From the second day onward, Naruto's Team 7 officially began carrying out missions.
However, being a newly formed Genin team, all their assignments were D-rank missions, like helping catch cats, looking for lost dogs, delivering letters, and even weeding fields.
Naruto always acted bored and lazy during these tasks, making a show of his reluctance by "slacking off" at every chance.
His style of laziness was unique: rather than sleeping or snacking, he'd spend his time practicing hand seals while doing the tasks.
His basics were so weak that he had to start from scratch, but luckily, he had his [Super Clone] - the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Not only that, but his Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu had reached the level of [Advanced Transformation], allowing him to maintain clones up to ten kilometers away from his body for an entire day.
And just like that, two months passed quickly.
"Naruto, can't you take this more seriously?" Sakura asked, annoyed, as she saw Naruto lazily pinning down their mission target – a large tabby cat hiding under her feet.
Since the recent bell-stealing exercise, Sakura's attitude toward Naruto had changed slightly. She was a bit less annoyed by him and didn't hold back when speaking her mind.
(Note here: Naruto's current self no longer follows her around hopelessly as he once did, and he even teased her a few times, making their relationship worse than in the original story before the bell exercise.)
This time, their mission was to help Lady Daimyo catch her missing tabby cat.
They had located the target and successfully captured it, but since Naruto was still practicing his hand seals, he had to pin the cat down with his foot.
"Who told it to run my way? It was asking for it," Naruto replied with a smirk.
While talking, Naruto didn't pause his hand-seal practice for even a second.
Sasuke, ever calm, felt pressure from Naruto's intense training, so he, too, practiced his hand seals on the sly.
Maybe he was a bit embarrassed, so he didn't make it as obvious as Naruto did.
Meanwhile, Kakashi observed Naruto closely. Just two months ago, Naruto had almost lost control of the Nine-Tails' chakra, shocking Kakashi, who couldn't quite grasp what had caused it.
Later, the Third Hokage called Kakashi in for a long discussion. Their final conclusion was that Naruto was simply too eager to grow stronger and got frustrated with Kakashi's refusal.
But Naruto's behavior was still strange enough to warrant further observation.
Moreover, they couldn't be sure he wouldn't have another outburst, so they decided to help him improve his skills.
Thus, the Third Hokage was now considering a C-rank mission for Team 7, to give Naruto some real experience.
…
Mission Assignment Hall.
Team 7 handed their target to Lady Daimyo, completing this D-rank mission.
"Anything else, Lady Kakashi? If not, I'm heading out for more training," Naruto said, feigning impatience.
Outwardly, Naruto's performance hadn't changed from his usual character. However, if he started grinning mischievously, it would raise suspicion with both Kakashi and the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage sat in the mission hall, his eyes on Naruto from the moment he walked in.
He rarely came to the mission hall in person. Not only was he here now, but he'd also brought Iruka along and had filled him in on Naruto's situation a while back.
Because today, he planned to give Naruto a suitable C-rank mission.
"Alright, let's see. Your next mission is to either help some elderly folks watch their grandchildren or assist with sweet potato planting," the Third Hokage said calmly, glancing at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.
With his enhanced Uzumaki lineage, Naruto's senses had grown sharper. He quickly sensed the presence of an older man waiting outside the door.
The man had been waiting since morning and wasn't brought in until Team 7 entered the mission hall.
Clearly, this was for Team 7, or rather, for Naruto.
Realizing the Third Hokage was setting the stage, Naruto decided to play along since he needed to go to the Land of Waves.
"Oh, come on! I don't want any more of these boring missions! Give me something more exciting!" Naruto yelled, putting a look of annoyance on his face.
Sasuke and Sakura both nodded in agreement.
"You fools! You're fresh graduates. Everyone starts with simple missions to build experience," Iruka, who was beside the Third Hokage, suddenly stood up and scolded Naruto, though he looked genuinely worried. He didn't want them facing unnecessary danger.
The Third Hokage hid a smile behind his Hokage hat. This was part of why he'd brought Iruka along—Iruka always cared deeply about Naruto.
"But the missions are just so boring!" Naruto argued even louder.
Bam!
"That's enough!" Kakashi, catching a signal from the Third Hokage, gave Naruto a light slap on the back of the head.
"Naruto, it looks like I'm going to have to teach you the true meaning of a mission!" The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe, exhaling a slow ring of smoke as he began:
"The mission levels are divided into..."
Blah blah blah, blah blah blah…
Naruto tuned out most of the lecture. He already knew the whole spiel.
When the Third Hokage finally finished, Naruto put on an irritated expression and said, "The old man keeps preaching to me like that. I'm not a kid who just plays pranks, like he still thinks I am!"
With that, he turned away dramatically, pretending to ignore the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage studied his every move sharply but continued to smile, finally saying with feigned helplessness:
"Alright, alright. Since you're insisting, I'll give you a C-rank mission—a protection mission."
"Huh? Really?"
This was what Naruto had been waiting for. The scene was reaching its climax. He turned around excitedly, eyes sparkling with eagerness. "Is it to protect a Daimyo? Or a princess?"
"Heh, neither," the Third Hokage smirked. "Let me introduce you."
The Third Hokage called toward the waiting room, "Let him in."
The door opened, and in stumbled a scruffy, drunken old man with a bottle in hand. His first words were a complaint:
"What? They're all kids!"
Taking a swig from his bottle, he feigned a loud, drunken grumble.
Naruto eyed the old man and chuckled to himself, "Heh, another actor's entered the stage."
-----------------------------------------------------------
**Thank you for reading **
This is my patron if you want to help me
I will post there some advanced chapters
patreon.com/Sabitos777