Chapter seven: An Unexpected Encounter at the Dango Shop
After a long day of training with Team 10, Naruto strolled through the lively streets of Konoha, his stomach growling loudly as he walked. Training had been tough, but Naruto felt more energized than ever. He grinned, thinking about how much stronger he was getting and how his training with Riku had helped him refine his control. He could practically feel his progress with every new technique.
As he passed by the village's popular dango shop, the sweet scent of rice dumplings caught his attention, making his mouth water. He wasn't usually one for sweets, but today, a stick of dango sounded perfect.
"Alright, time for a little treat!" Naruto muttered, entering the shop with a grin.
The shop was small but cozy, filled with the sweet scent of syrup and the murmur of other patrons. Naruto approached the counter, bouncing on his toes as he looked over the menu.
"Hey there, kid!" the shopkeeper greeted him. "What'll you have?"
"I'll take a stick of the sweet dango, please!" Naruto replied, practically drooling as he watched the shopkeeper prepare his order.
While he waited, he scanned the shop and noticed a woman sitting alone near the back. Her appearance was hard to ignore: wild, shoulder-length purple hair, a fishnet top under a beige trench coat, and an unmistakably fierce expression. She was popping dango into her mouth with an almost lazy satisfaction, looking both intimidating and relaxed.
Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Whoa, that lady looks intense, he thought, curious but cautious. He'd never seen her around before, but something about her presence suggested she was more than just a regular village ninja.
After grabbing his dango, Naruto made his way to a nearby seat. He couldn't help but glance her way again, and before he knew it, he was staring.
The woman looked up, noticing him watching her, and raised an eyebrow. "You got something to say, kid?"
Naruto, who'd been caught off guard, blurted out, "Uh… You look like you eat a lot of dango."
The entire shop seemed to go silent for a moment as the woman's gaze sharpened. She lowered her stick of dango, giving him a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Are you calling me a glutton?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Naruto immediately waved his hands in front of him, panicking. "No, no! That's not what I meant! I just… I mean… You really seem to like dango."
The woman's glare softened a little, though her smirk remained. "Good save, kid," she said, eyeing him with an amused glint. "Most people don't have the nerve to say something like that to my face. You new around here?"
Naruto shook his head, his panic fading as he regained his usual enthusiasm. "Nope, I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Future Hokage of Konoha! Who are you?"
The woman chuckled, finally seeming genuinely amused. "Hokage, huh? You're pretty bold. I like that." She took another bite of her dango, savoring it before replying, "Anko Mitarashi. And I'm a jounin, which means I've got more than a few tricks up my sleeve, kid."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Whoa, a jounin? That's awesome! I just became a genin, but I'm already getting super strong!"
Anko raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. "Oh really? So, you're some kind of prodigy now?"
"Yep!" Naruto said, grinning. "I've been training a lot! Pretty soon, I'll be the strongest ninja in the village!"
"Is that so?" Anko replied, clearly entertained. "Well, if you're going to be the strongest, maybe you should start by learning a bit of respect." She leaned forward, fixing him with a mischievous gaze. "You called me a glutton a minute ago. Got anything to say about that?"
Naruto swallowed nervously. "Uh… I mean… I didn't mean it like that! Honest!"
Anko laughed, her tone light but with a hint of teasing menace. "Relax, I'm just messing with you." She leaned back, taking another bite of her dango. "You're funny, kid. Not a lot of people around here have the guts to talk back to me. Most people know better."
Naruto's nervousness faded as he sensed she wasn't genuinely mad. He grinned, feeling a little bolder. "Well, I'm not like most people! I don't back down from anyone!"
Anko's gaze softened slightly, and she let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I can see that. You remind me of myself when I was younger—full of fire and not afraid of anything."
Naruto's grin widened. "Really? That's awesome! So, do you have any tips for me? You know, from one future Hokage to a jounin?"
Anko chuckled again, the sound warm and genuine this time. "Alright, Uzumaki, I'll give you a tip: confidence is great, but overconfidence can be dangerous. Don't let your mouth get you into trouble you can't handle."
Naruto nodded, taking her words to heart. "Got it! I'll make sure my strength backs up my words!"
"Good answer," Anko said, popping the last dango into her mouth. "Alright, I'll admit it—you've got some guts. Keep training hard, and maybe one day you'll get strong enough to handle someone like me."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with determination. "I will! And next time we meet, I'll be even stronger!"
Anko stood up, giving him a playful smirk. "I'll hold you to that, kid. Don't disappoint me." She tossed a few coins on the table and gave him a mock salute before heading toward the door.
As she walked away, she turned back and added, "Oh, and Naruto?"
"Yeah?" he replied, looking up.
"Keep eating dango if you want, but maybe work on your compliments a little," she teased, winking before disappearing out the door.
Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I'll work on that…"
Despite their rocky start, Naruto felt a strange sense of accomplishment. Meeting Anko had been unexpected, but she seemed like someone he could learn a lot from—and maybe even a friend.
With his heart feeling a little lighter and a new sense of motivation, he finished his dango and headed home, determined to get even stronger for the next time he crossed paths with his new, slightly scary friend.