Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 28 Orochimaru's Defection Incident

The noren curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was gently lifted, and the rising steam carrying the aroma wafted over.

"Uncle Teuchi, one order of tonkotsu chashu ramen, please." Menma led Hinata into the shop.

He pointed to the menu on the ground and turned to ask, "What would Hinata like to eat?"

"I...I can do anything..." Hinata lowered her head and twisted her fingers, her voice barely audible.

"Then let's do the same thing." Menma pulled Hinata to sit down at the bar.

It was lunchtime, and there were still three customers in Ichiraku Ramen. The ramen shop owner, Teuchi, looked up from the rising steam, squinted at the ramen, and said, "Oh, it's little ramen. Is this a new friend?"

Since moving to Konoha, Menma occasionally visits Ichiraku Ramen, hoping to run into Naruto or Kakashi.

However, perhaps because Naruto was still young, and there were still nine years before the main storyline began, he did not meet Naruto or Kakashi.

"Hey, I haven't seen Junta lately." While waiting for my ramen, I overheard the conversation of the villagers sitting next to me.

“I haven’t seen him for a few days. I even went to his house yesterday to look for him, but no one answered.”

"That kid just came back from a mission, how did he disappear?"

"Could it be that we've received some higher-level mission?"

"He's been a genin for several years, what kind of missions can he take on?"

"That's strange. Sato also disappeared after only a few days back."

Ok?
Menma listened silently as the villagers, who looked like genin, talked about their friend's disappearance, and some of the events in his memory gradually came back to him.

'It seems Orochimaru is about to defect.' Menma was even planning to go and beg Orochimaru for something.

He's been eyeing Snake's technology for a long time.

Although the Impure World Reincarnation technique was probably not perfected at this time, genetic technology, cloning technology, and the Hashirama cells that Orochimaru possessed were all treasures.

"Here's your ramen, kids." Menma was pondering Orochimaru's possible escape route when the voice of Uncle Teuchi interrupted his thoughts.

Two bowls of ramen were pushed in front of me, the char siu trembling slightly in the rich broth, and the soft-boiled egg gleaming with an amber light.

"Th-thank you..." Hinata said as she accepted the bowl with both hands.

Sparsely——

The two began to eat heartily.

Mianma had already eaten a meal before leaving the house, so she ate a little slowly this time.

When he was halfway through his meal, he saw Hinata next to him sipping the soup, swallowing faster and faster.

Before long, he had finished the whole bowl of ramen.

Even though Hinata is only three years old now, her appetite is enormous.

"Uncle Teuchi, another large bowl of ramen, please." Menma noticed that Hinata's face was slightly flushed, probably because she wasn't full yet, so he ordered another bowl.

"No...no need..." Hinata said, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, a little embarrassed.

In her upbringing, girls were taught to eat quietly and politely, unlike boys who ate large mouthfuls of food.

"Eat up, it's on me." Mianma's voice carried an air of absolute certainty.

The ramen was pounded quickly, and in no time, a large bowl of steaming hot tonkotsu chashu ramen was placed in front of Hinata.

"Please enjoy!" The middle-aged man smiled and served a plate of tempura, placing it between Menma and Hinata.

"Thank you for bringing in new customers, this is a gift for the two of you." The middle-aged man squinted.

Menma was already quite full, but hadn't finished his food, so he pushed the tempura towards Hinata.

Looking at the large bowl of ramen and the plate of tempura in front of her, Hinata's eyes welled up with tears again.

She has never been full since she can remember, but she is too embarrassed to tell her parents. Sometimes, she is even scolded by her mother for eating too much.

Despite being the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, one of the two great clans of Konoha, she has never been able to eat her fill. Who would believe that?

At that moment, Menma's casual gesture warmed Hinata's heart more than the strict rules of the clan's mansion. After finishing her second bowl, Menma made a gesture to offer Hinata another serving.

Hinata blushed and hurriedly pressed down on his sleeve, shaking her head.

"Let's go then, I'll take you home." It was getting late when the two of them came out of Ichiraku Ramen.

Menma reached out and naturally took Hinata's small hand.

In the setting sun, two small shadows were stretched out.

Hinata looked down at the small hand that was holding her so firmly, and her already slightly flushed face became even redder.

'If every day could be like this, how wonderful that would be…' Hinata felt a sense of peace and security she had never experienced before.

She looks exactly like a well-behaved girl who's been kidnapped by a blond-haired kid.

The two walked towards their clan's territory.

Hinata suddenly stopped and froze on the spot.

"What's wrong?" Menma felt the stiffness in his hand and turned his head slightly.

A soft fist came flying towards me, carrying with it a powerful gust of wind!

"You scumbag!" followed by Hinata's coquettish shout!

------

"Lord Hokage!" A masked ANBU ninja landed in the center of the Hokage's office.

"This is the latest investigation report on the missing persons in the village!" The ANBU ninja presented a scroll with both hands.

Wearing the Hokage hat, Hiruzen Sarutobi solemnly accepted the scroll, already prepared for the worst.

Recently, more and more ninjas have been disappearing from the village. Although they are all genin, such disappearances have aroused Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicions, and he has ordered the ANBU to investigate.

When the scroll was opened and the investigation report pointed to the person mentioned in it, even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was mentally prepared, still had a slight tremor in his pupils.

"Kakashi," Hiruzen Sarutobi called softly.

bass--

An ANBU member wearing a white cat mask appeared behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, kneeling and awaiting orders.

"Assemble the first squad and follow me... to capture Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said, his face solemn and filled with grief.

"Yes!" Kakashi accepted the order and immediately went to assemble the team.

The full name of the Dark Division is 'Assassination Tactical Special Forces'. It consists of four divisions, each with four squads, totaling about seventy people.

Most ordinary ANBU ninjas are only Chunin level, while ANBU ninjas above the rank of squad leader are at least Special Jonin level. Squad leaders are ordinary Jonin, and the ANBU captain-general is an elite Jonin like Kakashi.

In actual deployment, the Anbu tries to have two Jonin and three Special Jonin in each squad.

Before long, Hiruzen Sarutobi changed into his combat uniform and personally led a team to clean up the mess.

In the forest surrounding Konoha Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi led a capture team consisting of three Jonin, three Special Jonin, and more than a dozen Chunin, rapidly advancing through the woods.

The ANBU ninja leading the way suddenly made a hand gesture, and everyone landed silently like falling leaves.

A sensory ninja forms hand seals.

"Lord Hokage, the entrance is right here!"

"Kakashi, Suzaku, you two come in with me. The rest of you, set up outside!" Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered.

Apart from Kakashi, who wore a white cat mask, and 'Sparrow,' who wore a sparrow mask, the other ANBU ninjas, led by their respective squad leaders, went to search the surrounding area for other entrances.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded to the sparrow.

The latter threw out a kunai with an explosive tag attached.

boom!
As the thick smoke dissipated and the disguise was torn away, the dark passageway, like the open mouth of a snake, appeared before Hiruzen Sarutobi and his companions.

(End of this chapter)