Especially recalling the previous confrontation during the formation of Team Seven.
That experience made Sakura deeply realize that, not to mention comparing herself to Kakashi-sensei, even when compared with Naruto and Sasuke, she was more or less like a decorative oil bottle within the team. Of course, theoretically speaking, even the weakest Genin should still be capable of completing the vast majority of C-rank missions. Not because of anything special, but simply because ninja are ninja after all, and they are fundamentally different from ordinary civilians. Most C-rank missions involve dealing with ordinary people, and at worst might encounter a wandering ninja of C-rank level. Such missions are already considered the most difficult among standard C-rank assignments.
In theory, even Sakura could defeat dozens of thieves or bandits in an instant. However, that was only theory. (After all, lacking real combat experience, battlefield mentality, and killing intent is a crucial issue. Strength is one thing, but whether that strength can actually be displayed in real combat is another matter entirely. Throughout the decades since the establishment of the Five Great Ninja Villages, there has never been a shortage of examples where trained ninja were killed by ordinary people. These cases are classic representations of insufficient mentality and lack of adaptability. Many first-time combatants freeze upon witnessing a bloody scene for the first time, their minds going blank, and they end up standing still until they are killed.)
Just as there are theoretical assumptions, there are also countless real-life examples.
Haruno Sakura was like a flower raised almost entirely inside a greenhouse, and compared to ordinary wildflowers, she was even more fragile. Taking on a C-rank mission would indeed be somewhat forced. Fortunately, Sakura possessed a degree of self-awareness. Almost the moment the Third Hokage finished speaking, she had already adjusted her mindset.
What Sakura did not know, however, was that this particular C-rank mission was one that Naruto was determined to obtain no matter what.
"Yes, Naruto! You must remember everything the Hokage-sama said! You need to clearly understand where you stand right now, do you understand!?"
Iruka, standing to the side, followed the Third Hokage's words and looked at Naruto with a stern and serious expression.
"Yes, I understand, Iruka-sensei. But we are no longer children in the Ninja Academy. Iruka-sensei, I believe our team is fully capable of taking on C-rank missions. D-rank missions don't really make much sense for us anymore. If a chick keeps hiding in the nest, it will never learn how to fly, right? Third Grandpa! Besides, as far as I know, Kakashi-sensei graduated from the Ninja Academy when he was only five or six years old, right? And at the same age we are now, he was already carrying out real ninja missions!"
Naruto looked at the Third Hokage and Iruka with a serious expression. At the end of his sentence, he turned his head, glanced at Kakashi behind him, blinked once, and smiled lightly.
Naruto's words immediately caused Sakura and Sasuke standing beside him to show expressions of surprise to varying degrees.
A ninja at twelve years old?
Graduated from the Ninja Academy at five or six?
This was completely beyond their expectations.
At that moment, Sasuke stared at Kakashi with a clearly shocked look in his eyes.
Even Kakashi himself could not help but show a surprised expression.
"This kid…"
Kakashi shook his head slightly, feeling both amused and helpless. Naruto really knew how to pick his reference target.
"A chick flying into the sky, huh…"
The Third Hokage remained seated, but his previously cloudy eyes seemed to become exceptionally clear at that moment. As he looked at Naruto standing in front of him, an image surfaced deep within his memories. A golden figure, filled with confidence and brilliance, flashed across his mind, and an expression of nostalgia and emotion briefly crossed his face.
"Minato… your child has truly grown up. In the future, he will undoubtedly become a ninja of Konoha just as outstanding as you were."
The same smile, the same confidence, the same golden silhouette.
At this moment, deep within the Third Hokage's mind, the figure of the Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato—appeared.
"Is that so… Very well. I understand your determination, Naruto. However, you are not receiving this mission alone. Your team functions as a whole. Therefore, I must ask the opinions of the other two members of Team Seven. Do you also believe that your team has the strength necessary to accept a C-rank mission?"
After nodding slightly at Naruto, the Third Hokage turned his attention to Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke standing nearby. His tone remained gentle, but there was a trace of seriousness hidden beneath it.
"Yes."
Before Sakura could finish hesitating and express her lingering uncertainty, Sasuke answered decisively.
His voice was firm and confident. The undeniable expectation and excitement hidden in his tone made Sakura let out a helpless sigh and nod in agreement. After all, both of her teammates—especially Sasuke—had already expressed their willingness to accept a C-rank mission.
"Fortunately, we have Kakashi-sensei. There shouldn't be any problems with a C-rank mission…"
Although she still felt somewhat uneasy, seeing Kakashi standing nearby eased most of Sakura's anxiety.
In Sakura's mind, this was still a low-level mission meant for Genin.
With Kakashi present, there shouldn't be any unexpected danger.
"So that's how it is… Very well. You have shown me your resolve. In that case, I will assign your team a C-rank mission."
Looking at the three young ninjas standing before him, the Third Hokage pondered for a moment before finally nodding. His expression became noticeably more serious as he spoke.
"Hokage-sama—"
Before the Third Hokage could finish his sentence, Iruka suddenly stood up with a visibly anxious expression and spoke quickly.
From Iruka's perspective, whether it was Naruto, Sasuke, or Sakura, they were all still children who had only recently left the Ninja Academy. Compared to D-rank missions, C-rank missions were fundamentally different. They often involved real combat, real danger, and real blood. These missions included escorting caravans (even those that only encountered bandits), eliminating criminal gangs, suppressing underground forces, or dealing with wandering ninja operating along border regions and causing deliberate trouble.
Of course, eliminating wandering ninja was considered the most difficult type of C-rank mission. Iruka knew that the Third Hokage would never assign such a task to Team Seven right away. Even so, even the relatively easier C-rank missions still carried real risks.
In most cases, C-rank missions inevitably involved bloodshed.
Death was not an uncommon outcome.
Letting Genin who had only graduated a few days ago participate in such missions?
Iruka felt that this was extremely inappropriate.
At this moment, Iruka had completely forgotten—or perhaps deliberately ignored—the fact that Naruto had already seen blood on the very day of graduation, and had nearly killed a Chūnin-level opponent with his own hands.
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