The air in the Hokage Office felt a little off.
Looking at Naruto, who was suddenly all fired up, Tazuna-san froze.
Tears and snot still on his face, he nodded blankly:
"Y-yeah... Gato is one of the richest men alive, but he's a complete scumbag..."
"V-very, very rich?"
Naruto adjusted his glasses; the lenses flashed ominously in the sunlight as he asked again.
"Richer than whole kingdoms—little country daimyo can't match him..."
Tazuna-san shrank, stammering.
Naruto hungry stare was making his hair stand on end.
"And he's an irredeemable villain everyone wants dead?"
"The worst! Drugs, smuggling, assassinating rivals, seizing ports..."
Tazuna-san ground his teeth, hatred blazing in his eyes:
"The people of Nami no Kuni want to eat his flesh! Even my son-in-law was murdered by him..."
"Drugs, smuggling, assassination..."
Naruto grin widened.
Clear source of wealth, huge social harm, no government backing—a textbook target for wealth redistribution!
Swish!
Naruto darted forward and stood right in front of Tazuna-san.
He lifted the old man to his feet and clasped those rough hands tightly.
The cold face from moments ago now wore a sun-bright smile.
"My apologies for just now, elder."
His voice dripped with regret, as though the person who'd coldly refused had never existed:
"I questioned you so harshly only to be sure you're a good, oppressed elder worth helping."
"Now that I've confirmed the enemy's guilt and your innocence—"
For an instant, a righteous white gleam flashed across Naruto glasses.
"Now I know what must be done!"
Watching Naruto pull a 180-degree turn, Tazuna-san's brain stalled.
This brat flips faster than a book!
And that smile... dazzling, yet why does it send chills down my spine?
Naruto turned to the stunned Sandaime Hokage and Kakashi-sensei, righteous and proud:
"Hokage-sama, Kakashi-sensei, Team 7 will take this mission!"
"If we back off from a demon who bleeds the people just because it's dangerous, how can we call ourselves Konohagakure shinobi?"
"My nindo: punish evil and uphold justice!"
The Hokage Office fell silent.
Sandaime Hokage forgot his pipe; ash spilled onto the desk.
Kakashi-sensei's dead-fish eyes bulged, his mind blank.
Sasuke mouth twitched; Sakura-chan gaped.
Everyone shared the same thought: "You've said both the noble and the selfish lines—your face changes faster than anyone's! You just want Gato's money, admit it!"
After a moment, Sandaime Hokage came back to himself.
He exhaled a long ring of smoke.
Though he doubted Naruto sudden sense of justice, as Hokage he had to follow the rules.
"Nonsense."
The Sandaime rapped the table, his expression stern:
"Naruto, your heart may be in the right place, but rules are rules."
"Since shinobi assassins are involved, this is no longer a C-rank—it's B, maybe even A."
"Mr. Tazuna paid for C-rank; the village can't send Genin into that danger."
"It would be irresponsible with your lives."
Hope that had just flared in Tazuna-san died; his face went ashen.
Right—he didn't have the money to upgrade...
"I'll cover the difference," Naruto said suddenly, pulling out a wallet and slapping it on the table.
"If Tazuna-san can't afford the B-rank fee, I'll pay the shortfall."
"Hah?!"
Even Sasuke was stunned.
The same stingy Naruto who haggled with Kakashi-sensei over a few thousand ryo and invented appointment slots is paying out of pocket?
The sun must have risen in the west!
"You..."
The Sandaime was equally floored.
"You're footing the bill?"
He glanced at the bulging wallet—how many people had this kid shaken down?
"Exactly," Naruto said, pushing his glasses firmly.
"What's a little money for justice? Consider it an investment in the people of Nami no Kuni."
"So everyone can live safe, peaceful lives—for love and harmony."
Three parts sincerity, seven parts theatrics—yet the words made the Sandaime hesitate a second.
Could the boy really mean it?
Then he saw the irrepressible smirk tugging at Naruto mouth—and understood.
The kid had found a righteous excuse to raid someone's coffers!
"No," the Sandaime repeated, shaking his head.
"Even if we raise the rank, a B-rank must be carried out by a Chunin or Jonin squad by regulation."
"You're only fresh Genin—insufficient experience."
"What if the client specifically requests us?"
Naruto suddenly looked at Tazuna-san, a hint in his eyes, and smiled:
"Elder, you're in deadly peril. Re-posting, waiting for a new team, reassessing—each step costs precious time."
"Every delay makes your situation worse."
"We're only Genin, but I'm top of our year, Sasuke is second, and our Jonin leader is an elite."
"We'll even front the money to upgrade the mission. Is there a more cost-effective choice?"
He stressed the word "front."
Tazuna-san might be old, but he wasn't stupid; he'd survived on the bottom rungs long enough to read between the lines.
He caught on at once.
Maybe the blond kid's motives weren't pure, but he was strong, willing, and wanted Gato dead.
Good enough!
So he hurriedly called to the Sandaime:
"Hokage-sama! I request them! I want this... young man's team."
"I believe in their strength and... justice!"
He forced out the last word, his conscience pricking.
The Sandaime watched the old man and the boy strike harmony in seconds, the corner of his eye twitching wildly.
He wanted to refuse—it was flagrantly against protocol.
But... Naruto leaned in and whispered just loud enough for the Sandaime to hear:
"Grandpa, you know my strength."
"Letting me burn off steam outside is safer than leaving me in the village where I might accidentally blow up the training ground again, right?"
"That protects the village too, doesn't it?"
At the words "training ground," the Sandaime's pipe-hand trembled.
He pictured the scorched earth and the long repair bill.
If he didn't let the brat loose on someone else, who knew what new stunt might erupt—and Kakashi-sensei would be along.
With Naruto ability to fight above his rank and his cautious streak, safety should be assured.
"...Haa."
The Sandaime exhaled a long sigh.
Fine—rules are dead; people are alive.
Especially when the person is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and a one-man disaster zone.
"Only this once, never again."
He lifted the stamp and slammed it onto the mission form.
"Team 7, hear this!"
"The escort mission to Nami no Kuni is upgraded to B-rank and assigned to you. Safely deliver the client!"
"Yes sir!"
Sakura-chan cheered.
Sasuke clenched a fist, battle hunger in his eyes.
At last, real combat.
Naruto adjusted his glasses, the corner of his mouth curling in a plan-success smile.
"And Kakashi... keep an eye on Naruto. No unnecessary moves!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Kakashi-sensei scratched his head wearily and looked at Naruto:
"All right, go pack. Meet at the village gate in thirty minutes."
Naruto turned to Sasuke and Sakura:
"Bring everything on the list I gave you. This is live combat—don't screw it up."
"Got it."