Chapter 35: Team Mission
After a long day of training, Kiba Inuzuka was wandering the streets with Akamaru.
"Training is exhausting," he grumbled. "I wish we could just go out, just me and Akamaru, running free in the open fields."
Akamaru, perched on his shoulder, rubbed his wet nose against Kiba's cheek and whined affectionately.
"You're bored too, right?" Kiba ruffled Akamaru's fur, then suddenly spotted three familiar figures near the hospital.
Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji were sneaking into the back door, carrying several large bags.
"Hm?" Kiba narrowed his eyes. "Why are those three always hanging around the hospital?" Akamaru's ears perked up.
He remembered a rumor he'd heard during training yesterday: Lady Tsunade was giving some people private lessons, teaching them secret medical ninjutsu.
"Don't tell me... they got picked?" Kiba scooped up Akamaru and leaped onto a nearby roof. "Come on! Let's check it out."
Peering through a hospital room window, Kiba saw Ino, covered in sweat, mopping the floor. He saw Shikamaru get his head smacked by Tsunade while organizing a medicine cabinet. And he saw Choji, his face a mask of misery, hauling a medical crate taller than he was. Tsunade stood by, arms crossed, yelling at them.
"Oh... so they're just doing manual labor," Kiba muttered, disappointed. He was about to leave when he saw Tsunade pull a scroll from her sleeve and toss it to Ino.
"Tonight's pay," Tsunade's voice drifted over. "Remember, the foundation of all medical ninjutsu is chakra control."
Kiba's ears shot straight up. "Medical ninjutsu? It is special training!"
He completely ignored their exhausted faces, his mind fixated on the fact that they were secretly learning cool stuff without him.
Akamaru bit his pant leg, trying to get his attention, but Kiba, overjoyed, just scooped him up. "Let's go! We have to tell Naruto!"
The next morning, the training ground was in an uproar. The rumor that Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were getting "private lessons" was all anyone could talk about.
Naruto, who hadn't been seen in a while, was also there.
He wasn't there because of the rumor, but because Sarutobi had sent Jiraiya out on some kind of reconnaissance mission yesterday afternoon.
The moment he arrived, Naruto grabbed Shikamaru's collar. "Why do only you guys get to learn?! I want to learn new jutsu, too! That Pervy Sage is always just fobbing me off!"
Sakura punched Naruto on the head. "You idiot! That's what you're focused on?!"
She turned to Ino. "Ino, what have you three been hiding from us?"
Ino just waved weakly. "We're really... just working off a debt."
"A debt?" Kiba scoffed, hands on his hips. "Stop pretending! I saw Lady Tsunade give you a scroll with my own eyes!"
Choji, on the verge of tears, pulled out last night's "scroll"—which was, in fact, the hospital's duty roster.
"You mean this? Lady Tsunade wants us to come back tomorrow to clean the O.R."
As the group stood there, stunned, Sasuke emerged from the trees, his eyes scanning the trio. "Boring."
He had actually been passing the hospital yesterday and seen the three of them hauling cargo, with Tsunade yelling, "Hurry up! If you waste my clinic time, I'll dock your pay!" He just thought the whole thing was too stupid to mention.
"Wait!" Kiba suddenly pointed at Sasuke. "Don't tell me you're..."
"Idiot." Sasuke walked away without a backward glance.
"That pisses me off! Sasuke, you bastard! I'll get you for that!"
Kiba fumed at Sasuke's back, and Akamaru barked "Woof woof!" in support.
Just then, Kakashi appeared.
He clapped his hands. "Alright, settle down. We have a mission!"
"A mission?" Hearing those words, Shikamaru, who had been exhausted and embarrassed, instantly perked up. He rushed over to Kakashi, his eyes full of hope.
"What kind of mission? D-rank? C-rank? I don't care! As long as it gets me out of that hospital, I'll even chase cats!"
The last few days of manual labor at the hospital had been worse than three straight days of physical training. He was desperate to get out.
"If it's a mission, I should go!" Naruto raised his hand high, his eyes shining. "I just learned a new jutsu! I need to test it out! Maybe we'll even run into some strong ninja and I can show them what I've got!"
Ino stepped forward, not to be outdone. "Why should you be the only one? I've been practicing my chakra control at the hospital! Missions need a delicate touch, which makes me a better fit than you!"
The three of them surrounded Kakashi, arguing over who should go, none of them willing to back down.
Naruto even gave Ino a shove. "You just stack medicine! You don't know how to fight!"
Ino shoved back. "You're just reckless! You'll only mess up the mission!"
Shikamaru, meanwhile, was frantically trying to convince Kakashi how much he needed this mission, terrified the spot would be taken and he'd be stuck at the hospital for another month.
Kiba, holding Akamaru, chimed in. "Stop fighting! My tracking skills with Akamaru are the best! The mission will definitely need us. If you guys lose something, we're the only ones who can find it!"
Akamaru barked in agreement.
Sakura sighed and stepped in, pushing them apart. "Stop it! Kakashi-sensei is the one making the assignments. Arguing won't help. Let's just listen to what he has to say!"
They finally quieted down, all of them staring at Kakashi with anticipation.
Kakashi just smiled and shook his head, unrolling the mission scroll. "Alright, that's enough. This mission is... cumbersome. It's not for one person or one team. It's for all members of the Konoha Special Tactical Squad."
"All of us?" Naruto blinked, then jumped in the air. "Awesome! We can all go together! I'll definitely be the one who does the best! I'll show Sasuke how strong I am!"
"This involves us, too?" Lee, who had been watching from a distance, came over.
He'd assumed it wouldn't involve his team. After all, they were just 'padding their resumes' at this point, and the nine new genin needed the experience more.
The atmosphere in the group grew excited. Naruto and Lee were already discussing how they would "show their skills." Choji was whispering to Ino, planning what snacks to pack for the road.
But as everyone else buzzed with excitement, Shikamaru quietly stepped back, his mind cooling.
He had heard countless mission descriptions. D-rank missions were 'boring,' C-rank were 'trivial,' B-rank and higher were 'risky.' But he had rarely, if ever, heard an elite Jonin like Kakashi describe a mission as "cumbersome."
That word... it was far more interesting than 'dangerous.'
"Alright, alright," Kakashi announced, cutting through the noise. "This mission is an exploration of the ruins of Uzushiogakure. We meet at the main gate tomorrow at 0800. Remember to bring your full gear, medical supplies, and enough rations. This will be a long one, so prepare accordingly."