Kakashi sank deep into thought. From the previous battle, it was clear that both Naruto and Sasuke had already surpassed the abilities of most regular Chunin.
As for Shinho... he was in a league of his own.
Putting aside his medical ninjutsu, Shinho's insects were far too versatile. They could attack, defend, turn him invisible, and even let him fly.
In ninja battles, especially against equally skilled opponents, intelligence was critical. Without proper knowledge, it was easy to be caught off guard and fall victim to ambushes, leading to serious injury or even death.
Shinho's insects weren't just numerous—they were powerful. If an enemy didn't have intel on him beforehand, even a Jonin might not be able to withstand his attacks.
Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Among all the Genin squads he had ever known, Team 7 was by far the strongest.
Given their potential, there was no need for them to follow the usual steps. They could accelerate their training and take on higher-level missions sooner.
Talented individuals always received special treatment. After all, Kakashi himself had graduated from the academy at five, became a Chunin at six, and ascended to Jonin by the age of twelve, gaining considerable renown on the battlefield.
The only concern was the unique identities of his three students, especially Naruto, who was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.
Normally, a Jinchuriki wouldn't be allowed to leave the village, let alone go on dangerous missions. The fact that Naruto had such freedom was already extremely fortunate.
But Tsunade might be different from the Third Hokage. She might be willing to push the boundaries. Kakashi wasn't sure how she planned to handle it.
However, there was another problem—himself.
During his time of depression, even though he continued his work in the Anbu, the missions he undertook were mostly moderate, in terms of difficulty.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had limited his tasks out of concern that Kakashi might either get himself killed or spiral further into despair. Moreover, he hadn't been training much, which left him feeling out of shape during recent battles.
This can't continue, Kakashi thought to himself. Now that I'm their sensei, I need to show them what I'm truly capable of.
At that moment, determination filled his eyes.
"Have you all rested enough?" Kakashi asked, snapping out of his thoughts.
"I'm ready, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto jumped up, full of energy. "Let's go on a mission!"
Such energy... Kakashi thought, feeling a tinge of envy.
Shinho stood calmly, his face unreadable. Having heard that it was a D-rank mission, he had no expectations. As he suspected, it was likely to be nothing more than trivial tasks.
"Our destination is the Konoha River," Kakashi announced. "Let's move out."
"The Konoha River?" Naruto looked confused. "What kind of mission could be there?"
Sasuke also furrowed his brows. The Konoha River was just a river running through the village. Nothing special came to his mind.
"You'll find out when we get there," Kakashi said with a cough.
The river wasn't far. Within ten minutes, they had reached a section of the riverbank.
"Our D-rank mission is to clear the river of debris," Kakashi explained seriously. "That means picking up trash from the river."
"Huh?" Naruto stood there in shock.
This wasn't the exciting, dangerous life of a ninja he had imagined. He had thought it would be all about epic battles and high-risk adventures, not... garbage collection.
"According to Konoha regulations, all Genin are required to complete a certain number of D-rank missions," Kakashi explained in a patient tone. "If you don't complete these tasks, Naruto, your dream of becoming Hokage will end here."
"I'll do it!" Naruto, regaining his enthusiasm, rolled up his sleeves and declared, "For the sake of becoming Hokage, I'll do anything!"
That sounded a bit strange... Kakashi thought with a smirk but nodded approvingly. "Alright, let's begin."
The Konoha River wasn't deep. Naruto took off his shoes and stepped into the water, which reached just above his knees.
Sasuke, however, stood at the river's edge, raising his leg, and calmly walked on the water's surface.
Naruto's eyes widened.
"How did you do that?!"
A key aspect of being a taijutsu user was focusing on physical strength, not chakra control.
Under Might Guy's training, Naruto spent most of his time running or doing frog jumps and hadn't yet learned to walk on water or climb trees.
"Practice," Sasuke replied coolly.
"Any tips?"
Naruto, excited to learn, was eager to try.
"Naruto," Kakashi interrupted, "let's finish the task first. I'll teach you how to walk on water later."
Teaching Naruto on the spot would take too much time, and that would slow down the mission.
"Fine," Naruto grumbled as he began searching the water for trash.
"What about you?" Kakashi turned to Shinho, noticing that he hadn't moved from his spot. "Aren't you going to help?"
"I don't need to go in the water," Shinho said with a shake of his head.
Kakashi had been about to convince him otherwise, but he quickly stopped himself when he saw what happened next.
Shinho stretched out his hand, and a swarm of parasitic insects flew from his palm. They grouped into small teams, dove into the water, and began collecting trash. Within moments, a small pile of garbage had already accumulated on the riverbank.
"..." Kakashi was speechless.
These insects are way too convenient.
"By the way, Kakashi-sensei, here's a mission scroll for you," Shinho said, pulling out the scroll Tsunade had given him. "It's a task my teacher assigned."
Kakashi's expression became serious as he took the scroll.
When ninjas receive missions, there are two types. One type is optional and can be accepted or declined. The other type, given by the Hokage or higher-ups in Konoha, cannot be refused.
After reading the scroll, Kakashi let out a small, surprised noise. "A B-rank mission for a freshly-formed Genin squad?"
That was highly unusual. Normally, it went against protocol. But considering Tsunade's involvement, it made sense. And perhaps Shinho's influence had played a role as well.
"This mission could be difficult," Kakashi said, his tone growing more serious.
He was well-versed in genjutsu due to his Sharingan, and entering Yakumo Kurama's illusion world would be like walking into a trap. They would lose the advantage of their surroundings, and if she lost control, the danger would increase tenfold.
"Could we use sealing techniques?" Shinho suddenly asked, a thought forming in his mind.
Ido, Yakumo's manifestation of pure mental energy, was essentially a creature of yin release. If it could be sealed, wouldn't that turn it into a kind of yin energy reservoir?
While Shinho didn't need it himself, Sasuke or Ino could benefit from such power. Of course, he was more inclined to give it to Ino—Sasuke already had enough advantages.
"A sealing technique?" Kakashi mulled it over. It might actually be possible. If the Nine-Tails can be sealed, then why not Ido?
"We can give it a try," Kakashi nodded slightly. "I know a bit about sealing techniques as well."
In the original timeline, Kakashi had used the Evil Sealing Method to help Sasuke contain his Cursed Seal.
Given that his teacher's wife was from the Uzumaki Clan, it wasn't surprising that he had some knowledge of sealing.
"We'll meet up with Kurenai's squad tomorrow morning, and gather more information," Kakashi continued.
Although the mission scroll had outlined the situation, it lacked specifics. It would be safer to assess the situation in person, especially when dealing with his three students, whose safety was paramount—particularly Shinho's.
By noon, the river-cleaning mission had been successfully completed.
"I'll head to the Hokage Tower to report our mission." Kakashi took a step back and said, "Head home, take a bath, and get some rest."
He was referring mainly to Naruto, who, after wading in the river, was covered in a stinky odour.
"Be here at 9 AM sharp tomorrow," Kakashi added, pausing for emphasis. "Don't be late. We have a B-rank mission."
"A B-rank mission?!" Naruto asked, wide-eyed with excitement. "Seriously?"
Even Sasuke, who was usually composed, showed a hint of anticipation. In Konoha, B-rank missions often involved encounters with Chunin-level threats.
"It's true." Kakashi waved casually before disappearing into thin air.
"This is awesome!" Naruto clenched his fist, bursting with energy. "Finally, a real ninja mission!"
Shinho smiled faintly. Although it was a B-rank mission, it wouldn't be as dangerous as the first C-rank mission in the original series, where they encountered Zabuza Momochi.
According to Shinho's calculations, that mission should be coming up in a month or two. He didn't remember the exact timing but decided to keep an eye out.
He was a bit concerned that his presence might have triggered a butterfly effect. If Hinata's or Ino's teams ended up taking it instead, that could lead to a disaster.
"I'm heading home for a bath. See you guys tomorrow," Naruto said, bidding farewell to both Sasuke and Shinho.
"Shinho," Sasuke hesitated for a second before asking, "Do you want to come over for dinner?"
"What made you invite me over for dinner all of a sudden?" Shinho asked, a bit surprised.
"It's not me," Sasuke explained quickly. "It's my mother."
"Oh." Shinho politely declined. "Maybe next time."
Sasuke didn't press further and turned to leave.
After watching Sasuke walk off, Shinho glanced around, quickly making his way to one of Konoha's training grounds.
There, Neji Hyuga was practicing his palm strikes, while Rock Lee, clad in his trademark green jumpsuit, was doing push-ups. Tenten, meanwhile, was practicing her weapon throws, drawing various tools from a sealing scroll instead of a pouch like most ninjas.
"It's you!" Rock Lee shouted, leaping into the air and landing right in front of Shinho. "Shinho Aburame!"
"That's me." Shinho calmly met his gaze. "What's up?"
"Fight me!" Rock Lee's eyes burned with determination.
"Lee," Neji said, with his usual bluntness, "You're not at his level yet."
"I know," Lee responded with a thumbs-up and a grin. "But youth doesn't let us stop just because we're weaker!"
Heh, the vibe is unmistakable. Shinho thought, amused.
Seeing the live version of Lee after only knowing about him through the story made him appreciate Lee's sheer enthusiasm all the more.
"We'll have a match sometime," Shinho said before turning to Tenten, who was a bit further away. "But I'm here today to talk to Tenten."
"Me?" Tenten turned her head, visibly puzzled. She wore a pink qipao, and her signature twin buns made her appearance instantly recognizable.
There was something familiar and friendly about her look that made Shinho feel at ease. He pulled out the Raijin Sword and the fire-natured chakra crystal he had obtained.
"Whoa, this is amazing!" Tenten gasped, instinctively stepping closer, her eyes wide with admiration.
"I need you to help me forge a sword," Shinho said directly.
"No problem!" Tenten slapped her chest confidently. "My family runs the best weapon shop in Konoha!"
"Thanks." Shinho handed her the items. There were many weapon shops in Konoha, but he sought out Tenten for one very important reason: she had unbelievable luck.
She was the kind of person who could stumble upon legendary weapons without even trying. He figured entrusting these materials to her would increase the chance of a successful result.
After all, if the forging failed, there would be no second Raijin Sword.
….
Later that night, as Shinho sat on the sofa meditating, he heard the familiar sound of footsteps. It was Tsunade, her bare feet tapping against the wooden floor.
"Welcome home, sensei," Shinho greeted her.
"How did it go, your first day as a ninja?" Tsunade asked as she removed her tea-green outer jacket, revealing her pale, flawless arms.
"It was nothing too special," Shinho answered truthfully.
"Isn't the first mission supposed to be exciting?" Tsunade asked, sitting next to him on the couch. She crossed her legs, her bare feet up as she relaxed fully.
Shinho smiled faintly and countered, "Were you excited on your first mission?"
"I was," Tsunade replied, leaning back against the sofa, her eyes softening as she recalled the past. "It was pretty exciting."
She closed her eyes, falling into silence.
"Do you want me to give you a massage?" Shinho noticed the fatigue in her expression.
"Sure, if you don't mind," Tsunade said nonchalantly.
Shinho moved behind her, focusing his thoughts as he placed his hands on either side of her head, gently massaging her temples with slow, circular motions.
A few moments later, his hands shifted to her neck, applying just the right amount of pressure.
Tsunade's lips pressed together slightly, her expression relaxing.
This kid's pretty good at this.
From her neck, Shinho's hands moved down to her shoulders, kneading gently but firmly.
Tsunade's body tensed for a moment, but she quickly relaxed as his hands continued working. Before long, her breathing became slow and even—she had fallen asleep.
Shinho couldn't help but think to himself, Paperwork really is more tiring than combat.
He glanced at her for a moment and had a rather bold idea. Carefully, he lifted a hand and placed it lightly on her cheek. Seeing no reaction, he gently pressed, her smooth skin soft beneath his fingertips.
Her face flushed slightly, a rosy hue colouring her cheeks.
This feels pretty nice, Shinho thought, satisfied with his "massage."
….
The next morning.
At precisely 9 AM, Shinho arrived at Training Ground One.
Naruto was already there, running laps. Sasuke arrived a few minutes late, greeting Shinho with a nod before silently watching Naruto train.
A short while later, Kakashi appeared in the distance, moving lazily towards them.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto immediately stopped his training and rushed over.
"Follow me," Kakashi said with a slight nod.
The four of them made their way to the Kurama clan's estate. Soon, they arrived at their destination.
Kurenai Yuhi was waiting at the gate, waving them over. It seemed she had been waiting for a while. Beside her stood Sakura Haruno and Shino Aburame.
"Yakumo is in the small forest, painting," Kurenai said, getting straight to the point. "I'll take you to her."
A few moments later, they found Kurama Yakumo, sitting before an easel, brush in hand, painting a portrait of Kurenai.
[Tl/n: Did Tenten really have that kind of luck? Maybe it's from the games?
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