Unlike Hyuga Bin, who simply studied every day, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin spent that month doing D-rank missions like catching cats and dogs.
And because they were short one person, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin's missions did not go very smoothly. They often needed twice as much time to complete them.
Uchiha Obito had always been impatient. After doing low-level missions nonstop for a month, he was nearly unable to suppress the primal force within him.
Over that month, twelve D-rank missions had been added to their mission records.
As for Hyuga Bin, only the first one was gone; every mission after that was still there.
During that month, Hyuga Masayuki had not told the three of them that their team only had six months of free mission time.
After those six months, they would head to the front lines for the first time, relieving the ninjas stationed there and carrying out a three-month guard duty assignment.
After that, every year, they would spend three months stationed on the front lines.
Though they only had a short six months to grow, Hyuga Masayuki, as their team leader, still wanted to give Hyuga Bin and the others a more gradual process of development.
Because once they went to the front lines, battles and danger could break out at any time, and that was undoubtedly fatal for newly graduated Genin.
The survival rate of front-line ninjas was not even half that of ninjas who accepted and carried out missions in the village.
And newly graduated Genin were practically cannon fodder on the front lines, with death rates far exceeding those of experienced Genin.
For this reason, Hyuga Masayuki had formulated a six-month growth plan for Team 22.
The first month would be spent carrying out D-rank missions in the village, cultivating and tempering Hyuga Bin and the others' temperaments and sense of teamwork.
The second month would involve accepting C-rank escort missions within the Land of Fire, where they would almost never encounter combat.
The third month would involve accepting C-rank combat missions such as exterminating bandits.
Starting from the fourth month, they would accept dangerous C-rank missions involving combat with ninjas, while also considering taking on some B-rank missions to further hone the three's practical combat abilities.
The day after Hyuga Bin returned to the team, Hyuga Masayuki accepted an escort mission to accompany a merchant to Black Rock City in the Land of Fire.
This was Hyuga Bin's first time traveling far from home. Over the past eight years, the farthest he had gone was visiting the village entrance when it was open.
But Hyuga Bin was not worried about a C-rank mission at all.
Under normal circumstances, C-rank missions would not involve encountering ninjas.
Even if they ran into bandits or wandering ninjas, they were nothing more than small fry. Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin could handle them both.
A C-rank mission like Team 7's in the original story, where they encountered Demon of the Mist Zabuza, was treatment reserved for protagonists.
And just as Hyuga Bin had expected, Team 22's first escort mission was completed without a single ripple.
Over the following half month, Team 22 carried out four escort missions.
Afterward, because there were no suitable escort missions available, Hyuga Masayuki accepted a mission to eliminate bandits within the Land of Fire.
This would be Hyuga Bin and the others' first real combat experience—and their first time killing.
Bandits in the Naruto world committed every evil imaginable: robbing civilians and merchant caravans, violating fathers and daughters, torturing children to death.
Hyuga Bin did not feel much psychological burden, but the first time still made him somewhat uncomfortable.
Then came the second time, the third time...
Until three months later, Hyuga Bin and the others had completely adapted.
And after observing them for those three months, Hyuga Masayuki finally noticed that something was off about Hyuga Bin.
Hyuga Bin had never shown any sign of fatigue during escort missions, nor had he used his full strength in combat missions. Even during one "accidental" encounter with ninjas, he had easily dealt with a wandering Genin alone.
Has this kid been hiding his strength all along? For the first time, Hyuga Masayuki used his Byakugan to examine Hyuga Bin.
Then, he was dumbfounded.
"His Chakra reserves are actually greater than mine? How is that possible?"
Worried that something was wrong with his Byakugan, Hyuga Masayuki "shut it down and restarted it" once more. The result was no different from the first time.
In the end, Hyuga Masayuki reached a conclusion:
"This kid has at least Chunin-level strength. His Chakra has reached Jonin level, allowing him to keep his Byakugan active for long periods and use the Gentle Fist. Ordinary Konoha Chunin would not be his match."
"Masayuki, that guy, really gave birth to an incredible son!"
Konoha Chunin were as strong as Jonin from small ninja villages. Hyuga Bin was fully capable of serving as a Chunin team leader on his own.
After thinking it over carefully, Hyuga Masayuki decided to begin accepting B-rank missions, because C-rank missions could no longer train Hyuga Bin at all.
B-rank missions generally involved encountering Genin or Chunin, making them just right for Hyuga Bin, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin to gain experience.
However, as their team leader, he still needed to understand the three's thoughts.
"This time, I plan to accept a B-rank mission. I want to hear what you think."
"We're willing." Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin answered Hyuga Masayuki with eager expressions.
Clearly, having never experienced a threat to their lives, the two had not realized the danger of B-rank missions.
"Teacher Masayuki, I think B-rank missions are still too dangerous." Hyuga Bin voiced a different opinion.
He felt that his strength was still insufficient, and that carrying out a B-rank mission would still be somewhat risky.
"His strength is already greater than that of ordinary Chunin, yet he is still so cautious?" Hyuga Masayuki glanced at Hyuga Bin and said with a smile,
"Then let's settle it by vote."
Hyuga Bin: "..."
In the end, Team 22 decided to accept a B-rank mission by an overwhelming vote of three to one.
At the Mission Hall, Hyuga Masayuki chose a relatively safe mission: investigate the border movements of the Rain Ninja along the border of the Land of Rain, rather than venturing deep into enemy territory.
Because it was an urgent mission, they were required to depart immediately. After the four prepared their supplies, they promptly left the village and hurried northwest toward the Land of Rain.
(I added Bin and Tsunade as new characters. Everyone can make art of them, leave likes, and come up with some nicknames too, hehe...)
Before you continue