D-Rank Cleared, C-Rank Will Come Naturally

Before long, the water-carrying task was finished.

"Give me another mission!"

"Huh?"

Tatsu Hamano was stunned, but upon catching Jiraiya's gaze, he immediately assigned another D-rank mission.

This time, it was chopping wood.

However.

It didn't take long either.

"Give me another one."

Half a month later.

"Lord Third, this really won't do! Could you please tell him to stop? If this continues, we'll run out of D-rank missions!"

Tatsu Hamano couldn't take it anymore and went upstairs to complain to the Third Hokage.

He had no choice.

It wasn't that he didn't want to give them out, but over the past half-month, Jiraiya's team had cleared more than half of the village's D-rank missions.

At this rate, in a few more days, the village's D-rank mission board would be completely empty.

When that happened, what would the other teams and ordinary genin do?

Would they just lose their income?

This was truly no small problem.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a splitting headache and pondered for a moment.

The strength of Jiraiya's team was indeed top-tier.

The captain went without saying.

Among the members, there was Kakashi, who was already a chunin, Kurenai Yuhi, who excelled in genjutsu, and Kyohiko Yoshimine...

C-rank missions would not be too difficult for them.

"Next time, let him take C-rank missions."

"Understood."

Tatsu Hamano breathed a sigh of relief.

C-rank missions...

It wasn't that he refused to issue them, but the current situation was not yet clear.

Although the nations had declared a ceasefire, there was no true peace, and there were still minor frictions between them.

Furthermore.

In the aftermath of the war, there were large numbers of wandering samurai and bandits on the loose.

Executing C-rank missions now was far more dangerous than in times of peace.

Tatsu Hamano was only a substitute mission dispatcher; he had no authority to decide the rules for rookie teams taking on missions.

The Third Hokage nodded, so he naturally didn't need to push back anymore.

[As a ninja of the village, you have actively performed practical work, and your contributions have been widely recognized by everyone.]

[Reward: Water Release: Water Wave leveled up by 1.]

Huh?

In the morning, Kyohiko, who had arrived at the Hokage Building to gather, was bewildered.

What was going on?

Where did this reward come from?

He had been grinding D-rank missions like crazy lately, and he had somehow reaped a reward from out of nowhere.

He glanced at his panel.

Name: Kyohiko Yoshimine
Age: 7
Kekkei Genkai: None
Skills:
Transformation Technique (Proficient), Clone Technique (Proficient), Substitution Technique (Proficient), Body Flicker Technique (Master), Water Release: Water Wave (Proficient), Water Release: Water Wall (Skilled)

Over the past half-month, Kyohiko had mainly focused on training his taijutsu and two Water Release ninjutsu, but they had all only reached the Skilled level.

Now, Water Wave had directly reached Proficient.

In his mind, a wealth of knowledge regarding Water Wave surfaced, a small portion of which concerned how to control and better utilize water-style chakra for water-style ninjutsu.

Water Wave is quite basic and does not involve advanced nature transformation.

However.

"Mastery" level techniques can significantly reduce the chakra required for casting.

Theoretically, with the same amount of chakra, one can spew thirty percent more water than before.

Furthermore, many techniques for water-style ninjutsu are interconnected.

Especially between Water Wave and Water Wall.

The standard versions do not involve profound nature transformation; as long as one has mastered the basic nature transformation and can extract water-style chakra, they can be released with ease.

Both of these are exactly like that.

The knowledge accompanying the "Mastery" of Water Wave happens to contain parts that can be applied to Water Wall.

Kyohiko felt secretly pleased.

This boost is massive!

Although ninjutsu doesn't have much use in the high-level battles of the later stages, for now, he needs to consider the Third Shinobi World War.

At the level of ordinary ninjas, water-style ninjutsu is quite useful.

"Kyohiko-kun."

Behind him, a soft female voice approached from afar.

Kyohiko turned around—

Kakashi and Kurenai Yuhi were running toward him, one after the other.

The three of them gathered.

"You arrived so early?"

Kurenai Yuhi panted.

"Not long ago. I was out for a run and decided to wait here."

Kyohiko replied.

Kakashi looked hesitant and was about to speak, but catching a glimpse of something, he swallowed the question back.

"Hahaha, everyone is here quite early!"

Jiraiya had arrived.

He held two popsicles in his hand, broke them apart one by one, and gave one to everyone.

"Let's go, let's start today's mission. The sooner we finish the quota, the sooner we can take on higher-difficulty C-rank missions."

Jiraiya had had enough of D-rank missions.

For ordinary ninja squads, D-rank missions might help with teamwork and skill development, but their squad...

Forget it.

As a Chunin, Kakashi understood the principles, but his inner knot was hard to untie, and Jiraiya currently had no good solution.

Kyohiko—

This child was the one he needed to worry about the least.

Kurenai Yuhi only lacked ability, but she was still far from being a team leader.

For them, only by taking on C-rank missions or higher and truly engaging with wandering samurai, bandits, or even other ninjas could they learn enough to improve.

Since they wouldn't be given C-rank missions, he would just grind through the D-rank ones.

Jiraiya made a firm decision.

Entering the hall, he headed straight for Tatsu Hamano.

"Give me..."

"Lord Jiraiya, the Hokage said you are cleared to take on C-rank missions."

Tatsu Hamano reported immediately.

Jiraiya laughed: "Oh? We don't need to do D-rank missions anymore?"

"No need. You have completed enough D-rank missions; please take a look at the C-rank board."

Tatsu Hamano gave a wry smile and brought over a new mission board.

Kyohiko glanced at it.

It seemed the previous rewards should have come from them.

Subsequently, he looked at the mission board.

Most of the entries were mercenary missions like escorting merchant caravans.

The direction of the escort...

Usually, missions to chaotic regions like the Land of Rivers or the Land of Waves, or those heading toward ninja nations like the Land of Earth, probably cannot be counted as C-rank missions.

"This is the one."

Jiraiya pointed to a line—

Travel to Tanzaku Town and protect a creditor while they collect debts.

The corners of his mouth curled upward.

"This mission, where is the client?"

"This mission was just posted yesterday. You only need to go to the Blue Flower Pavilion in Tanzaku Town and look for a man named Koji Matsuyama."

Tatsu Hamano replied.

He hesitated for a moment and added, "However, the reward offered is almost at the level of a B-rank mission. I suspect the debt collection won't be very simple."

"It doesn't matter, as long as the money is right. I know how to get to Tanzaku Town."

Jiraiya waved his hand, his face beaming with a smile.

Kyohiko's expression turned strange.

Tanzaku Town—that is not a good place.

If a ninja goes to such a place, they are very likely to break the Three Ninja Prohibitions.

It is hard not to suspect—

That his own teacher is using the mission as a pretext, while his true intention is to go and have a good time.

He couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

Kakashi and Kurenai Yuhi remained expressionless, though it was unclear whether they were simply unaware of Tanzaku Town or just didn't care.

In any case, Jiraiya happily accepted the mission.

However.

As he walked out of the mission hall, a figure blocked his path.

"Lord Jiraiya, the Hokage requests your presence upstairs."

An Anbu ninja.

Jiraiya sighed, nodded, and after greeting Kyohiko and the others, headed upstairs.

"Kyohiko, Kakashi!"

Just as they were waiting, a shout came from inside.

Kurenai Yuhi's expression became slightly complicated—

It's this weirdo again!

Might Guy.