Welcoming Notes: Hello, Soul here. Welcome to another new story, featuring Naruto, Taimanin Asagi, and Food Wars, requested by a reader/friend last year. Not much to say, as I've been up for like 48 hours, and I'm about to hit the hay.

Oh, and there will be lemons because Taimanins. And I have a poll up on my profile, so check that out too.

Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto, Taimanin Asagi, Food Wars, or any other crossover that'll appear.

Special thanks to Lucius Walker for co-writing and NSG for beta-ing this here story.

Enjoy our new story, and have a good night!

[Land of Lightning]

It was a tense and surprising few minutes.

Uchiha Sasuke , a traitor to Konohagakure, as well as the last living Uchiha in existence (aside from Obito and Madara), had just entered the battlefield - but not as their enemy.

Instead, he openly declared that he will fight for Konoha. His next statement, however, was quite shocking.

"And then I'll become Hokage."

Silence filled the air as everyone grew quite stunned at the Uchiha's declaration.

'That's Naruto's goal!' Many of them thought.

'How dare he just declare himself to be Hokage after everything he's done?!' Others thought, their expressions saying it all.

'Where does he get the nerve?'

However, what came out of Naruto's mouth in return to his rival's declaration was perhaps the most shocking thing that had happened today.

"...Okay."

"Eeeehhhhhhhh?" The rest of his friends looked at the blonde in shock.

"Uh, Naruto? Are you okay? Because it sounds like you're letting Sasuke take the Hokage role just like that; a goal that you've coveted for years." Shikamaru said.

"I'm fine, Shikamaru. Still, have you ever heard me even mention about becoming Hokage when I got back from my training trip?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"...No, we haven't. Not to mention that you've spent an awful lot of time working at Ichiraku Ramen and Yakiniku Q." Sakura said, looking over his shoulder as she healed him. "More so than before you left with Jiraiya-sama."

Contrary to everyone else, Sasuke looked quite interested at this turn of events. "Well, that's surprising. What changed, dobe?"

Naruto smiled. "I experienced a lot of things on my training trip with Ero-Sennin, teme. Things you wouldn't believe if I told you. And after I got my recognition from Konoha, I pretty much lost all interest in being Hokage, because now, I have a different goal in mind."

"...Which is?" Tenten finally asked.

"Simple. I'm going to open my own restaurant in Tokyo!" Naruto declared brightly.

"Wha-wha-wha-wwwhhhhhaaaattttttt?!" Everyone around Naruto yelled, with the latter having a cheshire-like smirk on his face.

Chapter 01 - "A Surprising Answer"

[A New Dream, a few years ago…]

Everyone remembers their first time.

...No, not that first time.

To be more accurate, everyone remembers their first meal. Their first special meal that they love, and will love for the rest of their life.

For many people, their special meal would come from a parent's cooking, be it in the form of their special soup, pasta, salad, or steak.

However, in a nation full of war and death, many are left orphaned, and thus, many have never tasted their parents' cooking. This was especially the case for Naruto Uzumaki, who had never even tasted his own mother's milk.

That is not to say, though, that he didn't have his first, special meal.

Naruto found his meal when he was just a young child, a toddler, matter of fact. When he was three years old, the Third Hokage took him to Ichiraku Ramen, which was a small, barely noticeable restaurant that he had been too intimidated to enter. Being served the "Kushina Special," which was a ramen bowl named after his favorite customer from before, the minute it went past his lips, he would always come back for more for the rest of his life.

Looking back, he wasn't entirely sure if it was the food itself that kept luring him back, but rather, it was the fond memories that it gave him that made the food so tasty. Either way, from that day on, it become his favorite food.

He went to Ichiraku Ramen everyday to eat there. After a year, feeling indebted to the first few people who showed and gave him kindness, he begged for a job there every day until the owner finally hired him. Ever since then, every day after school, he would help clean the stand and cook in the back. He would quickly learn how ramen was made, and did his best to perfect the art. Sure, he made plenty of mistakes, but Naruto quickly learned from them in his determination to create the perfect bowl of ramen.

Even after Naruto acquired his headband, which was proof that he graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy, he continued to work for Ichiraku Ramen, in between training and after doing missions, much to the surprise of others. Eventually, they told him that it would be best to quit the job, but Naruto stubbornly refused, his second loyalty appearing to be towards the ramen restaurant.

It went on like this for a while. Eventually, though, Naruto would be forced to quit his beloved second occupation for a while, due to the three years of training with Jiraiya-sensei.

For many of the people that Naruto knew, it would've seemed like the end of his cooking career - at least for a while. However, it would seem as if Lady Fate had her ways of making sure that Naruto never lost contact with the daily life of the kitchen.

[Land of Lightning, Capital (A Year Before Leaving Konoha)]

"In third place, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto groaned as the audience's applause rang out around the stage. While Jiraiya was out and about doing "research", Naruto participated in a cooking competition. He entered the competition armed with his experience and knowledge of all the ramen recipes taught by his teacher, Teuchi, as well as other kinds of recipes outside ramen. After going through the ringer, Naruto made it to the final round and unleashed his best ramen recipe in an all-or-nothing bid to win.

Needless to say, he managed to win third place.

"Well, it's better than nothing…" Naruto murmured to himself, tuning out as the first place winner was announced, leading to bigger cheers and hoots.

After he shook the winner's hand, he and the rest of the inspiring chefs made their way off the stage. If they would've stayed, they would've saw a large man coming on stage, eyeing the dishes.

…

"Right, so where did I go wrong, dattebayo?"

Naruto was chewing on his pen as he laid on his bed, an open cookbook propped up on his knees. Reading a few lines, he made a few notes in his notebook, and tapped his pen on his lip.

The blonde remembered when he tasted the first two winners' dish when they brought it to the back, and compared it to his own. The dishes in question were a high-quality Beef Wellington resting on Soba noodles, and a Potato-Topped Ground Beef Skillet.

He recalled the differences, and remembered how the beef and soba noodles were rich in flavor without it being overpowering. His own ramen was good, but wasn't as rich, especially when compared to the first placed winner's Beef Wellington.. Sure, his noodles were chewy, but Naruto's ramen kinda stuck on the teeth, which is always annoying, even to Naruto himself. And yes, his beef was tasty, but Naruto's hadn't been marinated enough.

"I still have a lot to learn." Naruto mused, and set his books to the side. "Man, I'm getting more pumped up from cooking than from working hard to become Hokage!"

He sighed, and looked around the room he and Jiraiya were staying in. "Ero-Sennin should've been back by now-huh?"

He caught a scent that caused him to bolt up from his bed. "Hold on, that's the smell of my dish from the competition!"

Tracking the scent to the window, he opened it, and ran up to the roof. Much to his surprise, he saw a man waiting for him, holding his creation in his hands.

"It's interesting if I do myself. The standards of cooking-nin here. They're quite different from the mainland. Then again, they don't know about the world of true culinary. If they did, things would be much more refined, just like your ninja skills."

"And who are you? And what are you doing with my dish?" Naruto asked, sizing the individual up.

The individual in question was an elderly man with long, spiky gray hair with a mustache and a beard. He had a scar on his right eye running diagonally from the middle of his forehead down to just above his right cheekbone. He wore an olive-colored yukata and geta sandals.

"Admiring it. After all, out of all three of the dishes I sampled, this one caught my eye. Sure, it could be better, but the major difference is that it showed me that the chef who made this wanted to truly test his skills, instead of solely focusing on winning." The man said as he walked up to Naruto. "And as I look at you, I see raw, untapped potential that you're willing unleash."

"I...see? Thanks?" Naruto stepped back a little, clearly baffled at the man's statement. "Mister…?"

The man smirked. "Apologies, my boy. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nakiri Senzaemon, Headmaster and Director of the Tōtsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy. We're about to start a new school year in a month from now." He pulled out a letter from his robes. "For this particular year, I have journeyed across the Elemental Countries in search of people with potential, and after months of searching, I have found you, amongst others. Please, join my school."

Naruto hesitantly took the letter and opened it, finding the Headmaster's seal and words of approval. "What's in it for me?"

"Fame, fortune, prestige. The title of the best; the greatest up-and-coming chef in the world. Besides, I can see it in your eyes: The desire to cook. To create, to become an artist that helps bring joy through the stomach rather than through taking lives and doing other people's dirty work. To become something more than a common mercenary." Senzaemon stated, staring at the young blonde with intense eyes of passion.

"...Well, nothing wrong with being both." Naruto said, standing up to the Headmaster. "But yeah, I do want to be a great chef, as well as a great ninja. A great chef that makes people happy, and a great ninja to protect those I care about. That's my goal."

"Heh, it's sounds like-"

"Yes, I accept your invitation! I, Uzumaki Naruto, shall enroll in your school dattebayo!"

[Land of Lightning (Present Time)]

"This…can't be…happening…"

Black Zetsu, the parasitic creature who orchestrated everything wrong with the ninja world, was currently being grinded into the ground under a ninja sandal.

Everything had gone beautifully as planned. Many years of careful planning, the black creature did, taking advantage of the flaws of man. A whisper of influence here, a few manipulations of thought and info there, a bit of control here, and the people began to dance at the palm of his hands.

It all started when he tempted the eldest son of the Sage of Six-Paths, Otsutsuki Indra, which gave birth to the Curse of Hatred that plagued one half of the Sage's legacy.

It took so many years of planning and waiting to get to this moment, but Zetsu was patient. Zetsu was the manifestation of Kaguya's will, with the sole purpose of him bring back the goddess. And after so many years, it finally happened.

"So why?"

Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Madara, his most unwitting, yet powerful pawns, were nothing but smoldering corpses on the battlefield. Their usefulness now gone, they were stripped of everything, from their strength, to their jutsu and their eyes. Not that it mattered, for the Juubi had finally returned, followed by the revival of his mother, Kaguya. Now that she was back, the Infinite Tsukuyomi can finally consume the world, creating a true utopia, with Kaguya as the Earth's one, true goddess.

"...Why?"

Centuries, generations of planning, ruined in one day, in the span of an hour. The Juubi, the progenitor of chakra and the most powerful creature in existence, was no more. It's body turned into soil which returned to Earth. And Kaguya, the Princess and Matriarch of the celestial Otsutsuki clan, was nowhere to be found.

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!" Black Zetsu screamed, looking up in hatred at the indifferent blonde in front of him.

When the Uzumaki entered the battlefield to help the Allied Shinobi Alliance, things went south for the black blob. Donning the role of frontline support, he helped wiped out the Zetsu fodder before turning his attention to the two Uchiha, one of them which was responsible for the death of his parents. But Zetsu wasn't worried, for the combined might of the ancient Uchiha and his student would be more than enough to rid the world of one measly Uzumaki. Especially one who wants to be a chef over a Hokage, as laughable as that was.

But it's apparent that there were some things he didn't know about the Uzumaki that ultimately led to his downfall.

"Quite simply really." Naruto responded, digging his heel further into the blob. "One: You, like everyone else, underestimate me. Two: A ninja never reveals their secrets until the last minute. And three: I want to open my own restaurant soon, and I can't do it with you guys running amuck, dattebayo."

"That's why…you ruined everything?! Absorbed the strength of the revived former Hokages after we dealt with them? Absorbed the powers of Madara, Obito, the Juubi, and sealed the Tailed Beasts and Kaguya inside yourself? All for A FUCKING RESTAURANT?!" Black Zetsu roared, struggling beneath his foot.

Naruto smirked, his newly assimilated Rinne-Sharingan flashing momentarily. "Why not?"

"GO TO HELL!"

"You first."

With that, Naruto stomped his foot, turning him into a splattered smear on the ground. He smirked, looking at the sun mark in his hand, before clenching it.

Just because he was focused on his cooking life, didn't mean that he neglected the shinobi one. No, he made sure to do both, multitasking by studying both arts and exercising to keep in shape. How?

Shadow Clones.

The minute he learned the Shadow Clone technique from a very young age, all thanks to the Kyuubi and his naturally high Uzumaki chakra, he was destined for greatness from the very beginning.

It really helped after learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu from seeing one of his ANBU protectors do it, and learning its secrets when he graduated.

In the three-year training period that Jiraiya made him go through, his strength level grew exponentially. What especially helped was when he argued relentlessly to Jiraiya about being determined to go to this cooking class, Jiraiya then told him the secret with the Shadow Clone techniques (the one where whatever they learn, he learns as well).

Ever since then, he was unstoppable. Whenever he wasn't training as a shinobi, he abused the life-hack for cooking. Reading became a piece of cake when he realized that he could duplicate himself, have them change into random people, and then read the cookbooks, the health regulations, etc. Practice became infinitely easier, once he had his trusty Shadow Clone to help.

He had to learn how to make ratatouille? Make one Shadow Clone, have him cook the damn thing with the cookbook in front of him, have him do his best, then after evaluating the result, he'll make another one to do it again.

The best part (well, okay, not really) was that he was his own judge.

You would think that when making a clone, you would be the exact same, and thus, you would be biased to your own work, right? Well, not really.

For one, you are your own worst critic, which is especially true when it comes to your own clones judging your own work. Then there was the fact that they seem to develop their own tastes and personality after existing long enough, which raised some red flags for him, and he had to make sure to terminate his clones before they began to realize that they wanted to stay alive. Aside from that little issue though, he learned how to become his own unbiased judge of his work, which is how he learned from his mistakes.

If that's how he managed to kickass in cooking school, imagine how much he accomplished as a shinobi, especially after visiting the Uzumaki Shrine near Konoha, as well as Uzushiogakure. Honestly, learning about his heritage and his secret family's history is what motivated him to stay in the shinobi business; to learn his family's history, as well as his family's culture, their significance in the shinobi world, and Fūinjutsu, the Art of Sealing.

Again, he had his Shadow Clones to help learn Fūinjutsu. The danger of learning how to make an exploding tag became irrelevant when he had his Shadow Clones to be the "noble sacrifices." Did he want to learn an ancient Uzumaki Sealing Technique that would essentially act as a superbomb? Just send a clone about three miles away to do the job, and hope it doesn't fuck up.

The other cool thing that came with spamming Shadow Clones was his body constantly needing to regenerate chakra. When this became an issue, his body, like everyone else who constantly exhausted their chakra via training, became to adapt, learning to develop more chakra to compensate for the future loss of it, in a way akin to bodybuilding.

So what did that mean? Naruto now has the chakra equivalent to three Kages. Add that with his natural longevity and inhuman amounts of energy, and he could fight for up to six days straight before he starts to run out of chakra.

"War…over." Naruto sighed and sat on the ground. He gazed at all the fallen bodies scattered around the battlefield, as well as the bodies stuck in the cocoons, and frowned. "I should've been out here to begin with, not locked in a temple on top of a fucking turtle, dattebayo!"

His teammates (along with the Bijuu inside him), were staring at him with wide eyes and varying degrees of shock. They were the only witnesses to his incredible feat of not only obliterating the Zetsu army, but for greatly helping them defeat Kaguya (which, if Sakura had to be honest, really made her feel weak compared to them, and she can shatter the fucking ground like a certain Egyptian God Card.). The only reason why the thousands of others in the Allied Shinobi Forces weren't gaping like fishes was because they were stuck in the God Tree Madara left behind in Infinite Tsukuyomi. If they were out right now, they would also be in complete shock as well.

For the past two days, the Allied Shinobi Force wished for a miracle, one that could end the war swiftly. Morale fell quickly when Madara summoned those two meteors to devastate them. It shot down even further when Madara and Obito managed to trump the four revived Hokages, who left their power and skills to an arriving Naruto before they crumbled to dust.

Naruto let out a breath and looked behind him to his team, only now noticing their stares. "What?"

"That was…amazing. It's like you were Sensei and your mother combined. Hell, you may as well surpassed them!" Kakashi nearly babbled, looking at his student with pride.

"Jeez, it wasn't just me, so don't sell yourself short, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, turning to him. "I was just frontline support. You guys capitalized on the openings I gave you. I landed the final blows, but everyone else played an important role in defeating the enemy as well."."

"Yeah. We did." Sakura nodded in agreement. "But it'll be hard for people to believe that a single shinobi who wishes to become a chef made all this happen. Maybe if you still held onto your dream of being Hokage-"

"Sakura, being a Hokage was just a desire born from wanting to be acknowledged by everyone as more than a Jinchuuriki. When I returned from training with the Toads and defeated Pein, I finally received that acknowledgement I worked so hard for. Slowly but surely, the desire to become Hokage was buried by my new desire to be a chef and open my own restaurant." Naruto admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "And now that the Akatsuki and Kaguya's gone, and now that my parents are properly avenged, I can focus on that goal."

"Heh, you really have changed, dobe." Sasuke actually smiled a little. "And to think I almost ended your dream when you took that poison kunai meant for Sakura."

"Not like you cared anyway, teme. The only reason I went after Sakura was to prevent her from doing she would never have the heart to do." Naruto countered, making Sakura look chagrined.

"...Whatever."

"Now now you two. Save your bickering after you two free the survivors from the God Tree. Remember, they'll become Zetsu if left long enough!" Kakashi snapped at them. "The power you both received from the Sage should be enough before his spirit finally passed on."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "That's right. Hinata and others are waiting for you to free them."

"I know, I'm on it, dattebayo." Naruto said, already walking to the God Tree. "Come on, teme. Let's go. After all, I promised Hinata and her sister another date."

"...I suppose so. But first…"

The sound of chirping birds caught Naruto's ear, making him groan.

"I'm going to execute the Five Kage that are still inside the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and take the Bijuu sealed inside you, dobe."

Naruto sighed. "Is that right-URK?!"

"No!" Sakura screamed in horror as Sasuke suddenly plunged his hand through Naruto's back.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing?!" Kakashi roared in anger as Naruto spat out blood. "Is this why you rejoined us, to get back at Naruto?"

"Not at all- well, something like that, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke replied coolly. "I once desired destruction, revenge, and to prove that the Uchiha are this world's true gods. But things are different now, now that I know the truth of this world. What is destroyed can always be rebuilt, free from the clutches of darkness. No more shinobi, no more samurai, no more beasts to roam the lands. What I desire is now out of mere selflessness, a revolution of this world."

"So…what's your answer to…learning the truth, Sasuke?" Naruto choked out.

"The clans are not the invincible gods I was led to believe by my father. This was especially evident when you helped down Obito and Madara so easily after they dispatched me." Sasuke said, and turned his hand in Naruto's back to cause pain. "Naruto, I'm going to destroy and rebuild this world, and it starts with the deaths of the Five Kage and the Bijuu. That, regrettably, includes you, the sole Jinchuuriki of all the Bijuu. That, and…you'll just be in my way."

Naruto snorted, and made a one-handed sign. "Okay, boomer."

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he leaped back just as 'Naruto' exploded.

"What?!" Sasuke frowned, lightly bothered by his burnt fingertips. "That's Itachi's move-"

CRACK

Sasuke was then kicked in the side of his head and sent skipping along the ground. Despite him blocking the blow with his arms, it was still strong enough to send the (now truly) last Uchiha flying.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried out, seeing the real one appear out of nowhere.

'I see! Before the Chidori hit him, Naruto instantly summoned a Shadow Clone and Substituted himself with it!' Kakashi realized, looking surprised. 'But…there was an orange flash, easy to miss! Did…he enhance the Substitution Jutsu with his father's Hiraishin?!'

"Just to let you know, Sasuke," Naruto sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "I am really not looking forward to making history rhyme by reenacting the Brother's feud. You wanna take over the village? Fine, whatever, who gives a shit? All I want is to focus on the future, which looks like a new restaurant filled with happy customers and hopefully sexy women. But you plan on getting in the way of that with your stupid revolution, so…"

He reached into his palm where a storage seal was located, and pulled out a large, purely silver colored sword from it. The sword, which was contained in a small seal in his arm, was a rapier in design, designed for not just thrusting and slashing with its thin, but also wide and strong blade, with its hilt designed in a pattern resembling a gust of wind and a flow of water.

This sword, which was more European in design than Asian, was built by Naruto himself, using the techniques he'd learned from his fallen clan's vault. The sword was one of a kind, responding only to its creator, as well as his elements.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. 'Damn, I knew he'd try something, but I never expected that move! Had I not ripped my hand away, I would've lost it for good! That damn kick didn't do it any favors either.'

"The Second Hokage's sword is too good for you, and I doubt he would want it stained with the blood of an Uchiha." Naruto stated, and pointed his unique blade at Sasuke. "So you'll have to make due with my masterpiece."

"Dream on, Naruto." Sasuke said, unsheathing his chokuto, the Sword of Kusanagi. "If it's a battle of swords, I have already won. But before we continue, shall we move this fight to where this all started? You know, you-know-where?"

"No." Naruto simply replied.

"Seriously?" Sasuke looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you would want to go full circle."

"Hell no. Because once I finish throwing your sorry ass all over this place, I'll have to free everyone myself, since you won't do it."

"You really are an idiot. You do realize you need me to free them. What makes you think you can do it by yourself with one half of the Sage's power?"

"Well…" Naruto gave an eerie smirk that make Sasuke frown. "Where's the fun in telling you that?"

Naruto and Sasuke then walked to the side, away from Sakura and Kakashi. Sasuke didn't take his eyes off Naruto, and was irked when Naruto didn't do the same, as if in deep thought. When they were far enough, Naruto finally looked at Sasuke with narrowed eyes.

"Must you two really fight?" Sakura asked her two teammates, before being held back by Kakashi.

"Don't interfere." He said solemnly, having a feeling of what's going to happen, and that it might not take long.

"This is between us." Sasuke said, before he and Naruto got into their fighting stances.

"And it ends here." Naruto growled, activating his Six Paths Sage Mode.

"Okay, let's dance!" Sasuke declared, activating his Rinnegan and Sharingan.

They charged at each other, their blades raised in the air. With a loud CLANG!, the two blades met each other as their owners glared at each other, their wills equal, with neither willing to bend. They clashed again, this time countering and parrying each other's strikes and slashes in an effort to get the upper hand.

Both shinobi were even, however, and at the moment, none could harm each other. This would've been the case forever, though, since in a fight for one's hopes and dreams clash, there can only be one winner.

And that winner was slowly becoming obvious as time went on.

After the Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke became much like his fallen clan. Full of himself and often times an arrogant bastard, thanks to the natural talent his eyes had to offer, he was much like his father in many ways. The fact that the village pretty much babied him after this clan's massacre didn't really help with his attitude. Much like his ancestors and his father, Sasuke craved power, and seemingly cared less on how to obtain it.

Initially, he wanted power so that he can take revenge on his brother, who had slaughtered his village. Then, he desired power so that he could destroy the village after learning the truth behind his clan's massacre. And now, he desired the ultimate power: The power to destroy the world, and to remake it in his image.

But like all paths, there was often an obstacle that stood in its way, with the final one being, once again, Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto Uzumaki, the deadlast that was always caught reading cookbooks in class. Naruto Uzumaki, who, despite being a failure, had the ridiculous dream of becoming the Hokage. Naruto Uzumaki, the blond idiot who seemed to always get in his way, who always, always would be a pain in his ass.

Decent in physical courses, but a complete failure in the written ones, he somehow had the audacity to declare that he was going to become Hokage. From there, his interest in the blond only grew (no, not that way), as he began to learn that he was perhaps ironically the only one that deserved his attention. While Sasuke eventually grew tired from his training, Naruto would always seem to have a lot more energy to spare. While Sasuke always struggled everyday to get better, Naruto would seemingly grow at the same pace as he did, despite him being a constant failure in the Academy.

Arguably, it was after their graduation that Sasuke really began to pay attention to the blond. Sure, he was still a goofball, and a bloody idiot, but there were times that he would show a surprising amount of maturity, which would always take him by surprise. During the mission to Wave, it was Naruto who was more focused on protecting Tazuna, while he was admittedly more focused on besting Haku. Between the two, Naruto followed the mission parameters to the letter more than himself, and still had the time to read cookbooks and practice cooking (something which he actually rocked at, he couldn't lie.)

It was because of these accomplishments that Sasuke was finally starting to pay attention to Naruto, ignoring his hobby of cooking and focusing on the fact that he defeated Haku instead of him. Sasuke wanted to fight him outright, but Naruto working at Ichiraku Ramen put a damper on his plans. He would have his chance in the Chunin Exam, but that was derailed thanks to the Invasion. And then there was the fact that Naruto had, once again, defeated an opponent that he couldn't defeat, which was not just Gaara, but the bastard that had stolen the Sword of the Second Hokage, which the blond had kept as a trophy afterwards.

Did that hurt his pride? Oh, yes.

So to finally see who was stronger, he challenged Naruto, with their duel taking place on the roof of the Konoha Hospital, until they were both interrupted by Kakashi. Looking at the obliterated water tank that Naruto's technique had done, compared to the Chidori's measly damage to the tank Sasuke hit, the fight was all it took for Sasuke to leave Konoha and take Orochimaru's offer. Orochimaru's minions took him across the country, with the Sound Four being defeated one by one, until he finally popped out of the casket they sealed him in, feeling much better than ever. It was then that he and Naruto had their rematch, with him coming out as the victor this time. And with that, he left to eat the forbidden fruit the snake had offered him.

The Uchiha leeched off the Sannin over the past three years, acquiring enough power to overthrow the snake and to finally defeat his brother, and anyone else that stood in his way, even Naruto. So when Konoha came for him, he was ready to dominate his rival as a stepping stone on his path to revenge.

Imagine his surprise when the blond didn't seem very interested in amusing him, choosing to instead stay back unless his teammates was in danger, with Sai, the guy whose skin rivaled Orochimaru's in terms of paleness, being the only one to make any real effort to try to capture him. Naruto, on the other hand, put in minimal effort, and merely just assisted his friends, only putting in some effort when Sasuke was trying to murder his teammates. Everytime they clashed, though, Naruto always seemed to have the slightest of edges.

And even after all this time, it seemed no different than before.

Sasuke growled as metal only hit metal once again, with the black-haired man trying to land a hit on Naruto, only for him to parry and tag him back with counters. It was like fighting the wind, and it was infuriating to the Uchiha, whose burning inferno of desire for the revolution was continuously being doused by the crashing waves that was the Uzumaki's hopes and dreams. Over all, it was like a repeat of their prior battles, only this time, Naruto was giving less shit about the situation than ever.

What really got his goat was the fact that he wasn't using any of the Tailed Beasts' power, which meant that he didn't need them.

"Ya know Uchiha, if you would actually try training for once instead of absorbing power like a black hole, your attacks would hit closer to home." Naruto taunted, parrying a horizontal attack and countering with a somersault kick that sent Sasuke skidding back on his feet.

"You won't stop me from rebuilding this world, Uzumaki. It's a long time coming and everything needs to change." Sasuke said, leaping forward and deadlocking with Naruto. "You will fall in line like the others!"

His Rinnegan flashed, prompting Naruto to duck as an unseen attack sailed over his head. Sasuke capitalized with a quick Fireball Jutsu to send a burning Naruto flying, only for the latter to disappear.

"That's getting old, Uzumaki." Sasuke growled, spotting Naruto landing to the side. "But considering that jutsu is to combat your loneliness, it's understandable why you gravitate towards it."

Naruto scoffed, twirling his blade between his fingers. "Goes to show that as usual, you know nothing about me, Uchiha. Unlike you, I'm never alone."

Naruto then used the Hiraishin, reappearing in the same spot. He thrusted his sword towards his old rival, only for his sword to hit air. "Heh, Madara's Limbo jutsu. The same trick won't work twice, ya know?"

"I only used it once, dobe. And I'm not Madara."

"No, but I can still sense and hit them, idiot!"

Naruto proceeded to evade the incoming attacks from Sasuke's clones hidden in a different dimension, and slashed them all away. This allowed Sasuke to move in close, coating his blade with his Chidori for a lethal stab. Naruto used Hiraishin to dodge, appearing above Sasuke unleashed a swarm of Chakra Chains coated in Sage Chakra, stabbing and killing the clones hidden in Limbo.

Sasuke appeared behind him for a fatal stab, only for Naruto to sense him in time and block the attempt with his own sword. They both fell to the ground, still deadlocked. Sasuke then twisted Naruto arm, slipping under it to hold his wrist in place, and pushed his blade towards Naruto's sword in an effort to disarm him. Naruto growled, and punched Sasuke multiple times in his kidney area. Sasuke gritted his teeth, blocking out the pain as he increased the pressure. Naruto's Chakra Chains then shot themselves towards the Uchiha, forcing the latter to warp away. Sasuke reappeared with a Chidori, thrusting it towards the back of Naruto in the chains' blindspots.

Naruto spun on the spot, evading the Chidori and socking him in the jaw. Shaking it off, Sasuke kicked the blond away with a spinning thrust kick. Naruto used the momentum to flip away as Sasuke closed in on the blond.

In a blink of an eye, Naruto suddenly disappeared, using Hiraishin to teleport above the Uchiha, swinging his sword down to take off his head. Sasuke blocked the deadly swing in time, and smirked as he channeled his Chidori through the sword. Much to his displeasure, however, Naruto's Chakra Cloak protected him from the electricity. The blond smirked back at him, until a purple glow began to grow around the Uchiha. Recognizing the technique, Naruto quickly put some distance between the two as Sasuke's Susanoo Armor grew. Feeling the damage the Susanoo managed to inflict on him, Naruto retaliated by forming a chakra fist, punching the Susanoo in the chest, knocking him back a few feet.

"Enough of this." Naruto said, and formed his favorite hand seal. "Taijuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Numerous copies of Naruto in his Sage Chakra Cloak came to life, with all of them wielding his unique sword, ready to face down Sasuke. He pointed his sword at Sasuke, and the army of Shadow Clones charged towards the Uchiha. Sasuke smirked and proceeded to mow down the army with his Susanoo's blade, the sword bathed with electric energy. Smooth as silk and never missing a beat, Sasuke struck down the clones with a single slash, stab, and thrust, even taking down multiple clones with his Chidori Current. In melee combat, he even made hand seals to decimate the clones with his devastating fire jutsus.

Despite Sasuke easily destroying the clones, his frown only grew uglier as he began to realize that the onslaught was refusing to stop. Even the Shadow Clones were duplicating themselves, which caused Sasuke to slowly face more ants to crush. In hand-to-hand combat, they were forcing him to do hand seals as they connected hands to use their own jutsus. Even some of the clones detonating themselves when near death, knocking him around and beginning to create gaps in his Susanoo Armor. What made the situation even worse was that he was unable to locate the real Naruto during the assault the entire time, even with his powerful eyes.

"Show yourself, Uzumaki!" Sasuke roared, lacing his Chidori Current with the black flames of Amaterasu, and stabbed his sword into the ground. "Amaterasu!"

Rivers and tendrils of black flames surrounded Sasuke and incinerated the clones. Before they went poof, the clones dropped smoke bombs that exploded, and blinded Sasuke.

"Cheap tricks won't stop me, Uzumaki!" Sasuke growled, using his eyes to see through the orange smoke. "Wait, what?!"

Naruto smirked outside the smoke area, a Rasengan in hand. "But that's what makes us ninja! And me? All those years away and you forgot what I'm all about!"

Sasuke's ears twitched, and saw multiple Rasenshurikens zoomed towards him. He jumped and dodged all five of them, but one of them knocked his sword out of his hands. "Yeah, and what's that dobe? Your insignificant worth to the world-Gah?!"

He suddenly found himself unable to move. Looking down, he saw that he was bound with threads of Sage chakra that slipped through the cracks of his Susanoo Armor. His eyes widened and turned to look at the Rasenshuriken, which then dispitated into regular Demon Wind Shuriken.

"Before I became a Chef-nin-"

Naruto reappeared in front of Sasuke, his appearance blowing the orange smoke away.

"I was Konoha's Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Prankster Ninja, dattebayo!"

"Naruto!" Sasuke roared, managing to yank one arm free.

Both punched at each other, and their fists collided violently, creating a shockwave. Much to his surprise, Naruto suddenly created a unique hand seal using his and Sasuke's fingers, much to his surprise.

"Sasuke." Naruto suddenly said in a neutral voice. "It's over."

"What?" Sasuke suddenly felt himself growing weaker, as if his strength was leaving his body. "What is this? What are you doing?!"

The Uchiha looked up at Naruto, who held a smirk on his face as the latter held the strange hand seal in place. Sasuke stared at the hand seal, and suddenly remembered where he had seen it before. It was brief moments, but he remembered how Naruto's Shadow Clones manage to briefly initiate different hand seals on him whenever he would summon his fire jutsus. His eyes widened in realization at what it led to, he tried to free himself from the blond's grip, but it was too late.

Naruto's victorious smirk soon melted into a weary sigh of resignation. "Before Grandpa Sage departed, he left me with the knowledge on how to neutralize you, should you ever go rogue like this. Despite everything, he still believed in you because you were his son reborn, and thus, you were given another chance. However, he admitted that there was this small chance that you might pull this kind of shit, seeing the darkness still left within you. Hence why he taught me how to take his power back from you."

"No, don't you dare do this, damn you!" Sasuke shouted, trying to release the hold. "My revolution! It has to be done!"

"I honestly would've been okay with the revolution, but then you had to throw in the part about killing those I cared about." Naruto replied simply as he formed a Rasengan. "And whenever you threaten the lives of my loved ones, or the world in which we live in in general, it becomes my business."

"So what are you going to do? Take my place as this world's ruler?!" Sasuke snarled, his Rinnegan fading. "People won't stand for it! I won't sand for it! You hear me?!"

Naruto just chuckled as several smaller Rasengans orbited around his primary one. "Man, when you don't listen, you really don't listen, don't you? In case you weren't listening, I had other dreams in mind than ruling over the nations or whatever."

Sasuke spat. "Oh yeah? And what's that, dobe?"

"Simple, really." Naruto grinned in response, his two blue Rinne-Sharingans forming in his eyes. "And it's a lot better than your sorry excuse for revenge."

Sasuke roared in rage as he coated his arm in Susanoo's Armor, using the last of his energy to punch Naruto. The latter moved, releasing the hold, and plunged his Planetary Rasengan into Sasuke's gut. With an explosive whirling of energy and winds, Sasuke was sent rocketing away and crashed into the God Tree.

"Running a goddamned restaurant."

When the jutsu ended, Sasuke let out a small groan as he slid down the huge tree.

"Right," Naruto looked at his hand where the sign of the moon was imprinted, and clenched it. "That's enough time wasted."

With both halves of the Sage's chakra within him, Naruto proceeded to free everyone from the God Tree.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura murmured, walking towards him. "It was a bit much, but at least he's okay."

Kakashi snorted. "For now. Considering that he turned against the Alliance, among other things, he'll have to spend some time in the Konoha Strict Correctional Facility."

"I know." Sakura nodded. "But in a way, Naruto did bring Sasuke-kun back to me."

'Something tells me it was more for his future restaurant than for a promise, Sakura.' Kakashi mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Scratch that off the checklist." Naruto said, his clones catching the captives of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, while Hinata fell into his arms. "Hope Hanabi-chan is okay too…"

After two full days, the Fourth Shinobi World War was finally over.

[Konoha, (A Month Later)]

"I'm gonna miss this place."

Naruto zipped his suitcase up and looked around his empty apartment. It was his place of living for years, and how it was time to let it go. After all, with the way his restaurant will be designed, there will be living place that'll practically be his new home. He then closed his open briefcase full of cooking tools, various sealing scrolls, and other items, and left with both briefcase and suitcase in hand. After dropping his keys off to the landlord, Naruto made his way to the Hokage Tower.

"Hard to believe a month has passed already," Mused the Fifth Hokage, Senju Tsunade. "And now today's the day you depart for good."

"Not exactly for good. I'll still drop by to visit from time to time." Naruto assured her, before handing her his headband. "Here, keep it for safe-keeping?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I accept your resignation, but not your headband. Keep it."

Naruto shrugged. "Okay then," he said, pocketing it. "Where's Shizune?"

"I gave her the day off. So where exactly will you be staying? In case any of us want to visit." Tsunade asked him.

"I bought some land in Tokyo, in a riverside town with a pretty nice view. It had an abandoned warehouse and nobody was auctioning it, so I grabbed it." Naruto replied.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "It must've cost a fortune. How'd you do it?"

Naruto smirked. "I did more than training with Ero-Sennin and attend that cooking school. I attended martial arts tournaments, learned how to take out stocks, and even swarmed the casino with clones under different fake identities. The last one was fun, as most of those identities are either outright banned and/or have a kill-on-sight order on them."

Tsunade blinked in shock. "Wish I thought of that. Spare a coin for your godmother?"

"Hey, you're the Hokage. Shouldn't you have thought of that before me? That's why you should never drink a lot, kinda like how you did at my-" Naruto teased, before dodging the paperweight thrown at him.

"You know, that mouth of yours might get you in a lot of trouble." Tsunade growled, her eye twitching.

"Hinata and Hanabi disagrees, so I think I'll be fine." Naruto countered with a cheesy grin.

"Whatever, just get outta here already ya knucklehead."

Tsunade tried to not show it, but it was clear as day that she was going to miss him. Giving her a warm smile, he suddenly enveloped her in a hug.

"I'll be alright, Granny."

"You take care, my little gaki of a godson."

After breaking away from the hug, Naruto departed the Hokage Tower. He walked through the village, rebuilt from Pein's Invasion, taking in the sights with a smile. Everyone was happy, and everything was peaceful. Naruto felt like he'd accomplished everything he set out to do, and how it was time for the next chapter in his life.

When he got to the gate, he stopped and sighed at the two figures waiting for him.

"Hey, Naruto-kun." Hinata greeted him, walking up to him with suitcase in hand.

"Somehow, I knew you I see you two before I left." He said with a smile. He then raised an eyebrow at the second young woman. "I understand you wanting to come with me Hinata-chan, but you too, Hanabi-chan? Who'll be the new head of the Hyūga clan after Hiashi?"

"I dunno." Hanabi stuck her tongue at him. "And I don't care. Let's just go, before they throw a hissy fit."

'It'll probably be Neji, as he has all the potential in the world. Good thing I prevented him from making the sacrifice play by switching him with a Shadow Clone.' Naruto thought, giving himself a mental pat on the back. "Even if I told you both no, you'll still follow."

"You know me too well," Hinata demurred, though her smile held more than a hint of steel. "I was once told to follow my dreams, no matter what stood in my way. That's why I'm here. I want to be with you, no matter what."

"Yeah, me too." Hanabi said, suddenly hugging Naruto's arm. "Also, you're not the only one here that think's your ass looks nice."

"Hanabi!" Hinata squeaked, face reddening.

"Well at ease, little lady." Naruto laughed, and offered his other arm to Hinata. "We'll have all the time in the world-"

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned around to see Shizune and those he was close to: from the other Rookies, Kakashi and the Jonin instructors, the Ichiraku family, Konohamaru and his corps, Tsunade and the Clan Heads, and his own little fanbase. They waved happily towards the trio, seeing them off.

"Good luck!"

"We'll be rooting for ya!"

"See you later!"

"Come back soon!"

Naruto smiled and waved back. "Thank you, everyone!"

With that, Naruto and the Hyūga sisters departed Konoha.

[Naruto's Restaurant, Tokyo (A Few Days Later)]

"Whoa! It's huge!" Hanabi squealed, looking amazed.

Naruto smirked at her reaction. "It's being retrofitted to seat as many people as possible."

"It looks amazing, Naruto." Hinata praised in an admiring tone.

While only half-built so far, the three-story warehouse that was being converted into a restaurant was coming along quite nicely. The building was currently being painted with many different colors, with dark orange notably being the common one. Naruto made sure to cover almost every inch of his future restaurant with elaborate, oriental designs. Naruto also had another plot of land that was being made into a parking structure for patrons.

"When I went to Tōtsuki Academy, I visited many restaurants, big and small, and took some inspiration. The inside will be just as impressive as the outside." Naruto boasted to the Hyūga girls. "Speaking of, let me show you."

Naruto led Hinata and Hanabi inside, weaving through the workers. "The first floor will have public dining areas, with a view of the kitchens that'll allow the patrons to see the chefs hard at work. Take out is also an option, in case you had too much to eat, as well as delivery. This way."

He led them up to one of the two sets of stairs, which split off from either side. Both led to the second floor, where there were balconies that overlooked the first one, which was supported by pillars. "Here on the second floor is where the private patrons, or the VIPs, will be dining. Like the first floor, they'll also have the view of the kitchens that will be located up here as well."

"Sounds like you thought of everything. You want patrons of all wage classes here." Hinata noted, seeing what Naruto was going for.

"Something tells me that you're going to be serving more than ramen, right?" Hanabi guessed with a sly grin.

"Pretty much. Even I know at this point that the people will want a lot more than just ramen. That way, this restaurant can appeal to everyone's taste." Naruto admitted, before pointing to a dark door with a large, dark window, where the person behind it could oversee the first and second floors. "That there will be my office. Patrons can't look in, but I can look out."

"Oh? Cheeky~" Hanabi cooed with a cat-like grin. "Planning on having some fun while overlooking your business?"

Hinata blushed, knowing what Hanabi meant.

Naruto stared at the youngest Hyūga with more than a little amusement. "Did you nick one of Kakashi's books, you little minx?"

"I have no shame," Hanabi replied, and blew a wet raspberry.

Naruto rolled his eyes, before unlocking his office door. The three stepped inside, which was shockingly minimalist in nature. It had white walls, with a simple desk that hosted a large computer. On the walls were television screens, which they guessed was to watch the surveillance from above.

What was most notable, however, was the spiraling staircase, which was erected from the floor just behind Naruto's desk and chair. The steps and the railings were wooden brown and gold, with the pillar supporting the staircase being pure white.

"Needless to say, this is my office." Naruto explained. "This is also the only entryway to the third floor, which is where I - and in the future you two - will live." He guided them up the stairs, and they couldn't help but marvel at the simple, yet beautiful architecture and design of the place.

"Do you have the whole third floor to yourself?" Hinata asked in wonder.

"Yep." Naruto said, before opening the door.

As predicted, Naruto's quarters was very Japanese in design, with the living room having an easy access to a small library, a huge kitchen with a top quality refrigerator and freezer, a small gym for himself to workout in, and a personal mini bar. Then there was, of course, his master bedroom, with had a large bathroom connected to it.

"Wow. This is amazing!" Hanabi cheered, and plopped herself on the sofa in front of an entertainment system. Next to it were TVs, which was for obviously entertainment, but probably also for the security cameras as well.

"Spared no expense, dattebayo." Naruto smirked.

"Indeed."

The three retired Konoha shinobi nearly jumped out of there skins, whipping around towards the kitchen area, with kunais in their hands before they even saw the intruder. An old man had just exited the pantry, smiling warming at Naruto.

"Modeling this kitchen of yours to accommodate a Shokugeki. Not bad if I do say so myself." The man nodded in approval.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked, her eyes narrowing at the mysterious man. "Do you know him, Naruto?"

"Yep. He's Nakiri Senzaemon, Headmaster and Director of the Tōtsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy. He's the one who invited me to his school, where I graduated." Naruto confirmed as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, nice to meet you," Hinata said, bowing at him with Hanabi as they put away their weapons.

"The pleasure is mine, young ladies."

"How did you get in here, Director?" Naruto asked as he got drinks from the fridge. "And why are you here? Not that I don't appreciate the visit."

"I have my secrets, just like you have yours, my old student. But don't worry, I'll be sure to call ahead next time." Senzaemon said cheerfully, before turning serious. "Tell me, have you hired any staff yet?"

"I was going to start putting out job postings tomorrow now that I'm back here." Naruto replied. "Why?"

"Ah, so you haven't heard, then. Not that I blame you, since ours news never really reach the Elemental Nations." Senzaemon said, stroking his beard. "There's been a major shift in the culinary world, with me no longer the Director and Headmaster of Tōtsuki Academy."

"Are you serious?" Naruto asked, looking baffled. "I've been gone for like almost a year dealing with a terrorist organization. What the hell did I miss?"

"Quite a bit, so I'll keep this simple." Senzaemon said while accepting a drink from Naruto. "I'm no longer the Director and Headmaster of Tōtsuki Academy."

"Okay, seriously - what in the fuck did I miss, old man?"

Despite hearing the same news twice, it still didn't fail to alarm Naruto, with shock written all over his face.

"Tōtsuki has been taken over by my son-in-law, Nakiri Azami. He's a man obsessed with culinary perfection, which he calls "True Gourmet." According to him, "True Gourmet" is only meant for the select few who can appreciate its perfection; and anything that does not meet his standards is nothing more than pig's food and unworthy of being called cuisine," Senzaemon explained, before taking a swig of his drink.

"He sounds nice," Hanabi snorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"He doesn't have the right to decide that." Naruto growled, looking quite pissed.

Senzaemon sighed in agreement. "Indeed. There are those that think like him, but they don't have the influence or skill like he does. And I have to stay, I underestimated him."

"Wait, just how exactly were you ousted, Director? The only way for that to happen is for the majority of the Elite Ten to initiate a vote to-" Naruto trailed back in realization. "No, that's impossible! They would never- How? Why? What the hell happened after I left?!"

"I'm in the dark as much as you are Naruto, but it was 6 to 4."

"...Six to four?" Naruto leaned onto a tabletop for support, with Hinata rushing to his side for support. "I don't get it. Who?"

"Out of the Ten Elites, only Satoshi Isshiki, Terunori Kuga, Tosuke Megishima, and my granddaughter Erina were the only ones who supported me."

Naruto was floored, and held his head. 'Rindō and Saitō were in on it?! WHY?!'

The individuals in question were a few of the students Naruto was close with. Rindō was a wild girl who specializes in using exotic wild game in her dishes. Saitō was a Sushi Master who embodies the way of Bushido, the code of the samurai. And both individuals were the last people Naruto expected to overthrow Senzaemon, after all he's done for the student body.

"Do not think that this is your fault for not joining the Elite Ten when you had the chance, Naruto. Sometimes tells me that there was more to the decision." Senzaemon said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Right." Naruto breathed out to calm himself. "So, where did this takeover lead?"

"It lead to a civil war between the Resistance and Azami's supporters. The Resistance gave it their all, and were on the verge of victory, when at the final stretch, Azami brought in his trump card: His illegitimate son Asahi, who laid waste to the Resistance. Asahi held a strange ability, which was quite similar to Subaru Mimasaka's Trace ability, but far more advanced, if I must say so. Watching him in action reminded me of the skills of the multiple chefs he had defeated in the past, almost as if with every defeat, he had claimed their skills and talents for his own." Senzaemon said sadly. "And as of now, Azami now has complete control of the culinary world: a world where creativity and innovation is seen as impurities."

"How does one come to that conclusion?" Hinata wondered in bewilderment. "Creating new dishes is what a chef does. I know that from watching Naruto work, and tasting his creations."

"I suspect it has something to do with one of his fellow classmates. But it feels more like revenge than anything." Senzaemon replied thoughtfully.

"Well, fuck him." Naruto growled, his eyes turning red momentarily. "This restaurant will never acknowledge Azami's tyrannical rules. Not now, not ever. If he tries anything to undermine my restaurant, he'll be sorry."

In his book, cooking was all about creation and innovation. Hell, it was what created the art of cooking in the first place, ever since the first man had discovered the power of fire, and what wonderful new creations it offered to them. And now some...food nazi wanted to come along and destroy the potential creation of new dishes. To hell with that!

His old mentor nodded in satisfaction. "And that is why I came to you. The Resistance has lost, with them and their supporters now cast out from Tōtsuki, and thus, have nowhere else to channel their potential. I had a feeling that your restaurant will be the perfect place to unleash their creativity, away from Azami's administration."

"I'd say go for it, Naruto-kun." Hinata advised the blonde. "If they were that determined to fight against Azami to the bitter end, then they'll be perfect for your restaurant here."

"Way ahead of you, Hinata." Naruto said with a grin. "But, like any other manager, they'll have to impress me, first. Director, can you bring them all here as soon as you can? Let me see what they got."

"I'll have them here within the week. Thank you, Naruto." Senzaemon said gratefully.

"No problem, old man. My goal was to create the best damn restaurant with my own two hands. And the more skilled chefs I can get in my team, the better the food and the service will be!"

"Let me help too! I can be a server or something while learning to cook!" Hanabi piped up.

"Me too. I don't want to be deadweight. I've also liked cooking as well." Hinata added. "Especially when seeing you work."

"All right, then. I look forward to teaching you both." Naruto said, hugging Hinata and patting Hanabi's head.

Senzaemon smiled at the trio, with the blond reminding him of himself when he was younger.

'I am glad that you have become my pupil, Naruto Uzumaki.' The old man's eyes twinkled with joy. 'It would seem that in your hands, the future of cooking is headed towards a bright path.'

Not wanting to interrupt the intimate moment, the old man smiled, before turning away, walking away from his legacy. It would seem that his work here was done, and that now, for once, he could relax.

[ (One Month Later) ]

One month.

It has been exactly one month ever since Naruto had showed off his dream to his wives (yes, wives). It has been exactly one month ever since his old mentor stopped by, and had asked to take in the remnants of the Resistance.

It has been one month since the remnants of the Resistance came up to his doorstep, with downed faces, but with eyes full of hope. It has been one month since he had tested all of their meddles, and much to his pleasure, they had all passed with flying colors.

It has been one month since then, and now...after so long, his dream was finally about to begin.

"Okay, let's see. Kitchen meets basic health standard? Check. Dining tables all set up? Check. Everything's squeaky clean? Check."

Naruto was zipping around, making sure everything was in order before the doors opened. While he was excited for this dream coming to fruition, he was still nervous at the reception was soon to come.

"Darling."

Naruto found himself at the top of the stairs when Hinata stepped into his view, and just like that, all of his worries melted away. Hinata blushed as he stared at her Japanese-style maid outfit, which, in his opinion, looked fantastic on her. Whatever worrying thoughts he had faded away as she cupped her hand around his cheek, and planted a gentle, yet sweet kiss on his lips.

"We already triple-checked everything, and each time, it turned out perfect. Now come on, it's time to open up your restaurant." She giggled and led him down the stairs.

The blond, godlike man sighed in relief and pleasure as he leaned his cheek against his wife's hand. "Yes, you're right, dear. I need to stop worrying so much. I mean, this is the moment I've - no, we've all been working hard towards. I can't pull out now!"

"Yeah, honey."

Hyūga Hanabi, his second wife, grinned as she appear behind the two. She pulled Naruto's face away from her sister, planting a rough, yet sexy kiss onto his lips. "The only time you get to pull out from is when you're ravaging me with your-"

"Okay!" Hinata clapped her hands, steam nearly bursting out of her ears as she blushed at the words she had yet to say. "You were going to finally open up your restaurant, right?!"

Hanabi pouted at her sister's intervention, to which Naruto was silently grateful for. Even after a month, he still hadn't gotten used to this side of Hanabi, which never failed to catch him by surprise.

But still, Hinata did have a point, and Naruto did not live to disappoint. Clearing his throat, his back straightened as his face put on a serious pose.

"Of course." He said with confidence as they arrived on the first floor. Everything will go smoothly. He can feel it. After all, not only did he have his wives by his side, but he had also recently picked the best person as his general manager of the Le Fox Den.

Speaking of…

"You can count on me to help, Naruto! Don't worry!" Uzumaki Kushina said with a smile. "Everything's in order, and I won't let anything disrupt your first day, dattebane!"

That's right, Kushina, Naruto's red-headed MILF of a mom, was back from the dead. With the Mask of the Shinigami, the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation jutsu with a Blood Clone sacrifice, and the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, Naruto had brought his mother back to life. Now she served as Le Fox Den's General Manager, running the day to day operations to take a load off of Naruto. She was currently dressed in a sexy, red Chinese dress with fox designs all over it.

Naruto would have brought back his father as well, but Shinigami, who was in a foul mood after Orochimaru's antics over the years, told the Uzumaki not to press his luck.

"Thanks, kaa-chan. Well, everyone," He glanced back at the kitchen, which was filled with his crew. Each of them looked nervous, yet determined, their hands behind their backs and their eyes burning with passion. "It's time to show Japan what real cooking looks like."

And with that, Naruto opened his doors, facing an army of curious and hungry people. Camera flashes and questions bombarded him like missiles, and yet, he took them all in stride, his smile as bright as the sun.

"Hello everyone! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I am the owner and the head chef of my new restaurant, the Le Fox Den. When I was a boy, I had the desire to open my own restaurant. And now, the dream is now a reality. I thank you all for coming out to this grand opening to celebrate with me and my family." Naruto greeted the patron and future customers, who clapped in response. He then produced a pair of large, golden scissors (using a storage seal on his wrist in a subtle fashion), and cut the orange ribbon in front of him.

"Please, eat, drink, enjoy your meals, and welcome to Le Fox Den!"

END OF CHAPTER 01

Next time: In chapter 2, we will see who the hired chefs are, and two years later, Azami comes by to pay a visit to Le Fox Den. Chapter 3 and onward, the Taimanin madness begins!

Thank you for reading! See ya next time!

Released: Monday, January 27, 2020