Chapter 14 This old man doesn't look like a good person!
Konoha Village, Hokage's Office, Mission Assignment Desk.
The other teams had already picked up their missions for the day; only Kakashi's Team 7 had yet to do so.
Kakashi watched helplessly as the little rascals argued amongst themselves.
Every time they picked up a mission, there was a fuss.
At twelve years old, were they really still just children?
Compared to that twelve-year-old who joined the Anbu, these few were far behind.
The growth of young Ninja during peacetime was indeed slower than during wartime.
"Team 7, today's mission is to catch a cat," the Third Hokage instructed.
Clang, clang, clang!
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura almost tripped and fell to the ground.
It was clear from their expressions.
None of the three were very happy with this mission.
Naruto looked at the Third Hokage with a depressed expression, "Isn't there a weeding mission? I want to weed, I don't want to catch a cat..."
Having experienced the benefits of weeding missions, Naruto, though he had performed several more weeding missions, still felt it wasn't enough.
Sasuke's face was also frosty: Weeding, cat-catching—what kind of trash missions were these? He wanted missions that involved actual combat.
Nothing improved strength more than combat!
Sakura, on the other hand, didn't care much, but if it was just catching a cat, it wouldn't take much time, meaning less time with Sasuke-kun.
In that case, how could they further develop their feelings?
Mama had said that feelings needed a long time together to develop, especially... Thinking of this, Sakura's face turned crimson.
"Weeding, only you are always weeding! We've weeded countless times at the Ninja Academy, Loser, hmph!" Sasuke turned his head, full of pride.
The Third Hokage looked at the three members of Team 7 with some interest.
Sasuke...?
The Third Hokage had an idea in his mind.
The man who annihilated his entire clan was still alive, and he had specifically left behind this one... "So Sasuke, what's your opinion? What kind of mission do you want?" the Third Hokage asked after a long period of thought.
"As long as it's not a D-rank mission like weeding or cat-finding, it's fine," Sasuke's expression was as cool as ever.
"So cool~" Sakura cupped her face with her hands.
This little shota is really interesting, Naruto's lips curved into a smile.
Iruka, who was assisting the Hokage in assigning missions, inadvertently saw Naruto's smile.
He almost fell to the ground instantly.
What kind of smile was that?
How could he twist his mouth like that?
The Third Hokage picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, "Alright, I understand. Then it's a C-rank escort mission!"
"Lord Third?!"
Iruka was somewhat disbelieving that the Third Hokage would change his mind, "Lord Third, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are still Genin who just became Ninja, and they've only performed D-rank missions a few times!"
"Don't worry, Iruka, with Kakashi accompanying them, there'll be no problem."
Kakashi rubbed his head with one hand, showing an embarrassed expression.
Sasuke's heart secretly rejoiced: An escort mission? The chances of combat happening are very high then.
Sakura: An escort mission? This could be dangerous, but it's a rare opportunity to share hardships with Sasuke, and an escort mission means... traveling far away.
A romantic trip with Sasuke!
Too bad Naruto is a third wheel.
"Escort mission?"
Thump, thump, thump!
Naruto rushed to the Third Hokage in two or three steps and shouted, "I don't want an escort mission! I want to weed! Weeding, do you understand?!"
Escort missions involve combat, and he just wanted to clock in and out, not fight.
He didn't understand this world well enough yet and wasn't willing to face unknown dangers.
Kakashi glanced at Naruto. Don't look at me. Though I've only known you for a few days, I already understand your weakness.
"Ahem," Kakashi coughed twice lightly, "Naruto, that... the bonus for C-rank escort missions is very generous, you know~"
Bonus, generous!
"Escorting is what I like most!" Naruto instantly became a convert.
"Then why don't you hurry back!" The Third Hokage pulled out a cloth and wiped off the spit that Naruto had sprayed on his face when he yelled at him, his old face twisted into a flower.
Naruto retreated repeatedly.
"Come in," the Third Hokage gestured towards the door.
An old man wearing a straw hat, reading glasses, a white towel around his neck, and carrying luggage on his back walked in.
"Are these brats really going to be the ones to escort me? Can they even do it?" The old man looked utterly skeptical.
Sasuke suddenly turned his head.
He felt looked down upon.
Naruto leisurely took out his sunglasses, put them on, and a smile played on his lips.
He then casually pulled out a small mirror from somewhere, looked at himself, and was extremely satisfied.
I am, indeed, the most handsome... And when Mr. Tazuna heard Sasuke's words, he became a little nervous, waving his hands repeatedly, "How could that be? Of course there are no Ninja. Who would hire Ninja to kill an old man like me~"
It was as if... he was trying his best to conceal something.
Kakashi glanced at Mr. Tazuna suspiciously, but said nothing.
Naruto, behind his tinted sunglasses, wore an enigmatic smile.
This old man doesn't seem like a good person...
The Third Hokage couldn't find his pipe again.
Where was it?
Hmm... When Naruto shouted at him, running to his front, was it then...?
So, should he keep his promise and never peek into the women's bathhouse again... Such a dilemma