Konoha's New Hokage Building
The new Hokage building, erected in place of the one lost during the bombing, stood tall and grand. Though still fresh, its stone walls gave off a feeling of stability and resilience. Team 7—Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hyuk—stood in front of the Hokage's desk as Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, eyed them seriously. Beside him stood a nervous, older man with a large straw hat, his name: Tazuna, a bridge builder from the Land of Waves.
"You've been assigned a C-rank mission," Hiruzen began. "Your task is to escort this man, Tazuna, back to his home and ensure his safety while he completes his work on an important bridge. Be prepared, as the situation may change, but it should be straightforward."
Naruto, as expected, was bouncing on his heels, excitement clearly visible. "A mission outside the village? This is gonna be awesome!" he exclaimed, ignoring the more serious tones in the room.
Hyuk stood quietly, his expression unreadable as usual. He had been mentally preparing for the next mission, though the past few months of training had left him far stronger. The burden of his father's death still weighed heavily on him, but missions like this offered a distraction—a way to continue growing.
Sasuke crossed his arms, smirking slightly. "About time we had something challenging. Babysitting missions were getting boring."
Sakura nodded, though her focus was slightly on Hyuk. His presence in the team was always felt, and after the recent months of bonding, she couldn't help but notice how much he had grown since joining them.
"Do not underestimate this task," Hiruzen warned. "The Land of Waves has its own problems. Stay vigilant."
Tazuna sighed, looking down. "That's putting it lightly," he muttered, but no one seemed to notice.
---
The team gathered their gear and left the village gates, Kakashi leading them as they made their way toward the Land of Waves. The air was calm, but Hyuk couldn't shake the strange feeling growing inside him. Reina's face flashed in his mind before he steeled himself again—there was no room for distractions now.
As they traveled, Naruto, in typical fashion, couldn't help but boast. "I'm going to show you guys what I can really do on this mission! I'm going to be Hokage, believe it!"
Sasuke scoffed, but his eyes occasionally flicked toward Hyuk. Ever since their talk, they had sparred and grown stronger, but Sasuke still harbored that silent envy. Hyuk's power continued to evolve, and it pushed Sasuke to work harder.
Hyuk, while not saying much, kept a keen eye on their surroundings. He wasn't about to let his guard down.
---
As they crossed through a forest, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. Hyuk's sharp instincts kicked in as he noticed something off about the surroundings—the air felt different, and he caught a glimpse of a strange puddle on the road ahead.
"Kakashi-sensei," Hyuk whispered, his voice barely audible. "Something's wrong."
Kakashi's eyes shifted toward the puddle just as two rogue ninja emerged from it in a swift attack. They wielded large chains, swinging them violently toward the group.
Naruto froze, fear gripping him for a moment, but Sasuke quickly reacted, hurling shuriken at the chains to disrupt their movement. Hyuk, with practiced calm, summoned ice from his palm, creating a frozen barrier between the attackers and Tazuna.
Kakashi quickly dispatched one of the attackers, his Sharingan glowing. "Stay focused, everyone! These aren't normal bandits!" he shouted.
The battle was brief, with Team 7 working in unison. Hyuk's Ice Release neutralized the remaining rogue ninja, encasing their legs in ice before Kakashi finished them off. Naruto, regaining his composure, threw a final punch to one of the downed enemies, desperate to prove his worth.
"They were after Tazuna," Hyuk stated plainly, looking toward their client. "This mission isn't as simple as it was made out to be."
Tazuna looked away sheepishly, finally admitting the truth. "I… I may have left out some details. There's a dangerous man after me, Gato, a tyrant in the Land of Waves. I couldn't afford a higher-ranked mission…"
Kakashi sighed but nodded. "We'll continue the mission, but you must tell us everything, Tazuna. We'll need to be more prepared from now on."