Kaito really wanted to refuse.
But—
if he wanted to qualify for the Chūnin Exams, he had to complete at least one mission per month, even a D-rank one.
Yet for half of June, Team One had done absolutely nothing except:
train,
slack off,
lie around like corpses,
play cards and shōgi,
wander the village,
or watch the married man of the group repeatedly ditch them to go home to his wife and kid.
As a result—
They hadn't taken a single mission in two weeks.
Konoha Mission Center
Team One and Team Two stood quietly at the long curved mission desk, waiting for Nara Yōsuke to assign something.
"Actually," Yōsuke said,
"There's a C-rank mission I think both squads can handle together."
"FINALLY!!! No more D-rank chores while Shinnosuke-sensei is away!!!"
Akimichi Yumi kicked one foot back like an excited schoolgirl.
Nara Ha was calmer but nodded.
"I can't even join the next Chūnin Exam yet.
Every day my father nags me, comparing me to cousin Shikaku.
It's exhausting."
"A higher-rank mission is fine."
Yamanaka Futoru shot a hostile glare at Kaito's patented dead-fish-eye expression.
"Hmph."
Yōsuke cleared his throat.
"Second Squad seems willing.
What about Team One?"
Might Duy & Kaito: "…"
Duy (internally): Are we sure this is REALLY C-rank?
Kaito (internally): Nope. I fear you. Go away, disguised A-rank nightmare.
Nagashi stroked his chin.
"What's the mission?"
Yōsuke checked the scroll.
"Well… the upcoming Chūnin Exam needs venue preparations."
"You know how busy the village is now, so…"
"Phewwwww—" ×2
Nagashi's mouth twitched.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Yōsuke nodded.
"This year's examinees are mostly from the three clans newly integrated into Konoha."
"So we need your help."
"The reward is 30,000 ryō."
And just like that—
Team One finally shed the half-month "unemployed bums" label.
Next Morning — Exam Venue Prep
Both squads arrived at one of the exam sites: Konoha's conference building.
A familiar proctor-chūnin stood before them, holding a box stuffed with talismans marked with complex sealing scripts.
He handed the box to Kaito.
"These are the barrier tags for the first exam's genjutsu field.
Follow the map and place them where indicated."
"And don't forget to clean Room 404."
"That's all for today.
You'll have new tasks tomorrow."
Kaito: "…"
This…
was barely above dishwashing duty.
Calling it a D-rank mission wouldn't be wrong.
Tomorrow's work, however, would definitely count as a real C-rank.
Day 2 — Forest of Death Survey
Teams split into pairs and entered Training Ground 44.
The job?
Survey insect, animal, and plant distribution.
Record environmental hazards.
Avoid combat unless absolutely necessary.
And don't even think about exterminating the wildlife—
because then what will candidates fight during the exam?
Kaito: "…"
A REAL C-rank mission.
And suddenly… I'm uncomfortable.
Night — Report Submission
After spending the evening organizing data, Team One submitted the report to Yōsuke.
The proctor exhaled appreciatively.
"Your squads are excellent.
Kaito… with your performance, you could request a chūnin promotion directly from the Hokage."
FWIP.
Kaito vanished instantly, payment in hand—
Leaving the office doors swinging.
Yōsuke: "…"
Is becoming a chūnin THAT traumatic for you?!
Team One quickly returned to its usual lazy rhythm…
until the Chūnin Exams officially began and normal D-ranks resumed.
Meanwhile — Fire–Rain Frontline
At the border of the Land of Rain, atop a valley known as the Mist Gorge,
a Konoha supply outpost was under attack—
by Hanzo the Salamander.
A massive salamander, towering higher than the camp walls, expelled a wave of pale purple toxin.
"IT'S HANZO OF THE SALAMANDER!! WATCH THE POISON!!"
"MASKS, NOW!"
"USE ANTIDOTE INJECTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM!"
Seventy Konoha shinobi scrambled:
some running for gas masks,
some injecting detox serums,
some dragging the wounded.
Beyond the walls lay strewn corpses—
Konoha and Rain ninja mixed together.
Having just taken a victory days prior,
Konoha's forces were now forced back into retreat.
Orochimaru abandoned the outpost, ordering the troops to fall back while he flooded the ground with hidden serpents.
Rain shinobi didn't pursue.
Hanzo's salamander ceased gas release and stood still.
After a moment, Hanzo gave the order:
"Kill any Konoha survivors."
"This is war."
"Bonds, friendship, noble ideals…
All rot in the face of death."
"Understood!" ×N
Ku-chi-ku-chi—!!
Masked Rain-nin dropped from the trees to finish off the fallen.
A Rain-nin stabbed a paralyzed Konoha ninja through the throat.
"Your comrades abandoned you."
The Konoha shinobi tried to speak—
then died quietly.
Rain began to fall once more.
Reinforcement Arrives
At the forest edge, Orochimaru's rearguard finally received support—
the Uchiha squad, led by Uchiha Kizuna.
"Orochimaru.
You're just going to abandon our men like this?"
Kizuna frowned.
Among his reinforcements stood:
Uchiha Mikoto — now a Special Jōnin,
Uchiha Kaei — newly promoted Chūnin.
Gone was Mikoto's former warmth.
She wore a cold, expressionless mask—
the face of someone who had accepted the brutality of war.
Kaei, too, had hardened.
Orochimaru glanced at the group and chuckled coldly.
"War shifts by the second."
"I made the rational choice."
"The front collapsed too suddenly.
My scouts never even had time to report before Hanzo's forces hit our line."
"What does that have to do with BREAKING FORMATION and leaving comrades?!" Kizuna hissed.
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed.
"Kizuna-jōnin."
"My abilities are limited."
"I could not save both the main force and a few who couldn't retreat in time."
He listened to distant screams from the captured Konoha shinobi.
Even he could barely save himself in this situation.
"When a shinobi becomes chūnin—
they inherit the Will of Fire, and accept the duty of dying for the village—"
"What drivel!" Kizuna snapped.
"If we can't even protect comrades and family—
then what IS a village?!"
Orochimaru studied him with mild curiosity.
"You've changed, Kizuna."
"But regardless—
Salamander venom can be suppressed, not cured.
Even if we carried them, they would die."
He raised a hand.
"Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Snake Submersion."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito