C-rank mission: setting out for the Land of Waves

Konoha's mission system was simple. First, the village leadership accepted requests from others, divided them into four difficulty ranks—A, B, C and D—and assigned them to ninja of the corresponding ranks.

A-rank: missions involving the affairs of a nation or village, such as guarding important people and defeating ninja forces. Only Konoha Jonin could take them.

B-rank: missions that might involve battles between ninja, such as personal protection, intelligence gathering and assassinating ninja. Chunin and Jonin could take them.

C-rank: personal protection, capturing wild beasts, subjugation and the like. Genin and those above them could take them.

D-rank: minor missions that involved no combat and posed no risk to life, such as babysitting, digging up taro and finding cats and dogs. Genin could take them, while Chunin and Jonin generally disdained them.

Because Shinki's Team 7 had only just become ninja, they could currently take only simple D-rank missions.

They were either babysitting or helping villagers with farm work.

Before he knew it, more than half a month had passed since Shinki became an official Konoha ninja.

In that time, his strong learning ability had helped him gain plenty of experience farming and looking after children.

It was a world apart from what he had imagined: becoming a ninja, fighting on the battlefield and taking part in all kinds of secret operations.

Still, Shinki had always been easygoing, so he didn't complain.

Although the missions were simple, he took every one of them very seriously.

The missions might not be challenging now, but at least they were safe. Once he started taking high-difficulty missions, he might lose his life one day.

Shinki could keep his mind at ease.

Naruto, on the other hand, was a clumsy kid who couldn't sit still.

After completing yet another mission to find a dog, the group returned to the Hokage's conference room to report in.

Naruto started complaining the moment he pushed the door open. "Hey, Grandpa Third, I've been a ninja for more than half a month now. Why do we get nothing but missions helping with farm work every day? Ninja should be fighting, not letting their will be worn down by everyday life!"

Hearing Naruto, the Third Hokage slowly put down the documents in his hands. "Naruto, you've only been a ninja for half a month. Don't aim too high! Look at Sasuke and Shinki on your team. Neither of them has said anything."

As he spoke, the Third Hokage looked at Shinki, his opinion of the boy rising even further.

Not only was the boy exceptionally talented and quick to learn, he was also diligent!

He had spent half a month doing menial missions and had been meticulous every time!

"They must have gotten impatient ages ago too. They just haven't shown it," Naruto said with a pout.

"Hey, Naruto, don't be disrespectful to Lord Hokage," Kakashi reminded him.

"All right. Since you want a more challenging mission, I happen to have a C-rank assignment to escort someone," the Third Hokage said helplessly.

Then,

An unfamiliar man pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office.

The man looked to be in his fifties or sixties. He wore glasses and was scruffy and unkempt, with stubble covering his face.

He had a bottle of liquor in his hand and was leaning against the doorframe in a drunken daze. Sounding a little dissatisfied, he said, "These are the ninja protecting me? Why are they a bunch of kids?"

"Especially that little blond one. One look and you can tell he's a dunce."

Naruto clenched his fists (ꐦ ಠ dish ಠ). "I'm a bona fide Konoha ninja! Don't look down on me!"

The Third Hokage introduced him. "This is Tazuna, the person you'll be protecting on this mission. He's a remarkable bridge-building engineer."

"He's definitely the worst mission client ever!"

Naruto said indignantly.

"Naruto, let Lord Hokage finish."

Shinki tugged at Naruto beside him, getting him to quiet down for a moment.

Only then did the Third Hokage continue. "Your mission is to escort Mr. Tazuna back to the Land of Waves to build a bridge. Simple enough, right?"

"The Land of Waves? So we get to leave the village?"

Naruto nearly jumped for joy.

The drunken Tazuna criticized him mercilessly. "A brat really is just a brat. I bet you've never even been outside your village in your whole life."

Naruto (▼皿▼): "Bakayaro! Quit looking down on me, old man!"

Half an hour later.

Team 7 and Tazuna arrived outside Konoha.

Naruto looked back at Konoha's towering gate and exclaimed in excitement, "All right! I finally get to see the outside world!"

Even Shinki began to look forward to it. He had been in this world for so long, but this was his first time leaving Konoha's boundaries to see another country.

Kakashi reminded the kids, "All right, check that you've brought enough equipment."

The three members of Team 7 all began checking their gear.

Just then, Shinki abruptly raised his head and looked toward a spot in the dense forest around them.

He had sensed a fluctuation of Chakra!

But as soon as Shinki made that movement, the strange Chakra fluctuation vanished!

Could someone already have set their sights on us just after we left the village?

Or am I so nervous that my senses are playing tricks on me?

"Shinki, what are you looking at?"

Kakashi asked, puzzled.

"Nothing. A bird I'd never seen before just flew up over there."

Shinki casually made up an excuse.

He was afraid his senses really had been mistaken, and that saying anything would cause unnecessary panic.

Once the three were ready, Kakashi waved his arm. "All right, let's set off, everyone."

On the road,

Team 7 and Tazuna chatted on and off.

Naruto asked, "Doesn't the Land of Waves have a ninja village? Why did they send their request to Konoha?"

"Idiot, what did you learn about the basics at the Ninja Academy?"

Kakashi raised a hand and punched Naruto on the head, then began to explain. "For the many nations on the continent, a ninja village can be considered a nation's military force."

"In other words, they can use it to deter other nations and maintain diplomatic relations."

"That said, ninja villages are very special entities and aren't controlled by their nations."

"As for a small island nation like the Land of Waves, it doesn't need a ninja village."

"The Land of Fire, which our village of Konoha belongs to, is one of the Five Great Nations, along with the Land of Wind, the Land of Water, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. They have ninja villages and the strongest ninja forces, so it's no surprise that we receive requests."

"So that's how it is."

Naruto nodded. "Iruka-sensei taught us that in class, but I didn't remember it."

"Can a half-baked ninja like you really protect me?"

Tazuna asked, sounding slightly dissatisfied.

"Quit looking down on me! I'm the future Hokage of Konoha!"

Naruto clenched his fists and declared.

"'Kage'—that's the strongest among you ninja, isn't it?"

Tazuna looked thoughtful.

"Yeah! I'm going to become someone like that and push that scrawny old man, the Third Hokage, out of the job."

Naruto waved his fists, his face full of longing.

"Hey, stop disrespecting Lord Hokage behind his back."

Kakashi was at a loss =_=.

He had already told Naruto this many times.