C-Rank Mission

With wads of paper stuffed into her nostrils to keep the stench from knocking her out, Kushina sat off to the side, boredly watching Chiga walk across the water and pick up trash.

Babysitting children, looking for lost kittens, picking up trash, pulling weeds—

Kushina had taken Chiga through all sorts of D-Rank Missions, yet she had never expected him not to complain even once.

He could even find enjoyment amid hardship.

She had assumed that a young man like Chiga would lack patience and start clamoring for higher-level missions after only a few days.

That would have given Kushina the perfect opportunity to teach him not to aim too high, and that he needed to take things one step at a time.

It would have added another achievement to her record as a teacher.

Yet Chiga was so calm and composed about slacking off, not at all like a spirited young man.

Listening to the unfamiliar yet rather pleasant tune Chiga was humming, Kushina's face grew increasingly impatient.

Finally, Kushina sprang to her feet, shut her mouth, and blew the paper wads out of her nostrils without the slightest concern for her image.

She shouted at Chiga, "Chiga, you win!"

Hearing that, Chiga raised his head in confusion. "Teacher Kushina, what did you say?"

Kushina said resentfully, "Chiga, did you know from the very beginning that I was going to use these low-level missions to temper you?"

"Isn't this the kind of work a genin like me is supposed to do?" Chiga asked, tilting his head.

Chiga truly did not mind these low-level missions. The work was easy, and he could slack off from time to time.

Although D-Rank Missions did not pay much, one should not forget that Uchiha Fugaku also paid him fifty thousand ryo every month.

So Chiga was perfectly happy to keep things this way.

Seeing that Chiga did not seem to be faking it, Kushina understood.

Sure enough, his dream of lying flat for the rest of his life had not been empty talk.

Completely deflated, Kushina waved at Chiga. "Move aside. Leave the rest to me."

With that, she began forming hand seals.

Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!

In a burst of smoke, more than a hundred of Kushina's shadow clones appeared around her.

Chiga's eyes lit up. "Teacher Kushina, when are you going to teach me that ninjutsu?"

"No—"

Kushina had just been about to refuse, but then reconsidered. Chiga had quite a lot of Chakra, though he was still young and accidents could easily happen. So Kushina said, "Wait a while longer."

"Alright."

Chiga nodded, understanding what Kushina meant.

While the two of them chatted, Kushina's shadow clones had already cleared all the garbage from the sewers.

"Done!"

Looking at the mountain-like pile of trash before her, Kushina clapped her hands and smugly said to Chiga, "Come on. You've done so many D-Rank Missions—it's time to take on a C-Rank Mission and get some practice."

Chiga looked at the sewer entrance, now spotless and free of even a speck of trash. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Teacher Kushina, I forgot to tell you—this mission is paid by the hour. One hundred ryo an hour."

Kushina said bluntly, "What idiot posted that mission? If everyone dragged their feet like you, wouldn't he go bankrupt?"

Chiga explained with a smile, "Teacher Kushina, this mission is meant to help rookie genin like us practice water walking."

Kushina's expression froze before she said disdainfully, "Hmph. Training is one's own business. Why would anyone need to rely on such underhanded tactics?"

Now that Kushina had cleaned up all the trash, there was no point in staying. They did not care about that little bit of money anyway, so they went to the mission hall in Konohagakure to turn in the mission.

Kushina then led Chiga straight to the Hokage Office Door and threw it open with great fanfare.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was handling official business, did not even raise his head as he said in dissatisfaction, "Kushina, you're already a Jonin Instructor. Why are you still as unruly as before?"

At present, the only people in Konoha who could enter without knocking or waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi's permission were the two elder sisters, Kushina and Tsunade.

Tsunade was currently hopelessly addicted to gambling and would never come looking for him, so it could only be this Red Hot Habanero, Kushina.

Kushina paid no mind to Hiruzen Sarutobi's rebuke. Slapping the desk, she roared, "Third Hokage, enough nonsense! Hurry up and bring me the mission list for C-Rank and above!"

Hearing that, Hiruzen Sarutobi helplessly raised his head. Only after glancing at Chiga behind Kushina did he say, "Do you want to take Chiga out for some experience?"

As he spoke, he took a puff from the pipe in his hand and contentedly exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi wreathed in smoke, Kushina showed not the slightest respect. She snatched the pipe from his hand and said with disdain, "I'm telling you, Third Hokage, smoking in front of a lady is very rude."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..." It was truly surprising to hear the word "rude" come from her mouth.

Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi's aggrieved expression, Chiga was utterly amazed. That old man might look cheerful and kindly every day, but if anyone else dared lay hands on him like Kushina did, the grass on their grave would be three meters tall.

Without his pipe, Hiruzen Sarutobi smacked his lips and began sorting through the numerous documents. After searching for quite a while, he finally found a C-Rank Mission suitable for Kushina.

Handing the mission scroll to Kushina, he said, "This was delivered just yesterday. In a small village not far from Konoha, they reported that a man-eating creature has appeared near the village. Several people have already died, and they hope we can send ninja to deal with it."

Although Kushina could not go to the front lines, she could still carry out missions within the Land of Fire.

"Is that all? Aren't there any missions heading toward the Land of Lightning?"

Kushina's mind immediately became active. Minato was carrying out missions near the border of the Land of Lightning. If she went this time, she might get lucky enough to see him—and perhaps linger around the front lines for a while.

Once she was outside, who could possibly keep Red Hot Habanero under control?

Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly shot Kushina a glare. The only reason he was allowing her to leave the village was because the war had already ended. Otherwise, Konoha would not have let her out at all.

Hiruzen Sarutobi earnestly advised, "Kushina, this mission is only meant to give your disciple some experience. If it becomes too dangerous, won't you consider your disciple's safety?"

"Hey, Third Hokage, are you looking down on me, Kushina, or looking down on my disciple? If it weren't because I'm—"

"Cough!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's cough cut Kushina off. Very few people in all of Konoha knew that she was a Jinchuriki.

Kushina also realized she had nearly let it slip. She held her tongue, saying nothing, merely glaring at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Afraid that Chiga might notice something, Hiruzen Sarutobi changed the subject. "All right, Kushina. This C-Rank Mission offers the highest reward among all C-Rank Missions."

Chiga's eyes immediately lit up at that.

"Hokage, how much?"