Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair playfully, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I think I'm going to enjoy teaching this team," he said, his voice softer now, showing a hint of genuine respect for their teamwork.
He paused for a moment, his eye glinting with amusement as he looked at them all.
"You've all got potential... and a good head on your shoulders. I believe you can be great, but remember this: In this world, those who break the rules are scum... but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."
The words hung in the air for a moment, the weight of them settling in.
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke exchanged glances. They could feel the gravity of Kakashi's message, despite the usual carefree nature he showed.
Naruto grinned widely. "Sounds like a good rule to me."
Kakashi's eye crinkled in a rare smile. "Well, let's see how you do in the days to come."
....
Now that Naruto was an official Genin, it was time for Team 7 to take on their very first mission. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly what Naruto had been hoping for.
Their grand task? Catching a runaway cat.
'Man, being a genin sucks,' Naruto thought bitterly, crouched behind a tree, the rough bark scratching against his back. He stared at the fluffy target ahead — a chubby, scrappy-looking cat with a red ribbon around its neck — snoozing lazily on a sun-warmed rock.
Kakashi's voice crackled through the small radios they each carried.
"Positions ready. On my mark."
Everyone was spaced out strategically around the clearing, ready to cut off any escape routes if the cat bolted. Naruto rolled his eyes. 'We're trained ninja, and we're chasing house pets… What a joke.'
The signal came.
Naruto moved first, a blur of motion as he darted from his hiding spot, snatching up the cat before it even realized it was being hunted.
"Got it," Naruto said flatly into the radio, holding the squirming cat up by the scruff of its neck.
He sighed heavily, shoulders slumping.
"I thought being a genin would be cool," he muttered.
Kakashi appeared out of thin air beside him with a lazy eye-smile.
"Well, that's just how things are. You're not strong or experienced enough yet for anything more dangerous. Missions are assigned based on your skills, and right now, D-rank missions are all you qualify for," he explained, ruffling Naruto's hair absentmindedly.
Naruto groaned again in protest. 'I'll have to beg the old man for a better mission. Not that it matters... the Zabuza mission is coming soon anyway,' he thought smugly.
Later, they returned to the Hokage's Tower, heading straight for the mission assignment room — a bustling place filled with shinobi of all ranks coming and going, and administrators handing out scrolls of missions. The polished floors gleamed under the midday sun, and the walls were lined with shelves stacked high with paperwork.
Naruto handed the captured cat over to a gleeful, overly affectionate woman who crushed the poor thing into a hug so tight that even Naruto winced.
'No wonder it keeps running away,' he thought sympathetically.
They stood at attention before Hiruzen as he flipped through a small stack of mission scrolls, a pipe clamped between his teeth.
"Now, the next mission for Team Seven will be... babysitting for the council elders, running errands to the neighboring villages, helping dig sweet potatoes..." Hiruzen listed off without even looking up.
Naruto's eye twitched violently. "NO WAY! Give us something different to do!" he shouted, throwing his arms up dramatically.
'He's got a point,' Sasuke thought, scowling slightly.
'Honestly, those missions do sound really boring,' Sakura agreed internally, though she kept her face neutral.
'Sigh... Naruto,' Kakashi thought, one hand scratching the back of his head.
Hiruzen exhaled a heavy sigh, leaning back slightly in his chair as he explained the nature of mission ranks — D-rank, C-rank, B-rank, and so on — and why rookies started at the bottom.
But Naruto clearly wasn't paying attention, instead animatedly whispering to Sasuke and Sakura about ramen flavors he wanted to try later.
Hiruzen's fist trembled on the armrest, his patience wearing thin. But when Naruto turned and shot him a cheeky grin, the old Hokage found himself sighing again.
'That Naruto... it's hard to stay mad at him when he smiles like that,' he thought, a small smile twitching at his lips. 'Plus, truth be told, he's already strong enough for most C-rank missions. Sasuke, too. Sakura... well, she has potential.'
Finally giving in, Hiruzen nodded.
"Very well. I will permit you to attempt a C-rank task. It typically requires Chunin-level skill, but I believe you're ready. You'll be protecting a certain individual," he said.
Naruto's eyes lit up immediately. "Who is it? The Daimyo?!" he asked excitedly.
"Compose yourself, Naruto. Bring him in," Hiruzen said, waving to an assistant.
The door creaked open, and in stumbled a scruffy old man, already gulping from a jug of cheap beer despite the early hour. He had a stubbled chin, worn sandals, and the smell of alcohol clung to him like a second skin.
He looked them over with a grumpy scowl.
"What a bunch of wet-nosed brats. Especially that blonde one. Bet he still wets the bed," Tazuna said with a snort.
Naruto's face twitched dangerously, his hands curling into fists at his sides.
'I'm gonna kill this old man,' he thought, straining every fiber of his being to stay calm.
"I am Tazuna, a master bridge builder," the old man announced, wobbling slightly. "Until I am safely back in my country, where I'm finishing my next great bridge, you'll be expected to guard me. Even if it costs your lives."
Naruto narrowed his eyes at him. "Who the hell would want to kill a bridge builder?" he asked suspiciously.
Tazuna's brow arched slightly in surprise.
'This kid's sharper than I thought,' he mused, but he covered it quickly with another snarky remark.
"Shut up, midget."
Naruto visibly fumed, steam practically rising from his ears.
'I'm not even short, damn it!' he screamed internally.
'Calm down. Don't waste energy on an old drunk,' Kurama's voice rumbled from within, a lazy amusement in his tone.
'Yeah yeah, I know,' Naruto replied, taking a deep breath and forcing a smile — one that looked more like he was baring his teeth.
Kakashi just chuckled under his breath, watching the interaction with mild amusement.
'This is going to be a fun mission.'
After the mission briefing was concluded, Kakashi gathered the team just outside the Hokage Tower.
"Alright, listen up," he said, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone. "We're leaving early tomorrow morning. That means you all need to be packed and ready before sunrise. Bring only the essentials — weapons, food pills, medical supplies if you have them. We'll be traveling far outside the village walls, so prepare for anything."
Naruto pumped his fist excitedly. "Finally, a real mission!" he grinned.
"Don't get cocky," Kakashi warned, his single visible eye narrowing slightly. "This isn't a game. Outside the village, things are different. We'll be facing real dangers — not drills, not training exercises. Keep your guard up at all times."
Sasuke gave a quiet "Hn," but his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Sakura, meanwhile, quickly jotted down a checklist in her small notebook. 'Weapons, first aid kit, extra water... maybe some snacks?' she thought, biting her lip in concentration.
Tazuna stood off to the side, gulping another mouthful of beer.
"Hope you brats can actually handle yourselves," he muttered. "I'm not paying for funeral costs."
Naruto shot him a glare but said nothing, choosing to focus instead on the mission ahead.
Once dismissed, they all split up to prepare.
Naruto raced back home, practically tearing through his drawers and cabinets to get everything ready.
Kunai? Check.
Shuriken? Check.
Explosive tags? Check.
Ramen...?
Naruto stared longingly at his instant ramen stash but reluctantly decided against bringing it.
'Probably not a good idea. I need to be fast and light,' he thought, though it physically pained him to leave the precious noodles behind.
Kurama's voice chuckled lazily from within.
'Good. You're actually thinking like a shinobi, kit.'
'Yeah, yeah,' Naruto grumbled.
Meanwhile, Sasuke meticulously cleaned and sharpened his kunai, the cold steel glinting in the light of his small apartment. He packed only the bare minimum, his movements sharp and methodical.
Sakura organized her things carefully, checking her supplies twice over — especially her first aid kit. She wasn't going to let herself be the weak link.
That night, as the village settled under a blanket of stars, all of them lay awake in their beds for a while, staring at the ceiling, thinking.
For the first time, they would be stepping out into the real world — into danger, into uncertainty — as true ninjas.
And they were ready.
TO BE CONTINUED