The Next Morning at the Hokage Building
In the mission hall of the Hokage Building, Team 7 stood in front of the Third Hokage, their excitement barely contained. The Hokage, smiling warmly, began to speak.
"Congratulations on officially becoming ninjas. Each of you is now a proud member of Konoha's force. Your journey as shinobi begins today."
He paused, looking thoughtfully down at the mission book in front of him. He skimmed through the list, as Team 7—Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—watched with anticipation.
Naruto couldn't contain his excitement. He leaned over to Sasuke and whispered, "What do you think our first mission will be? Maybe we'll get to protect a royal family, or escort critical intel! Or maybe we'll take down some bandits!"
Images of heroically battling evil flashed through Naruto's mind. The stories of great missions in Konoha had filled him with grand dreams, and he could hardly wait to start his own journey.
Sasuke, unimpressed by Naruto's enthusiasm, rolled his eyes. "You're getting way ahead of yourself, Naruto. Do you really think they'd send us rookies out to handle a dangerous mission before we've even proven ourselves? This isn't some fairy tale."
Naruto's bubble burst a bit, but he kept watching, still hoping for something extraordinary.
Finally, the Hokage looked up with a satisfied nod. "Alright, Team 7, your first mission is… to help a local farmer drive away wild boars from his fields. It's a D-rank mission and will help build your teamwork."
Naruto's face fell immediately. "What? Wild boars? That's our first mission?" He groaned, visibly disappointed. "I thought we'd be saving people or something!"
Kakashi stepped forward to accept the mission assignment from the Hokage, signaling the three of them to follow. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Team 7 will get right on it."
As they walked away, Naruto continued to grumble, "I can't believe we're just going to chase away wild boars. I thought we'd be out fighting real bad guys or something!"
Sasuke, meanwhile, seemed unbothered. "Honestly, this is better than some of the other missions we could have gotten—like pulling weeds, babysitting, or looking for lost pets." He shrugged, hands casually in his pockets.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait, we actually have to do those kinds of things as ninjas too? Kakashi-sensei, please tell me we're not just going to do boring stuff like that!"
Kakashi, amused by Naruto's expectations, chuckled. "Sasuke's right. As ninjas, we have to do whatever task the village assigns us, no matter how small. Don't underestimate these jobs—they help prepare you for larger missions down the road."
At that, Naruto let out a deep sigh. His visions of glory were fading fast, and he was beginning to understand that there was more to being a ninja than he had imagined.
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Arriving at the Fields
A short while later, Team 7 reached the outskirts of the village, where their client, a concerned-looking farmer, was waiting by his rice fields.
"Ah, thank goodness you're here!" the farmer greeted them, relief evident on his face. "My field is on the village edge, so wild boars have been coming through, trampling everything. It's only gotten worse, with a dozen or so boars coming in at once, destroying the crops. If this continues, I'll lose my entire harvest."
Kakashi nodded, assessing the situation. "I see. It sounds like there's a full herd of them around. Team 7," he turned to the others, "we're going to gather intelligence first. We need to know how many boars we're dealing with and where they're gathering."
He pointed toward a two-kilometer radius surrounding the area. "Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura—I want the three of you to spread out and locate the boars. Find out their numbers and positions, but don't engage them. Remember, this is reconnaissance, not confrontation. We need to keep them contained so they don't cause more damage."
Kakashi's stern tone set a serious atmosphere. "And remember, don't alert them. If they scatter, we'll have a much harder time driving them off."
Naruto, now excited again, puffed up with confidence. "Reconnaissance, huh? I'm the best at this! Just watch—Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a burst of chakra, a dozen Naruto clones appeared in puffs of smoke. The farmer gasped in amazement, impressed by Naruto's seemingly vast army.
"Wow, so many helpers! Very professional!" the farmer exclaimed.
Naruto grinned, feeling proud. "Of course! We're ninja, after all. Just sit back and watch!"
But before he could bask in more praise, Kakashi's voice cut through. "Idiot! No one asked you to make that many clones! Your chakra can't sustain them for long. They'll last maybe a minute at best—useless for proper reconnaissance!"
Naruto's face fell, and the clones disappeared just as quickly as they'd come, leaving the farmer visibly disappointed.
"I thought I could rely on him," the farmer muttered, shaking his head.
Naruto looked crushed, and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at his teammate's blunder. "Naruto really knows how to make a spectacle," he thought with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Sasuke turned to Kakashi, hopeful for some advice. "Kakashi-sensei, isn't there any guidance you can give us? It's our first mission, after all."
Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping his chin. Then, with a sly grin, he said, "Yes. Here's my advice: talk less and listen more. Now go gather information, and we'll meet back here at 3 PM."
Team 7 exchanged looks, collectively exasperated by Kakashi's typically nonchalant attitude. They had hoped for something more insightful, but it seemed their mentor wasn't one to hold their hand.
"Let's get this over with," Sasuke muttered as he activated his Sharingan. His eyes flashed red as he readied himself for the task ahead.
"Using the Sharingan for reconnaissance?" Kakashi noted under his breath, watching Sasuke head off. "Not bad, but he'll only last about five minutes with that level of chakra. Still has a lot to learn."
Naruto, meanwhile, still stung by Kakashi's scolding, clenched his fists. "I'll show them I can handle this mission!" he vowed and sprinted toward the forest, a determined glint in his eye.
---
Out in the Field
As Naruto and his clones scattered, Sasuke relied on his Sharingan to detect movements in the area, analyzing the boars' locations with precision. Sakura, following behind, watched in awe.
"Even for such a simple task, Sasuke's already using the Sharingan. He's so skilled!" she thought, feeling both admiration and a bit of pressure to keep up with her teammates.
Meanwhile, Naruto, filled with a new sense of purpose, scouted the area at full speed. "Just you wait, Kakashi-sensei! I'll prove I'm not just some rookie!" he muttered, bounding over tree roots and rocks.
---
Gathering Intel and Regrouping
After some time, Team 7 regrouped back at the field, where Kakashi awaited them, nonchalantly reading his little red book. Each member reported their findings, and Kakashi pieced together the information.
"Alright," he said, putting away his book, "you've all done a good job collecting intel. We know where the boars are and how many we're dealing with. Now, we'll form a plan to drive them off efficiently."
He looked at Naruto, who was visibly exhausted but also brimming with pride. Sasuke, ever composed, was ready to act, while Sakura watched closely, eager to contribute.
"Here's the plan," Kakashi continued, outlining a strategy that took into account each team member's strengths. Naruto's clones would distract the boars, Sakura would help direct their movement, and Sasuke would serve as backup in case any boars tried to break away.
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The Mission's Conclusion
With their combined efforts, Team 7 managed to drive the wild boars away from the farmer's fields. By the end of the day, they were tired but satisfied. The farmer thanked them profusely, and Team 7 headed back to report their success.
"See, Naruto," Kakashi said as they made their way back, "every mission, no matter how small, is important in its own way. You did well today."
Naruto beamed at the praise, though he couldn't help but wonder when they'd finally get a more thrilling mission.
"Someday, we'll have bigger missions, right, Sasuke?" he asked.
Sasuke glanced over, a hint of a smirk on his face. "Just try not to mess it up when that day comes."
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**End of Chapter