Life as a ninja isn't exactly exciting.Especially for genin.
For Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke, it was a monotonous cycle of low-level missions—fishing garbage out of rivers, cleaning alleyways, retrieving pets for nobles and wealthy folks. The best assignments involved scaring off wild animals from farmland.
Naruto had realized these tasks weren't as simple as they seemed.
They either dealt with the public or catered to aristocrats.
This was clearly a deliberate effort to build their reputation within the village.
It hadn't produced any significant results so far.
Just that quite a few nobles and rich folks could recognize them and occasionally say hi on the streets.
That was the extent of their gain over the past month.
Naruto's opinion of Kakashi had worsened.
As the jōnin leader, he barely paid them any attention.
An unqualified mentor.
Even Uncle Shisui hadn't been so negligent.
Sasuke once asked about the origin of Kakashi's Sharingan, but after being brushed off, he didn't ask again.
Naruto bluntly asked if he could teach them some jutsu.
But Kakashi's response was to have Naruto teach Sasuke and Sakura how to walk on trees and water.
He just waved his hand, lazy as ever.
Until the day they completed another mission and submitted it to the Hokage.
"You've received high marks, Team Seven," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile as he looked over their mission report. "Efficient and thorough."
No one replied.
All four of them stood there quietly.
"How does it feel to do this kind of mission for a month?" Sarutobi tapped the edge of his pipe against the desk, scattering the ash.
"Getting bored yet?"
Naruto was indifferent.
Sasuke stayed silent—he felt like he had been improving, which was all that mattered to him. The type of mission didn't matter.
Sakura did feel it was boring, but didn't dare speak up.
"With your current skill level and performance, it's time to try something more challenging," Sarutobi said, grabbing a scroll. "Let's see..."
"This one will do."
"A C-rank escort mission."
He tossed the scroll over.
Kakashi shifted aside.
Naruto caught it and read the mission details: escort the bridge builder Tazuna from the Land of Waves until the completion of the Great Bridge.
They left to prepare.
Kakashi, at Sarutobi's signal, followed him into a different office.
"Lord Hokage, do you have any orders?" Kakashi asked.
"That mission can't be treated as a regular C-rank," Sarutobi said, taking a puff from his pipe. "Intel from the ANBU suggests the client lied. There may be enemy ninja involved."
"Possibly even Momochi Zabuza."
Kakashi whispered, "Then this mission should be classified as A-rank."
"Isn't it too early for them to take something like this?"
"While Naruto's capable, Sasuke and Sakura..."
Sarutobi interrupted, "There's just one month until our joint Chūnin Exams with Sunagakure."
"According to intel, they plan to send their One-Tails jinchūriki."
Kakashi was shocked. "One-Tails?"
Joint Chūnin Exams between allied villages were like a war without bloodshed—a display of national power.
Sunagakure sending a jinchūriki was a blatant declaration of ambition.
They wanted to outperform Konoha in the exams to gain more support from the Land of Wind and improve their standing in alliance treaties.
Sarutobi shifted the topic abruptly, "What's your assessment of Naruto recently?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Nothing unusual."
"He's performed exceptionally."
"His temperament, ability, and talent—I can barely find a flaw."
"Team Seven is essentially being led by him."
Sarutobi reflected, then said firmly, "Nothing?"
"These exams are crucial. Konoha cannot lose to Sunagakure. Naruto must participate."
"We need to eliminate any final uncertainties."
"Confirm his current strength."
"Confirm whether he has any contact with outsiders."
"Even verify the Nine-Tails seal."
"And currently, the only mission that involves leaving the village and suits the situation is this one."
"I'll send ANBU to follow, to ensure Sasuke and Sakura's safety."
Kakashi lowered his head. After a pause, he said, "Naruto has the Uzumaki clan's sensory talent."
"I'll have them move cautiously," Sarutobi said gently. "Observe carefully, Kakashi—you're the one closest to him."
Konoha village gate.
Naruto and the others met the client.
Tazuna was a drunken old man. "Three brats... I paid good money, and Konoha sends these kids to handle my problem?"
Sakura was furious and clenched her fists.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, also displeased at being underestimated.
Naruto remained calm. "Genin are sufficient for a C-rank mission."
"Moreover, a jōnin instructor is accompanying us. Please rest assured."
Tazuna met Naruto's gaze, shivered slightly, and muttered, "You're definitely different from the other two."
As expected, Kakashi was late again.
His flippant excuse made Tazuna uneasy. This guy's a jōnin?
He didn't seem reliable at all.
Ironically, the shortest blonde kid was the only one who gave Tazuna a sense of dependability.
"Then let's head out," Kakashi finally ordered.
Not long after leaving the village, Naruto glanced toward the woods.
He sensed several chakra signatures—some strong, some weak—moving through the forest or lurking atop trees.
But they soon dispersed and disappeared.
Passing through?
Naruto looked away.
The journey was uneventful. Tazuna talked non-stop, complaining about his country's hardships.
How poor, how miserable they were. Only the bridge could give the Land of Waves a future.
Without the bridge,the people would die with the island, trapped by the sea.
Until Tazuna began complaining for the third time—
Naruto suddenly moved, stepping in front of him, staring at a water puddle ahead.
"What's wrong?" Tazuna jumped in fright, looked around, and saw nothing. He burped and muttered, "What the hell, kid, you scared me—"
Naruto calmly said, "Ahead. Two ninja."
"I sensed them when we left the village."
"And now they've reappeared—they're ambushing us."
Sasuke didn't hesitate. He drew a kunai and threw it toward the puddle.
He knew Naruto had sensory abilities.
Clang!
A metal claw burst from the water, deflecting the kunai.
"A kid with sensory abilities?" a voice growled, followed by a chain whip lashing out from behind—another person. "That's rare."
Naruto drew his blade.
He slashed toward the chain. "Hadō #11, Tsuzuri Raiden!" A bolt of golden lightning followed the blade.
The two enemies in the water were paralyzed instantly.
Naruto flashed forward.
But instead of attacking, he swung his hand—golden chakra ropes shot from his palm and bound the two tightly.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
Another unknown technique.
No hand seals again.
The golden ropes resembled Kushina's beloved sealing technique Adamantine Sealing Chains, but they weren't the same—more like flexible ropes than rigid chains.
In the blink of an eye, the enemy was subdued.
Sasuke and Sakura had only managed to step in front of Tazuna.
The drunken old man hadn't even fully processed the danger.
Naruto calmly placed his blade against one of the enemy's throats. "Talk. Who hired you to attack Tazuna?"
He wasn't sure who the real target was—
Maybe Tazuna.Maybe himself.
Sasuke also had value.
Framing the question to imply the answer was already known was an interrogation tactic—taught to him by Captain Yoruichi.
(End of Chapter)