Several days later,
"Your missions today are to clean up river trash and walk the client's dog... Hmm, now follow me to get your mission tools.
First, clean up the river trash..."
At Team 7's meeting point, Kakashi, who was fashionably late, lazily announced the tasks.
"Two more D-rank missions!!
Kakashi-sensei... We've been doing several D-rank missions in a row these past few days. Aren't there any more exciting and dangerous high-level missions?
I'm sick of these boring missions..."
Hearing it was another D-rank mission, Naruto clenched his fists in frustration and burst out loudly.
Although they had plenty of missions during this time, these monotonous and boring low-level tasks were too annoying... "Next time, next time I'll try to get you a C-rank mission.
Well, that's how it is!"
Kakashi waved his hand, casually brushing them off, then gave Sasuke and Sakura a look and turned to lead the way.
Boring? How troublesome... To accumulate mission counts, he's been quite tired lately, okay!
Hmm, he barely had time to enjoy the latest edition of Icha Icha Violence... "Let's go, Sakura..."
Ignoring the chattering Naruto, Sasuke called out to Sakura and followed closely.
"Wait for me, Sasuke, Sakura..."
Seeing this, Naruto quickly shouted and hurried to catch up with the three.
Soon, Sasuke and the others followed Kakashi, picked up their bamboo baskets, and arrived at the mission location.
"Here, this is the river... Clear out all the trash blocking the river!
Be careful, the current here is quite swift.
Even if you've learned the Water Walking Technique, you still need to be cautious, don't accidentally get swept away..."
Kakashi looked at the rapidly flowing river and warned them, then picked up his Icha Icha Paradise and leisurely continued reading.
"I see... This is too simple for us!
Sasuke-kun, let's start together..."
Sakura realized and invited him, condensing Chakra at her feet and stepping onto the water.
"Hmm..."
Sasuke nodded faintly in agreement, Chakra also surging at his feet as he stepped forward.
"Damn it... I won't lose to you two..."
Naruto watched the two walk on the river surface as if on solid ground, regaining his fighting spirit, forming a hand sign, and shouting.
He had also practiced the Water Walking Technique in the Land of Waves!
"That's it, here I come..."
As Chakra erupted from his feet, Naruto roared and rushed onto the river surface.
Making Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi all look over at the same time... The next moment,
Naruto, who had only rushed a few steps, hadn't even had time to speak when he felt his feet lose purchase, and his face turned pale.
"Splash..."
With a splash of water, Naruto, as expected, fell into the river.
"H-help..."
Caught off guard, Naruto choked on a mouthful of river water and cried out for help with a bitter face.
It was Sasuke who was quick-witted, reaching out and pulling him out of the river... preventing Naruto from being swept away by the current.
"I told you, the river here is swift... If you can't continuously maintain a stable output of Chakra on a fast and unstable river surface,
Then you'll naturally fall into the river... Naruto, it seems your Water Walking training isn't enough!!"
Kakashi shook his head and commented, making the recently rescued Naruto's face flush with embarrassment.
"Hmph, even without Water Walking, I can still complete the mission excellently.
My speed won't be any worse than Sasuke or Sakura's!!
Watch me, Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu..."
In a fit of rage, Naruto gritted his teeth, formed another hand sign, and roared.
Bang, bang, bang... Ten Narutos instantly appeared, looking at Sasuke and Sakura with unyielding defiance before burying their heads to search for underwater trash.
To this, Sasuke merely smiled... If it meant finishing this boring mission faster, what did he have to complain about!
Regardless of his past or present life, practical colleagues like Naruto were always well-liked... Time flew by, and an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
With Naruto's Shadow Clone cheat, Sasuke and the others quickly finished cleaning up the trash.
By noon, they followed Kakashi to the client's house for the dog-walking mission... "Naruto, are you sure you want to pick this biggest one?"
Looking at the fierce dog Naruto chose, Sasuke finally couldn't help but comment.
This familiar scene, wasn't it followed by... "Heh heh... Sasuke, you're too late!
This big dog is mine, you two can take care of those two small dogs..."
Naruto, despite feeling a bit apprehensive, still stubbornly insisted.
He wasn't going to let Sasuke steal the spotlight for something like this!
"Uh, whatever makes you happy..."
Good advice is wasted on the doomed; seeing this, Sasuke said no more.
Instead, his gaze deepened, lost in thought... It had already reached this point, so what should happen next was... "Ah!!
Don't run off randomly..."
Just as Sasuke's thoughts were racing, Naruto's howl suddenly rang out.
Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto being dragged away by the big dog they had just taken out, disappearing from sight!
"Let's go..."
Sasuke sighed helplessly, called out to Sakura, and began their leisurely dog walk.
"Okay, Sasuke-kun..."
Sakura immediately nodded and followed, her face beaming with happiness.
It was good that Naruto left; this way, she and Sasuke-kun could have their own private time!
"No... That's the trap area, don't go in!
I'm begging you, ah... No..."
Just as Sasuke and Sakura slowly caught up to Naruto, they saw Naruto being dragged, terrified and helpless, into a minefield of traps by the big dog.
The next second,
"Bang... Boom..."
Amidst a series of explosions, Naruto was dragged out, covered in dust, by the big dog.
"How troublesome... Naruto, destroying traps without permission will incur compensation!!"
Naruto had just stood up with a bitter face when Kakashi's fatal blow made his expression change drastically.
"Compensation??
No way..."
Immediately, a piercing wail echoed through the sky.
Ten minutes later,
"Seriously, always causing me trouble..."
Sasuke, supporting Naruto, sighed helplessly as they followed Kakashi, with Sakura also nodding in agreement.
That Naruto, he actually turned the safest dog-walking mission into a life-or-death situation.
It was simply unimaginable... "Chirp..."
Suddenly, a bright eagle cry resounded above the three.
Making Sasuke's heart stir... "Well, that's all for today's missions!
I'm going to submit the reports; you all are dismissed here..."
Kakashi subtly glanced at the Ninja Eagle above his head, found an excuse, and instantly disappeared.
[The Chunin Exams, which will change the situation of Konoha, are here...]
Looking at the Ninja Eagle flying away in the distance, Sasuke's eyes flashed, and he instantly understood.
"Sasuke-kun... It's rare that we finish early today. Should we go shopping and have dinner together?"
Seeing Kakashi leave, Sakura immediately hugged Sasuke's arm and sweetly pouted.
They had been working non-stop these past few days, with no extra time for free activities... "No!!
Sasuke promised to treat me to dinner for a month, so I'm coming too..."
The half-dead Naruto instantly jumped up and said, giving the two no chance for a date.
"Naruto... This is my private date with Sasuke-kun, don't come and cause trouble!"
Sakura immediately turned to refuse; she absolutely did not want Naruto to disturb her time alone with Sasuke.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Is this a Genin from Konoha?
At a time like this, still immersed in a ridiculous romance game.
I wonder if it's confidence or ignorance..."
Naruto was about to retort when a mocking voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Sunagakure Ninja... It's best not to be too arrogant in someone else's Village; people can die!"
Looking at the newcomer, Sasuke's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he spoke indifferently.