We had been doing D rank missions for 6 weeks now, they consisted of babysitting, plowing fields, helping old people with shopping and many others.
We have now completed 27 D rank missions and Naruto stood in front of the Hokage and finally wanted a C rank mission.
Naruto: Come on old man, we'll do anything but change diapers.
We want a real mission.
Hiruzen: Fine, Naruto, if you insist.
The office door opened and an old man with glasses and a straw hat entered the room.
He had a bottle of alcohol in his hand and appeared to be drunk.
Hiruzen: This is Tazuna.
He wants to build a bridge that connects the land of waves with the mainland from the land of fire and you should protect him.
This is a C rank mission and your chance to prove that you are ready for C rank missions.
Tazuna: It's just three kids and one real ninja.
Naruto: Old man you must be drunk, because we are all real ninja.
Tazuna: Until yesterday you're still clinging to your mother's breast and you call yourself a ninja.
Naruto: My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I will be the next Hokage, but what does a drunk old man understand about that?
Hiruzen: Naruto restrain yourself and Tazuna I guarantee you that these three are full-fledged Konoha ninjas.
Tazuna: Well, Venerable Hokage, if you say that, I have to believe it.
Hiruzen then handed Yamato the mission file.
Yamato: Team 9, we'll meet at the exit of Konoha in an hour, pack your most necessary things for the journey.
You all can go.
We left the room and went to pack our luggage and then met at the exit.
Naruto arrived with a huge backpack on his back.
Sato: Naruto, you have too many things with you.
Naruto: Do you think it's too much?
Sato: I already thought that this happens with you.
Here for you!
I tossed him a sealing scroll.
Sato: Keep your backpack in it.
You have to be mobile in case we are attacked.
You can keep the scroll when the mission is over.
Naruto: Thanks Sato, I'll do it right away.
Hinata: I also have my things in a scroll.
I forgot that Naruto probably doesn't have one.
Sato: You don't have to worry about that Hinata.
I made the scrolls myself.
This would probably cost you a lot, as these scrolls can be very expensive.
Hinata: But I forgot to think about Naruto.
Naruto: Hinata, it's not your fault, it's my fault.
Where are the alcoholic and Sensei Yamato?
Sato: They're on their way.
Shortly afterwards the two came.
Yamato: Sorry for the delay, our client got to buy some alcohol.
Sato: It's okay, you're here now, can we leave then?
Yamato: Yes, let's get going.
We then walked for a few hours towards the coast of the Land of fire.
Yamato: And how do you find your first mission outside of Konoha?
Hinata: I've never been outside of Konoha, but it all looks pretty normal.
Naruto: I finally want to fight against other ninja or defeat bandits.
But just watching out for the old drunkard is really boring.
Tazuna: Have a little respect for older people, you snotlout, didn't your parents teach you manners?
Naruto: I don't have parents to teach me this, but if they were alive they would have advised you to drink less.
Sato: I think you should both calm down a bit, I can hardly concentrate on keeping an eye on the surroundings when you two are arguing all the time.
Naruto: We'll stop already.
Tazuna: Mmph.
Yamato: You want to build a bridge that connects the Land of Waves with the mainland.
That sounds like a lot of work.
Tazuna: Yes, but we have to build the bridge so that our country can recover.
Poverty is increasing day by day and if we do nothing, many people will simply starve.
Hinata: That's terrible, now I want to protect you even more, Mr. Tazuna.
Tazuna: At least one child who still has respect and realizes how important it is that I live.
After a while we passed a puddle of water that obviously didn't belong there, because there was dryed ground around it.
Yamato still deliberately fell into the trap, he wanted to see our reaction.
Two Ninja appeard out of the puddle and killed Yamato's wood clone.
Hinata: Oh no, they killed Sensei.
Yamato's wood clone lay motionless on the ground and Hinata became afraid.
Sato: Protect the bridge builder!
Hinata pulled herself together again and stood in front of Mr. Tazuna.
Naruto on the other hand, was completely shocked and then reacted by running towards both ninjas.
He summoned 4 Shadow Clones and they were destroyed one by one, because he was in rage.
He then used "Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu" but the two ninja blocked the attack with an "Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu".
I saw this and jumped over the wall of water and killed both of them by stabbing 2 kunai into their heads.
Naruto: Those two killed Sensei.
Hinata didn't let her guard down either.
Yamato: Do you mean me?
Yamato appeared behind Naruto and had his scary face on.
Naruto: Ahhhhh.
Yamato: Naruto, I just pretended to die, their trap was pretty obvious.
I just wanted to see how you all behave.
Sato responded well.
Naruto, you shouldn't let yourself be provoked so easily and Hinata got quickly out of her shock, good job.
Hinata: But Sensei, we saw how you were hit.
Yamato: You mean the wood clone that's lying on the ground?
Pufff.
Yamato: Look, Mr. Tazuna, the three of them won and without my help.
Tazuna: I got it.
Yamato: And now let's talk about why my team was attacked by other ninjas, there was nothing about that in your report and it would have increased the mission's rank to B rank.
Mr. Tazuna then explained to us that he didn't have enough money for this mission rank and that he was being threatened by a man named Gato.
His bridge would disrupt Gato's illegal business and that's why Gato doesn't want the bridge to be built.
We decided to help him, because we couldn't let his people starve.
And with that we continued towards the coast.
Meanwhile, not far away from us on a stone slope.
Gato: These idiots can't even win against children, now it's your turn Zabuza and don't disappoint me, do you understand?
Zabuza: I'll take care of it.
Then Zabuza disappeared into the forest.