The First Mission

The next morning, Toru received a mission notice. Nara Shikaku had taken on a mission that the three of them would need to complete.

Curious about what the mission entailed, Toru changed and headed out.

Kurenai and Asuma had received the same mission notice.

The three arrived at the Nara Clan compound almost simultaneously.

Though the Nara Clan wasn't considered one of Konoha's major clans, it had grown to a respectable size.

The three of them standing outside the Nara Clan's gates drew a few curious looks.

Fortunately, after the gatekeeper announced their arrival, Nara Shikaku came out. He wore an odd smile that immediately made Toru uneasy.

Toru's hunch proved right. Shikaku explained the mission.

It was a C-rank mission that Shikaku had assigned himself: patrol the Nara Clan's deer grounds in Nara Forest, in the Land of Fire. The forest was the Nara Clan's ancestral property.

"This mission shouldn't involve any danger, so I won't be going," Shikaku said.

"Someone will show you to Nara Forest. You just need to guard the assigned area and patrol it for a month."

"Don't worry. People generally don't covet the Nara Clan's territory."

"Go home and pack."

Toru found it a little dull. He'd been looking forward to the mission, but it turned out to be completely risk-free.

Kurenai, on the other hand, was excited. She'd heard there were lots of deer at the Nara deer grounds, and little girls loved animals.

After Toru and the others left, Shikaku returned to the compound. An elder of the clan looked displeased. "Shikaku, you've passed another mission the clan assigned you on to someone else. Are you really so unwilling to contribute to the clan?"

"And the deer grounds are sacred to the Nara Clan. Only clan members have ever been allowed inside."

Shikaku waved a hand. "I'm a jōnin of Konoha now, so naturally, I have to prioritize contributing to Konoha. Besides, doesn't passing the mission on still count as a contribution?"

"Those three aren't just my students; they're Konoha's future. Are you saying you doubt Konoha's future?"

The elder had no answer and left in a huff.

Watching him go, Shikaku sighed. "What a drag."

A young Nara Clan shinobi tracked down Toru, Kurenai, and Asuma.

His name was Nara Ensui. He wore his black hair in a ponytail, and the dark circles around his eyes made him look utterly exhausted.

"I'll take you to the deer grounds. I'll be looking after you for the next month."

"Ugh, what a drag... Shikaku's dumped the mission on me again."

The three could practically feel Ensui's resentment, and couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

"Tsk, our teacher really is a 'serial troublemaker,' huh?"

That afternoon, Nara Ensui led Toru, Kurenai, and Asuma to a forest deep in the Land of Fire. It was the renowned Nara Forest.

The forest held vast herds of deer and countless wild animals. It also grew many rare medicinal herbs, making it the Nara Clan's most prized property by far.

The Nara Clan's near-monopoly on the medicinal herb trade in Konoha and even throughout the Land of Fire was thanks to this forest.

Nara Forest covered a huge area, so there was no way the three of them could patrol all of it.

In fact, the area Shikaku had assigned Toru was less than one percent of the forest.

Even so, it would take the three of them quite a while to patrol the area. They also had to stay on guard at all times, which made it even more of a hassle. No wonder Shikaku hadn't wanted to come.

Ensui led the three to a small cabin. "This is where you'll be staying for the next month."

"There are some supplies inside. There's a town north of the forest where you can buy more if you run short. Anything you buy there can go on the Nara Clan's tab. Just show them your mission documents."

"Oh, and in a couple of days, we'll be collecting antlers. You don't know the Shadow Possession Jutsu, but you can still help by catching a few deer. I'll come back in a couple of days to collect the antlers, and you'll get extra pay based on how many you catch."

"Here's a map of the forest. It's huge, so be careful and don't get lost. That's all. I'm heading out."

After giving them his instructions, Ensui left.

Toru rubbed his nose and mused, "This first mission isn't quite what I expected."

Toru had heard Kakashi complain that the village's missions were boring, so he'd been prepared.

He could handle catching cats and dogs, though he'd hoped for a mission that would help him improve his combat skills.

But he hadn't expected to spend a month patrolling this place, with somewhere to stay and all.

It was interesting, in a way, but all they'd be doing was walking around the forest and catching deer.

And it wasn't exactly dull, either, since it sounded easier than chasing cats and dogs.

All in all, it wasn't like either of the scenarios he'd imagined.

Kurenai and Asuma felt much the same way.

The three went into the cabin and found it was far more modern than they'd expected, with electric lights, a gas stove, a refrigerator, a water heater, and other modern conveniences.

They were pleased; all three were used to the comfortable, convenient life in Konoha.

The only thing they weren't happy with was how tiny the cabin was—and that it had only one bed.

"I've never stayed in a place this small..." Asuma shook his head.

Kurenai was much the same. Her family home might not have been as grand as the Sarutobi family's, but it was still a detached house in the center of the village.

Of the three, only Toru had ever known real hardship. Until he was five, he'd lived in a rundown house in a small city in the Land of Fire, about the same size as this cabin and almost completely bare.

"Complaining won't help. Only one person can sleep in this bed, so Kurenai, you take it. Asuma and I can sleep on the floor. You okay with that?" Toru asked, looking at Asuma.

Asuma shook his head. He might be the Hokage's eldest son, but he wasn't so spoiled that he'd steal the bed from a girl.

Kurenai had felt a little awkward, but then realized that if she didn't take the bed, she'd have to squeeze in with the boys. She swallowed what she'd been about to say and gave a small nod.

The three unpacked their belongings, then cleaned and tidied the cabin from top to bottom.

Kurenai wiped the sweat from her brow and surveyed their work with her hands on her hips. "Not bad, not bad. It finally looks like a place people can live in."

Toru had made a bedroll on the floor. He and Asuma lay down to try it out, and there was just enough room.

Kurenai looked at them, barely able to hold back a laugh. "You two are in for a rough month. Don't worry, I'll take care of the cooking. I'll make it up to you."

Lying on the floor, Toru silently gave her a thumbs-up.

Seeing him, Asuma burst out laughing.

Kurenai checked the food in the refrigerator and decided on tonight's menu: "Radishes, potatoes, onions, and bok choy."

Toru sat bolt upright. "No meat?"

Asuma sat up too. "The Nara Clan grows plenty of vegetables, but this is a bit much, isn't it?"

Kurenai opened the refrigerator so they could see for themselves. Sure enough, it was all vegetables.

Toru hadn't expected their supplies to be so plentiful, yet there wasn't a single bit of meat.

"I'll go hunting," he said at once. "Then we can have meat."

Kurenai and Asuma both objected. "Ensui didn't say whether we're allowed to hunt," Asuma said. "If we go charging in and cause trouble, it'll be a pain."

"Let me go buy some in town instead," Kurenai said. "You two should get started on your patrol anyway."

Toru had no choice but to rein in his restless urge to go hunting.

And so, the three split up. Kurenai went to town to buy supplies, while Toru and Asuma stayed in the forest to patrol and catch a few deer.