The next day.
Naruto woke up in bed, immediately remembering the little vacation he'd planned for himself. He had a unique perspective on doing missions.
For A-Rank missions, it's more reliable to team up with Team 3. With Neji's Byakugan, Lee's Taijutsu, and Tenten's versatility, they can complete even A-Rank missions with ease.
B-Rank missions are more fun with Hinata's Team 8. The danger level isn't too high, and it's always amusing to tease Hinata.
As for C-Rank missions, not even a dog would take them. They are a complete waste of time. They are tiring and troublesome, and are only good for honing one's mindset. However, some Shinobi like to take on some C-Rank missions occasionally to change the pace.
As for Team 10, where Ino belongs, Naruto has yet to do a mission with them. He even suspects that Tsunade is deliberately avoiding assigning him to missions with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to prevent him, as a temporary worker, from causing any trouble.
It's actually quite common to switch teams for missions, but it's a bit abnormal for a professional temporary worker like Naruto.
Dragging himself out of bed, Naruto washed up, yawning as he changed clothes and went into the kitchen to make breakfast. Meanwhile, the sly fox was passed out on the sofa, the TV having been left on all night.
Naruto glanced at Kurama but didn't react.
But soon, when breakfast was ready, he walked over to the fox, grabbed the scruff of his neck, and lifted it up.
"What?" Kurama groggily opened his eyes.
"Breakfast is ready. Stop muttering nonsense!" Naruto said, "Are you going to eat?"
"Why are you asking me to eat breakfast so early in the morning? Are you crazy?" Kurama squinted at Naruto, "I'm not really a dog, so whether I eat or not doesn't matter."
"When I say eat, you eat. Why so much chatter?"
"You little brat, why are you so crazy this early in the morning? Oh! I get it! You were frustrated last night, so now you're taking it out on me!"
"No, I'm just telling you to eat breakfast." Naruto deadpanned, "You've become too lazy, Kurama. You're turning into a complete drunkard."
"What does that matter?" Kurama sat on the chair, his eyes not yet fully open, and moved the tableware that belonged to him on the dining table in front of him.
"I've been fighting you humans for so many years, can't I enjoy myself a little?"
"Sure, it's fine." Naruto brought breakfast to the table and casually kicked Kurama's chair, "I just hope you will have the same attitude next time you work for me."
"And how's it going with your little owner?" Kurama asked with narrowed eyes, still holding the booze in his paws.
"How's what going?"
"How should I put it? Like falling in love or something."
"You even know about that?" Naruto looked at Kurama in surprise, finding it surprising that such words came out of his mouth.
Kurama looked a bit smug, squinting and muttering something.
"I've been watching some random stuff lately. That black box in the living room keeps playing it every day." Kurama said, taking a bite of breakfast and then downing another drink.
"I think you humans are ridiculous. You talk so much nonsense and then suddenly end up all over each other. It's really boring."
"Well said. Don't say it again, though. Just shut up." Naruto said, giving Kurama a sideways glance.
After breakfast.
Naruto was washing dishes in the kitchen when he looked up and saw Yugao silently appear outside the window, startling him.
"Do all you Anbu prefer to use windows?"
"No choice." Yugao said coldly, her voice muffled by her animal mask.
"Tsunade-sama wants to see me again?"
"Yes." After saying that, Yugao left directly.
Naruto looked at the direction where Yugao disappeared and immediately narrowed his eyes, 'I wonder what Tsunade thought of the Anbu after taking over it…'
'Messenger pigeons?'
'However, considering what that woman does on a daily basis, it is not too difficult to understand why she could do such a thing.'
After tidying up the kitchen, Naruto dried his hands and leisurely walked to the entrance to change his shoes. With a click, he opened the door. The warm sunlight outside was a bit glaring, casting a clean and bright light on the white walls.
Hokage's Office.
With a creak, the heavy double office door was pushed open.
Tsunade, who was sitting at the desk wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, raised her head and glanced at Naruto who came to report. Her gaze was sharp, with a kind of intellectual beauty.
Naruto showed no reaction, his face as lifeless as someone facing a dreaded Monday after a holiday.
"What's with that attitude?" Tsunade asked, knocking on her desk in dissatisfaction.
"I just came back from a mission yesterday." Naruto argued as he walked up to Tsunade, "What about my vacation? Did you forget about it, Tsunade-sama?"
"Of course I didn't forget." Tsunade softened slightly, and said with a guilty conscience, "You can consider this as still part of your vacation. I'll extend it by another day."
"That's more like it." Naruto muttered.
"Anyway, there's something important I need to discuss with you." Tsunade crossed her arms on the table, "Team 7 has been without a Jonin for a while now. Kakashi's been busy training and doing missions, so he doesn't have time to continue as your Jonin Instructor."
"Recently, the higher-ups have been searching for a new Jonin Instructor for Team 7, as well as a replacement for Uchiha Sasuke's position."
"Oh."
"Oh?" Tsunade frowned, "That's your reaction?"
"What else should it be?" Naruto replied, "Isn't it good to have a new Jonin Instructor to lead my team? I'm tired of being a temporary worker. If I continue like this, I will die of exhaustion sooner or later."
"Get Getting more while doing less, reaping without sowing, that's my ninja way."
"I really want to crush you to pieces and bury you, Uzumaki Naruto." Tsunade said through gritted teeth, "You..."
Taking a deep breath, Tsunade calmed herself and slowly exhaled. She took a sip of hot tea, her eyes flicking toward Naruto. She then said, "You're responsible for telling Sakura what I just said and makes her accept this fact. Team 7 has to be reorganized. The higher-ups can't let Team 7 remain idle like this."
"Why do I have to tell her?" Naruto asked in confusion.
He really didn't want to have any contact with Sakura. Just thinking about the few times they had met made him feel scared.
"Hmm?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "If it's not you, a member of Team 7, who's telling it to her, do you want me, her teacher, to do it?"