Hiruzen put the D-rank cat-finding scroll back in its place, then rummaged through the pile of scrolls. Soon, he pulled out several marked with 'C', looked at them carefully, and selected one.
"In that case, let you give it a try." He patted the scroll in his hand.
"This is a standard C-rank escort mission. Escort an important person safely back to their homeland, and ensure their basic safety at the destination."
"Escort an important person?" Naruto instantly forgot his frustration over finding the cat, his eyes widening with excitement, asking impatiently: "Who is it? Is it a princess? Or a Daimyo? Or a merchant with a secret treasure? Will there be bad Ninja trying to rob us? We'll have to fight all the way to protect him, right?"
Looking at Naruto's eager, already imagining himself battling evil Ninja and saving a damsel in distress, Hiruzen couldn't help but laugh.
Menma, on the other hand, helplessly held his forehead, at a loss for words about this guy's overactive imagination.
Hinata covered her mouth with a giggle, while Kakashi murmured: "I'm so envious of idiots who never run out of energy."
"Don't be so impatient. I'll introduce the client now." Hiruzen said with a smile, signaling a nearby Chunin staff member to go get the person.
Soon, the door to the side rest room opened, and a strong smell of alcohol drifted out first.
Then, a middle-aged uncle, dressed in a sloppy short coat, with disheveled hair, a full beard, and a half-empty bottle still in his hand, leaned unsteadily against the doorframe.
He squinted his drunken eyes, scanned the four-man team before him, especially noting Naruto's short stature and childish face, then unceremoniously burped and slurred: "What the hell... Is Konoha out of people? Sending a few brats like this to protect me? Hey, the white-haired one looks somewhat decent, but the other three... especially that short, blonde, dumb-looking one, can they really do it? I'm paying money!"
The staff member next to him looked awkward and explained softly: "Tazuna-san, these are excellent Konoha's Ninja, especially this Jonin, Hatake Kakashi, a famous elite in the village..."
"Ha? Excellent? Elite?" Tazuna took another swig, pointing drunkenly at Naruto: "Him? He's not even as tall as my thigh? Hey, shorty, are you even weaned?"
At first, Naruto looked around foolishly, smiling: "Shorty? Who's that?"
When he realized that Menma and Hinata had unknowingly and tacitly stepped to his sides, and Kakashi had also silently stepped back half a step, he looked left and right, then up at Menma and Hinata, who was only slightly taller than him, then at himself, and finally suddenly understood.
"Ahhhhh! Who are you calling a shorty! You stinking, drunkard uncle! I'll kill you!!!" Naruto instantly exploded, flailing and about to pounce, but Kakashi, quick as lightning, grabbed the back of his collar and lifted him like a kitten.
"Hey, hey, Naruto, calm down." Kakashi looked at him with dead fish eyes.
"This is our mission client. Kill him, and the mission fails. We'd also have to pay compensation, and might even be confined to quarters."
"Damn it! Let me go! I'll show him the power of a Konoha's Ninja!" Naruto waved his hands and feet in the air, his face red with anger.
Tazuna seemed pleased with himself for successfully provoking the kid, chuckled, took another drink, then staggered forward and said in a tone thick with alcohol: "Listen up, brats. My name is Tazuna, a famous bridge builder from the Land of Waves! Your mission is to safely escort me back to the Land of Waves, and then, while I'm building the bridge, protect my safety until the bridge is successfully completed! Got it?"
"Land of Waves? Building a bridge?" Naruto temporarily stopped struggling, a confused expression on his face.
But then he was angered again by Tazuna's 'brazen' drunkard demeanor and shouted: "Who wants to protect you, you stinky-mouthed uncle! Kakashi-sensei, let's change the mission!"
Menma ignored the squabbling between Naruto and Tazuna. When he heard the key words 'Land of Waves' and 'bridge building', his heart stirred slightly.
'Land of Waves?'
'Master bridge builder?'
In his memory, this seemed to be the first C-rank mission Team 7 took in the original plot, and the starting point where they truly faced a life-and-death test and encountered the powerful enemy Momochi Zabuza.
However, this world had already been completely transformed by his appearance.
Gato, the greedy merchant, had long been subdued by his absolute power and was now diligently 'working' for the Land of Stars' shipping and trade, shining bright. He shouldn't have the guts, or the need, to blockade a small country's shipping and persecute an old bridge builder.
Moreover, Haku had long been taken to the Land of Stars by himself. As for Zabuza, there had been little news in recent years.
'So then, would this bridge-building mission of Tazuna encounter the obstacles from the original work?'
'Would the obstacle still be Zabuza?'
Several thoughts crossed Menma's mind. But regardless of whether there were enemies, this mission was a good opportunity for Naruto and Hinata.
'Well, consider it a field trip for my foolish little brother.'
The repetitive D-rank missions of the past month were indeed getting on his nerves.
"Alright, Naruto, stop kicking up a fuss." Kakashi put down the still-struggling Naruto and said to Tazuna: "Tazuna-san, please rest assured. Since Konoha has accepted your commission, we will certainly ensure your safety. I am Jonin, Hatake Kakashi. These three are my subordinates, Uzumaki Naruto, Menma, and Hyuga Hinata. During the mission, please take care of us, and please cooperate with our arrangements as much as possible."
Tazuna grunted, barely acknowledging, took another swig, and muttered: "I hope so... Don't let this old bone of mine die on the road."
The mission was thus accepted.
Team 7 each went home to pack a small bag and met at the main gate of Konoha at the appointed time.
Naruto, leaving the village officially for the first time on a mission, was as excited as a child on his first spring outing. He jumped around at the village gate, constantly asking Kakashi questions like "When do we leave?", "Will we encounter bandits on the road?", "Does the Land of Waves have Ninja?", and not forgetting to bicker with the still-mouthy Tazuna.
Kakashi leaned against the gatepost, continuing to indulge in his Icha Icha Paradise, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Hinata, carrying a small backpack, stood quietly beside Menma, occasionally sneaking a glance at him, a faint blush on her face, mixed with anticipation and nervousness for the unknown journey.
Menma checked his ninja tool pouch, his gaze calmly looking towards the lush forest and the road stretching into the distance outside the village.
Just as this seemingly ordinary C-rank mission team was about to depart, not far outside Konoha's main gate, in the shadows of the dense forest canopy, another team was silently gathering and lurking.
Uzuki Yugao, with long purple hair and a delicate face, crouched silently on a thick branch.
Her gaze quickly swept over Team 7 and the client Tazuna, who were gathering below, while speaking into her miniature radio earpiece in a very low voice: "Target confirmed, Team 7, led by Jonin Hatake Kakashi. Mission client, Land of Waves' bridge builder, Tazuna. Mission type, C-rank escort mission."
"Our mission: follow secretly, ensure the absolute safety of the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, eliminate all potential threats."
"Repeat, the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki cannot be compromised. After leaving the village, any abnormal situation must be reported immediately."
"Understood." A calm, unruffled male voice immediately responded from the earpiece, coming from Sai, hidden in the shadow of another tree trunk nearby.
Yugao waited a few seconds but did not hear a third response.
She frowned slightly, her gaze turning towards another lush tree not far away, in the dense shadows of which lurked the third member of the team, Uchiha Sasuke.
"Sasuke?" Yugao called again, a hint of inquiry in her voice.
In the shadows, Sasuke leaned against the rough tree trunk, his body tense, but his breathing was controlled to be very light.
His gaze was not completely focused on Naruto's team below, but somewhat distracted, his brow slightly furrowed, as if lost in thought.
Yugao's second call finally pulled him back from his tangled thoughts.
"Yes! I'll guarantee the mission!" Sasuke quickly responded in a low voice, but a trace of hesitation and tension in his voice did not escape Yugao's keen hearing.
"You seem off lately, Sasuke." Yugao's voice came through the earpiece.
"You must maintain high concentration when executing missions. Is it mental stress from a previous mission, or something else? Report your status."
Anbu Ninjas perform high-risk missions year-round, witnessing or even personally creating various tragedies, experiencing immense mental stress. Psychological problems are not uncommon.
As the captain, Yugao had a responsibility to monitor her team members' psychological state.
Sasuke took a deep breath, forcing himself to temporarily suppress the lingering images in his mind.
The one-armed wandering performer who called himself Samoyan, the brief encounter with Shura, the fleeting glimpse of the heart-palpitating Sharingan...
'Who is that Samoyan?'
"It's nothing, Captain." Sasuke steadied himself, trying to make his voice calm: "Just... concerned about that incident in the village a few days ago. I'll adjust, it won't affect the mission."
"...Mm, stay alert. The target is about to depart." Yugao didn't press further, but she made a note of it.
Below, at the Konoha's gate.
Naruto finally finished arguing with Tazuna, or rather, was unilaterally driven to jump up and down by Tazuna's sharp tongue, and then was held down by Kakashi.
"Alright! Let's go! Onward to the Land of Waves!" Naruto took the lead, pointing at the road outside the village, shouting with high-spirited enthusiasm.
As if he wasn't going on an ordinary C-rank escort mission, but a great expedition.
Kakashi closed Icha Icha Paradise, casually stuffed it into his ninja tool pouch, and said lazily, "Let's go."
Tazuna, belching, walked in the middle, his steps somewhat unsteady.
"Let's go too, Hinata." Menma patted the still-nervous Hinata on the shoulder and said softly.
"Mm..." Hinata's face flushed slightly, she nodded gently, and followed Menma's pace.
The group of several thus stepped out of Konoha's gate and set off along the main road.
In the forest, Yugao made a gesture. Three Anbu, like three wisps of light smoke, using the trees for cover, followed silently, keeping a not-too-close, not-too-far distance, like shadows, guarding and monitoring.
No one noticed that, high in the sky, a tiny white figure was quietly hovering.
The angle of the sunlight was just right to conceal his figure.
He wore white clothes, a red fishing rod resting on his shoulder, a teasing and greedy smile on his face, as he looked down at the blonde-haired boy at the Konoha's village gate.
"Found you, Uzumaki Naruto..."