Chapter 5 – Some Notable Customers
Awakened by the crowing rooster, Daiko jumped out of bed, filled with anticipation. Today was the day. Years from now they will say this was the day the wealthiest shinobi started his business empire, Daiko mused to himself while he brushed his teeth. He built a billion Ryo empire with a food cart! He looked around the orphanage –his testing ground for the Dako, his home, and soon enough, this place would become the cornerstone of his expanding business empire.
After breakfast, Daiko gathered his ragtag team of child laborers helpers. They comprised the orphans who had enthusiastically assisted him in preparing the Dakos the previous day. Each one had a special talent, a unique skill, which would be vital to the success of the food cart; namely, they were very cheap.
With Ms. Aiko, they soon ventured into the marketplace, filled with vibrant colors and aromatic smells of various delicacies. Daiko, along with his team, found an ideal spot for their cart, a bustling corner that saw plenty of foot traffic. Together they built the cart from scratch, using every ryo Daiko had managed to get out of Ms. Nono. With the cart set up, it was time to cook. They worked in sync, slicing and dicing, rolling and filling. The aroma of Dakos soon wafted through the market, attracting intrigued customers. Daiko could barely contain his excitement as he watched a line start to form in front of the cart. They were selling! He watched as people bit into the Dakos, their eyes widening in surprise and pleasure. His heart, and more importantly, his wallet, swelled with pride as he heard praises for the food he had created.
As he was serving the customers, a particular figure caught his attention. Is this fate? My first day and I already run into a main character, Daiko thought to himself. A young woman with striking lavender eyes and dark hair, dressed modestly. She stood slightly apart from the crowd, observing the cart with interest, dressed in a simple kimono. It was Hinata Hyuga, the heiress of the Hyuga clan, the most powerful clan in Konoha. She stood off to the side, curiously watching the bustling cart. She seemed hesitant, her eyes flicking to the line then back to the cart. Daiko, seeing her indecision, decided to seize the opportunity. "Would you like to try a Dako?" he called out to her, hoping she'd accept his offer. Is this the story I'll tell my kids, Daiko thought. And that kids, is how I you're obscenely wealthy mother.
Startled, Hinata looked at him, then at the offered food. "Um, sure," she replied, shyly approaching the cart. She accepted the Dako and took a tentative bite, her eyes widening with surprise and pleasure. "This is... delicious!" she exclaimed, a genuine smile lighting up her face.
Before leaving, he turned to Hinata, who had spent much of the day near the cart, silently supporting them. "Thanks for trying the Dakos," he said, grinning at her.
"Come on, Daiko, you can't spend all day flirting," Ms. Aiko teased him.
"I'm not flirting, Ms. Aiko," Daiko shot back, before pausing to think of an excuse. "This is called customer service. Have a good day, pretty lady," he said with a wink, "I hope you enjoyed the Dako."
Blushing, she looked down at her feet. "It was my pleasure. They're really good," she responded, giving him a soft smile. "If you don't mind me asking, why is your mom making you work?"
"This isn't Ms. Aiko's business. It's mine," Daiko said which surprised Hinata. Daiko, without hesitation, explained how they were all orphans from different parts of Konoha. They had banded together to make ends meet, using their culinary skills to create a life for themselves. It was a stark contrast to her own life, Hinata realized. Here were children, much like her, but with no families, no clans, no legacy to shoulder. They faced hardships she could barely imagine, yet they brimmed with positivity, with an unwavering spirit that refused to be subdued.
This small interaction lifted Daiko's spirits even higher, knowing he was definitely on the right path. The rest of the day passed in a blur of cooking, serving, and chatting with customers. As the day wore on, the cart continued to attract more customers. By the end of the day, they had sold out. Daiko could hardly believe it. They had actually sold out! "Thank you for the hard work everyone," Daiko told the kids.
It was late evening. The bustling sounds of the marketplace had softened to a dull hum. Daiko, with his team of young entrepreneurs, began the routine task of cleaning up. The scent of Dako, which had permeated the air all day, was starting to wane, replaced by the comforting smell of money. Daiko began counting the money they had earned. He had always done this at the end of the day, a habit born of from his first system quest. The coins clinked in his hands and bills were stacked on the table, each piece a testament to their hard work and determination.
The Dako sold for 150 ryo a piece, and after considering the cost of ingredients, they made a clear profit of 80 ryo on each one. Daiko made sure to pay the kids 100 ryo each day. It was a small amount, but it was theirs, earned by their own sweat and effort. And they accepted it with a sense of accomplishment that only comes with earning your own keep. Daiko knew this was blatant robbery. He was making a significant profit off their labor. But, in a harsh world where children were sent to battlefields as young ninjas, I would love for someone to tell me I'm the bad guy, Daiko thought. All they want is spending money and morality is relative, a lesson that was, unfortunately, learnt too early by kids like us, he rationalized.
He carefully separated the money, putting aside what was needed for ingredients and maintenance of the cart. Then he divided the remaining money into equal portions, one for each member of their small team. It wasn't much, but it was a wage earned by the sweat of their brows, and every ryo counted.
Finally, he counted what was left and took half for himself. Daiko ran his fingers over the coins, feeling the cold, hard metal against his skin. His gaze shifted to his team, the other orphans who had become his employees. They were chatting amongst themselves, cleaning up, their laughter ringing out in the quiet marketplace. Daiko couldn't help but feel bad but to him, every coin counted.
Daiko made his way to the orphanage, the cool evening air brushing against his skin. He knocked lightly on Ms. Nono's door and was promptly greeted by the middle-aged woman. Despite her age, her eyes still sparkled with life and a hearty warmth. "Good evening, Ms. Nono," Daiko greeted with a respectful bow, extending the small pouch of coins.
She looked surprised and refused at first, saying, "you children work hard enough. You should keep the money." However, her actions betrayed her words as her hand extended to take the pouch.
This shameless woman, Daiko thought as he said, "No, Ms. Nono this was our agreement." However, his hands gripped the pouch firmly even as Ms. Nono tugged at it.
"Then let go Daiko," she said with a fake smile plastered on her face.
"Yes, Ms. Nono," he replied. "By the way, I think we're going to need more money tomorrow. We sold out pretty early today."
"Oh really?" She said shocked, as greed flashed in her eyes. "How much more?"
"At least double, maybe even more as word spreads. We might even have to open up another location."
It was hard work, but he loved every minute of it. And best of all, he was finally on his way to achieving his dream.
Each day that followed seemed to bring more fortune to Daiko and his team. The demand for Dakos skyrocketed, the line for their Dako became longer and longer, snaking through the marketplace. Patience was tested as the line moved slowly, the aroma of the delicious Daco tantalizing the waiting customers. But they waited, driven by the promise of the treat at the end.
One afternoon, as the sun blazed high in the sky, a tall figure approached their cart, causing a hush to fall over the bustling marketplace. The crowd parted to reveal the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the leader of their village. Dressed in his red hat and robes with the Hokage cloak flowing behind him, he was a beacon of strength and wisdom, and his presence held a certain grandeur.
He sampled their Daco, savored the flavors, and smiled. His words rang out clearly, a compliment that echoed in the silent marketplace, "These are quite delicious. No wonder there's such a crowd here every day. I can tell the will of fire resides in these Dakos."
The Will of Fire, an ideology passed down through the generations in the Leaf Village, symbolized the spirit of self-sacrifice and the belief in the future of the village. Hearing it from the Hokage, Daiko's mind started whirring, what nonsense are you spouting old man? We don't give samples you better pay for those. "That'll be 300 ryo, Hokage-Sa-"
"No, no, enjoy them Hokage-Sama, they're on the house," Ms. Aiko interrupted.
"Ms. Aiko, I'm trying to run a business here, you can't just be giving away my merchandise for free," Daiko chided causing the Hokage to chuckle.
"Oh yeah, what about the free Dakos you gave the Hyuga girl yesterday?" Ms. Aiko retorted loudly causing the line to erupt in laughter.
"Well, that was different. Plus, this is my business, and besides I took it out of my portion of the profits so it was technically paid for."
"This is very amusing Ms. Aiko but, I was always planning to pay," Hiruzen responded, he put his hands in his pocket. "Oh, it seems I forgot my wallet in the Hokage tower," he said innocently.
"Don't worry about it Hokage-Sama, your Dakos are on the house," Ms. Aiko said with a respectful bow. Daiko was about to interrupt her but before he could she grabbed him and shut his mouth with her hands.
When I get enough skills to start stealing, I swear I'm visiting your house first old man, Daiko thought.
The day ended on a high note, with the kids chattering excitedly about the Hokage's visit. As they packed up for the day, Daiko looked at the money they had made. It was a good amount. Not just good, it was more than he had ever seen. However, a few words from the Hokage were echoing in Daiko's mind, and he started to form a plan. Dakos made with the Will of Fire. A Dako that represented their village's indomitable spirit. A Dako that was, perhaps, very spicy, just like their village's spirit.
A few weeks later.
Daiko looked at the long line of eager customers snaking away from his cart. It was Tuesday. Over the last few weeks, Tuesday had somehow turned into "Dako Tuesday" in Konoha, with droves of villagers visiting the marketplace to indulge in Daiko's delicious treats. The talk of the town was the newly introduced 'Will of Fire' Dako, a delicacy that hit the perfect balance between spice and flavor, symbolizing the enduring spirit of Konoha.
The line was a colorful blend of regular customers, new faces, and even some noteworthy figures from the village - all bound together by their love for the unique dakos Daiko served. On this particular day, it was in the form of two customers unlike any other. The first boy was plump, with a constant smile on his face and an undeniable hunger in his eyes. On the other hand, his friend was the exact opposite - skinny and draped in a veil of lethargy.
"Two dakos, please," the plumper one requested, already rummaging for coins in his pockets. "No, make it four."
"Six, please," the skinny one lazily interjected, his eyes never leaving the clouds above.
Daiko couldn't help but chuckle at their antics. Handing them their orders, he felt a sense of familiarity. The boys introduced themselves as Choji Akimichi and Shikamaru Nara, two regular kids with a love for good food. They were intrigued by Daiko's story and the bustling food cart managed by kids like themselves.
As Daiko handed the dakos to Choji and Shikamaru, their curiosity was palpable. The scent of the tender, seasoned beef and chicken wafted into their noses, causing Choji's mouth to water. He took his first bite, his eyes lighting up with surprise and delight.
"This is amazing, Daiko!" Choji exclaimed after finishing his first dako in record time. "I've never tasted anything like this before. The texture, the seasoning, it's all perfect!" Despite his habitual lackadaisical demeanor, Shikamaru couldn't hide his agreement as he slowly savored his dako, the spices, and flavors fascinating his palate.
"Thanks, guys," Daiko responded, his eyes sparkling with pride. "It's always a treat to see new customers enjoy my dakos."
Choji, in his food-induced euphoria, spilled, "You know, my family runs a BBQ restaurant here in Konoha. The Akimichi clan is famous for it. If you think this is good, you should try our meat."
Daiko's eyes widened in interest. "Really? That sounds fantastic. Do you think they would be interested in a collaboration? I've been thinking of adding a new variant to the menu - maybe a dako with Akimichi BBQ meat?"
Shikamaru, always perceptive, looked at Daiko, surprise etched on his face as he thought, That's a troublesome yet clever idea. Not many kids our age think of such business strategies. Daiko, I have to remember him.
The idea was exciting to Daiko. The fusion of traditional dako and Akimichi BBQ could be revolutionary. It had the potential to pull in even more customers, and it can be really expensive, Daiko thought to himself as an evil grin formed on his face. "Come back after I close up later today if you want to talk about it," Daiko suggested as he went back to the cart.
Daiko, along with his team, worked tirelessly, serving their customers with efficiency and a smile. By the time the sun started to set, they had sold out completely. The exhaustion of the day was set aside as Daiko began to count the day's earnings. Then he counted his personal earnings, "fifty thousand ryo," he muttered under his breath, a sense of awe washing over him. The smiles of his customers, their words of appreciation, the camaraderie he had built with his team all of that felt good but nowhere near as good as this 50,000 ryo. His cart, which he had started out of necessity, had become a successful venture. However, he couldn't gauge how much chakra that would be. All he knew was he needed more.
Ding. Quest Created – Prepare for the Academy
Have $250,000 ryo before the start of the Academy
Complete the 'One Punch Man' workout every day until the start of the Academy
Reward: Unlock the Zen'ningan
Huh, what's the Zen'ningan? It sounds like an ocular doujutsu, I wonder what it does. But, I really have to do the one punch man workout. I'm already average looking, I can't afford to lose all my hair yet, Daiko thought as tears poured out of his eyes at the thought of going bald at five years old. I'm only five how long is it going to take me to run 10 kilometers? He thought as his tears now gushed out of his eyeballs like a running faucet.
