"Wow, looks like everyone's full of energy."
A lazy voice sounded without warning. At some point, Kakashi Hatake had leaned against a tree, a copy of Make-Out Paradise in his hands.
"Teacher Kakashi!" Haruno Sakura jumped.
Naruto sprang up and pointed at Kakashi. "Teacher Kakashi! Perfect timing! Tell Hokage Grandpa to give us a decent mission!"
Kakashi closed his book. His gaze drifted over the puffed-up Naruto, the exasperated Sakura, and Sasuke, who had stopped training at the sound of his voice and turned to look.
"Well, about that mission..." He drew the words out, keeping them in suspense before finally saying, "As it happens, I just got one from Lord Hokage."
"Huh? Another missing cat?" Naruto deflated, his shoulders slumping.
The smile in Kakashi Hatake's one visible eye deepened. He shook his head.
"Nope. This time, it's a B-Rank Mission."
"B-Rank?!" Naruto's eyes lit up like bulbs. His gloom vanished, and he nearly leaped with excitement. "Really? Really, Teacher Kakashi? That's awesome!"
"But," Kakashi Hatake cut in, a rare note of seriousness in his voice, "the details are secret for now. Meet at the Village Gate at five tomorrow morning. And don't be late."
With a whoosh, he vanished on the spot, leaving behind a Naruto ready to burst with excitement.
"A B-Rank Mission! Did you hear that, Sakura? Sasuke? B-Rank!" Naruto pumped his fists and bounced in place, his face breaking into a smile without a cloud in it. "Just wait till you see the future Hokage in action! Woo-hoo!"
His cheers rang across the training ground, startling a flock of birds from the distant trees.
Sakura sighed. She was already beginning to worry about this sudden B-Rank Mission.
Sasuke thought it over calmly. The mission would probably take them out of the village. Could he use the