Ryuji woke up the next morning feeling a little more energized than usual. Yesterday's exploration had refreshed him in a way that his never-ending chakra control exercises never could. The sunlight was just starting to creep through the window, casting a soft glow over the tiny apartment.
He sat up, stretched, and glanced over at the small wooden chest by the corner of the room—his father's old savings box. A pang of guilt hit him as he thought about it, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. His dad wasn't around, and he was stuck here with nothing but instant noodles to survive on. The old Ryuji might have been fine with that, but *this* Ryuji had standards.
He dragged himself out of bed and walked over to the box. His hands hesitated for a moment, his fingers grazing the rough wood. "Sorry, Dad," he muttered under his breath, flicking the lid open. Inside, a modest pile of ryo coins sat, just enough to get him through a few days of good food if he spent wisely.
Grabbing a handful of the coins, he pocketed them, careful not to take too much. "I'll make it up to you, old man," he said with a faint smirk. "Someday."
---
The streets of Konoha were bustling with life by the time Ryuji stepped outside. The vendors had their stalls set up, calling out to passersby about their fresh produce, hot meals, and hand-crafted goods. The smells hit him like a wave—grilled meats, sweet pastries, savory dumplings. His stomach growled, reminding him how desperately he needed something more than cup noodles.
His first stop was at a stall selling *dango*, those sweet rice dumplings skewered on sticks and drizzled with syrup. He handed over a few coins to the vendor, who gave him a warm smile in return. "Enjoy, little one," she said kindly as she handed him the stick.
Ryuji bit into the first dumpling, and a surge of flavor flooded his mouth. Sweet, chewy, and delicious. His eyes widened as he practically inhaled the rest of the dango, barely savoring it as he moved on to the next stall. His mood lifted with each bite, the weight of his constant training starting to melt away.
He found a stall selling grilled meat skewers and grabbed a couple of those too, followed by some steamed buns stuffed with pork. Every bite was better than the last, and for the first time in a while, he felt genuinely content. The food tasted like heaven compared to the bland, rubbery noodles he'd been choking down every day.
"This… this is what I've been missing," Ryuji mumbled to himself between bites, his mouth still full of grilled meat. "I swear, I'll never go back to that shit again."
After satisfying his stomach with more food than he thought his small body could handle, Ryuji started to wander towards the more practical side of the market. His training might have been boring as hell, but if he was going to survive in this world, he needed to start taking his ninja skills more seriously. He couldn't rely on chakra control alone.
There was a stall selling ninja tools just up ahead, with rows of gleaming kunai, shuriken, and small weapons lined up for display. He approached it, eyeing the goods with curiosity. His hand reached for a kunai, its cold steel glinting in the sunlight as he turned it over in his palm. It felt… right, somehow. Like it belonged there.
"You looking to buy, kid?" the vendor asked, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek.
"Yeah," Ryuji replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I need some basic stuff. Kunai, shuriken, and maybe a sword."
The vendor raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "You've got good taste for someone your age," he said, chuckling. He grabbed a small sword from under the counter, one that looked well-suited for Ryuji's smaller frame. "This should do you just fine. Not too heavy, but sharp enough to get the job done."
Ryuji inspected the sword carefully. It wasn't flashy, but it was solid. He handed over the coins without hesitation, taking the kunai, shuriken, and sword with him. As he strapped the small blade to his back, a sense of satisfaction settled over him. This felt… right. Like a step forward.
---
Walking through the streets with a full stomach and his new gear, Ryuji felt lighter than he had in days. No more shitty instant noodles, no more aimless training with nothing to show for it. Today, he'd taken matters into his own hands—literally. He was armed now, fed, and ready to face whatever this world threw at him next.
As he wandered the streets, he couldn't help but think about how different his life was now compared to before. In his old world, he'd been just another face in the crowd, another person trudging through the grind of life. But here? Here, he was something more. A ninja, or at least the beginning of one.
It wasn't much yet, but it was a start.
The sun began to set, casting an orange hue over the village, and Ryuji knew it was time to head back. He felt accomplished, and for once, he didn't feel like cursing out the system. He didn't care if it gave him another hidden quest or not—today had been *his* choice. His steps, his decisions. The system could screw itself for all he cared.
As he reached his apartment door, that all-too-familiar *ding* echoed in his ears again, followed by a pop-up in his vision.
**[Hidden Quest Complete!]**
**Quest Title:** "Feast of the Wanderer"
**Reward:** +300 EXP, 1x Chakra Enhancement Pill, 10x Kunai, 10x Shuriken
Ryuji stared at the notification, blinking a few times in disbelief. Another hidden quest? Really? He clenched his fists, a scowl forming on his face. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he muttered. "Of course you'd give me a quest for eating food and buying shit. Like, what the hell?"
But as he looked at the reward, his annoyance started to fade. The extra kunai and shuriken were useful, but it was the Chakra Enhancement Pill that really caught his eye. He wasn't sure what it did yet, but something about it sounded like it could be a game-changer.
Ryuji sighed, his irritation melting into a reluctant smile. "Fine, whatever. Thanks for the free loot, I guess." He dropped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "But next time, system, stop with the hidden quests. Seriously."
He closed his eyes, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "*Maybe* I'll explore the village again tomorrow. Not because of you, though. I'm doing it for the food."