What?
Suppress bandits?
Indeed, this was a standard C-rank mission.
And it was still a very classic and representative type of C-rank mission.
But this had absolutely nothing to do with the C-rank mission Naruto had been anticipating in his heart—the mission to the Land of Waves!
This instantly made Naruto feel as if countless grass-and-mud horses were galloping wildly through his heart, and a strong sense of despair surged up uncontrollably.
Director! The actors are ready! The script has already been handed out! Everyone has memorized their lines! And then, right after opening the script, you suddenly say you want to change the entire plot?!
This is completely different from what we agreed on at the beginning!
Hey!
You don't follow the routine at all!
What about the bridge builder?
What about that drunk old man named Tazuna?!
What about the C-rank mission to protect an important person?!
What about traveling to the Land of Waves?!
Good heavens—what about Gatō?!
Damn it!
Does this mean my chance to fight that Demon of the Mist, Momochi Zabuza, has just slipped away for nothing?!
At this moment—
Deep in Naruto's heart, there were only two capitalized words left:
STUNNED.
There was no other word that could accurately describe his emotional state right now.
Old man!
You're not following the original script at all!
This is illegal, do you know that?!
You're doing this!
Be careful or I'll beat you up!
Naruto stood there, looking at the Third Hokage whose expression seemed completely unchanged on the surface. However, inside his heart, Naruto was already roaring at the top of his lungs. There was even an urge—an extremely dangerous urge—to rush forward, grab the old man by the collar, and give him a good shaking.
If the story were supposed to change, then fine—it changes.
Naruto understood very clearly that his very existence was already the greatest variable. Any butterfly effect was normal.
But this kind of change!
This kind of plot derailment!
It still hurt him deeply.
A feeling called sadness quietly spread from the depths of Naruto's heart.
Even so, Naruto could only reluctantly accept it. After all, this was the C-rank mission that he himself had requested.
No matter how devastated he was inside, Naruto still had to put on a happy expression on the surface. He asked for a C-rank mission, and the Third Hokage gave him a C-rank mission. From any reasonable standpoint, he should look happy—otherwise, people would start doubting him.
The enthusiasm on the outside.
The awkward frustration on the inside.
Only Naruto himself truly understood that contradiction.
As for the Third Hokage sitting at the front, he naturally had no idea about the dramatic storm raging in Naruto's heart. Although he knew that this mission would be relatively easy for Team Seven, especially with an elite Jōnin like Hatake Kakashi leading them, it was still a mission that would involve bloodshed. Moreover, the number of bandits exceeded one hundred people, which was not insignificant.
After all, this was a peaceful era, unlike the wartime years when twelve-year-old ninja were already considered fully mature combatants capable of acting independently. Therefore, after assigning the mission, the Third Hokage carefully explained many additional details and points that required special attention.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura listened attentively.
This was, after all, guidance from the Hokage himself.
For rookie ninja like them, this kind of experience was extremely valuable.
"Then, I'll leave the rest to you, Kakashi."
After finishing his explanations, the Third Hokage handed the mission scroll to Hatake Kakashi, who stepped forward to receive it. The Hokage looked at him with a gaze carrying a deeper meaning.
"Yes, Third Hokage-sama. I understand."
This time, Kakashi did not maintain his usual lazy and careless demeanor. Instead, he accepted the mission scroll seriously and responded in a steady voice. At this moment, only Kakashi truly understood the unspoken meaning behind the Third Hokage's words.
Even Iruka standing nearby did not fully grasp what this C-rank mission represented.
Let alone Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
This was not merely a simple bandit suppression mission.
It was a mission with great significance for rookie ninja like them, and to a certain extent, it was also a very demanding one.
At this moment, none of the three realized that they were about to truly step into the darker side of the ninja world.
The cruelty of reality.
And the qualities a ninja must possess.
What exactly makes a ninja a qualified ninja?
Very few people in times of peace truly understood.
But any ninja who had lived through the wars knew it well.
For Team Seven, whether it was the graduation exam at the Ninja Academy or the special survival test arranged by Kakashi, those were merely the baseline requirements for becoming a ninja.
To become a real ninja, these newly graduated Genin still needed to cross a crucial threshold.
For Team Seven, Naruto might already possess some of the necessary qualities.
But Sasuke and Sakura did not.
They were missing an essential element that a true ninja must have.
And that element—
Would be added during this mission.
The premise was that the three of them would participate fully, coordinate properly, and successfully complete this C-rank mission.
Only then could Team Seven truly become a qualified ninja squad of Konohagakure.
Of course, at this moment, they had no idea what awaited them.
They still believed this was just an ordinary and routine C-rank mission.
Naruto's mind was even wandering slightly, wondering whether this mission being closer to the Land of Waves might give him a chance to sneak off and look for Gatō. But that thought only lingered for an instant before Naruto discouraged himself and gave up.
Leaving aside the fact that this was a team mission and Kakashi would be accompanying them, making it nearly impossible to sneak away, Gatō's situation wasn't something that could be interfered with casually. If he went alone without proper preparation, it would basically be delivering himself to his death.
After thinking it over—
In less than a second—
Naruto decisively abandoned the tempting idea.
Better to honestly complete this C-rank mission first.
After returning, maybe there would be another chance to receive that special mission.
Perhaps it was also due to the changes caused by his arrival that the Land of Waves mission had been pushed back slightly.
In any case, Team Seven could already accept C-rank missions now.
There was no need to worry too much.
Naruto comforted himself inwardly.
"All right, you're all clear on the general details of the mission. From the village to the mission location will take about half a day. Including the time needed to complete the mission and return, it should take roughly one full day. Each of you go back and prepare the necessary equipment and supplies. We'll gather at the village gate in one hour. Understood?"
After leaving the mission center, Kakashi turned around and looked at Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura behind him. He shook the mission scroll in his hand and returned to his usual lazy posture, speaking in a relaxed tone.
Although this mission had some special significance for the three Genin, for Kakashi himself, a C-rank mission was nothing worth stressing over.
Even a B-rank mission would not trouble him.
Only A-rank missions would truly require serious preparation for a Jōnin like Kakashi.
For this mission—
Kakashi only needed to stay alert enough to make sure these three little guys didn't mess things up.
After all, the most dangerous thing in a C-rank mission—
Was never the enemy.
It was rookie ninja underestimating their first real battlefield.
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