This is just a side mission and if you wish you can skip it. I just wanted to add a mission and since I got a chance after making a few changes in the fic, I added this up. It's not important in the story (My first time writing a new mission so go easy on me)
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[Shika's POV]
Another day and another mission, though I was living the peaceful grind and now that I have enough money to retire, leaving the world saving bullshit on both sons of destiny, I still wish to get stronger.
Part of the reason why my insecurity about my own strength exists is because of my own existence. I definitely have changed things, in ways which I have no idea, the moment I came to this world or a character like Shika Nara appeared who wasn't there in the anime, things could go horribly wrong.
What if the war happened and this time the so-called destiny didn't work out, what if this wasn't that one future which Steven saw?
I have no magical stone to see the future but even if I have one I plan not to leave my happy life here on some prophecy which I don't believe and probably is already a half-cooked plot line due to my arrival here.
And thus, even after not getting pressed for money I'm taking yet another mission out of the village, you can improve so far by just training after all, real-life experience is priceless no matter the case.
It was still the usual boring C rank mission and I would pray that it remains this way, my past experience with C ranks is not very good but fingers crossed.
Why C rank some might ask? After all, I'm strong enough now to at least take a B-rank mission right? Well yes, but my own rank doesn't let me take one you see.
Only Chunin are allowed to take B rank or above missions, as a Genin I can't. Yet another reason to quickly grind and take the Chunin exam.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with C-rank missions, they are perfectly fine. Not as dangerous as some A-rank or S-rank missions and nowhere as boring as D D-rank mission.
It's just my past with C ranks which has the tendency to turn way higher than my pay grade which is bothering me on taking this mission.
Sigh…
As I got closer to the Hokage office, I saw the familiar hustle and buzzle of Shinobi, I didn't know most of them, it hadn't been more than 2 months since I came here and I devoted the majority of my time on grinding me as off so there was little to no time for socializing.
I'm no good at small talk and here people have no time for that either. Many keep to themselves if it's work time, in fact, it's not very different from real-life Japan in that regard.
Ignoring most I directly went to the mission lady, that is what I have been calling her for better or for worse.
"Another C-rank mission please," I said while slowly nodding my head to greet her. In all this time I have seen that she wasn't the kind of a lady who would waste her time on casual talk, the first time I came for a mission was an exception, she wasn't chatty but rather was looking out for me.
So, I too keep it professional though building a good rapport with the person responsible for handing out missions ranging from "I have to clear someone's lawn, How boring…" to "Why the fuck a Genin like me getting gang by this mission nin or have to infiltrate into the enemy nation"…
Yeah, if there is one person with who you wanna have a good relationship then it has to be her, not just me but everyone should.
"Another C rank huh? you really are not like any other Nara I have encountered…" She gave me another look, typical Nara would never look for a mission by themselves or take the most simple D-rank boring missions and be happy with the meagre pay overtaking a troublesome draggy mission out of the village.
Of course, once you go above the Rank of the Genin then the C rank missions are not available for you period, D ranks are only for Genin, it's village's way to help them out financially.
"It's been twenty days since I took a mission Umiro San," I replied with a smile, knowing that it was just her way to say hello long time no see…
Grunting she took out a mission and handed it over to me. I took it and went through it quickly.
"An Escort mission again…" I can't help but let out a grunt remembering what happened in the land of waves.
"You have to escort some merchants from the land of Konoha to the capital. They are hiring to protect themselves from any kind of bandit attacks, you up for it." Umiro asked knocking her eyebrows up.
'Hmm… on paper, it sounds simple, but even for a ninja bandits could be dangerous, let alone a solo genin like me.
Of course, I also get why the woman showed me this in the first place, if there is one person who get to know about the missions done and handed out beside Hokage himself then it's her. She knows what I'm capable of.
Part because almost all the missions I took have heavily altered reports and when that happens the missions are directly handled by Hokage's end and not her as usual. Just the simple fact that all my reports were handled by Hokage would be enough for her to believe that I'm stronger than your usual genin.
"Thank you, I'll take the mission." Smiling I waved my hands and exited. She was right, I was no ordinary Genin. I can take the mission.
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Once again in my hurry, I didn't see the mission reward, though I wasn't doing this mission for a reward, I got enough money but I would have taken the mission if I had known that the payment it not that great in this mission. Make sense why the merchant was waiting in Konoha for so long and none of the Shinobi took the mission.
"45,000 Ryo" I can't help but sigh, it was still better than the first mission I took so there was that. And I can't complain when I have so much money thanks to Gato so I guess I'll just take the mission for the experience purpose.
With that in mind, I finally reached the hotel where the client was staying, he was a lightly obese man with a big moustache.
Nothing out of the blue, a simple escort mission from Konoha to the capital. Will take 3 days at the pace the Merchant vagrants will move and it is pretty safe seeing we are going to move with the most developed road in the entire land of Fire.
After all, it only would be an idiot who wouldn't make a road between the Capital of the kingdom and the military stronghold.
Good connectivity between the Capital and Konoha is super important or in war times, things could go dire.
Shinobi might not use the roads but carts do, and people do. So the possibility of facing bandits in that road would be almost nill.
"Ready…" Asked the fat merchant to which his entire crew nodded. There were only three charts and 7 men beside the merchant. It makes sense why he was so stingy when it comes to the mission price, his business was relatively small in nature.
"Ready…" I too nodded and and took a step out of the Konoha's gate for yet another adventure waiting for me…
xxx
[Word Count: 1250]