Chapter 10
"Everyone, gather here. I have an announcement to make." Yamato said, as his voice reached all of his genins, who were busy training in the morning...
"Today will be the day I will take your team to a C-rank mission. I am asking you three if you are willing to go?" Yamato asked as he looked at his students.
"It will be the first time leaving the village. And now we will be doing a higher-ranking mission! I am all for it!" Naruto cheerfully agreed to it.
"I have no problem," Sasuke said as he also agreed.
"Um, I am okay with it." Sakura was a little unsure. She was not happy to go on a risky mission.
"Well then, now all three of you have an hour to take some rest and prepare for a C-rank mission. Make sure to prepare for at least one week outside. And meet me in front of the Hokage building. We will have to pick up the mission scroll I have picked." Yamato said making it pretty clear that he had already chosen a mission for them. Not that it mattered all three genins were busy with different thoughts.
Naruto was thinking about if the mission would be the wave mission. And a little more excited to go outside in his real body and not a shadow clone.
Sasuke was a little excited about the mission. But he was also happy with just training. After starting to use weights while training he found the results more than satisfactory.
Both of her teammates were somewhat excited to go C-rank mission. The same could not be said about Sakura. She was worried. She knew she was the weakest member of Team 7 and it only made her more worried about the upcoming mission.
"Sensei after this mission I want to have a good sensing Jutsu." Naruto raised one hand and requested Yamato. "You can recommend me one. I don't think chakra cost will be my problem. I at least want one with good reach and accuracy. Or something that has the potential to be more."
"I will look into that," Yamato said. He was pleased that Naruto was thinking about eliminating his weaknesses.
"After the mission, I will teach you three Shunshin jutsu. So, look forward to it. And if you have a request for any jutsu you can ask me now or in the future." Yamato was happy with his team." Well, now you all three can go. Remember my orders." He said as all three of the students left the training ground.
Yamato also used Shunshin to leave the training ground. He soon reached the Hokage building. Entering the building he walked toward the mission office.
Upon entering the room he saw the Third Hokage giving mission to two chunin.
"Be careful on the mission. Even though the chance of getting attacked is low it's never zero. Be vigilant when one of you is sleeping." Hiruzen advised them as Yamato waited.
"Thank you for your reminder, Hokage-sama." Both chunin bowed to him and left after.
"So, Yamato here's the mission scroll," Hiruzen said as he put a scroll on his tablet. Which Yamato took and gave a short bow of his head, to show his respect.
"It is quite an easy C rank to get started. It will not even take much time either. Just make sure to keep them safe." Hiruzen said with a grandfatherly smile on his face.
"You don't have to worry, Hokage sama. I will do my best." Yamato said respectfully.
"Now! Team 7 is going on a C-rank mission?" Iruka said as he was going through mission scrolls. "None of the other teams have started to go on a C-rank mission. Are they ready for it? Yamato san?" Iruka conveyed his worry.
"Rest assured, Iruka san. All of my students are ready to take on a C-rank mission. I am also not in a hurry to give them things beyond their capability." Yamato said looking at Iruka. He was not annoyed, he just informed him. Yamato could tell that Iruka was worried about his students.
"Then that's a relief. I trust in Hokage sama's judgement. But I was their teacher and I can't help but worry about them." Iruka said with a smile. To that, Hiruzen chuckled a little.
"They are no longer academy students. They are now adults. They are walking in the path of a shinobi. And worrying about them only shows that you care about your students. Even if now they are former students" Hiruzen said.
"And they are new carriers of 'The Will Of Fire'. The future of the village depends on new leaves like them." Hiruzen said as he put down his smoking pipe.
"Well then, Yamato you can go and manage them." Hiruzen pointed out the fact others were waiting behind Yamato.
"Yes, Hokage sama. And thank you." Yamato left the office room after a respectful bow.
*
"Well, you five go and hide outside the village," Naruto said as he was almost ready.
The only thing that took a little time was taking a bath. He had made a habit of taking a bath after training. It also helped him feel fresh.
As for packing for the mission. His shadow clone had completed it before he even entered his apartment. He was really grateful for having a jutsu like the shadow clone. He could not thank enough.
"Things are moving in the right direction. I just hope I will not care much about taking life." He was a little worried about that. The best way he could think about was to not think about them at all. Or even think about them as an enemy who would harm people close to him if he let them go. In a way, he was already prepared to take lives. Or so he believed.
'Just hope it's not the wave mission.' He was afraid that Yamato would not be strong enough to take down Zabuza. And he was also not interested in showing his brutality because he had few plans that would work. But chances were he would get killed even before using them.
And that was his life. He would not show mercy to his enemies. Especially those who cared less about his enemies.
"Stupid thinking aside." He clenched his fist." I am not getting any chance to try and ask about nature release. I have to change the plan."
Taking his backpack and things he could need he soon left his apartment. After roof-hopping for a few minutes he was in front of the Hokage building. He went to his waiting sensei.
"Sensei, It seems I am first." Naruto grinned as he made a victory sign.
"It's good that you are early. Take some rest. We will start after your other teammates come." Yamato said as Naruto looked around people walking.
Truth be told he was very happy with his Jonin sensei. To the point, he even decided to work with his two teammates and just not act like a partner. Yamato had changed them. And he was one of them.
Sasuke was far more cooperative than before. Sakura was too busy catching up to make any problem. And Naruto himself was getting the training he wanted.
With his changed diet and weight training, his speed of improvement reached another level. And whenever he compared it with the canon team of Kakashi he couldn't help but feel happy. He had dodged a massive bullet with that. And got lucky to have Yamato as their Sensei. He was pretty sure even Sakura would have massive improvement till the chunin exam or more.
After some time of waiting and thinking about different things, he saw his second teammate come.
"Sasuke is also here," Naruto said as he looked at Sasuke. He was curious about the mission and decided to ask.
"Sensei what is the mission?" Naruto asked Yamato as even Sasuke looked at their Sensei for the answer.
"Carrying supplies to the border posts," Yamato said as he looked at them. "I will give clearer details when we are out of the village."
Naruto did not care much about the details but he was happy inside. He was cheering that it was not the wave mission.
"It seems Sakura is also here," Naruto said as he saw Sakura coming towards them.
"Sorry, if I am late." Sakura apologised thinking she was late.
"No, you are in time. Now that everyone is here. Pick one of the bags." Yamato pointed to three bags. "Be careful to not put chakra in it. It's filled with storage scrolls."
Naruto picked up and understood. He made a hand seal and a shadow clone appeared, who picked up his share of the bag.
Seeing that only Sakura grumbled a little.
"Our mission is to supply these scrolls to border posts," Yamato said to Sakura as they all followed him.
All of them stopped in front of the Konoha gate.
"Before entering or going outside you have to register here," Yamato told them as he started to register.
"If the mission is A rank or above you don't have to write the reason for going outside. Make sure to fill in your name and shinobi registration number." Yamato taught them the process.
"It's your team's first C rank? Man... it brings back memories." One of the gate guards said.
"Izumo, stop being lazy and keep this place clean." Another one said, who was busy cleaning using a broom.
Naruto knew the two ninjas. They were Izumo and Kotetsu. He was not that surprised to see them.
"Kiddo be careful outside. Even a C rank can turn dangerous." Izumo gave Naruto a little advice. Some time ago Naruto was running around the whole village and not only his training ground.
"I will keep that in mind," Naruto said with a smile.
They soon walked out of the village. As they were walking Sakura asked, "Do you know them, Naruto?"
"Sometimes ago I was running around the village. I met them and had small chats with them. They are very chill...and lazy." Naruto said with a smile. They only knew each other.
"Okay, now that we are out of the village here's the details of the mission," Yamato said as he gained their attention. "We will be going to the west of the fire country. The border between River country and Fire country. We have to give supplies to five posts. Be on guard and we will travel by tree hopping. If you start to get tired tell me." Yamato said as he started to run and Team 7 genins followed him. Yamato did not say another thing and that was if they were to get tired just by running he would increase their training amount.
"Our goal is to reach there before sundown. We will stay a night there and make the other delivery the next day." All of them were moving from one tree to another, going through the forest of Konoha.
As they all were running through the forest Naruto couldn't help but think. The next moment a mini shadow clone popped out which was hiding inside his jacket, now his other shadow clones knew where they had to go.
Their journey was mostly silent. But from time to time Yamato made stops to give them some advice and to give them small rest times. After all staying alert was mentally tiring, too.
"One of the important things when being on a mission is not leaving trails. If not possible make as less as possible. I even taught you how to make fake trails. But at the end of the that will only give you more time." Yamato advised all three as they were reaching their destination.
"Be on your best behavior. And stay alert. The wind speed is very slow." Yamato said as he took something out of his pocket. They were all standing on top of a tree. He threw it into the sky it made a small explosion and yellow smoke filled the sky for half a minute.
About a minute later a Konoha shinobi walked in front of them.
"You are surrounded. What is the code." The Konoha shinobi looked at them with a stoic face.
To that, Yamato threw a kunai in front of him. The Konoha shinobi continued to look at them for a few more seconds. Then he relaxed a little.
"So, this time a team of genins are here to deliver." He said as he picked up the Kunai. He examined the Kunai and pocketed it.
"I am Jonin Yamato and Team 7 is under my care." Yamato greeted him as he got down. Team 7 is following him.
"You don't have to worry. Now that I have confirmed you are the real deal I will not act like that." The Konoha shinobi gave a friendly smile.
"By the way I am Tekuno Kanden. I am a Jonin as well. My partner and I are in charge of the main border post of these parts." He was pretty easygoing.
"Well, you can come out now." He called a little louder as another shinobi walked out from hiding. One thing fell into their eyes, a scar on the newcomer's face.
"That's Hayama Shirakumo. He is my partner here. Well, you must be a little tired. Come along." He waved them as Yamato and Team 7 started to follow them.
"Sensei are all border posts filled with Jonins?" Naruto asked Yamato. To that, all of them heard.
"That depends on the time and situation," Yamato replied.
"I can explain," Kanden said raising one hand. He had a smile on his face.
"We are currently at peacetime. And so you will not find that many Jonins at the border posts. But if the situation gets a little problematic the number of jonins would increase." He said. "Like in the third war, an elite Jonin or dozens of Jonins were protecting the border. I can tell you more but your rank does not meet the requirement." He said like it was such a pity.
"But now there are two jonins in the post. Is there any kind of problem?" Naruto asked.
"There is always some problem. But no I can't tell you more about this either." The truth was both Jonins were there because it was one of the biggest border posts. And they did not want to tell most other border posts had a special jonin if they were lucky.
Jonin rank was not something you could get because of your strength. Because the rank comes with both political power and rights different from other ranks. Elite Jonin was just in name only, jonin was the highest rank.
The perfect example was Anko a special Jonin who was strong enough to lead an ANBU team in the canon timeline. But because of her past, she never got the promotion to jonin.
As they all walked along the two Jonins they soon were at a clearing as Naruto looked around with question marks floating up his head. There in front of him, a tower stood tall. It was almost a dozen meters higher than the forest trees. Naruto had one question in his mind.
Are they really ninjas?
It was like shouting at your enemies and telling them where you were. The little respect he had for all that drama a few moments ago vanished in thin air.
'What did I expect... They are the same incompetent ninjas from Naruto anime, fighting like Samurai and wizards.'
Naruto decided to shut his mouth and follow his Sensei. He didn't even want to ask more questions. He was truly disappointed.
A watchtower in the middle of a forest. Middle of a forest where trees were so dense only way for you to see the enemies was for the enemies to jump and wave while being on top of a tree.
Just as they were entering the post. A shinobi ran towards them.
"Captain Hayama, we have an emergency!" The shinobi said to them.
'And here I thought the mission will have no problem... I didn't even raise any flags at any time. Is this the luck of the main character...' Naruto complained in his mind.
Author note: I am using a different writing style from chapter 15.
I am just too sleepy. But thanks for reading.
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