Passing the Mission

The next morning.

Team 7 arrived at Training Ground 7 early.

The three youngsters exchanged glances for a moment.

Naruto suddenly changed direction.

"I think I forgot something, I'm going home to get it."

Sakura lightly tapped her forehead.

"Oh no, I forgot something too. Cangwu-sensei isn't here yet anyway, so I'll go back and get it."

In the blink of an eye.

Naruto and Sakura, acting suspiciously, met downstairs at Cangwu's house.

"Sakura-chan... are you here to wake up Cangwu-sensei too?"

Hearing this, Sakura, who was already a bit embarrassed, quickly took the opportunity.

"Yes, yes."

"Sasuke-kun... what about you?"

Naruto only then noticed that Sasuke had also followed.

"Hmph."

Sasuke snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and turned his head away.

Just then, the front door of Cangwu's house was pushed open.

"I ate so much~"

"Cangwu-sensei, can I come learn cooking from you tonight?"

"Ino..."

"What? Hinata, you want to come too?"

"No... that's not it..."

"Alright, alright, it's time to go. We have a mission this morning, Ino, your Tenth Squad too, right?"

Yūhi Kurenai walked out last, her pretty face slightly flushed.

She ruffled the heads of the two girls.

"Yeah, it's another boring 'find the cat, find the dog' mission, it's so annoying," Ino said helplessly.

The three girls then left together.

The three youngsters' eyes widened.

"What... what was that?" Naruto asked dumbfoundedly.

"Wait, Naruto, someone else is coming out!" Sakura quickly pulled Naruto back as he was about to step forward.

Disbelief still lingered on her face.

She hadn't expected that they weren't the only ones who came with the intention of freeloading a meal.

No... could it be that besides freeloading, there were other intentions?

However, she soon understood why Ino suddenly stopped "competing" with her for Sasuke.

It turned out she had discovered a real treasure.

"I haven't finished eating yet~!!"

A beautiful figure was pushed out the door.

Anko's cheeks were bulging as she repeatedly knocked on the door.

A slightly helpless voice came from inside the house.

"You're already full... you just want to wait until I go out and then crash at my place, right?"

"So what?" Anko retorted defiantly.

"Didn't we do this every day before?!"

"Can you do your own laundry then?" Cangwu's tone became a bit urgent.

"Honestly, don't I often help you with your laundry too?!"

"Besides, didn't we buy a washing machine a while ago?!"

Anko continued to knock on the door relentlessly.

"Then where did my saved-up pocket money go?"

"For rice dumplings~!"

Cangwu: "..."

Creak--

The door opened.

Anko's face lit up with joy, and she was about to rush in, but a large hand stopped her.

Cangwu walked out helplessly, noticing the three little ones below.

"I knew you guys would come. I made enough for this morning for you too."

"What about me?!" Anko pouted.

"Go to work. I can barely afford to feed you anymore."

Whoosh--

The two disappeared.

The three little ones stood awkwardly in place.

Finally, it was Naruto who couldn't stand the aroma wafting from the house.

He was the first to enter.

Sakura and Sasuke were eventually overcome by their appetites and their awkwardness.

They joined the fray.

Afternoon.

Sakura, looking like a drowned rat, shivered.

"Teacher Cangwu... the training is complete," she said, her body trembling as she approached Cangwu.

"Good, it's about as expected."

Cangwu wasn't surprised that Sakura finished the water-walking training so quickly.

"Go home and change your clothes. I'll take you to meet a new teacher shortly."

Hearing this, Sakura nodded quickly.

Having figured out Cangwu's temperament, Sakura no longer felt the initial fear.

While Cangwu wasn't paying attention, she snatched his jacket and ran home wearing it.

Cangwu opened his mouth, but Sakura, blushing, said without looking back, "My clothes are soaked... I'll wash them and return them to you~!"

Seeing her leave, Cangwu could only give up. He shook his head and was about to go check on the progress of those two bickering lovebirds.

Whoosh--

A figure appeared before him.

Wearing an animal mask, her long purple hair shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

She stood before Cangwu as if it were just business, her tone extremely cold.

"Cangwu, why isn't Team 7 taking missions?"

This tone indicated she was delivering a message from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Of course, it's to allow Team 7 to better grasp the true meaning of the Will of Fire."

Cangwu smiled.

Uzuki Yugao paused for a moment.

Even though the three sisters shared information, Yugao still found it hard to believe at this moment.

Where was the bratty younger brother who used to scoff at the Will of Fire but would never speak in such a tone?

"Is that so?"

"Then I'll answer truthfully."

"Including the tone."

For some reason, Yugao didn't speak with her usual professional demeanor.

"Alright," Cangwu said, not believing her.

Yugao rolled her eyes at him. "Got it. I don't think the Hokage will say anything after hearing your answer."

"Then... shall I go?"

Cangwu nodded slightly.

Yugao, however, didn't move.

"A few days ago, Gekko Hayate came to find me again, wanting to discuss swordsmanship."

Cangwu nodded again.

The two stood in silence for a while.

Finally, Yugao conceded defeat.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"Thank you for your trouble, Sister Yugao."

Although he couldn't see what was happening behind the mask, he could tell her mood just by her tone.

"Leave it to me, Sister."

Yugao left with a satisfied look.

Cangwu watched her leave helplessly.

He wondered if this girl had learned from Yūhi Kurenai.

She wouldn't give up until he called her "Sister."

Or maybe Anko… she was even worse!

At least Sister Yugao and Sister Hong… would occasionally give him pocket money as a reward!

When his strength was sufficient, he would definitely make her pay the price she should have paid long ago!

But… was that considered punishment?

Damn it… that was just another form of exploitation… he was losing out!

"Alright, tree climbing training ends here."

Cangwu came to the base of the tree and looked at the two rivals, who could now walk normally and were competing to see who could run faster and steadier.

"Smug Sasuke, you still refuse to admit defeat, don't you!"

"Hmph, idiot straggler, you want to beat me? You're a hundred years too early!"

Although the two were still bickering, they obediently came down.

They approached Cangwu.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing."

"Next, I'll give you two options."

"What options?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke also looked up at Cangwu.

"First, continue with advanced training, going from climbing trees to walking on water."

"Walking on water?" x2

"That's right, and by the way, Sakura only took an hour to complete her training."

"What?!" x2

"Sakura-chan is so amazing~"

"That annoying guy… how is that possible?!"

The reactions of the two were polar opposites.

"What about the second option?" Sasuke quickly asked.

He would have chosen the first option without hesitation, but Sasuke cautiously asked about the second.

Cangwu smiled and said, "Newcomers have a transition period."

"For example, other teams already started taking missions yesterday."

"I used the excuse of teaching you the true meaning of the Will of Fire to get by."

"Once your training is complete, you'll start taking missions, but your mission quota won't change."

Hearing this, Naruto became a little excited, "Ninja missions?!"

"Teacher Cangwu, can we go fight now?!"

Sasuke, who had been frowning, had a look of anticipation in his eyes when he heard they could fight.

"No, the missions you'll take are all D or E rank, like finding lost cats and dogs for people, or helping farmers with their work."