stop by. Can't go back on my word."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir!" Shikamaru said brightly, offering tea.

Akio took a sip.

Ever since he'd tasted ice-cold cola in his mindscape, tea just didn't hit the same.

Shikaku suddenly exhaled.

"I've lost."

Akio blinked and reexamined the board. After a moment, he nodded.

Skill-wise he was superior, but in raw calculation speed? Shikaku still had the edge.

Even with his Yin Release perfected, Akio had to admit: Shikaku was probably smarter.

"Actually," Akio said, preventing a reset of the board, "I wanted your thoughts on something."

"I'm listening."

"There's someone who keeps giving off subtle red flags around me. Nothing concrete. Just… enough to make me suspicious. But I can't prove anything. What do you do in that situation?"

Since that strange morning at Ichiraku Ramen, Akio had quietly kept tabs on Teuchi and his family.

Nothing.

His wife Ayame? Normal civilian.

His daughter? Normal civilian.

No chakra irregularities. No hidden tells.

Shikaku leaned back.

"If there are multiple red flags, why can't you confirm your suspicions?"

Akio grimaced.

If this were anyone else, he'd already have an answer.

But the rumors jokes, really about "Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku," the secret god-tier ramen sage? They'd been everywhere in his previous life. Enough to plant doubt in his own objectivity.

"What makes him special?" Shikaku asked, waving Shikamaru away for privacy.

Akio lowered his voice.

"Teuchi. The owner of Ichiraku Ramen."

Shikaku blinked.

"…Him?"

"I have a daughter, Sara you know that. She randomly learned ramen from him, fell in love with it, and now she's nearly thirty-two and unmarried because she's obsessed with cooking noodles." He coughed. "That's not the point."

He continued.

"During the psychic shockwave the other day, the entire village was unconscious. Except Ichiraku was open. And his whole family just happened to be out of town at the time. And there've been other… coincidences."

He finished.

"Well?"

Shikaku took a slow sip of tea.

"Then either he truly is suspicious… or you're seeing patterns where there are none."

Akio's lips twitched. He briefly considered flipping the shogi board through the wall.

"Let me finish," Shikaku said quickly. "If he really does act strange only in front of you… could it be intentional? Perhaps he enjoys provoking your reaction. Testing you."

He paused.

"…Though realistically, no one in their right mind would toy with someone of your power. Which makes it more likely that you're overthinking it."

Akio ignored the second half entirely.

"Provoking me… making me jump at shadows… teasing me…" He muttered. "That does sound deliberate. And if he's bold enough to do that, maybe he's confident I couldn't beat him."

He stood abruptly.

"If he really is some hidden Ōtsutsuki-level monster, I might actually lose!"

Shikaku nearly spilled his tea.

"Please calm down. Even if he were suspicious, we don't start fights in the middle of Konoha."

Akio inhaled slowly.

"You're right. The world is beautiful. I should not be this irritable."

The Sage of Six Paths slipping away days ago… Teuchi's constant "coincidences"… it had put him on edge.

He steadied himself.

"No matter what, his wife and daughter are civilians. They don't get dragged into this."

He paused suddenly.

"Wait. If he were some hidden powerhouse… why doesn't his daughter have even basic shinobi potential?"

Shikaku gave him a tired look.

"Which is why I say, you're likely imagining things."

Akio folded his arms.

"I'll keep watching. If I find something new, I'll consult you again."

"Anytime."

Akio narrowed his eyes.

"And stop badmouthing me in front of your kid. Next time, I'll discipline you in front of him."

Before Shikaku could respond, Akio vanished.

"Shikamaru! Get back here!" Shikaku's voice echoed through the compound.

Late Night — Outside Ichiraku Ramen

Akio stood before the closed shop.

"If you really are just an ordinary man," he muttered, "and you still managed to keep me guessing… then fine. I'll call you Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku out of respect."

"Great-Grandpa? What's Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku?"

Kushina's voice came from behind him.

Akio turned.

"It's late. What are you doing out here? Is the princess asleep?"

"She is. Minato's watching her." Kushina grinned. "I came looking for you. You've been muttering about this ramen shop for days."

Akio rolled his eyes.

"Was I that obvious?"

"Yes."

"What's so urgent it couldn't wait?"

Kushina's smile widened.

"Big news. From the Land of Whirlpools."

Akio froze, then slowly smiled.

"…I know what this is."

His grin grew sharper.

"Finally. I thought they'd try to outlive me before making it official. As if that would work."