The Task of Catching Cats and Dogs

The first missions Team 7 accepted were naturally D-rank tasks like pulling weeds for villagers, clearing grass, finding lost kittens and puppies, or helping the old lady next door carry her newly bought vegetables home.

These missions were trivial and dull, without the slightest hint of combat, worlds apart from the shinobi life Sasuke, Sakura, and even Duanmu had originally imagined.

Ever since Sasuke woke from the injuries and unconsciousness he had suffered during the last test, he had returned to his usual silence. Only, the way he looked at Duanmu was no longer filled with the pure competitive hostility it once had. Occasionally, a complicated ripple would flash through his eyes, but he would quickly force it back down.

Toward these boring missions, he showed obvious impatience. Every time, he completed them mechanically, the words "waste of time" practically written all over his face. He would rather spend that time training, constantly polishing his ninjutsu and taijutsu, longing to gain the strength to take revenge as soon as possible.

Sakura seemed both a little excited and a little disappointed.

She was excited because she had finally become a proper ninja and could carry out missions together with Sasuke and Duanmu. She was disappointed because these missions were simply too easy, completely unable to show off the talent of someone who had ranked first in theory at the Ninja Academy, let alone let her perform in front of Sasuke.

Duanmu, by contrast, was much calmer.

He knew this was a necessary step in becoming a ninja. Any powerful ninja began by accumulating experience and building teamwork through these basic missions. He silently took on the most laborious parts of each task, whether carrying heavy objects or clearing weeds, doing everything meticulously.

At the same time, Duanmu also began thinking about how he should change Sasuke's fate of defecting from the village later in the plot.

He remembered clearly that the Cursed Seal Orochimaru placed on Sasuke during the Chunin Exams was a key step in pushing Sasuke toward darkness.

But ultimately, it was still Sasuke's extreme thirst for power, as well as the hatred deep in his heart over his clan's destruction and his fear of his own weakness, that gave Orochimaru an opening.

Duanmu understood that simply stopping the Cursed Seal would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. He had to solve the problem at its source.

He needed to make Sasuke realize that revenge was not the only path to strength; the bonds between companions could likewise become a powerful driving force. But how could that possibly be easy?

Sasuke had layer after layer of defenses around his heart. Especially after experiencing Kakashi's test, as well as Duanmu's abrupt help this time, the pride and awkwardness in his heart would only grow worse.

Maybe after Sasuke learned Chidori, he could tell him some knowledge related to Kirin?

Duanmu thought silently. Kirin was a powerful Lightning Release ninjutsu Sasuke developed later on. It required borrowing the power of natural lightning, and its might was enough to instantly destroy a small mountain. It demanded extremely high chakra control and a precise grasp of the weather.

If Sasuke could learn in advance that such a world-shattering ninjutsu could be unleashed without relying on others to teach him, solely through the ultimate refinement of his own Lightning Release chakra and the clever guidance of natural phenomena, perhaps it could delay the time when he left the village.

And just as Duanmu was still thinking, Naruto could no longer endure it.

"How long do we have to keep doing these boring missions?!" Naruto grabbed his golden hair with both hands and threw his head back in an exaggerated howl. His voice echoed through the quiet village street, making the passing villagers turn to look.

"We're ninja! We're supposed to carry out great missions full of hot-blooded battles and saving the world! Not act like some 'village babysitters' here!" Naruto turned around and loudly complained to Sakura and Duanmu, who were packing up the weeding tools. His tone was filled with intense protest against the current situation. "Kakashi-sensei too! He was so amazing during the test, so why is it all these petty little chores whenever he takes us out?!"

Sakura straightened up, patted the dirt from her hands, looked at the agitated Naruto, and sighed helplessly. "Naruto, don't be so loud. You'll disturb the villagers. I know these missions are very simple, but this is also part of becoming a ninja. The books say the basics are the most important. Only by building a solid foundation can we complete more difficult missions later."

She tried to use the theory she had learned at the Ninja Academy to calm Naruto down, but there was also a hint of barely noticeable uncertainty in her tone.

Duanmu put down the broom in his hand, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at Naruto.

He understood Naruto's feelings. This energetic guy was naturally eager to prove himself and gain the recognition of others. These dull D-rank missions truly would make him feel stifled.

"Naruto," Duanmu said, his voice calm yet carrying a reassuring strength, "I know you think these missions are boring, but have you ever thought about why Kakashi-sensei wants us to do them?"

Naruto froze for a moment, then immediately frowned. "What else could it be? He's definitely too lazy to take us on real missions!"

"That's not it," Duanmu said, shaking his head. His gaze swept over Sasuke, who stood silently to the side, merely wiping his kunai. "Although these missions are simple, they're training our ability to work as a team."

He paused, then continued, "Every mission, no matter how big or small, requires the four of us to do our own jobs and coordinate with each other before we can complete it efficiently. That's what a team is. Besides, these missions also let us understand the village better and understand the villagers' lives. A ninja's duty isn't only fighting and killing. Protecting the peaceful lives of the village and its people is also one of our missions."

Naruto opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but Duanmu's words made him fall into thought. He scratched his head and muttered, "It kind of... makes sense. But..." He still felt unwilling. "But I want to fight! I want to use awesome ninjutsu! I want to become a ninja everyone acknowledges!"

"There will be chances," Duanmu said, looking at him with a firm gaze. "As long as we keep improving ourselves and stay prepared, one day, Kakashi-sensei will arrange more challenging missions for us. When that time comes, you'd better not mess it up."

"I won't mess it up!" Naruto immediately puffed out his chest and thumped it in assurance. "I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"

Seeing Naruto perk up again, Sakura smiled. She secretly glanced at Sasuke and discovered that although Sasuke was still expressionless, his motion of wiping the kunai seemed to have slowed, and his ears moved slightly. Clearly, he had heard their conversation too.

Just then, Kakashi's leisurely voice came from the distance. "All right, you did pretty well with today's mission. Pack up, everyone, and come with me back to the Hokage Building to report in."

Kakashi still had that lazy look, his hands tucked into the pockets on both sides of his ninja tool pouch as he ambled over. The signature forehead protector on his face still covered more than half of it, making it impossible to see his expression clearly.