The Hokage Building.
The Mission Dispatch Hall on the second floor.
As Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that Team 7 would receive a C-rank protection mission, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto all cheered.
Of course, it would hardly be Naruto if he didn't ask something wildly exaggerated.
His eyes shone as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi expectantly. "Are we protecting the Daimyo of the Land of Fire? Or... a princess from another country?"
Kakashi felt a headache coming on.
Sakura was also full of anticipation, wondering what important person they would be protecting this time.
Only Sasuke, upon hearing Naruto mention protecting a princess, had a single word slowly appear across his forehead: danger!
"Hahaha... protecting a Daimyo can wait. This time, you'll be protecting a bridge engineer."
After saying that, Hiruzen Sarutobi called toward a door on the second floor, "Come out."
All four of them turned to look.
As the wooden sliding door opened fully, a drunken old man who looked as though he still had a dozen or so years left in him came into view.
"Huh?" Tazuna looked at Team 7 in displeasure. "Lord Hokage, you're not sending this bunch of brats to protect me in the Land of Waves, are you?"
"Look at them! They're barely old enough to grow hair, especially that blond kid. He doesn't look too bright!"
Tazuna was an old hand. Even though the mission he had commissioned differed drastically from the actual situation, he still used his position as the paying client to look down on them, nitpick, and point fingers.
In the end, they successfully accepted the protection mission after Kakashi personally guaranteed they could handle it.
Once Team 7 had secured the mission, Kakashi gave everyone instructions.
"You have one hour to prepare. Meet at Konoha's main gate in an hour.