Chapter 051: C-Rank Mission: Escort Duty to the Land of Soup

It is precisely because the mission grading procedures are so meticulous and complex that ninjas are exceedingly careful and rigorous when choosing their assignments. Generally speaking, newly minted Genin are not allowed to select their own missions; the choice must be made by their Jonin team leader. This is simply to prevent inexperienced Genin from making reckless decisions that could endanger both their clients and themselves.

But as it turned out, Naruto’s team was an exception. The rookie Genin didn’t act rashly; it was their Jonin leader who threw caution to the wind.

Most new Genin start with D-rank missions. Only after they’ve grown accustomed to the reality that a ninja’s life is entirely at the mercy of their employers do they begin to confront the dangers of combat and death, until, in time, they’re ready to shoulder the fate of a village or even a nation.

But Kakashi? He had them facing combat and death right from the outset—was this reasonable?

Other ninjas in the mission hall joined in the chorus of protest against Kakashi, but Hiruzen Sarutobi merely puffed on his pipe in silence.

“I see no problem with this,” Hiruzen finally spoke, quelling all dissent. “With Kakashi present, there will be no issues with a C-rank mission. Every young ninja is different in talent and potential, and each requires a unique training plan.”

“Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are all gifted children, and with an outstanding Jonin like Kakashi leading them, they indeed need a greater challenge.”

“But the question remains, Kakashi: what do your team members think?”

Sakura’s face had gone pale with nerves, her lips dry. She never imagined that her first day as a ninja would see her facing a C-rank mission; the pressure was immense.

Yet, seeing Naruto and Sasuke looking untroubled, Sakura found herself unable to speak up.

“Don’t worry about our opinions. You should voice your own thoughts,” Naruto whispered to her, sensing her anxiety.

Sasuke, too, had noticed, but hadn’t known what to say. After a moment’s thought, he spoke quietly, “Indeed. We need to carefully assess the pressure this mission will put on each of us, so everyone can perform at their best. Haruno, don’t worry about us. What matters most is you.”

Sakura was deeply moved, though still embarrassed to show weakness. Deep inside, a voice was raging, cursing Kakashi for putting her in such a difficult position. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but look to Kakashi, hoping he would provide an answer.

Kakashi met her gaze. “The choice is yours,” he said. “I’ve considered everything and I believe, given our strength, we can handle starting with a C-rank mission. But if you feel you’re not ready, we can always take the traditional route.”

Truth be told, if the mission procedures allowed it, Kakashi would have taken Naruto and Sasuke straight into an A-rank mission.

Three ninjas at least at elite Jonin level—how could they not handle an A-rank mission? What a joke!

And Sakura? From Kakashi’s experience, even if a team of elite Jonin included a single Genin, he could ensure that Genin played a useful role and remained perfectly safe. Especially when it came to safety—Kakashi had learned that lesson the hard way and was now exceptionally vigilant.

Seeing Sakura hesitate, Hiruzen did not press her. Instead, he issued assignments to other ninjas. This was a matter that would affect Sakura’s future; only she could make the decision.

After a long moment of thought, Sakura finally raised her head, her voice resolute: “Lord Third, please assign us a C-rank mission! I’m willing to try!”

“Very well.” Hiruzen retrieved a scroll from the C-rank mission section and handed it to Kakashi.

Kakashi unrolled it and the four of them read it together. The mission was an escort: they were to protect an important individual.

“This mission was assigned directly by the Young Steward Chikuma Mochiteru, bypassing the Konoha Intendant,” Hiruzen explained slowly. “Though it’s only a C-rank mission, it is extremely important.”

“Lord Ankomichi Nobutaka is one of the leading scholars of the Land of Fire, a man of great learning. Recently, he received an invitation to attend an academic exchange in a small city in the southeast of the Land of Hot Water.”

“Your task is to escort Lord Ankomichi and ensure his absolute safety. Do you understand?”

The four of them bowed in unison. “Understood!”

After leaving the Hokage’s office, Sasuke suddenly spoke. “Something’s off. This mission doesn’t feel right.”

“Let’s not discuss it here. We’ll find a private place to talk,” Kakashi interrupted him.

The three of them made their way to a training ground. Only after Naruto had released all his miniature drones did Kakashi give Sasuke permission to voice his concerns.

“Why did the Third emphasize that the mission came from the Young Steward? And why mention it bypassed the Intendant? It feels odd to me.”

Sasuke spoke with confidence. “Matters concerning a scholar attending an academic exchange should be handled by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, shouldn’t they? Why would the Intendant even be involved?”

He had caught the crucial detail in Hiruzen’s words; the roles of those involved didn’t quite fit.

The Young Steward was a young but important retainer serving directly under the daimyo, responsible for coordinating between the lord and his close advisors and guards.

The Intendant was the head of the daimyo’s intelligence services.

The Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, as the name suggests, was the retainer in charge of diplomatic affairs.

So the Young Steward bypassed the Intendant to entrust this mission to Konoha, rather than have the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs arrange an escort for the scholar. This suggested that the matter, which should have been the Intendant’s concern—a matter of intelligence—was deemed so important by the daimyo that he had his secretary handle it directly.

This was all rather strange.

Kakashi nodded. “Sasuke, you did well to notice the oddities here, but that’s as far as you need to go.”

“As ninja, we must learn to feign ignorance—sometimes, it pays to act as though we know nothing.”

“For now, our job is to prepare for the mission... Sakura, you’re up.”

Kakashi beckoned Sakura over and pressed a stack of bills into her hand.

“This is the operating fund for this mission. Use it to buy basic supplies for the team. This is an important responsibility. Whatever you buy, that’s what we’ll use during the mission. Understood?”

Sakura was under enormous pressure, but at the same time, she felt needed, which eased her anxiety since the team assignments had been made the previous day.

She nodded solemnly and set off to carry out her orders.

Watching her go, Naruto suddenly spoke. “This mission doesn’t look ordinary, does it? It feels like some kind of intelligence operation.”

“It’s probably not aimed at the Land of Hot Water. After all, that country has completely given up on everything.”