After returning home from the Senju clan's territory, Ryun told Asuka about being forced to graduate early. He also mentioned that he might start taking on ninja missions as early as tomorrow.
"What is the Third Hokage thinking? Graduating you just like that, assigning missions without giving any time to prepare. Really..." Asuka complained.
"It's indeed outrageous. Those higher-ups in Konoha are downright insane..." Ryun casually cursed.
"Quiet, silly child. If someone hears, it won't be good..." Asuka lowered her voice.
"Why worry? Worst case, I just quit." Ryun pretended to sound tough.
"You can't just quit like that... The ninja academy taught you for six years. You have to work for at least six years before Konoha will even consider letting you resign..." Asuka muttered.
"What? Mom, how do you even know this stuff..."
Ryun was surprised. This was exactly what he was about to say next, but his mother already knew. Clearly, she had looked into it...
"Hmph, did you think your mom was some clueless fool?" Asuka snorted, though she seemed a little proud.
"Mom, you're amazing! You know so much!!!"
Ryun first flattered her, then sighed deliberately.
"Fine, I'll work for Konoha for six years then. Tomorrow marks the official start!"
"Well... You should rest early. I hear genin missions can be quite demanding..." Asuka patted his head, signaling him to sleep.
"Okay, goodnight, Mom!"
Ryun leaned his face toward her.
Delighted that her son was becoming more considerate, Asuka giggled and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.
The sound was identical to the one Ryun had made when kissing Kushina earlier.
"Goodnight, son!"
Back in his room, Ryun wrote a letter to Orochimaru, informing him of his graduation and stating that he would depart for the Land of Rain battlefield in ten days to meet him.
After finishing the letter, he didn't put away the paper and pen. Instead, he scribbled random notes.
"Land of Rain... Uchiha Madara... Uzumaki Nagato... Rinnegan..."
The next day.
The newly graduated genin gathered inside the Hokage Building.
Konoha Elder Koharu Utatane explained the mission rules to the rookies. Soon, these fresh graduates received their first D-rank missions.
All ten teams were assigned hard, labor-intensive tasks, including the girls' teams...
Tasks like plowing fields, pulling weeds, carrying bricks, hauling sacks, and even digging out toilets...
In the original story, missions like finding cats, dogs, or picking up trash were considered easy. But now, the simpler tasks had been taken by more experienced genin, leaving the rookies with the dirty work.
"Begin your missions... Konoha's future depends on you!"
"Hard work brings rewards. Strive and fight, young ones! The Third Hokage is watching over you... You are all outstanding!"
Koharu Utatane fed the workhorses a hearty dose of motivational talk. For now, everyone was fired up. No matter how tough the mission, no one complained.
On their first day as ninjas, they were all energetic and vigorous.
At least for the next few days, they would remain "well-behaved"...
Outside the Hokage Building.
"Damn it, they're making us girls help someone move!" Kushina grumbled as she stepped out, clearly unhappy with the assigned task.
Beside her, Uchiha Mikoto and Inuzuka Ran smiled awkwardly. Unlike Kushina, they didn't dare complain on their very first day.
"Ryun, what's your mission? Want to swap with us?"
Kushina ran up to Ryun with a grin.
"What? You want to trade missions? That'd be great!!!"
Before Ryun could answer, one of his teammates, Sarutobi Koshi, eagerly spoke up.
Ryun chuckled and handed the mission sheet to Kushina.
"Ryun-kun..."
Uchiha Mikoto also approached and bowed politely.
"Miss Mikoto!" Ryun returned the greeting with a smile.
'Someone as beautiful, polite, gentle, and refined as her ends up with that dog...' Ryun felt a pang of bitterness.
"Ah... You got this kind of mission? Pfft—hahaha!" After reading the sheet, Kushina burst into laughter.
Ryun's first D-rank mission was digging out toilets and cleaning sewage. Still laughing, Kushina shoved the sheet back at him...
Compared to these three unlucky souls, their moving task was a hundred times better...
"Laugh all you want. Why can't you be more like Mikoto? Gentle, reserved, got it?" Ryun pushed her away but couldn't help laughing too.
At this, Kushina laughed until tears streamed down her face.
Ryun's two teammates looked displeased. Mikoto and Ran quickly dragged Kushina away before things escalated.
"Toilet-scavenging boys, hahaha..."
Kushina's roaring laughter echoed from a distance.
"Guys, forgive her for my sake... My girlfriend isn't all there upstairs..."
Ryun scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hmph..."
The two snorted but didn't press the issue. The Black and Red Duo were infamous in the academy. Even if they were unhappy, they wouldn't pick a fight.
"Let's make a deal. I'll dig the holes, you two handle the sewage, and I'll give up my share of the pay. How's that?"
On the way to the mission site, Ryun slung his arms around their shoulders.
"No way... You two handle the sewage, I'll do everything else, and I'll give up my pay..."
Sarutobi Koshi refused firmly, clearly unwilling to be one of Kushina's "toilet-scavenging boys."
"You two do it. I'll give up my pay and even pay you extra..." the Aburame clan member said flatly.
'Seriously, since when are kids these days so loaded? Willing to give up mission pay just like that?' Ryun cursed inwardly.
Money wasn't the issue. Neither wanted their first mission to involve sewage. Such a stain on their ninja records would haunt them forever.
"Fine. If no one wants to do it, let's decide by rock-paper-scissors. Fair enough?"
Ryun proposed. After a moment's hesitation, the two nodded.
Many in the academy said the "Black Menace" was strong. The fact that Ryun didn't suggest settling it by force was already a relief.
In the end, after one round of rock-paper-scissors, Sarutobi Koshi became the proud toilet-scavenging boy.
As for why he lost and not the others?
Ryun reasoned that Aburame members always wore sunglasses, making minor genjutsu ineffective. So poor Koshi had to take one for the team...
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