B-rank Mission from Fishbeam Village

What Sakura needed tutoring in was the Genin curriculum. She had already learned the theory and knowledge taught at the ninja academy.

Masayo was also simply doing a job for money. He taught Sakura what she needed to learn and did not teach her anything extra just because she was the heroine of an anime. He had accepted Sakura's tutoring job because her family needed fewer tutoring days, yet the pay was no less than that of his other tutoring jobs.

During the first few days, Sakura was still rather reserved. Gradually, she began chatting with him. Perhaps because Masayo was close to her in age, and because he looked so approachable, she had a bellyful of things she wanted to tell him.

"Masayo, did you know? Sometimes my dad and mom are really awful, especially when they put me down in front of other people or tell embarrassing stories about when I was little. It makes me feel so humiliated."

Masayo nodded. This was the reality of most ordinary families. He had never been able to understand that mentality. Parents especially loved putting down their own children in front of outsiders, as though trampling on their children's dignity and making them lose face before others was something amusing.

Masayo could only be a listener. During breaks, he listened to Sakura endlessly complain about her parents before she finally brought up school.

"I thought Iruka-sensei would be the one tutoring me again this time. Masayo, you have no idea, Iruka-sensei's classes are practically hypnotic. They make me so sleepy, yet he always ends up teaching me."

Masayo smiled politely. He had always spoken little and listened more. He said mildly, "Although I've only met Iruka-sensei a few times, I've heard that he's quite a responsible teacher."

Seeing that Sakura showed no signs of stopping, Masayo glanced at the clock and said, "Sakura, break time is over."

"Ah, already?"

Sakura looked at the clock. It was somehow already one in the afternoon, and she hurriedly opened her notes.

Masayo did not even use textbooks or anything of the sort. He simply lectured Sakura directly, relaxed and natural. Compared with the teachers Sakura had had at the ninja academy, the difference was enormous. This was what true professionalism felt like!

Half a month passed, and Masayo and Sakura's relationship went from strangers to familiar acquaintances who greeted each other when they met.

Over that half month, Masayo had also developed a somewhat different view of Sakura. She was an ordinary civilian child, with plenty of flaws that could be annoying, but she also had strengths that could not be ignored. Where there was light, there would inevitably be shadows. This idea of yin and yang, of two opposing poles, applied everywhere.

At the mission hall, after the holiday ended, Masayo received a mission personally assigned by the Third Hokage. Wearing a dark blue bodysuit, red whirlpool emblems on his shoulders, and a ninja flak jacket, he now stood in the Hokage's office before the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage's expression was stern as he said in a deep voice, "This is a commission from Fishbeam Village. Take a look."

Masayo accepted the mission sheet and read about Fishbeam Village's request, as well as the real reason the Third Hokage had assigned him to it.

Fishbeam Village was a tourist resort. It had natural hot springs and a unique forest formed by Fishbeam Trees. Combined with its history of more than a thousand years, the village was veiled in mystery.

"The world is full of wonders. A Fishbeam Forest... I never imagined a place like this actually existed!"

Masayo sighed in amazement. He had never expected that a legendary scene straight out of a dream would exist in this Naruto world!

The Third Hokage also said, "When my companions and I were still young, we were fortunate enough to follow the First Hokage there and see the Fishbeam Forest. It was magnificent, but it also inspired fear. The faces on those tree trunks looked exactly like real human faces."

"The First Hokage? Hashirama? Could Fishbeam Village have something special about it?"

Masayo could not help muttering inwardly. On the surface, he continued reading the description on the mission sheet, which could be summed up in two words.

"Haunted! Lord Hokage, since when did we ninja start taking exorcism jobs?"

Masayo had wanted to say that the place had ghosts, but he nearly forgot that this was the Naruto world. He could not keep viewing it through the ideas of his previous life.

The Third Hokage sighed helplessly, took a puff from his pipe, and continued speaking to Masayo with what seemed like a hint of complaint. "Sigh, we normally do not accept missions like this. But the hauntings in Fishbeam Village have already affected the foundation of the village's survival, so we had no choice but to agree."

Masayo smiled and nodded, but inwardly he thought, Heh... They just paid too much, didn't they? It's clearly a B-rank Mission of exploration, yet the reward is higher than some A-rank Missions. And there's probably more to it than that.

"Ghosts appear in Fishbeam Village every night. There is a high chance that ninja are impersonating them, so besides you, two Jonin will be assisting you this time!"

Just as the Third Hokage finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. Masayo instinctively turned to look.

"Come in!"

The door opened, and a man wearing sunglasses and a Konoha flak jacket walked in. The other Jonin was a female Jonin with black hair and red eyes.

"They're both familiar faces!"

Masayo could not help muttering inwardly. Ebisu and Kurenai Yuhi, Konoha's Special Jonin!

Masayo's gaze lingered on Kurenai Yuhi for an extra moment. He had only seen her once before on the streets of Konoha. That ninja flak jacket completely concealed her graceful, curvaceous figure.

Damn, who designed Konoha's ninja flak jackets? No, why was Kurenai Yuhi wearing one today?

Despite thinking that, Masayo's expression did not change at all. After looking a few times, he turned back toward the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, Special Jonin Ebisu reporting!"

Ebisu lightly adjusted his sunglasses, looking brimming with confidence. Upon seeing Masayo, he naturally recognized this Chunin.

"Lord Hokage!"

After glancing at Masayo, Kurenai Yuhi was also startled. They had encountered each other several times on the road without ever interacting. She had heard Masayo's name before: a civilian genius and the first graduate to pass Kakashi's survival trial. She had not expected to have an opportunity to work with him now.

"Jonin Kurenai Yuhi, Jonin Ebisu, I have a C-rank Mission for you. Since Jonin-level ninja may appear, protect Chunin Masayo and complete the mission."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Kurenai Yuhi and Ebisu answered in unison.

Masayo's eyes widened. Damn, I've really learned something today. It was clearly one mission, yet the Third Hokage split it into two missions. That way, he even saved a huge sum of money. He really knew how to make use of things. Whoever says the Third Hokage is a fool—if you treat him like one, you probably won't even know when you've been sold off.

The Third Hokage gave Masayo a look that said he understood. The two of them tacitly understood each other as he quietly took another puff from his old pipe.