Weeding Mission

"No, no." All three shook their heads frantically. With that threatening look on your face, even if we did have a problem, we wouldn't dare say so.

"Since you don't, let's introduce ourselves. Starting with the white-haired one." Tianqi pointed straight at Jiraiya.

"My name is Jiraiya. I'm ten years old."

"My name is Tsunade. I'm ten, too."

"I'm Orochimaru. I'm the same age as them."

"Oh, you're all the same age? I wonder who's the oldest." Tianqi was surprised to hear they were the same age. Jiraiya looked noticeably older, but he hadn't expected them to be the same age.

"Of course Tsunade's the oldest, then Orochimaru, and I'm the youngest." Jiraiya had recovered from being intimidated and pointed at the other two as he spoke.

"Jiraiya! You're asking for a beating, aren't you?" Tsunade exploded when she heard him say she was the oldest.

"But you are the oldest. I didn't say anything wrong." Seeing that Tsunade was about to hit him, Jiraiya ducked behind Orochimaru.

"You're still talking? I'll show you!" Tsunade charged at Jiraiya, ready to beat him up.

Tianqi spoke up when he saw this. "I never would've guessed that Tsunade, who looks the youngest, is actually the oldest, while Jiraiya, who looks the oldest, is the youngest. Well, enough fooling around. Let's go to the mission hall and take a mission."

Hearing they were going to take a mission, the others stopped fooling around and followed Tianqi toward the mission hall.

Tianqi walked in front, with Jiraiya and the others following behind.

"Who do you think is stronger, old man Sarutobi or our new team leader?" Since Tianqi hadn't said a word along the way, Jiraiya whispered to the other two.

"Who else? Teacher Sarutobi, of course. He's the Hokage, and the Hokage is the strongest person in the village," Tsunade said firmly. Her grandfather was the Hokage, after all, so naturally she thought the Hokage was the strongest.

After hearing Tsunade say old man Sarutobi was stronger, Jiraiya turned to Orochimaru. "What about you, Orochimaru? Who do you think is stronger?"

"Probably Teacher Sarutobi. He is the Hokage, after all." Orochimaru thought of how Tianqi had intimidated them earlier, then answered uncertainly.

"Fine. Since you both think old man Sarutobi is stronger, let's make a bet. I think our new team leader is stronger." Remembering how Tianqi had intimidated them, Jiraiya was sure Tianqi was the strongest—even stronger than the Hokage.

"A bet? What are we betting?" Tsunade perked up at the mention of a bet.

"Whoever loses buys dinner tonight. How about it?" Jiraiya asked the two of them.

Tsunade was famously wealthy, so she certainly wasn't short on money. As for Orochimaru, he was on Tsunade's side, and if he lost, she'd surely cover his meal. Jiraiya was the only one who was broke and nearly starving. If he won, he'd get a free dinner. Thinking about it, he prayed he wouldn't lose.

When they heard the loser only had to buy dinner, Tsunade readily agreed, and Orochimaru nodded too. He also wanted to know who was stronger.

Once they agreed, Jiraiya timidly went over to Tianqi. He couldn't help it; Tianqi had seriously scared him earlier. Then he asked, "Team leader, can I ask you a question?"

Seeing how timid Jiraiya was, Tianqi put an arm around his shoulder and said with a laugh, "We're all buddies. I'm only a little older than you, so just call me Big Brother Tianqi from now on. I'm easy to talk to. Ask whatever you want."

Seeing how approachable Tianqi was, Tsunade and Orochimaru came over too and listened closely.

"Um, tea—Big Brother Tianqi, I've been wondering: who's stronger, you or Teacher Sarutobi?" Jiraiya was still a little scared despite Tianqi's reassurance, but he stammered out the question anyway for the sake of that dinner.

Tianqi hadn't expected Jiraiya to ask him that. He turned to Tsunade and Orochimaru. "You want to know too?"

Orochimaru and Tsunade both nodded.

"Oh, I see. Come closer. I'll tell you quietly." Seeing them nod, Tianqi got playful.

The three quickly huddled together, eager to find out who was stronger.

"Let me tell you something: you shouldn't even be asking that question. Just look at me. Obviously I'm stronger. What could Sarutobi Hiruzen possibly compare to me? He may be the Hokage, but he's just a nobody."

"Hahaha!" Tianqi burst out laughing and walked away.

The three stared after Tianqi, dumbfounded. They'd thought he was going to say something important, but that was all? They looked at one another. "Should we believe him? It feels like he was joking."

That was the end of that, and they followed Tianqi to the mission hall.

As soon as they arrived at the mission hall, the ninja in charge of assigning missions greeted them warmly. He couldn't afford not to be friendly. Tianqi used to be on the same team as Sarutobi Hiruzen, and now that Hiruzen was the Hokage, Tianqi's status had risen right along with his. Besides, rumors had it that Tianqi was just as strong as the Hokage.

"Lord Tianqi, have you come to take a mission today?"

"Of course I'm here to take a mission. Why else would I come here?"

The mission-assignment ninja promptly brought out an A-Rank Mission scroll.

"Lord Tianqi, how about this one?" the ninja asked obsequiously.

Jiraiya and the others were astonished by how sycophantic the mission-assignment ninja was. They weren't surprised by his behavior—he acted the same way whenever they came here with Sarutobi. What surprised them was that there was someone besides Sarutobi who could make the ninja act this way.

The three exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing: their new team leader was definitely no ordinary person.

Looking at the A-Rank Mission in front of him, Tianqi said, "I brought these Genin here to take a mission today. Just give us an easy C-Rank or D-Rank Mission." Then he pushed the A-Rank Mission back.

"I see." The ninja took back the A-Rank Mission and brought out a D-Rank Mission.

Tianqi didn't even look at it. He took the D-Rank Mission, tossed it to the three of them, and walked straight out of the mission hall.

Out in the fields, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru were pulling weeds, while Tianqi dozed in the sun on a nearby rock.

As it turned out, they'd taken a D-Rank weeding mission, which explained the scene before them.

Watching Tianqi snoring away on the rock while they worked hard pulling weeds, Jiraiya complained angrily.

"Big Brother Tianqi, why do we have to work hard while you sleep, and then split the reward evenly? That's so unfair!"

"If you think it's unfair, you don't have to do it. Just wait until I wake up and see what I do to you." Tianqi spoke with his eyes closed.

Hearing the threat, Jiraiya immediately backed down. If he got beaten up, he'd probably be laid up for half a year. Tsunade and Orochimaru, who had been about to speak, fell silent too.

"Oh, right. It's only a few dozen mu of weeds. I suggest you finish by three this afternoon, or don't blame me for what happens. My time is precious." Tianqi continued.

At his words, the three cursed Tianqi's entire family and sped up their weeding. They'd gone to take the mission close to noon, and now he expected them to finish a full day's work in just a few hours. They hadn't even eaten lunch. What a rip-off.

After cursing him heartily, the three finally finished weeding at three o'clock. Exhausted, they dropped onto the ground.