The Land of Waves Begins

"Even so, why can Nanfeng use Shadow Clones to handle the missions we take on?" Naruto said, looking somewhat dissatisfied at Nanfeng's shadow clone.

They too had mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu, but the moment they'd thought of doing the same, Kakashi had refused on the grounds that it would interfere with their training. Nanfeng, however, had a special status—if the medical ninjas at Konoha Hospital found out he was stuck in the village doing D-Rank missions...

Kakashi figured the next time he went to the hospital for treatment, he'd receive some special care from the medical ninjas.

He recalled an incident at Konoha Hospital. A guy who'd just become a Chunin, too elated for his own good, had annoyed Nanfeng—who was already frustrated from training—while receiving treatment. The consequences of that encounter were still a fond tale told at Konoha Ninja Hospital.

At the time, Nanfeng had been brooding because he couldn't gain Attribute Points from treating animals. He wanted to vent his frustration, but he was still within Konoha's borders, and plenty of old schemers were keeping a close eye on his every move. It made him feel incredibly stifled!

Then, the very next second, that pitiful Chunin had provoked Nanfeng with his arrogance. Though Nanfeng couldn't punish him openly, he happened to have just dabbled enough in pharmacology to be dangerous.

So, he added some Itchy Powder—the same kind Kakashi had experienced not long ago—into the herbs needed for the ninja's treatment, along with some sensory amplification effects.

As everyone knows, during the wound-healing process, new granulation cells are quite sensitive, often making the wound feel itchy.

Now add Itchy Powder and sensory amplification to that? That Chunin, they say, couldn't scratch or not scratch. Tears and snot streaming down his face. Seeing this, Nanfeng finally stepped in to resolve the poor guy's predicament. And it was precisely because of this incident that Nanfeng became someone you absolutely did not mess with at Konoha Ninja Hospital!

"If you were medical ninjas working at Konoha Hospital, I'd agree to let you use Shadow Clones to handle future missions too," Kakashi said, expressionless.

But at that moment, Nanfeng's shadow clone spoke up!

As mentioned before, Nanfeng's shadow clones were a special case. Each clone had its own unique personality. Though this clone was hardworking and uncomplaining, after doing D-Rank missions for so long, it was starting to get a bit unbearable.

"Stuck doing these tasks all day really gets to a person. I wonder if the Hokage could take a look at our recent mission completion rate and let us take on something a bit more advanced?" Nanfeng's shadow clone complained.

Babysitting every day, weeding, catching cats—even a shadow clone found it grating. And when Nanfeng himself received the memories transmitted back from the clone, he couldn't help but feel a bit speechless!

"Let me think... The hospital doesn't need too many hands right now, and your strength is indeed sufficient for some higher-level missions. As it happens... there's a mission today that suits you perfectly." Flipping through the mission scrolls, Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe, clapped his hands, and spoke.

A scruffy, burly man stumbled drunkenly through the door of the Hokage Office. Everyone present looked at him with varying degrees of disdain.

Though ninjas generally didn't pay much attention to their appearance, someone this unkempt, with a noticeable odor, was a rare sight in this day and age.

"This is the client for this mission—Tazuna, a bridge-building master from the Land of Waves. The request is an escort mission, rated C-Rank. It should fit your needs just fine," the Hokage said without looking up, addressing Kakashi and the others.

"That's right. If you take this mission, make sure to guarantee my safety during the process!" Tazuna dropped his drunken act and looked at Kakashi.

He didn't know Kakashi's true skill level, but the man was calm and seemed reliable enough.

As for the three brats—the one with the gentle expression looked like he might be some kind of medic, useful if someone got sick on the road. The black-haired kid seemed decent too. Only the blond one looked loud and brash, nothing like a ninja at all.

While Tazuna was sizing up Naruto and the others, they were sizing him up too. They weren't thrilled that their client was a drunkard, but this was a rare chance to leave the village on a mission!

Not just Naruto and the others—Nanfeng himself had hardly ever left Konoha in his entire life. He was naturally looking forward to seeing what the outside world was like.

"Then we'll take the mission. Meet at the village gate tomorrow at eight in the morning. Remember to bring the mission scroll, or you won't be able to leave the village—don't blame me." After giving his instructions, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the Hokage Office.

Tazuna was stunned by the sight, feeling even more certain he'd chosen the right people for this mission!

"The Land of Waves mission is about to start, huh?" That night, lying in bed and receiving the memories from his shadow clone during the day, Nanfeng murmured to himself. In his memory, this mission wasn't that simple.

But seeing Naruto and Sasuke both looking excited, he didn't say much. He only told them to bring some essentials. As for the outside world, Nanfeng was now full of curiosity too!

"Momochi Zabuza and Yuki Haku... the first Kekkei Genkai users to appear outside Konoha. Is there a way to win them over?" Nanfeng closed his eyes, beginning to plan his next moves.

Haku's abilities were decent. It would be a shame if he died like that. Nanfeng needed to quietly build his own power now. The hostility coming from Konoha was growing deeper. As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi was still alive, he might provide some protection.

But the Chunin Exam was coming soon, and Sarutobi would die. Nanfeng couldn't guarantee Danzo wouldn't make a move by then. And the Elder Council—those old bastards were all fence-sitters. Who knew if they'd help Danzo traffic ninjas when the time came?

"What a headache..." Nanfeng let out a long sigh and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Compared to Nanfeng, the other two kids had a much harder time falling asleep. Leaving the village on a mission for the first time—for them, it was all novelty and anticipation. They tossed and turned, and didn't manage to fall asleep until midnight.