An assigned mission

"Brother Mang, thanks for taking me along on the mission and still splitting the Remuneration with me."

Naruto Uzumaki wiped the tears of excitement from the corners of his eyes, struggling to keep his emotions under control.

"Ah, you don't have to get that emotional. You helped out, after all."

Luo Mang wasn't lying. Naruto had done a fair amount of the work chopping down trees that morning, so he deserved a share of the pay. Luo Mang wasn't about to trick someone into working for free.

The place to turn in missions was in the Hokage building?

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been watching all along, saw them return and naturally found an opportunity to come downstairs and see Naruto again.

"Heh, did you gain anything from your mission experience today, little Naruto?"

"Grandpa Whitebeard, I gained a lot today! Not only did I learn how to take missions and earn money, but I also realized that the lady who hired us wasn't looking at me with hatred while I worked for her."

Naruto Uzumaki put his earnings into his Frog Wallet, then turned and answered with a smile.

"Yes. People misunderstand because they don't know the truth, so they follow the crowd. If you stay friendly while taking missions, you can gradually change their attitudes. To become Hokage, you need the village's recognition."

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he instilled his Will of Fire in Naruto.

"Yeah, I definitely will! I'll change how they see me, earn their recognition, and become the strongest Hokage!"

The changes that day had given Naruto Uzumaki a little hope. He thumped his chest as he announced his plan.

Watching this, Luo Mang pressed his lips together. He had no reason to comment on someone else's ideals, much less insist on changing them.

He had only brought Naruto along today to build a good relationship with the future Child of Prophecy. Naruto's ideals had nothing to do with him.

"All right, head home now, little Naruto. I have something to discuss with Luo Mang."

"Okay, Grandpa White-Beard, bye-bye Big Bro Mang."

Soon, Naruto Uzumaki disappeared from the Hokage building, apparently running toward the Ramen Shop.

He really did love ramen.

"Heh, this should be our third meeting, shouldn't it?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Luo Mang pressed his lips together, unsure what the man before him was up to. Did he not want him interacting with Naruto?

Had I underestimated the significance of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki again? Was even the slightest connection forbidden?

Had he kept me behind to warn me?

"Heh, let's talk upstairs."

Hiruzen Sarutobi chose not to talk there. Instead, he raised a hand and pointed upstairs toward the Hokage Office.

"Oh."

Let's see what he's playing at. Since he hasn't turned hostile outright, he probably has something planned. Surely he won't arrest me the moment we get upstairs.

The Hokage Office.

Luo Mang pushed the door open and entered, instinctively examining his surroundings.

It looked no different from what he remembered. The desk in the middle was piled with folders, and dusky light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind it. Evening had already fallen.

Creak.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked over to the seat, pulled the chair out with a creak, and sat down. Bracing his hands on the desk, he looked at Luo Mang.

Luo Mang stepped forward as well, bowed slightly, and waited for instructions.

"I'm sure you know what the people around you say about Naruto. I'd like to ask what you think of him. Why aren't you afraid like everyone else?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared straight at him with unprecedented seriousness. He wasn't even smoking his pipe.

"Rumors start with something trivial, then gradually grow into something much bigger."

After a moment's thought, Luo Mang replied calmly.

"He's always been that carefree at the Academy, nothing like what the rumors say. And I happened to be doing a mission, so having a helper made it faster."

"Hmm."

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes. As for why Luo Mang had noticed Naruto Uzumaki...

There was no need to dwell on that. Naruto Uzumaki was a textbook social butterfly, shouting in the Academy classroom every day.

It would have been strange if he hadn't attracted attention.

"Yes, that's true, though there isn't much I can say about it. Since you don't dislike Naruto, I'll assign you a mission."

"What mission?"

Luo Mang was puzzled. Did he really intend to deal with me outside the village? Should I make a run for it?

"Well, I'd like you to become Naruto's friend and spend more time with him. After all, he doesn't have any close friends around him."

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had decided that he wanted Luo Mang to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's bond to the village, he had no intention of revealing anything about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

He took a couple of puffs from his pipe, thought for a moment, then added,

"Play with him now and then, and take the occasional mission together. Give him something to do so he doesn't keep causing trouble and scribbling all over Hokage Rock!"

"If you do well, this will become a long-term B-rank mission. As long as your performance is good, you'll be paid every month."

Luo Mang felt a little bewildered. So he wanted me to look after Naruto.

Sure, B-rank was already high for a babysitting mission, but that depended on who you were looking after. This was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! Shouldn't it count as an A-rank or S-rank mission? What an absolute miser.

Forget it. As long as there's some money.

Luo Mang bowed and accepted the mission.

"I will do everything in my power to fulfill your request, Lord Hokage."

"Yes, there's no need to force it. Just look after him and give him a little guidance now and then."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said no more and waved him away.

Before the sun had fully set, Luo Mang returned home and lay down on his bed.

[The weather was clear today. I ran into cute little Hinata on the way, and she wanted to buy me a meal.]

The Hatake clan grounds.

Sensing that writing had begun in the diary, Kakashi took out a pen and paper and sat on the edge of his bed like an elementary school student preparing to take notes.

"Please, give me some clues."

Kakashi looked troubled. The mission he had issued had yielded no leads.

It wasn't that no one had accepted it. Everyone who had taken it and gone to investigate had died. Not a single one had returned.

That made it even clearer how terrifyingly powerful the other party was.

It put considerable pressure on Kakashi. All he could rely on now was the diary. He hoped Luo Mang would reveal more clues so he could pass them on indirectly to Hiruzen Sarutobi and help him prepare.

Besides, he had previously seen the phrase "Konoha Crush Plan." That could be important.

Kakashi was becoming increasingly aware of how weak he was. He simply couldn't handle the crises Konoha would face in the future.

The only thing he could do now was ensure that this child who could predict the future stayed in Konoha for good, giving them advance information. At least, if he truly predicted something...

[I went to the Ramen Shop and unexpectedly ran into Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Sure enough, he was carefree, a textbook social butterfly. I'm pretty nervous about talking to people like him, but he is the future savior, after all. Getting on good terms, learning each other's names, and leaving an impression wasn't a bad thing.]

[But I didn't expect the Third to ask me to look after Naruto-and long-term, at that. Does he want to use me as a tool to keep him in check?]