Farewell

The next day, at Team 1's usual meeting spot in Konoha Forest.

Uchiha Yufeng, Yuhi Kurenai, and Uzuki Yugao stood apart from one another.

"From now on, Team 1 will begin taking missions.

However, since you have only just graduated from the Ninja Academy and become Genin, you can only accept D-rank Missions!"

Standing before the three of them, Yuhi Shinku explained some basic information about missions.

"Alright, let's go take a look at the mission assignment area first."

With that, the four of them headed to the mission desk.

"How many D-rank Missions are left?"

Yuhi Shinku stepped forward and asked a working ninja.

"Lord Yuhi Shinku, there are ten D-rank Missions remaining!"

"Ten? Weren't there more than a hundred and fifty this morning?"

Yuhi Shinku was somewhat surprised.

"Earlier, one of the Genin on Lord Minato's team, Uchiha Obito, was extremely enthusiastic and accepted nineteen D-rank Missions in one go..."

"Nineteen?"

Yuhi Shinku froze.

Although D-rank Missions were not particularly difficult, they were still mentally taxing and tedious after a full day of work.

Could he really guarantee that he would finish nineteen missions within the time limit?

"Obito? That's amazing!"

Upon hearing how many missions Minato's Team had accepted, Yuhi Kurenai, standing beside Uchiha Yufeng, praised him repeatedly without really understanding why it was so impressive.

"Obito is definitely amazing. He's been doing good deeds since he was little. He's probably right at home with D-rank Missions. You can't envy that."

Hearing Uchiha Yufeng's words, Yuhi Kurenai thought of Uchiha Obito helping elderly ladies every day and nodded in agreement.

"That does seem to make sense..."

Meanwhile, Uzuki Yugao's competitive spirit flared up.

"Sensei, I want us to accept all the remaining D-rank Missions too!"

Uchiha Yufeng and Yuhi Kurenai both turned to look at Uzuki Yugao.

Seeing the strange looks in their eyes, Uzuki Yugao was somewhat puzzled.

"Ten missions. Other teams can take nineteen, so why can't we take ten?"

Well, damn...

Was she seriously turning this into a competition?

This girl was way too competitive...

"Ten missions isn't impossible, but you are a team. What do you two think?"

Yuhi Shinku did not offer his own opinion, instead looking at Uchiha Yufeng and Yuhi Kurenai.

Seeing the determination on Uzuki Yugao's face, Yuhi Kurenai was somewhat infected by her spirit. They were only ten D-rank Missions, after all. Obito's team had taken nineteen—couldn't they finish ten?

"I think we can give it a try!"

After saying that, she silently cheered herself on.

"What about you, Yufeng?"

Yuhi Shinku looked at Uchiha Yufeng.

"I don't mind."

Hearing that neither of them opposed her, Uzuki Yugao felt a warmth rise in her heart.

Is this what companions are?

In truth, Uzuki Yugao had already begun to regret it just now.

She had always been strong-willed and unwilling to admit defeat since childhood.

But she would not force others to be as competitive as she was. Hearing what another team had done today had made her lose her head for a moment.

"Give me the mission slips. We'll take these ten!"

"Understood, Lord Yuhi Shinku!"

The Chunin handling the assignments then handed all ten remaining mission slips to Yuhi Shinku.

"Let's go. The first mission: Yamada Jiro's puppy is missing. Please find it!"

And so Team 1 began its journey through D-rank Missions.

Catching cats, finding dogs, looking after children, carrying water to tend vegetables, pulling weeds...

The day passed just like that amid sweat and hard work.

"All right, that's it for today's mission! Gather at the usual place tomorrow morning at seven!"

After Yuhi Shinku finished speaking, he looked at Uchiha Yufeng.

"Lady Tsunade sent someone over just now. She wants you to make a trip to Konoha Hospital."

"Okay."

Uchiha Yufeng nodded.

"Dismissed!"

As soon as Yuhi Shinku finished speaking, he left with Yuhi Kurenai.

"What about you? Where are you going?"

Uchiha Yufeng looked at Uzuki Yugao.

"I'm going to practice my swordsmanship!"

A determined look appeared on Uzuki Yugao's youthful face.

Thinking of her previous spar with Uchiha Yufeng, which she still had not gotten the chance to settle to her satisfaction, she spoke up.

"Want to come with me? We can spar while we're at it!"

Uchiha Yufeng spread his hands helplessly.

"Next time. Lady Tsunade is looking for me, so I'm heading out first!"

With that, Uchiha Yufeng turned and left.

He had figured out Uzuki Yugao's personality by now.

Diligent, hardworking, fiercely competitive, and strong-willed.

Only now did Uchiha Yufeng roughly understand the Third Hokage's reasoning behind the team assignments.

Placed within a team, Uzuki Yugao would influence him—or the entire team—with her steadfast belief in the Will of Fire.

As his thoughts wandered, Uchiha Yufeng arrived at Konoha Hospital.

"Lady Tsunade is waiting for you inside."

Seeing Uchiha Yufeng arrive, the ninja in a white coat at the entrance pointed to an office.

"Thank you, sir."

Uchiha Yufeng replied politely before pushing open the door and entering.

Tsunade wore a long green robe, her hair tied in a high ponytail. She stood before the window, her gaze complicated.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Hearing Uchiha Yufeng's voice, Tsunade snapped back to her senses. She took a deep breath and turned around.

"I'm planning to leave Konoha with Shizune within the next couple of days! You were right before—it's time I went out and saw the world. If there are any medical techniques you don't understand, make sure to ask me about them these next two days!"

He knew Tsunade would leave sooner or later, but he had not expected it to be this sudden.

"Ding, Senju Tobirama (Youth) Fragment +2."

"Lady Tsunade, won't you wait until after we take part in the Chunin Exams before leaving?"

"The Chunin Exams?"

Tsunade murmured, a flicker of struggle crossing her face before vanishing.

"Kid, do you want me to stay in Konoha too?"

Uchiha Yufeng shook his head at that.

"Good! If you try to make me stay in Konoha again because that old man told you to, I'll beat you to death today!"

After saying that, Tsunade walked over to Uchiha Yufeng.

She took several scrolls from her robe and handed them to him.

"These are all advanced Medical Ninjutsu. It's fine if you can't learn them now. Just learn them once you're strong enough."

Uchiha Yufeng's expression turned a little strange. The clothes Tsunade was wearing today were somewhat loose.

Judging by where she had taken the scrolls out from just now, they should have been less than a finger's width below her heart...

"If I want to find you, Lady Tsunade, where should I go?"

Once Tsunade left, how was he supposed to collect enough fragments for his Senju Tobirama card?

Was he supposed to go looking for the Third Hokage and Danzo every day?

A Ninja Academy student who had just graduated, going every day to drink tea and shoot the breeze with members of the elders' council?

That was unrealistic.

Tsunade was still the best option. He could mooch more Ninja Fragments off her...

Hearing this, surprise flashed through Tsunade's eyes.

The look she gave Uchiha Yufeng grew gentler.

She immediately turned her back.

"Did you see the word 'gamble' on my clothes? Starting today, I'm going to gamble across the entire Ninja World!"

At the mention of gambling, Tsunade's eyes seemed to light up.

"From now on, whenever you hear about someone like the Green-Clad Gambling Saint or the Gambling God, that'll definitely be me!"

"The Gambling Saint? The Gambling God?"

Hearing such shameless words, even Uchiha Yufeng couldn't stop the corner of his mouth from twitching.

Good grief, Tsunade!

Didn't you know your own skill level?

You really had no use for shame, did you?!