Tazuna's Mission

The day after Team 7 was formed, they started the D-rank missions that Naruto found the most tedious.

They were always catching cats, delivering things, pulling weeds, or looking after children. These tasks weren't much different from the ones he'd done in his previous lives.

The routine was almost always the same: meet up with Kakashi at the designated spot.

Kakashi was still late, and of course, Naruto wasn't on time either.

Then they would take the assignment, finish it quickly and efficiently, return to the Hokage Building to report, and have the rest of the day to themselves.

Kakashi seemed pleased with Naruto and Sasuke's remarkable efficiency, and he knew what they'd do with their free time afterward.

As long as they didn't keep him from reading his novels, he didn't care.

Sakura occasionally complained that the missions were boring, but she didn't mind too much since she got to be on the same team as Sasuke.

After completing the same D-rank missions hundreds, even thousands, of times, Naruto had grown numb to them.

He devoted most of his energy to two things: continuing to refine his method for breaking the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird Cursed Seal, and training Sasuke.

After studying the Caged Bird for some time, Naruto had nearly worked out a complete method to break it.

He was almost certain he'd found a way to bypass the Cursed Seal and render it harmless without injuring the person who had placed it.

But it was still only a theory. He'd need to test it on someone to be sure.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Hinata's relationship had quietly grown closer amid their peaceful daily lives.

Sometimes, when a mission ended early, Naruto would happen to pass by the Hyuga Clan compound and "run into" Hinata, who had just finished a mission or training.

They would occasionally eat together or simply take a walk and chat.

Hinata no longer stammered when she spoke to Naruto, and her smile had grown more natural, too.

Naruto enjoyed their peaceful time together.

In his remaining free time, Naruto worked on his physical conditioning.

After all, even with his extensive combat experience, he still needed to keep training his body.

And then there was Sasuke's training.

With Naruto's guidance, Sasuke was improving far faster than he had in his first life at the same age.

His shuriken skills and Taijutsu had both improved significantly.

He had also completed Water Walking, tree climbing, and other Chakra control exercises ahead of schedule.

Time passed.

Day after day went by until one morning, Team 7 received a familiar cat-catching mission.

They had to find the pet cat named Tiger belonging to the wife of the Land of Fire's daimyo.

The mission went off without a hitch. Naruto had already pointed out the places where the cat was most likely hiding.

So naturally, Sasuke—not Naruto, the "commander"—was the one who caught it.

Two and a half minutes later, Sasuke returned to the mission office, holding Tiger by the scruff of the neck and looking thoroughly annoyed. He set the cat down on the desk without ceremony.

"Mission complete."

The cool, aloof Sasuke said this flatly, then stepped aside and shoved his hands into his pockets, wearing an expression that said, "This kind of mission is a complete waste of time."

Naruto stood nearby, knowing full well that the time had come.

If he didn't make a fuss now, they'd be stuck with another D-rank mission.

And the crucial mission to protect Tazuna while he built the bridge would quietly slip away to another team.

So Naruto gave Sasuke a meaningful look.

Sasuke still looked annoyed, but gave an almost imperceptible nod.

After spending so much time training and working together, he had gotten used to following Naruto's lead.

Naruto stepped forward and called out to the Third Hokage, "Grandpa Hokage, these missions are way too easy. Give us something harder!"

Sasuke crossed his arms and added coldly, "With our team's abilities, we shouldn't keep getting stuck with low-level missions."

Sakura stood quietly to the side without saying a word. She had long since realized that Naruto and Sasuke were both powerful shinobi, and that the best thing she could do was stay out of the way rather than make a mistake.

Kakashi understood the situation perfectly.

Team 7 could easily handle even A-rank or S-rank missions.

Naruto alone was enough to take on ten Jonin.

But Kakashi still had to put on a show, since the Third Hokage was right there. He couldn't let his subordinates run wild.

Otherwise, it would make him look incapable of keeping them in line.

So Kakashi deliberately put on a stern expression and said in a serious tone, "Hey, you guys, cut it out. Who do you think you are, demanding whatever mission you want?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, calmly taking a puff of his pipe.

He had certainly noticed Sasuke's progress, especially Naruto's. Naruto had shown astounding talent ever since the graduation exam.

Becoming a Perfect Jinchuriki was practically a foregone conclusion.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi had his own concerns. If he gave Team 7 a difficult mission without careful consideration, the council and Danzo might object.

Still... since they'd brought it up themselves, it was worth considering.

"In that case..." Hiruzen Sarutobi began slowly. "I'll give you a mission that's a little more challenging."

As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi placed a mission scroll on the desk. "This is a C-rank escort mission. You'll escort Master Tazuna, a bridge-building expert, back to the Land of Waves and protect him while he builds the bridge."

Here they come at last, Zabuza and Haku...

Before long, the door to the mission office opened, and a tipsy old man staggered inside, reeking of alcohol.

He was carrying a half-empty bottle of liquor. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes wandered.

It was someone Naruto knew very well: Tazuna.

Tazuna narrowed his eyes slightly as he sized up the four members of Team 7.

He figured the white-haired man with the mask was probably a Jonin, and looked reliable enough.

The black-haired kid beside him, with his hands in his pockets and a cold expression, seemed like he could handle himself, too.

As for the blond, blue-eyed boy...

For some reason, even though he was smiling, the boy made him feel strangely uneasy.

Finally, Tazuna's gaze fell on the pink-haired girl standing to the side.

Well, she looked like an ordinary Genin.

Tazuna straightened up, intending to put on a serious face and stress that his life was on the line, that they had to protect him at all costs, and so on.

But before he could say a word, Naruto put his hands behind his head and spoke first. "Got it, bridge expert. We'll escort you back to the Land of Waves and keep you safe while you build the bridge. Be at the village gate tomorrow morning, on time."

"Uh... huh?"

Tazuna didn't know how to respond. He opened his mouth, and half the alcohol seemed to leave his system at once.

He stared blankly at Naruto's retreating back, starting to wonder:

Had I really drunk too much?

Was I hallucinating?

Sasuke glanced at Tazuna without saying anything, keeping his hands in his pockets as he coolly followed Naruto out.

Seeing this, Kakashi had no choice but to step forward. He scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh as he smoothed things over. "Mr. Tazuna, Naruto's just like that. He's very direct, both in what he says and how he acts. Don't take it personally. You'll get used to it..."

After spending so much time with Naruto, Kakashi had come to see him as decisive and efficient, never one to dawdle.

Even when faced with sudden, unexpected situations, Naruto handled them perfectly, as if he'd known they were coming all along.

Kakashi had long since gotten used to it.

Now it was time for the client to get used to it, too.