Returning to the Naruto Universe, Setsuna took a deep breath, feeling an immense sense of familiarity and relief. "Ah, the Hidden Leaf Village really is safe."
Although the Gourmet World was wonderful, and he had two absolute powerhouses supporting him, danger there was illogical and ruthless. Just look at Jirō-sensei's grandson, Teppei—even with two invincible grandparents, he was still successfully ambushed by a mastermind.
Even if he had the Chief Slime as an external aid, summoning him still came at a cost.
Besides, the Toriko plot was about to spiral out of control, with powerful beings casually destroying worlds. His small body couldn't even withstand the shockwaves.
A wise man avoids a wall that is about to collapse. It was better to return early.
He used to think the Naruto world was too dangerous, but now, the Hidden Leaf Village felt like a cozy harbor.
Setsuna stretched, then headed in the direction of Ichiraku Ramen.
He returned in the early morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, and a long line had already formed outside Ichiraku.
It had to be said that even in his younger days, Teuchi's (Ichiraku's owner) culinary skill was absolutely top-notch in the Leaf Village. Combined with the affordable price, it was undoubtedly the breakfast of choice for most villagers.
Fortunately, Teuchi was quick. After waiting in line for twenty minutes, it was Setsuna's turn.
Setsuna said seriously, "Teuchi-san, I'd like a bowl of Tonkotsu Miso Chashu Ramen, and please, give it your absolute best effort."
Faced with Setsuna's earnest request, Teuchi was a bit bewildered, but he nodded solemnly. "Yes! I will make you the best ramen possible."
With Setsuna's anticipation building, a bowl of golden-colored Tonkotsu ramen was placed before him.
A layer of amber-colored oil floated on the surface of the ramen. The broth was thick like melted gold, and the rising steam carried the rich, deep aroma of pork bones.
"I'm about to eat," Setsuna alerted the Slime.
His first taste was the original broth: the rich pork flavor exploded on his taste buds. Next, he picked up the noodles: the sweetness of the wheat and the kansui aroma sprang between his teeth. Finally, he wrapped the chashu pork around the egg yolk and sent it into his mouth: the rich fat melted between his lips, creating a triple symphony with the salty savoriness of the soy sauce and the wheat fragrance of the noodles.
Even judging by the elevated standards Setsuna had acquired in the Gourmet World, this undoubtedly qualified as excellent food.
The only flaw was perhaps the ordinary quality of the ingredients.
Setsuna didn't wait for the Slime's response, "drinking" the ramen with a blend of elegance and speed.
The last mouthful at the bottom of the bowl, especially, was the true essence of the ramen. Swallowing all the residue mixed with the broth felt like consuming the entire soul of the bowl.
"It's true that the most ordinary food reveals the truest culinary skill," Setsuna praised. Then he asked, "Slime, what do you think?"
"Damn you, don't you dare casually ignore the 'Chief' part of my title!" the Slime protested loudly, before falling into thought.
"Hmm, I haven't logged this taste before. How do I rate it? It's just... ordinarily good. The ingredients are extremely common, but through some strange, marvelous combination, they manage to give birth to an incredible flavor."
The Slime gave its critique as a food critic, completely unconcerned about the outcome of their bet.
Setsuna felt a weight lift off his chest. As expected of "Kaguya Ichiraku," he managed to earn a somewhat positive evaluation even from the incredibly high-nosed Chief Slime.
"Setsuna, you punk, you win! Tell me quickly, where did you find this ramen? I've never tasted anything like it."
"That's because we're no longer in the original universe," Setsuna revealed the answer, releasing the restriction on the Gourmet Cells. "You can perceive the outside world for yourself."
The Slime sensed its surroundings through the Gourmet Cells and was quite puzzled. "What color universe is this?"
Setsuna replied calmly, "This is not one of the five color universes you are familiar with. This is an entirely different universe within the Multiverse."
Even with the Slime's vast knowledge, it was shocked into silence. After a long moment, it recovered and asked, "Are you serious?"
Setsuna chuckled, "Didn't you claim to be the Emperor of the Universe? Can't you judge even this much?"
"No, I'm just too stunned." The Slime fell silent again, then suddenly burst into manic laughter.
"I never thought you had a chance encounter like this! Haha, I acknowledge you, Setsuna, you brat... No, I won't call you brat anymore. Setsuna, let us conquer all universes and eat the ultimate gourmet food in every single one!"
Setsuna just sighed at the Slime's fervent call. "While I don't want to break your fantasy, I have to tell you that the combined ceiling of all the delicacies in other universes might not even compare to your home universe."
The Slime was unfazed. "When you reach the heights I have, you'll know that enjoying food is really about experiencing life. Every dish is a condensed moment in time, bearing the breath of the land, the dedication of the craftsman, and the expectation of the diner. What I look forward to is the culinary heritage of all the different universes."
"You certainly know how to spin a pretty line," Setsuna said, amused. Who was the one just throwing a fit because the food wasn't up to standard?
"Don't just stand there! Hurry up and take me to enjoy the other delicacies of this universe!" the Slime urged loudly.
"No, it's over," Setsuna said, paying the bill and walking out of the ramen shop.
"Over?" The Slime was confused.
"Yes, there are no other delicacies," Setsuna nodded.
"No other delicacies?" the Slime repeated mechanically.
"If you really want to count them, does barbecue and dango count?" Setsuna asked.
The Slime fell silent. Barbecue relied heavily on the quality of the meat, and judging by the ingredients in the ramen, it couldn't hold much expectation for barbecue.
As for dango (three-color dumplings), was that something an Emperor of the Universe should eat?
"So, does that mean I can only eat that ramen for every meal from now on?" the Slime asked dejectedly.
"Of course not." The Slime perked up, only to hear Setsuna continue, "I have missions sometimes, so I won't be in the village every day."
After a moment of silence, the Slime went ballistic. "I want to go back! Let me go!"
Setsuna smiled. "Didn't you just say you were savoring life and time?"
"Is life without delicious food still life? I can't savor a bit of that!"
Setsuna soothed him, "Don't be anxious. We only have to wait a year before we can travel to another universe. The next one probably won't be as barren as this world."
"I hope so," the Slime said listlessly.
"A bet's a bet. You have to listen to me now," Setsuna said with a smile.
"Fine, I'll do whatever you say."
"The first thing I want you to do is study this world's power system," Setsuna said, planning to use the Slime like a Perfect Jinchūriki, where it could wake him up if he ever fell into a powerful Genjutsu.
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