A Gathering of Master Actors and the Land of Waves Mission (Please Vote and Tip)

The next day, Naruto's Team 7 began taking on missions.

But as a newly formed Genin team, they only received D-rank Missions: catching cats, finding dogs, delivering letters, even pulling weeds.

Naruto always made a show of being reluctant and unmotivated, "slacking off" while they worked.

His way of slacking off was unusual. Instead of sleeping or eating, he kept moving his hands, practicing Hand Seals.

His predecessor's foundations were so poor that he had to start from scratch. Fortunately, he had his Super Cheat—the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!

And his Multiple Shadow Clone Technique had reached the Masterclass level. His clones could travel ten kilometers from him and last an entire day.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

"Naruto, can't you take this seriously?"

Sakura looked at Naruto, who had pinned their target, a large cat, beneath his foot, and spoke with displeasure.

Since the incident with the Bell, Sakura's attitude toward Naruto had changed. At least she no longer disliked him as much or spoke so harshly to him.

(To clarify, this Naruto had stopped fawning over Sakura and had teased her a few times, so their relationship before the Bell incident was worse than in the original story.)

This time, their mission was to catch the Daimyo's Wife's missing tabby cat.

They had found and caught their target, but Naruto's hands were busy practicing Hand Seals, so he could only hold the cat down with his foot.

"It's the one who ran straight at me. It brought this on itself, hehe," Naruto replied with a grin.

Even as he spoke, his hands kept forming seals.

Sasuke's face remained grim. Naruto's hard work put enormous pressure on him, so he was secretly practicing Hand Seals too.

But perhaps he was too self-conscious to be as blatant about it as Naruto.

Kakashi had been watching Naruto closely. Two months earlier, Naruto had nearly unleashed Nine-Tails Chakra, and it had given Kakashi quite a fright. He couldn't understand why Naruto had reacted that way.

The Third Hokage had later summoned him for a long talk. They concluded that Naruto was desperate to grow stronger and had been furious at Kakashi's refusal.

But Naruto's behavior was still too unusual, so they needed to keep watching him.

And since they couldn't be sure Naruto wouldn't lose his temper again, they decided to help him improve his strength.

To that end, the Third Hokage was choosing a suitable C-rank Mission for Team 7 to give Naruto some experience.

Mission Acceptance Hall.

Team 7 handed their target over to the Daimyo's Wife, completing another D-rank Mission.

"Is there anything else, Kakashi-sensei? If not, I'm going to train," Naruto said, feigning impatience.

On the surface, Naruto behaved just as his old self would have. If he suddenly started wearing a fake, pleasant smile, that would only put Kakashi and the Third Hokage on guard.

The Third Hokage sat in the Mission Acceptance Hall, staring intently at Naruto from the moment he entered.

He rarely came to the hall. Today, not only had he come in person, he had summoned Iruka and told him about Naruto's situation.

Because today, he intended to assign Naruto a suitable C-rank Mission.

"Hmm, let me see. Team 7's next mission is to help an elderly person look after the children at home, or help dig up sweet potatoes," the Third Hokage said calmly, picking up a mission slip while sneaking a glance at Naruto.

Since acquiring the Uzumaki Clan Sage Body, a God-Tier Bloodline, Naruto's senses had become extraordinarily sharp. He could now sense an old man outside the door.

The man had been waiting since morning. Only when Team 7 arrived at the Mission Acceptance Hall that afternoon had he been summoned from the inn.

Clearly, he was here for Team 7. More precisely, he was here for Naruto.

Watching the Third Hokage put on his act, Naruto decided to play along. He was going to the Land of Waves, no matter what.

"Hey, come on! No more missions like that! I want something more challenging!" Naruto shouted, his dissatisfaction written all over his face.

Sasuke and Sakura nodded beside him.

"You fools! You've only just graduated. Everyone starts with the simplest missions to build experience."

Iruka suddenly stood up beside the Third Hokage and scolded Naruto, though worry showed on his face. He feared a harder mission would put them in danger.

The Third Hokage tugged his Hokage hat lower to hide the corners of his mouth turning up.

That was one reason he had called Iruka here: Iruka was always so passionate and cared so much about Naruto.

"But every mission we get is boring!" Naruto shouted even louder.

Smack!

"That's enough!" At a signal from the Third Hokage, Kakashi swatted Naruto on the back of the head.

"Naruto, it seems I need to explain the true purpose of missions to you!" The Third Hokage took a leisurely puff on his pipe, blew out a smoke ring, and began slowly:

"Mission ranks are divided into..."

Blah, blah, blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah...

Naruto didn't listen to the Third Hokage's long-winded lecture. It was just the usual sermon and things he already knew.

When the Third Hokage finally finished rambling, Naruto feigned displeasure. "Old man, you're always lecturing me! I've grown up. I'm not the little prankster you keep thinking I am!"

With that, he turned away in a deliberate huff and ignored the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage watched his every move with sharp eyes, though he smiled on the surface and said helplessly:

"All right, all right. If you insist, I'll give you a C-rank Mission. You'll be protecting someone."

"Huh? Really?"

That was what Naruto had been waiting for. The performance was nearing its climax. He spun around excitedly, eyes narrowing with delight. "Are we protecting a Daimyo? Or a princess?"

"Heh, neither." The Third Hokage smiled. "Let me introduce him."

Then he called toward the waiting room in a low voice. "Let him in."

The door swung open, and a disheveled old man staggered in, drunk and carrying a bottle. His first words were a complaint:

"What's this? Why are they all kids?"

He took several more large swigs, putting on the air of a man too drunk to watch his mouth.

Naruto looked at the old man and sneered inwardly. Heh. Another master actor takes the stage.

After drinking, the old man leaned against the doorframe and continued grumbling. "Especially that shortest one. Why does he look so stupid? Are you really a Ninja?"

Naruto sneered inwardly but put on a puzzled expression and looked around. "Haha, who do you mean? The shortest? The stupidest-looking?"

The moment he said it, Sasuke and Sakura stepped to either side of him. It was obvious who was shortest.

Naruto flew into a rage and made as if to punch the old man, but Kakashi and the others held him back. He gradually relented and pretended to accept the mission reluctantly.

Later, Naruto gave his performance a score of ninety-nine out of a hundred. He held back one point so he wouldn't get conceited.

Heh. Master actor? This world owes me an Oscar!