As Ryuji trudged through the door of his small, cramped apartment, he let out a long sigh. His body ached in places he didn't even know could ache, the day of walking around Konoha leaving him utterly drained. His exploration had started as a simple escape from his mind-numbing training, but had quickly turned into something much more enjoyable than he'd expected. Konoha was massive, much larger than he had originally thought. The streets were bustling with life, vendors calling out for people to try their goods, the smell of fresh food filling the air—an almost torturous reminder of his current diet of cheap instant noodles.
As he flopped down onto the bed, a familiar *ding* echoed in his ears. His vision flickered, and the familiar system interface appeared before him, displaying the words:
**[Hidden Quest Complete!]**
Rank: E
**Quest Title:** "A Wanderer in New Lands"
**Reward:** +200 EXP, 1x Random Item Ticket
Ryuji stared at the notification for a second, his lips twisting in annoyance. "The fuck is this?" he muttered under his breath, rubbing his eyes. "I wasn't even trying to complete a quest... Hidden quest? Seriously?" He scoffed, sitting up on his bed as the system prompted him to claim his reward.
A sardonic chuckle escaped him. "I finally complete my first damn quest, and it's by walking around? Seriously, system? That's how this works? I slave away for *days* trying to stick leaves to my forehead, busting my ass climbing trees and running on water, and now I get rewarded for taking a fucking stroll? You've gotta be kidding me." He rolled his eyes and lazily accepted the reward. "Whatever, man."
The sweet chime of EXP entering his stat bar was satisfying, but his irritation was still palpable. He couldn't help it. The system had been sitting dormant since the day he arrived in this world, taunting him with promises of growth, power, and adventure, yet never actually giving him any useful guidance. It was like dangling a carrot on a string, always just out of reach. And the first quest it throws his way? A *hidden quest* for taking a walk.
"Great, just great. Guess I'll have to start walking around more if I want to level up." He snorted. "Not because of this fucking system though. No way in hell." Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the strain from a day's worth of wandering around the village. His feet were sore, his legs were tired, but he had to admit—exploring Konoha had been worth it.
The streets, the people, the energy... it was overwhelming but also exhilarating. The hidden training grounds, the shops selling ninja tools, and, most importantly, the food stalls. God, the food. The smell of ramen, dango, grilled meat, and takoyaki had tempted him at every turn. His stomach growled, reminding him of the sorry state of his meals.
"Man, I need some real food," he grumbled, glancing over at the kitchen counter where a half-empty box of instant noodles sat. "I can't live off that garbage anymore. It's literally all this body's eaten since I got here. How the hell did the old Ryuji survive on this shit?" He dragged his hand down his face, groaning. "This is worse than my last life. At least then, I had fast food and delivery options."
He stood up and wandered into the small kitchen area, opening the cabinet to confirm what he already knew. A sad, lonely packet of instant noodles stared back at him. "Ugh, no way. I'm sick of this." He slammed the cabinet shut, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.
His mind wandered to the food stalls again, and his stomach growled louder. "I get it now," he muttered. "I finally fucking get it. This is why Naruto was always at Ichiraku Ramen in the anime. When you've only got instant noodles at home, the smell of real food feels like heaven." He shook his head. "Naruto had the right idea—ramen for every meal. Shit, I'd do it too if I had the money."
But he didn't. He was broke. He had the system, sure, but no quests that actually paid out in *rations*. And it wasn't like he could just go hunting for money, not at his level. He was still just a five-year-old kid with basic chakra control and no real jutsu to speak of. And worse, he didn't know how to cook. Not even a little. Back in his old life, he'd lived off takeout and frozen meals. The previous Ryuji, apparently, hadn't been much better.
"Goddamn it. I gotta learn how to cook or something. I can't keep eating like this." He rubbed his temple. "I swear, if I don't get some real food soon, I'll lose my mind."
He paused, glancing out the window. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the village. Konoha really was beautiful at this time of day. A part of him was excited to explore more, to see everything this world had to offer. Not because the system wanted him to, but because, for the first time in what felt like forever, he had a chance to live in a world that felt vibrant, alive, and full of possibilities.
"Tomorrow," Ryuji muttered to himself. "Tomorrow, I'm heading back out. Not because of that damn system, but because I want to." He cracked a small smile. "And maybe this time, I'll get some good food. No more of this shitty instant crap. I deserve better."
He collapsed back onto his bed, too tired to do anything but lie there. As his eyes fluttered closed, the system notification faded from his vision, and he couldn't help but let out one last grumble.
"Fucking hidden quest...