C-rank Mission

Early the next morning, Training Ground 3.

When Tejima Shinichi arrived, he unexpectedly saw Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu chasing each other around and fooling about, having a grand time!

Strange, were the two of them really that close before?

Tejima Shinichi muttered to himself.

"Shinichi!"

Just then, Kobayashi Ken spotted him and immediately stopped what he was doing and ran over, excitement written across his face.

"Shinichi! Why are you always so late?"

Tejima Shinichi swept his gaze over the empty training ground.

"Teacher Yamato isn't here yet either, is he?"

Kobayashi Ken scratched his head and chuckled, promptly tossing the minor matter aside as he leaned closer.

"The more I thought about it after going home last night, the more I felt that since Teacher Yamato agreed to treat us to Yakiniku Q, we have to make him bleed tonight!"

When Sato Yu, standing nearby, heard "Yakiniku Q," she could not help speaking with anticipation.

"I hope Teacher Yamato hasn't forgotten."

Seeing his two companions' anticipation for tonight's meal, Tejima Shinichi merely smiled faintly.

Yakiniku Q...

That restaurant's food truly deserved praise. The meat was fresh and tender, and its sauces were unique. It was the first choice for many Konoha ninja looking to reward themselves after a mission.

Its only drawback was probably that the prices were decidedly unfriendly. Even eating there occasionally counted as a luxury.

Now that Teacher Yamato was footing the bill, an opportunity like this was indeed rare.

Just then, Yamato's figure quietly appeared in the center of the training ground.

"You're all here." His gaze quickly swept over the three of them, lingering for a moment on Tejima Shinichi's face.

Seeing that Tejima Shinichi's breathing was steady and that he seemed unaffected by yesterday's incident, Yamato secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Teacher!" Kobayashi Ken immediately stood at attention, though his face still carried anticipation for grilled meat.

"Good morning, Teacher Yamato."

Sato Yu greeted him respectfully.

Tejima Shinichi also gave a slight nod in greeting.

"Good." A faint smile appeared on Yamato's face. "Then let's get to today's business."

The moment he finished speaking, Kobayashi Ken impatiently blurted out, "Teacher Yamato! You haven't forgotten about tonight's promise, have you? Yakiniku Q!"

Though Sato Yu said nothing, her eyes clearly conveyed the same question.

Yamato looked at them, chuckled, and shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Perhaps... we still won't be able to have grilled meat tonight."

"Huh? Why?!" he immediately cried out, his face falling. "Teacher Yamato, you can't go back on your word!"

Sato Yu could not help complaining as well, her tone filled with obvious disappointment. "Yeah, Teacher Yamato. We've been looking forward to it all night."

Yamato looked at them, and the smile on his face faded into a serious expression. "No, I'm not going back on my word. It's because today, you are going to..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three of them before he slowly said:

"Carry out a C-rank mission."

"Is it really... a C-rank mission!?"

Two cries of surprise suddenly rang out in the Hokage's Office!

Kobayashi Ken's eyes widened round, and his mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg. Though Sato Yu maintained her posture, the hand gripping her ninja tool pouch visibly tightened. Even Tejima Shinichi was surprised.

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the three young people's reactions, the corner of his mouth curving slightly.

Sure enough, even after spending just one day on those tedious D-rank missions, they were already eager to take on higher-level challenges and experience the life that truly belonged to ninja.

"That's right, a C-rank mission. Hozumi Village, located in the eastern part of the Land of Fire near the border with the Land of Hot Water, has recently been harassed badly by a group of Bandits. The villagers pooled their money and submitted a request to Konoha."

He pushed a scroll toward the edge of the desk.

"Your mission is to escort a shipment of medicinal materials and daily supplies to Hozumi Village, then assist the local villagers in eliminating or driving away those Bandits." His gaze swept over the three of them before finally landing on Yamato. "Yamato, you will be fully responsible. Assess the risks and ensure their safety."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Yamato stepped forward and accepted the mission scroll.

"The border... Bandits..."

Kobayashi Ken excitedly licked his lips, already rubbing his fists together. Sato Yu took a deep breath, anticipation in her eyes.

"The mission details and route are all in there." Sarutobi Hiruzen waved a hand. "Prepare quickly. Depart this afternoon."

"Yes!"

The Four People saluted and left the Hokage's Office.

In the hallway, Kobayashi Ken nearly jumped into the air, his face instantly flooded with joy.

"Did you hear that?! It's C-rank! A real C-rank mission! We finally don't have to clean trash out of riverbeds anymore!"

Though Sato Yu remained fairly restrained, her tightly clenched fists and shining eyes exposed her inner excitement. "Finally... no more D-rank missions." She looked at Tejima Shinichi. "Shinichi, what do you think?"

Tejima Shinichi raised a brow slightly and said calmly:

"At least it's more interesting than cleaning up garbage."

Kobayashi Ken nodded vigorously, the excitement on his face growing even stronger. "More than interesting! Shinichi! I bet we're the first team among this year's graduates to carry out a C-rank mission, right? This is incredible!"

Sato Yu also showed agreement at his words. "Very likely. We only graduated two days ago, after all."

Yamato looked at his eager team members and spoke steadily. "Don't celebrate too soon. A C-rank mission means real risks. You may encounter combat or even get injured. Stay completely alert."

"Yes!" Kobayashi Ken and Sato Yu immediately wiped the smiles from their faces and answered in unison.

Tejima Shinichi nodded lightly, his gaze turning toward the village entrance.

"All right." Yamato clapped his hands. "Go back and prepare the necessary ninja tools and supplies. Gather at the village entrance in one hour. We leave on time."

"Understood!" ×3

The three answered in unison, then turned and left in different directions.