However, just when Naruto was about to give up and sit down for a while, the five-person squad of Team 7 stepped into the Mission Assignment Hall. Above the main seat where shinobi usually received missions, a familiar figure appeared—one that immediately stirred Naruto's restless heart.
"Oh!? Grandpa Third! Why are you here in the mission building today!?"
Naruto's voice boomed across the room as he spotted Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, sitting on the central seat in his ceremonial robes and Hokage hat. Surprise lit up Naruto's face as he waved energetically.
As the Shadow of the Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi usually stayed in his Hokage office, buried under endless stacks of village reports and administrative scrolls. However, from time to time, he would personally inspect various departments of the village—ensuring things ran smoothly and keeping morale high among the younger shinobi.
And among those institutions, the Mission Center was one of the most critical.
Every now and then, Hiruzen would personally appear to assign tasks to genin and chūnin teams—a rare gesture of approachability from the Hokage himself, something the villagers saw as an act of goodwill and inspiration.
"Haha! I happened to have some free time today, so I decided to come take a look. I see your mission went smoothly, Naruto," Hiruzen said with his familiar gentle smile.
"Yes, Grandpa Third! We completed it perfectly! So this time, I want to challenge a more difficult mission! Please give our team a C-rank or even higher, so we can have a real challenge!" Naruto declared eagerly.
Hiruzen chuckled softly, amused by the boy's enthusiasm.
"Oh? Impatient as ever, I see. You know there are rules about which teams can take on which ranks of missions, Naruto. Newly formed genin squads must first undergo basic training through D-rank assignments. These simpler missions are meant to strengthen teamwork and discipline. Your instructor, Hatake Kakashi, is an experienced jōnin—he knows when your team is ready to take on higher-level tasks."
"I know all that, but it's already been more than a month, Grandpa Third! Neither you nor Kakashi-sensei seem interested in giving us anything more exciting. D-rank missions aren't difficult at all—they're just chores! If we want to grow stronger, we need more challenging experiences! Our team's strength is more than enough for higher-ranked missions! And besides, we have Kakashi-sensei with us, right?"
Naruto's persistence was almost confrontational, yet there was confidence in his tone.
"I think Naruto has a point," Menma added calmly, his tone steady. "Our team can handle something more advanced. At our age, Kakashi-sensei was already a jōnin, after all."
For Menma, the difference between low-level and high-level missions wasn't about pride—it was strategy. He had another reason entirely: to leave the village.
He needed to scout and understand the lands surrounding Konohagakure personally. Knowledge from books and memories of his past life weren't enough.
If his long-term plans were to succeed, he needed to familiarize himself with every path and terrain himself.
Naruto's face lit up when Menma backed him up.
"See! Even Menma agrees! Kakashi-sensei, you were already a jōnin at twelve! We can totally handle something tougher!"
Even Uchiha Sasuke, standing quietly beside them, gave a small nod in agreement.
"You guys…" Kakashi sighed helplessly beneath his mask, his lone eye curving with amusement.
Before Kakashi could continue, Hiruzen raised a hand and interjected.
"Well, Naruto and Menma do make a fair argument. But you two should understand—each rank increase in missions also raises the danger level exponentially. Even with Kakashi's guidance, one mistake could lead to mission failure, which would hurt your evaluations. Are you still determined to go through with this?"
Hiruzen's eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and admiration.
Seeing the Hokage take interest, Kakashi decided to stay quiet. If Hiruzen approved, he wouldn't argue. With his own strength, he wasn't particularly worried.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Third! Our team will complete it perfectly, you'll see!" Naruto said quickly, his blue eyes gleaming with determination as if afraid Hiruzen would change his mind.
"Well then…" The Third Hokage nodded slowly, smiling. "I'll grant your request. Team 7 will be assigned a C-rank mission ahead of schedule. Naruto, Menma—you spoke with such confidence, so make sure you follow through."
Naruto grinned ear to ear, puffing his chest proudly.
"Thank you, Grandpa Third! You won't regret it!"
Even Sasuke's lips curved slightly upward. D-rank missions had long since become meaningless to him—too simple, too repetitive, and far beneath his level.
"This is your promise, Grandpa Third! You can't take it back now! We'll complete it no matter what!" Naruto declared with gusto.
"Hehe… then I'll be waiting to see your results," Hiruzen said, chuckling warmly. He gestured to a nearby chūnin who handed him a mission scroll. The Hokage's eyes flicked across the parchment.
"All right then, let's see… I have a C-rank mission here that requires you to protect a client—a craftsman traveling back to his home country. It will involve leaving the Land of Fire, so I believe this suits your current level well."
As he spoke, Hiruzen motioned for the mission attendant to summon the employer.
Naruto bounced on his toes in excitement.
"Yes! Finally, something real!"
Menma, however, narrowed his eyes slightly. Protecting someone? That sounds awfully familiar… He instantly recalled the storyline from his memories.
The next second—
Squeak.
The side door of the Mission Hall opened.
A shabby, middle-aged man wearing a worn cloak and a straw hat stumbled in, carrying a half-empty bottle of sake.
The moment Menma saw the figure, a flicker of recognition flashed in his eyes.
As expected… the bridge builder from the Land of Waves—Tazuna.