In early May, the weather was warming up, and many people at the Ninja Academy were still talking about the two students who had graduated ahead of schedule not long ago.
Shuriken practice had just ended. Obito Uchiha sat down on a bench by the training field, looking dejectedly up at the sky. He had none of his usual energy.
"You're spacing out here again. Is something wrong, Obito?"
Rin Nohara's lively voice sounded once more. Seeing the worried look on her face, Obito murmured dejectedly:
"Am I really lacking the talent of the Uchiha Clan?"
"Even that guy Guy has graduated. He and Shu and Kakashi have formed a three-man team."
"They've already started taking missions. Maybe by the time I graduate, I'll be working under those guys."
Most of their classmates saw the three early graduates as geniuses. When geniuses surpassed them, they could only praise them loudly, then laugh at the Uchiha Clan's "dead last."
"Obito's grades are great, too!"
Rin sat down beside Obito and praised him, then continued:
"It's okay. You've been working really hard. You still have a few problems with theory, but your overall grades are already among the best."
"Rin, I, uh... I'm only good at a few subjects!"
Flustered by the girl's earnest encouragement, Obito grew so nervous that he turned away bashfully and said in a low voice:
"Thanks, Rin. You're the only one who's always supported me."
"Are you two whispering to each other again?"
Kurenai Yuhi suddenly appeared behind them. Her teasing nearly made Obito jump, and the moment he turned around, he stammered and hurried away:
"I... I'm going to buy some drinks..."
Watching Obito stumble away, Kurenai blinked, then grabbed Rin and asked curiously:
"So that's why he wouldn't join in the activities before—he was afraid of being outdone? What a strange Uchiha."
Remembering how Obito had sulkily refused to join the group activities not long ago, Rin shook her head and explained simply:
"Obito just wants more people to accept him. He grew up alone from a very young age, so he really wants more friends."
Different upbringings shaped different personalities. Kurenai didn't fully understand, and gazed upward thoughtfully.
"Is that so? Shu doesn't seem to have those worries."
"They've been given a C-Rank Mission. I've never even left the village. My father says it's dangerous outside, but I still want to go out and see for myself."
Thinking of Shu Furukawa, who had left the Medical Corps completely two months ago and started following Lady Tsunade, Rin replied with some envy:
"Talented people are always a little different, I guess!"
The two girls stopped talking about that. But when they spoke of the three who had already formed a team, Kurenai mentioned Kakashi, and Rin still looked at him with admiration.
Although she had no idea what would happen after she graduated, Rin was really looking forward to being teamed up with Kakashi. During class that afternoon, she even started imagining:
"If Kakashi could be our team leader, that would be pretty great..."
Late at night, in the dense forest along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields, the members of the merchant caravan finally breathed a sigh of relief as they rested.
The middle-aged caravan leader was nearly forty and slightly plump. After dinner, he approached Shikaku Nara with an apologetic look and respectfully murmured to the group:
"I'm truly sorry, Mr. Nara. I never expected to run into shinobi from Takigakure."
"We'll compensate you when we reach our destination. This is a token of our gratitude. I'll leave the evaluation of the mission to you."
Shikaku Nara, who had only recently been promoted to Jonin, looked at the group bowing in apology and sighed helplessly.
"This mission really was troublesome. Out of respect for our friendship with Mr. Oshima, I'll help you with the evaluation."
The group brightened at his assurance. A battle between shinobi meant the mission was at least B-Rank, and Konoha also rated its missions. This time, the caravan was in the wrong.
After the battle, four guards had been lost. The dozen or so survivors now looked at the three boys sitting on the ground with awe.
Sitting away from the caravan, the three were hard to make out in the night. Might Guy's face was pale as he fought down his discomfort and forced himself to eat a few rice balls.
Kakashi wore a mask that hid his expression, but when he saw Guy's poor appetite, he still spoke quietly:
"You didn't have to go that far. Aside from the guys from Takigakure, the rest were just rogue shinobi."
Shu Furukawa, a short sword strapped to his back, seemed completely unaffected. He ate rice balls and dried meat as he answered simply:
"They attacked us. They should've been prepared to die."
"Dead men are the only ones we can be sure won't cause trouble. I don't want to get ambushed again before we reach the Land of Rice Fields. This will serve as a warning."
The shinobi who'd pretended to be dead after being injured, hoping to get away, had all been finished off by Shu. Perhaps because he'd endured several months of bloody nightmares, the killing had stirred no emotions in him.
"Shu's right. We can't fail our first C-Rank Mission."
"I've steeled myself... Mm..."
Might Guy took up the conversation with a grave expression unlike his usual schoolboy demeanor. After speaking, he started wolfing down rice balls and chewing on the dried meat, until he choked and couldn't speak.
"Honestly, what am I going to do with you..."
Kakashi handed him a canteen, his dead-fish eyes back in place. He was a Chunin and had already seen real combat; he just hadn't expected Shu Furukawa to kill so decisively, and had been startled.
Shikaku Nara sat down beside them, clearly pleased with how his team had performed. To encourage them, he said with a chuckle:
"Looks like all my worries were for nothing. No wonder Lady Tsunade thinks so highly of you talented kids."
"Guy, you did well, too. You don't need to show compassion to enemies who threaten the mission."
"Kakashi, trust your teammates. And here's some good news: once we reach our destination, the payment will go up to one hundred thousand ryo. The caravan has a decent relationship with the Nara Clan, so there'll be more compensation later."
Might Guy's eyes lit up at the doubled pay. Missions required plenty of expenses for things like ninja tools, and out of the four of them, his gear was the worst.
As if he'd guessed what his team was thinking, Shikaku Nara sat cross-legged and rubbed his chin, looking relaxed.
"Guy, don't forget the Three Prohibitions of Shinobi. A good shinobi shouldn't let money control him."
The Three Prohibitions of Shinobi were alcohol, women, and money. Shu knew the team leader was joking and smiled as he added:
"That's right. It's only a few tens of thousands of ryo. Don't worry about it. Our leader isn't stingy."
The Nara Clan, which dealt in medicinal herbs, was indeed wealthy. Knowing about Might Guy's family circumstances, Shikaku Nara laughed heartily and generously promised:
"You can keep the extra money!"
"Compared to the mission, promising young people are more important."
"Remember, shinobi have to follow the rules, but when a mission goes wrong, your teammates come first. That's the Will of Fire passed down through the generations!"
"..."