Lady Tsunade's mouth twitched slightly.
How did this kid come up with such random ideas?
"You're not suitable."
She wasn't trying to be harsh. The path of a ninja wasn't something just anyone could walk. Even in this early era, while the system wasn't perfectly defined, the sheer number of people who failed to become ninjas spoke volumes.
But not wanting to crush the boy's curiosity outright, Tsunade added, "Becoming a ninja takes more than interest. It requires intense perseverance and double the effort. Ordinary people can't endure that kind of pressure—especially not a rich kid like you, born with a silver spoon in his mouth."
"Is that so?"
Jaxon didn't seem bothered at all. His tone was casual, like he'd only asked out of momentary interest.
He truly didn't care.
He didn't possess some earth-shattering bloodline or legendary dojutsu. So why involve himself unnecessarily? Wasn't it enough to enjoy life as it was?
Creating a world that moved to his own rhythm and living freely was far more appealing.
Danger? What danger?
He had money.
With enough resources, he could issue S-rank missions every day. Not just Konoha, even ninja from other major villages would rush to protect him.
"By the way," Jaxon asked, "if I wanted to hire bodyguards from Konoha, what's the best way to do it?"
"Don't even think about it," Tsunade scoffed. "It's impossible—unless they're willing to give up their ninja status."
To Tsunade, a ninja's identity was everything. It defined who they were. She couldn't imagine anyone giving that up just to work as someone's bodyguard.
"Forget it, I'm not interested in the details," Jaxon said, brushing off the topic.
He stood up, patted the dust from his clothes, turned to Tsunade, and said, "It's about time to eat, don't you think? We've been walking around all day. Let's grab some dinner and then head back to rest."
"Dinner?"
Tsunade glanced up at the sun, which was still high in the sky. She couldn't figure out what this kid was thinking, but she didn't argue.
---
"Ichiraku Ramen!"
He had already spotted the place the first time they passed by.
Konoha wasn't a very big village—at least not at this point in time.
Aside from the major clan compounds (which were off-limits) and the Ninja Academy, there wasn't much else he hadn't explored. Ichiraku was close to the academy and right along a main road.
Still, the shop looked… pretty run-down.
There were no seats inside—just five chairs lined up outside. The setup was simple, and anyone seated could see clearly into the kitchen area.
Two people were inside: an older man, about forty, and a strong-looking young man around seventeen or eighteen.
"Welcome, two guests!"
The older man greeted them warmly as Tsunade and Jaxon sat down.
"Lady Tsunade! It's been a while. Is this your little brother?"
Everyone in Konoha knew Tsunade had a younger brother, so it was natural to assume the boy beside her was him.
After all, who would ever think a three-year-old child could hire Tsunade as a bodyguard?
Tsunade groaned and slumped onto the table, her expression unreadable. She didn't even bother explaining.
"And what would our handsome little guest like today?" the older man asked, leaning over the counter with a smile.
"Two large miso ramen, with all the available toppings!" Jaxon declared.
By his guess, the older man was Teuchi, and the muscular youth beside him was probably the original Ichiraku.
This ramen shop was clearly a family-run business—one that would survive even in the chaos of this world. For ordinary civilians, that was already a great achievement.
"Alright! Please wait just a moment," Teuchi said, heading into the kitchen.
The sound of kneading dough quickly followed.
Ichiraku, the young man, was bare-chested and strong, his muscles standing out prominently as he worked.
"Next time, can you not order for me?" Tsunade muttered beside him. "You're the one who wants to eat. I never said I would."
Still, her tone wasn't actually angry.
"Uncle Teuchi, I'll have a large garlic miso ramen! Oh, and two beef balls!"
A tender voice rang out from the side.
Jaxon turned, curious, and even Tsunade glanced over.
A little boy had appeared. His spiky yellow hair stuck out like a hedgehog's. He wore a blue and white tracksuit with black pants. His face was youthful, delicate, and bright.
He looked around three or four years old. Clearly male.
His smile was cheerful and warm—but his clothes were a little dirty, like he'd just come from training.
After placing his order, he gripped the edge of the tall stool beside Jaxon.
It was a high seat—Tsunade had lifted Jaxon onto his. But this little guy used one hand to brace himself and the other to push off the ground, jumping onto the seat with ease.
He leaned forward on the counter, gazing eagerly into the ramen prep area.
"Namikaze Minato?"
The name came to Jaxon almost immediately.
The golden hair. The clean features. The polite demeanor.
It had to be him.
"Hello! My name's Namikaze Minato, and my dream is to become Hokage one day!"
The boy turned to Jaxon and gave him a toothy grin. One of his front teeth was missing, but that didn't dull the brilliance of his smile.
He had spoken so cheerfully, so confidently, as if declaring it to the world.
"It really is him…" Jaxon muttered in his heart.
He reached out with his right hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jaxon."
A handshake between toddlers was an awkward thing. Minato hesitated, unsure what to do.
Seeing that, Jaxon changed tactics. He curled his hand into a fist and raised it.
"Let's bump fists," he said with a grin. "It means I acknowledge you."
"Huh?" Minato blinked, surprised, then broke into a wide grin of his own. He licked his lips and bumped fists with Jaxon.
Their small hands met with a gentle thud.
Minato's cheeks turned pink.
"Thanks for acknowledging me. You're the first person who didn't laugh when I said I wanted to be Hokage."
Jaxon looked at him for a long moment, then spoke softly:
"Dreams… don't need other people's approval. Life is full of setbacks—but it's not about the ending. It's about the journey."
Then, as if he couldn't keep up the seriousness for too long, Jaxon grinned mischievously again.
With that classic troublemaker glint in his eyes, he threw his arms wide and shouted:
"A person's dreams will never end, young Minato! Once you've set your dream, you must persevere!"
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
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