Chapter 145 - 11

Chapter 11: D-Rank Missions? Even a Dog Wouldn't Do ThemOver the next few days, Team 7 fell into a hellish loop.It wasn't the kind of Shura field filled with flashing blades and clashing swords, but rather a trivial abyss known as 'D-rank missions'.The scorching sun hung high in the sky.In the back garden of a certain mansion in Konoha Village.Sasuke was squatting on the ground, a small trowel in hand, struggling against a stubborn weed. His cool face, born for revenge, was currently covered in dirt, and the veins on his temples were throbbing rhythmically."Damn it..."Sasuke pulled with force.The grass snapped, but the roots remained."I am an avenger who will kill that man! Not a gardener!"Sasuke slammed the trowel into the dirt, his killing intent overflowing, scaring the nearby earthworms back into the soil.Not far away, Sakura was kneeling on the ground wiping a statue in the garden, so exhausted she couldn't straighten her back."Sasuke-kun, bear with it. Kakashi-sensei said this is basic training...""Training, my ass."A lazy voice drifted down from above.The two of them looked up.On the largest banyan tree in the garden, Narutowas lying comfortably among the thick branches. His divine robe, embroidered with the word 'Honesty', was cushioned beneath him, and he was holding the 'Icha Icha Paradise: Collector's Edition', reading it with great interest.Beneath the tree, a dozen Shadow Clones were lined up in a row, pulling weeds, turning soil, and fertilizing with incredible hand speed. Their efficiency was comparable to a professional landscaping team."A truly strong person must know how to allocate physical strength reasonably."Naruto flipped a page, his fingertip lingering on an illustration for two seconds, seemingly studying some profound human anatomy."This kind of low-skill manual labor can be left to clones. The original's brain should be used to ponder more profound philosophical questions."Looking at Naruto's lordly demeanor, Sasuke's fists tightened."You're reading that kind of book and calling it pondering philosophy?""Superficial."Naruto closed the book and poked his head out from the tree, looking disappointed in them."Er Zhu Zi, this is why you're weak. You only see the surface, while I see the origins of life and the mysteries of reproduction. Only by understanding the process of creating life can one better understand how to take it away."Sasuke: "..."If one didn't listen to the content and only heard the tone, they would think it was the Third Hokagepreaching....Another day.Mission content: Cleaning trash from the river.The river water was murky and emitted a foul stench.Sakura was wearing tall rain boots, holding a pair of tongs, and pinching her nose as she picked up a moldy soda can, feeling like she was about to suffocate.Sasuke stood in the river, water up to his calves, his face so dark it looked like ink could drip from it.On the bank.Naruto lay under a sun umbrella, wearing sunglasses, holding a glass of iced juice, the straw making a'slurp slurp' sound.In the riverbed, twenty Shadow Clones were frantically scooping up trash."Hey! Naruto!"Sakura finally couldn't take it anymore and slammed her tongs into the water, splashing dirty water everywhere."Why are we all working while you're drinking juice!"Naruto adjusted his sunglasses."Because I have a brain."He pointed to the clones in the river."Having a lot of Chakra means you can do whatever you want. Instead of complaining, you should practice your Chakra control more. Look at Er Zhu Zi; even though he has a sour face, he's working hard. That's the difference in awareness."Sasuke's foot slipped, and he almost fell into the stinking ditch....The third day.Mission content: Capture the lost pet 'Tora'.This was a fat cat with a pink bow on its right ear, supposedly the beloved pet of the Daimyo's Wife.In the woods."Meow!"A shrill cat cry rang out.That fat cat was as agile as a monkey, jumping between branches in a zigzag pattern, leading Sasuke and Sakura on a wild goose chase."Over there! Sasuke-kun, stop it!"Sasuke activated his Sharingan, trying to predict the cat's landing point.But this cat seemed to be supernatural; it changed direction mid-air, stepped directly on Sasuke's face to jump across, and left three bloody scratches on his nose."You beast!"Sasuke was furious. He was about to throw a shuriken when he remembered Kakashi's warning—it must be captured alive.He felt so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.Just as the fat cat was about to dive into the bushes and escape.A black shadow descended from the sky.Without a shred of mercy.Without a moment's hesitation.Bang!It was the dull thud of flesh meeting a hard-soled combat boot.Naruto stepped on the fat cat's belly, pinning it to the ground like a rug."Meow-gh—"The fat cat let out a breathless scream, its eyes rolled back, and it fainted."So noisy."Naruto bent down, picked the cat up by the scruff of its neck, and shook it."This kind of spoiled beast needs a beating to behave. Same logic as educating a brat."Sakura looked at the foaming cat and swallowed hard."Nar... Naruto, it's not dead, is it?""It won't die."Naruto casually tossed the cat to Sasuke."Let's go, turn in the mission. I've had enough of this playing house."...Hokage Building.Mission Reception Desk.The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was puffing on his pipe, looking at a document with a furrowed brow.The situation around the Village had been unstable lately; there seemed to be movement from the Hidden Mist Village...BOOM—!A loud noise interrupted his thoughts.The thick oak doors were kicked open, the panels slamming against the walls and shaking loose a layer of dust.Two Anbu guards were about to appear when they were forced back by a violent surge of Chakra.Naruto walked in first.The hem of his divine robe, marked with 'Honesty', fluttered in the wind, and his face was practically screaming 'I'm very pissed off'.Behind him followed Kakashi, looking like he'd lost his will to live, along with Sasuke and Sakura, who were covered in cat hair."Old man!"Naruto walked to the desk and slammed both hands down heavily on the surface.Crack.A crack split through the corner of the solid wood desk."Don't give me that nonsense. Pulling weeds, picking up trash, finding cats, babysitting. I'm a Ninja, not your household hourly worker."Naruto leaned in, his azure eyes staring directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his presence intensely oppressive."Give me another mission that insults my intelligence, and I'll tear your office apart, and while I'm at it, I'll live-stream your crystal ball peeping on the women's bathhouse to the whole Village."Pfft—Hiruzen Sarutobi choked on his smoke, coughing violently.This brat!Is that the kind of thing you say in front of outsiders?Next to him, Iruka was so startled he dropped his pen, desperately signaling Naruto with his eyes."Naruto! Don't be disrespectful! This is to temper your character...""Character, my ass."Naruto interrupted Iruka, casually pulling that copy of 'icha icha paradise' from his robe and slapping it on the desk."My character has already been tempered a thousand times in the adult world. Now, I want a real mission. C-rank. Or B-rank. The kind where blood is shed."Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his throbbing temples.Looking at this Nine-Tails Jinchuriki who was completely out of control, he felt a wave of helplessness.How is this a twelve-year-old?This is clearly a veteran soldier!Just then.A set of drunken footsteps sounded from outside the door."*Hic*... So these are Konoha's Ninjas?"An old man reeking of alcohol stumbled in.He held a half-empty bottle of cheap shochu, wore thick bottle-bottom glasses, and his face was written with decadence and disdain.It was Tazuna, the bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves.