The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, Linbei set out with his small food cart.
The orange body of the cart was particularly striking in the morning light.
A smiley-face burger pattern was embroidered on the roof’s awning, and five large characters were crookedly painted on the side—Delicious Krabby Patty.
Linbei had written them himself; although they were a bit ugly, they carried a certain sincerity.
Tom squatted on the roof, straightened his bowtie, and patted the awning with his paw to ensure everything was secure.
SpongeBob pushed from behind, humming a song as he went: “Krabby Patty, Krabby Patty, the delicious Krabby Patty, everyone who eats it says it’s good~”
One person, one cat, and one sponge passed through the stone-paved roads of the Uchiha Clan Grounds, walked through the old streets of Konoha’s West District, and turned onto the main thoroughfare of the Commercial Street.
All along the way, Linbei was thinking about the same question—where should he set up the stall?
The prime locations of the Commercial Street had long been occupied by established shops.
It was impossible for an eight-year-old kid pushing a small cart to snatch a good spot.
But if he set up in a remote corner, no one would come.
He looked around as he walked, his gaze sweeping over the signs of various shops.
Then, he saw a familiar sign.
Ichiraku Ramen.
The most famous ramen shop in Konoha Village, the legendary incarnation of the Sage of Six Paths—of course, that was just a joke among netizens.
But Uncle Ichiraku’s character was well-known throughout the village.
In the original story, when everyone else looked at Naruto as the Nine-Tails, Uncle Ichiraku not only didn’t discriminate against him but often treated him to ramen.
That kind of heartfelt kindness wasn’t an act.
Linbei had an idea.
He parked the food cart in the open space in front of Ichiraku Ramen and looked into the shop.
Uncle Ichiraku was wiping bowls behind the counter, and Teuchi stood nearby slicing chashu.
There were no customers yet.
“Uncle Ichiraku!” Linbei called out into the shop.
Uncle Ichiraku looked up and saw an eight-year-old child pushing a small orange cart standing at the entrance.
Beside him sat a cat in a tuxedo, and hiding behind the cart was a yellow…
square?
He froze for a moment, then smiled.
“Little brother, are you planning to set up a stall?”
“Yes, Uncle Ichiraku.” Linbei nodded, his tone sincere.
“Could I borrow this spot in front of your shop?
I won’t block your entrance.”
Uncle Ichiraku put down the bowl in his hand, walked to the door, and looked down at the food cart.
Though simple, it was finely crafted; every part was polished smooth and round, showing that a lot of thought had gone into it.
“What are you selling?”
“Krabby Patties.”
“Krabby Patties?” Uncle Ichiraku scratched his head.
“What kind of food is that?
I’ve never heard of it.”
“You’ll know soon enough.” Linbei turned to look at SpongeBob.
“SpongeBob, preheat!”
“Got it!” SpongeBob jumped out from behind the cart, quickly set up the griddle, and took out the ingredients from the storage locker.
Buns, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, cheese slices, and the secret patties—everything was arranged neatly.
Uncle Ichiraku watched as this yellow square expertly operated the griddle.
The spatula flew in his hands, and the patties sizzled on the iron plate, sending an aroma wafting through the air.
His expression changed from curiosity to surprise.
This yellow thing…
was even more agile than him?
“This scent…” Uncle Ichiraku sniffed.
“It’s not simple.”
Linbei smiled but said nothing more.
The first customer arrived faster than Linbei had anticipated.
A man wearing a Chunin vest walked down the street.
He was likely returning from a mission, his steps hurried and his face weary.
But as he reached the front of Ichiraku Ramen, his pace suddenly slowed.
He sniffed the air.
Then he stopped.
He walked over involuntarily.
“Little brother, what is this?” The man bent down, looking at the colorful ingredients on the counter.
“This is a Delicious Krabby Patty.” Linbei stood up straight and spoke in the most enthusiastic tone he could manage.
“One bite and you’ll definitely be full of praise.
If it’s not delicious, it’s free.”
The man hesitated.
What could a child pushing a small cart make that was actually good?
But this aroma…
it was truly too tempting.
“How much for one?”
“100 Ryo.”
The man reached into his pocket.
100 Ryo wasn’t expensive.
A D-rank mission paid at least 500 Ryo; 100 Ryo couldn’t even buy a decent meal elsewhere.
“Give me one then.”
“Right away!” Linbei turned and shouted, “SpongeBob!
One Krabby Patty!”
“Coming—right—up—!”
SpongeBob’s voice dragged out, carrying the momentum of an opera singer hitting a high note on stage.
His left hand flipped the patty while his right hand sliced the bun.
The spatula spun three times in his grip, and the sauce bottles did two somersaults in the air before landing steadily on the spice rack.
In a few quick moves.
A Krabby Patty appeared on the counter.
The bun was toasted golden brown, the lettuce was a vibrant green, the tomato slices were thin enough to see through, and the cheese was slightly melted, hugging the outline of the patty.
A bit of sauce overflowed from the edge of the bun, gleaming like amber under the light.
Nakano Nanfu—Linbei didn’t know the Chunin’s name, of course—took the Krabby Patty and looked down at it.
The presentation was indeed good.
But how delicious could this thing really be?
He opened his mouth and took a massive bite.
And then, his world went quiet.
The softness of the bread exploded on the tip of his tongue, the refreshing crunch of the pickles struck his taste buds like lightning, and the rich creaminess of the cheese enveloped the savory flavor of the patty, spreading through his mouth.
The patty’s springiness bounced slightly between his teeth, and with every chew, new flavors emerged—charred aroma, savory saltiness, a hint of sweetness, and freshness.
All the flavors intertwined, like a symphony orchestra performing in his mouth.
Nakano Nanfu stood there, motionless, his eyes wide and round.
“How is it?” Linbei asked.
Nakano Nanfu didn’t speak.
He took another bite, then another, and then another.
He finished the Krabby Patty in less than ten seconds, licking even the sauce off his fingers.
He looked up at Linbei, a fanatical light in his eyes.
“I want ten more!!”
Linbei was stunned for a moment.
“Ten?”
“Yes!
Ten!” Nakano Nanfu pulled a bill from his pocket and slapped it onto the counter.
“1,000 Ryo!
Keep the change!
I want to take them back for my wife and kid!
They’ll definitely love them!”
The people on the street were drawn over by the commotion.
A Chunin shouting “I want ten more” in front of a small food cart was a rare sight in itself.
Coupled with the rich aroma constantly wafting into their noses, more and more people stopped and gathered around curiously.
“What is that delicious smell?”
“It seems to be something that stall is selling.”
“What’s it called?
A Krabby Patty?”
“A Chunin ate one and said he wanted ten more?
Is it really that good?”
“I want one as well!”
“Boss, two over here!”
Linbei was a bit overwhelmed by the sudden influx of customers.
He had originally thought he’d be lucky to sell ten on the first day, but now there were at least seven or eight people surrounding the stall, with more continuously walking over from behind.
“SpongeBob!” Linbei shouted.
“Ten Krabby Patties!
Can you do it?”
Standing behind the counter, SpongeBob’s eyes lit up like lamps upon hearing the words “ten Krabby Patties.”
“I can do it!
Of course I can!
I can do a hundred!”
He began to speed up.
The spatula spun in his hand like fan blades.
Patties landed on the griddle one after another, the sizzling sounds merging into a single roar.
Buns popped out of the toaster, lettuce and tomatoes flew across the cutting board, and sauce bottles drew perfect arcs in the air.
One Krabby Patty.
Two Krabby Patties.
Three Krabby Patties.
Ten Krabby Patties.
In less than a minute, ten Krabby Patties were neatly lined up on the counter, each one golden, crispy, and fragrant.
“Ten—Krabby—Patties!” SpongeBob’s voice carried the satisfaction of a composer finishing the final note of a symphony.
Nakano Nanfu carefully placed the ten Krabby Patties into a bag, cradling them in his arms with a smile brighter than Konoha’s sunshine.
He turned to walk a few steps, then looked back and shouted: “I’m coming back tomorrow!
I’ll bring my colleagues!”
The moment the second customer took their first bite of a Krabby Patty, their reaction was identical to Nakano Nanfu’s—eyes wide, frozen in place, then frantically stuffing it into their mouth.
“This is way too delicious!”
“I’ve never eaten anything this good!”
“What kind of divine flavor is this?”
“Boss, two more!
No, make it three!”
The crowd grew larger and larger, making the area in front of the food cart impassable.
Linbei had to stand in front of the cart to maintain order, collecting money while calling out numbers.
Tom squatted on the roof, looking down at the lively scene with his tail swishing behind him, his expression clearly saying “I knew it would be like this.”
Uncle Ichiraku stood at the entrance of his own shop, watching the scene, and couldn’t help but laugh.
He had been making ramen for decades and had seen all kinds of diners, but this was the first time he had seen a food that made a customer shout for ten more after the very first bite.
“Ayame,” Uncle Ichiraku turned to his daughter.
“Yes?”
“Go help that little brother.
He can’t handle it all by himself.”
Ayame was startled for a moment, then nodded and walked out of the shop to help Linbei maintain order.
Linbei was sweating profusely, but the smile on his face never vanished.
He looked at Tom, who gave him a thumbs-up.
He looked at SpongeBob, who was humming as he grilled patties, looking happier than anyone.
He looked down at the forehead protector on his waist, then at the Konoha villagers queuing up for a Krabby Patty.
A thought quietly surfaced in his mind—
Perhaps this Krabby Patty shop could bring him unexpected results…
He smiled and temporarily suppressed the thought, continuing to attend to the customers.
“Next!
How many for you?”
“Three!”
“Got it!
SpongeBob, three Krabby Patties!”
“Coming—right—up—!”
In the spring of the 51st year of Konoha, the busiest place on the Commercial Street was an orange food cart.
The sign bore five crooked characters.
Delicious Krabby Patty.