The sun beat down on Konoha's dusty mission board, casting sharp shadows across the crowd of shinobi gathered around it. Ichigo stood front and center, scanning the long list of available jobs with a tired but determined look in his eyes.
Clean the Inuzuka kennels.
Weed the Nara clan's medicinal field.
Escort elderly civilian to hot springs.
Chase a runaway cat (again).
He sighed. "More D-rank missions... Argh, Why the cat run away again?! Is this cat trying to be tora? Heavens, I never ever taking that mission again, That cat is crazy!"
Looking through those D rank missions, He decided to take Escort, cat and Nara clan ones. If he manages to finished these three missions then he takes Inzuka mission.
Last time, he took Inzuka clan mission, the smell of dogs on him never left for a week. He doesn't hate dogs though but he had nightmares when their dogs chased him, To Inzuka their dogs were being playful but Ichigo knew those dogs had different intentions of chasing after him.
——
Three Months Earlier
After feeding Iruka that fateful bento, Ichigo had decided. He would open a food stall. Not just any stall—a ninja-run street kitchen that could serve chakra-infused meals with practical buffs, comfort food from his past life, and dishes no one in the shinobi world had ever tasted before.
But opening a stall in Konoha wasn't free.
That is the most main point, It is very hard to open a business. Even a stall.
There were permits. A location fee. Cooking equipment. Ingredient stock. Signboards. Food safety certifications. A business license (whatever that meant here). It was a lot.
So Ichigo rolled up his sleeves and did what any broke shinobi would do: grind D-rank missions like his life depended on it.
He can do this, Besides he got Iruka as his backup, Because Iruka told him he will help him. And so, Ichigo is less worry about it.
——
Days turned into weeks. He scrubbed rooftops, cleaned out dusty warehouses, helped old ladies with groceries, and once—tragically—chased a feral cat into a sewage drain and got sprayed.
System Alert:
+5 EXP
+Mission Complete: "D-Rank: Retrieve Cat"
+1 Gacha Token
"Better be worth it," he muttered, soaked and stinking.
The gacha wheel spun that night.
Congratulations! You pulled: "Water Release: Soapy Splash Technique" (C-Rank Utility Jutsu)
"...A cleaning jutsu?" he blinked. "...Okay, actually kind of useful." Another week of chores and low-tier missions led to another pull:
Pull Result: Shadow Clone Fragment (2/5)
Pull Result: "Portable Cooking Knife – Chakra Steel"
A month later, he finally pulled something exciting:
Jutsu Learned: Earth Release: Mud Wall (C-Rank Defensive Technique)
He didn't stop there. Eventually, he leveled up his cooking skill passively by meal-prepping between missions and selling off leftover bentos to Genin squads. One even went viral among Academy kids—"Ichigo's Chili Nuggets of Fury."
Because they were spicy, And the kids well sometimes uses his dish for games too.
Soon, he was doing C-rank missions. Bandit cleanups. Wild animal control. Escort missions outside the village. The pay increased, the danger rose, but so did his combat readiness.
It also gets him to pull Gacha, He got awesome Jutsu's and train himself hard. He's so happy with his result.
The combination of his chakra-infused food buffs and combat skills made him weirdly effective for someone known for making potato fries.
——
Present Day
After three grueling months of endless work, countless burns, and more rice than he ever wanted to see again, Ichigo had done it.
Current Savings: 78,000 Ryo
Stall Permit Application Fee: 20,000 Ryo
Equipment Budget: 50,000 Ryo
Ingredient Budget: 8,000 Ryo
Total: Ready.
He stood outside the Ninja Academy again, this time with a purpose far beyond memories or idle visits.
"Let's do this!"
——
The courtyard was quiet now, the mid-morning sun casting a gentle glow across the tiled roof. Ichigo spotted Iruka exiting an empty classroom, rubbing his neck with one hand and holding a stack of papers in the other.
"Iruka!"
The chunin instructor turned, smiling when he saw Ichigo approaching.
"Well, well. You look less like a stray dog and more like a man with a plan."
Ichigo grinned. "Funny you say that, because I do have a plan."
"Oh?" Iruka raised a brow.
"I want to open a food stall," Ichigo said bluntly, "right here, near the Academy. Nothing big—just something simple. Ramen, rice balls, bento. Stuff the kids and teachers can grab between classes. I've been saving up, and I think I'm ready."
Iruka blinked. "You're serious?"
"Completely. I've already got the money, a portable kitchen set, a few chakra-infused recipes, and even a name in mind."
Iruka folded his arms, clearly interested. "What's it called?"
Ichigo smiled. "The Hidden Spoon."
Iruka let out a low chuckle. "You were always bad at names... But heh, not bad"
"But," Ichigo added, rubbing the back of his head, "I have no idea how any of the stall permits work. Paperwork, inspections, approvals. I figured, since you work here, maybe... you could help me out?"
System Notification:
New Quest Unlocked: "Red Tape and Ramen"
Objective: Begin the food stall registration process with Iruka's help.
Reward: Cooking System Expansion – Customer Feedback UI
Bonus: +1 Gacha Token
Progress: 0%
Iruka looked thoughtful, then nodded.
"Alright. I can talk to the Academy head about the courtyard. There's a spot behind the east wing near the garden—it's out of the way, but gets plenty of foot traffic. You'll need a few signatures from the village council, plus sanitation inspection. And probably a demonstration to the Academy head."
Ichigo's eyes lit up. "I can do that."
Iruka smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've changed, Ichigo. A year ago, you were just scraping by. Now you're actually building something. I'm proud of you."
Ichigo's heart swelled, but he played it off with a smirk.
"Well, food makes people happy. I figured... maybe that's how I leave a mark."
"I see, Not to worry. I handle the rest of the work. You do what you gotta do"
"Thanks Iruka!"