Chapter 24: The First C-Rank

Konoha:

It did not take long for the newly created Team-Eleven to settle into a routine. From Monday to Friday, they would get up before the sun rose and meet up at their designated training ground at five to begin their training.

They would follow the same schedule their Sensei Shisui outlined on their first day as a genin team. As Shisui promised, they were not working on anything serious right now. They were going over stuff they already knew more than anything. Shisui wanted the skills they already had to be as sharp as possible before he moved them onto anything new.

Not to say they didn't learn anything new. Shisui had them working on the water walking technique and had given each of his students a new jutsu to work on. Moreover, now that they were newly minted genin, the trio of Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke were given greater access to the Shinobi achieves to study.

At home, they were given more training by their clans. Or host clan in the case of Naruto. So, they were able to work on new skills or expand on the ones they already had. It was hard work all around. They were being pushed on the training grounds, and they were being pushed at home. Already though they were seeing results. They were getting stronger and faster, and their skills were sharper.

The results were small, but the three of them knew they would get bigger over time. Overall, team-11 was doing well and going about their ordinary lives.

Once their training was done for the day, the genin and their Jōnin-Sensei would go to the Hokage tower to take missions. Which brings us to where we are now.

"This is, Thousand Eye," a male voice said. "I have eyes on the target."

"Copy that," Moon Eye said. "I have them too."

"Red eye here," another male said. "Moving to your position."

Thousand Eye nodded his head and looked back at the target. They had them in their sights and were slowly cutting off all points of escape. They had been pursuing their query for some time. The creature proved to be a slippery thing and not to mention very vicious. Poor Red Eye, Thousand Eye didn't think the scars would ever heal.

"This is Master Eye," their leader said. "Once you have the target boxed in, you have permission to capture them. Remember, our client wants the prisoner alive."

"Easy for her to say," Red Eye said. "That thing almost took my eye out. I say kill the thing and be done with it."

Thousand eyes snickered to himself. "Don't be so melodramatic," he said. "It's just an eye."

A low growl could be heard from Red Eye. "That's easy for you to say, dope," Red Eye said. "You have like a thousand of those things. I only have the two," Some giggling could be heard on Moon Eye's end.

"All right, you two," Master Eye said. "Enough of the bickering. We have a mission to complete."

"Hai," the other three said in unison.

"I'm in position," Red Eye said. "Target sighted."

"Is everyone ready?" Master Eye asked.

"Thousand eye ready."

"Moon Eye ready."

"Red Eye ready."

"Then the mission is a go," Master Eye said. "Capture the target."

At once, three figures leaped out from their hiding places and descended on their unsuspecting target.

"Meow?"

Moments later, and after a brief struggle, team-11's target was captured and secured. Or as secure as one could get with Tora, the hell cat.

The little ball of fur and furry struggle against Sasuke's grip. "Hold still, you little rat," he said, trying to ignore the scratches he was getting from the thing.

"Just hold her a little longer," Naruto said. "We need to confirm if this is our target."

"What is there to confirm?" Sasuke asked. "Trust me, this cat is very recognizable."

The three genin heard some chuckling and looked over to see their Sensei walking up to them. "Well, we still have to follow procedure," Shisui said. "So, Naruto, is this our cat?"

Naruto nodded. "It is," he said. "I can confirm this is Tora," he smiled as the cat continued to bite and claw at Sasuke.

"I'm telling you, this is no normal cat," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "Are we sure it's not some demon? Maybe we should try asking your friend," he looked at Naruto.

In his head, Naruto heard a low growl. "Kit," Kurama said. "Would you please remind the Uchiha brat that there is a difference between a demon and a Biju?"

Naruto shook his head and smiled. "Kurama says hi," he said, getting an eye roll from Sasuke.

"Time to get Tora back to her owner," Shisui said. He looked over at Hinata. "Hinata, would you mind holding Tora? She seems to like you best."

Hinata nodded and walked up to Sasuke. She held her arms out. "Come on, Tora," she said. "Come to Hinata."

Tora stopped her struggle in Sasuke's arms and looked between her and Sasuke. Then Tora did what looked like the cat equivalent of a shrug. She leaped out from Sasuke's arms and landed in Hinata's, purring.

Sasuke rubbed his scratched-up arms. "Stupid bipolar demon cat," he muttered. With a laugh, team-11 was off.

Hokage Tower

"Team-11 reporting a successful mission," Shisui said. "We have captured the Fire Daimyo's wife's runaway cat, Tora."

The Hokage nodded and smiled at them. "Congratulations," he said. He motioned for one of the shinobi in the room. The man nodded and left the room. "Our client will be here to collect her bounty."

Almost on cue, the door was busted open, and a shadow swept across the room. Before anyone could react, the shadow was upon Hinata. "My Precious Tora!"

In an instant, Tora was snatched out of Hinata's arms. She was now in the arms of the Fire Daimyo's wife's arms, and the life was being squeezed out of the poor thing.

Naruto and Hinata looked at the victimized cat with sympathetic expressions. "No wonder she runs away," was the shared thought between them. Though Sasuke seemed to think differently. He had a rather vindictive smile on his face.

The woman turned over to the genin as she held tightly to her cat. "Thank you so much," she said. "You reunited me with my precious Tora," she hugged that cat tightly. Naruto winced as he could have sworn he saw the cat's eyes bulge out. "I don't think I can ever thank you enough."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Uhh, sure, no problem," he said. He had to know idea how to respond to this woman. Or even how to tell her she was the reason why her cat kept running away. Hinata was pushing her fingers together at a similar loss for words.

"Just make sure she doesn't get away again," Sasuke said with a smile. "And give her all the love you can," he looked directly at Tora.

Tora, in response, gave him one of the most hate-filled stares Naruto had ever seen. "Of course, I will," the Daimyo's wife said, squeezing the life out of Tora. She then turned to face the Hokage and placed a large sum of money on the table. "As always Hiruzen-San, I am impressed with your forces," then she left the room.

Naruto turned his head to face the Hokage. "What is she even doing here?" He asked. "Shouldn't she be back at the Capitol with the Fire Daiymō?"

"You know how the Daimyo likes to have frequent checks on our village?" The Hokage asked, getting nods from the genin. "She likes to be a part of those inspections. Despite her appearance, she's actually good at it."

Naruto nodded. He knew that appearances could be deceiving. "She could try treating her cat better," he commented.

The Hokage nodded. "And loss out on one of our best-paying clients?" He said. "Speaking of," he went through some papers, "Since there is enough time, how about one last mission? Let's see, there's a client who wants a babysitter for their child. A landlord who wants one of his properties to be inspected. Or how about this request from the Inuzuka, they want their kennels cleaned out again."

The three genin in the room winced. These D-Ranks, or chorus as Naruto thought of them, were starting to get to them. Naruto got they were new shinobi and wouldn't be given the good missions for a while. But this? Doing chores that others could be doing themselves. Naruto was about to voice his opinions. Sasuke looked like he was close behind him.

"Actually Hokage-Sama," Shisui said, stopping them. "I think my team is ready for their first C-Rank."

The Hokage looked at Shisui in surprise. "Are you sure?" He asked. "It's only been a month since team-11 was formed. It might be wiser to give them another month or two."

Shisui looked over his genin. They gave him controlled but enthusiastic nods. He smiled and looked back at the Hokage. "Positive," he said. "I know they're ready."

The chunin next to Hokage seemed to have a different opinion. "Hokage-Sama," Iruka said. "Are you sure you want to listen to him? Team-11 only graduated from the academy a couple of months ago."

The Hokage smoked on his pipe with a smile on his face. "I understand your concerns Iruka-San," he said. "But if their Jōnin-Sensei says they're ready, I'm willing to trust him. Have a little more faith in your former students."

"Yeah, Iruka-Sensei," Naruto said. "Have a little more faith in us. We can do this."

Iruka smiled at the blonde-haired boy. "I know that," he said. "It's just it's only been a few months. I still think of you and the others as my students. Thinking that you will be leaving the Village soon kind of scares me."

"Hey, don't sweat it," Shisui said. "Even I'm a little nervous for my genin."

"Hey," Naruto said. "Didn't you just say you had full confidence in us?"

Shisui smiled at his charge. "I do," he said. "But that doesn't stop me from worrying. But I can't keep the three of you in the village forever. At some point, you have to go out so you can grow," then he looked over at Iruka. "Don't worry about them Iruka-San. They're good kids. You did a good job teaching them. I promise to watch after them."

Iruka smiled at the Uchiha man. "All right then," he said. "Then I'll wish the best of luck on your first C-Rank. Hokage-Sama?"

The Hokage nodded and started to look through a pile of papers marked as C-Rank. "Let's see now," he said. "What can we give you? Border Patrol along the border with Lightening Country? No. Escorting merchants out of the country. Maybe. Ahh, here we are," he pulled out a paper from the pile. "I think this one will do."

Shisui walked up and took the paper. "According to this, the mission comes in two parts," he said after looking over the paper. "First, we're to pick up a scroll here in the village and take it to the Capital. After we drop off the scroll with our contact, we will escort someone back to Konoha."

"Who do we give the scroll to?" Naruto asked. "And who is it we're escorting to the village?"

"And how long should we pack for?" Sasuke asked.

Shisui smiled. "See, I told you they were ready," he said to the Hokage and Iruka. "We'll drop the scroll off at the Daimyo's Palace."

Naruto perked up. "Does that mean we'll get to meet the Daimyo?"

Shisui shook his head. "No, we're only giving the scroll to one of his people. We'll probably only get to enter the reception area of the palace. After that, we'll be escorting a member of Konoha's Civilian Council back to Konoha."

At the mention of the civilian council, Naruto winced. "What's a member of the Civilian Council doing in the Capital?" Sasuke asked.

"Turns out he had some business there," Shisui said. "By the time we get up to the Capitol and drop off the scroll, his business should be concluded."

Naruto nodded slowly. "All right," he said. Shisui could understand his student's wariness. He knew that the Civilian Council did not like the blindfolded boy. "Do we have to leave the capitol right away?"

A good question to ask, Shisui thought. He looked back at the scroll to see if there was a deadline on the mission or if there was any indication the Council member would be in a hurry to return to Konoha. "The mission details don't say," he said, then put the paper away. "Hokage-Sama, would it be possible for us to stay in the Capitol for a day or two? I think my genin would enjoy the opportunity to explore a new place out of Konoha," behind him, he could feel the excitement rolling off his genin.

The Hokage chuckled and took a smoke from his pipe. "If the Council member is willing to let you," he said. "Then, by all means, enjoy a brief stay at the capitol. I highly recommend the hot springs."

Shisui nodded. He was already thinking of ways to persuade the Council member to let them stay in the Capitol. "Then, as the Jonin-Sesei of team-11, I accept this mission," he said, bowing to the Hokage.

"You are expected to leave tomorrow," the Hokage said. "I wish you the best of luck. Dismissed."

"Hai!" Shisui and his team said. Then they left the mission room.

It did not take long for Naruto to start acting like an excited child. "All right," he shouted, pumping his fist into the air. "Our first C-rank mission. Isn't that great, Hinata? We're going on our first real shinobi mission."

Hinata giggled. "I think it will be fun," she said. "I hope we're ready for it."

"Of course, we are," Naruto said. "We're the best team in the whole village. We'll knock this mission out of the part."

Sasuke snorted. "While I won't dispute the first part," he said. "Aren't you getting a little over-excited about this? We're just taking a scroll up to the Capitol and then escorting some crusty old man back to the village."

Naruto rolled a pair of his eyes and crossed his arms. "Not like you're excited about this, too," Naruto pointed out. "Or would rather be doing more D-ranks. It's not too late to go back and ask."

Shisui laughed a little when he saw his cousin stiffen and try to act cool. "Now, I wouldn't be so quick to act," he said. "Shisui-Sensei thinks we're ready. Don't you?"

Shisui smiled as his genin looked up at him. "Of course, I do," he responded. "I wouldn't have requested a C-rank if I didn't."

Sasuke looked away and put his hands in his pockets. "Then I guess we'll have to take it," he said.

Shisui rolled his eyes and whispered to his other two charges. "Don't mind him. He's just as excited as you guys are." Naruto and Hinata nodded.

"So, how long will this mission take?" Sasuke asked. "How should we pack?"

Shisui ran the calculations in his head. If it were just him, getting to the Capitol would take a couple of days. It would take longer to get back since he would be expected to escort a civilian. However, he had a genin team with him now, so he had to adjust his estimates.

"I figure it would take us about four days to get to the Capitol," he said. "Then, since we'll take a civilian back, we'll take six days. So all together, ten days, eleven or twelve if we can stay in the Capitol."
"So we should pack for two weeks," Naruto said.

"I'd make it three," Sasuke added. "You never know what will happen."

Shisui nodded, happy his genin were thinking ahead. "Very good guys," he said. "We'll meet up at the Village gates tomorrow at 08:00. I suggest you get some extra rest in. You'll need it."

His genin nodded. "Shisui-Sensei?" Naruto spoke up.

"Yes, Naruto?" Shisui said."

"What about our training?" Naruto asked. "Will we have to put that on hold?"

Shisui shook his head. "We'll still do our training," he said. "We'll just have to adjust our schedule a bit. That said, we won't be doing as much since we'll need the energy for the mission."

His genin nodded. Before any more could be said, a new voice entered the conversation. "Well, what do we have here?" Shisui looked to the source to see that Team-10 and their Jōnin-Sensei were approaching them. "Going out on another mission?" Asuma asked.

"Asuma-San," Shisui greeted the bearded man. His genin started to chat with their friends. "It's good to see you. And as a matter of fact, we are."

Asuma smiled. "Let me guess," he said. "Cleaning the Inuzuka kennels, or maybe painting some fences. Oh, how about trying to catch Tora again. I heard that cat was on the loose again," at the mention of the hell cat, the genin shuddered.

Shisui shook his head. "Actually, we already did that one," he said. He held back a laugh when he saw the genin of team-10 relax. "And we're not doing any of the others either. I requested for a C-rank."

Asuma's eyes widened. "Are you sure they're ready for something like that?" He asked. "It's only been a month since the teams passed."

"I think they're ready," Shisui said. "We can't keep them in the village forever."

Asuma rubbed his chin. "I suppose you're right," he said. Then before he could say anything else, Ino made her voice known.

"What?" the girl shouted at her sensei. "What's this I hear about them getting a C-rank? Why do they get to go on a C-rank while we're still stuck doing meaningless chores? I demand that you get us a C-rank."

"Now look what you've done," Asuma grumbled. "She'll be pestering me all day about this."

Shisui chuckled. "I think you can manage her," he said. "Be seeing you later," he and his genin left Asuma and the rest of team-10.

"Alright, team," Shisui said as they stepped out of the Hokage tower. "We won't bother going back to the training ground. So, I'll dismiss you here. Remember to meet up at the front gates tomorrow at 08:00. Understood?"

"Hai, Shisui-Sensei!"

Hyūga Compound

Naruto was smiling from ear to ear as the food was being served. He was eating with Hinata's family, a common occurrence since he was taken in by the clan. With him was also Sara, who insisted that she didn't need to be here since technically she wasn't Naruto's caretaker anymore. Hitomi wouldn't hear any of it.

"Someone seems excited, "Hinata's mom said. "Care to tell us what's got you so excited?"

"If it's one of your pranks, please give us some forewarning before it happens," Sara said.

"Now, why would you say that?" Hitomi said with a smile.

"So, we can get some distance," Sara said. "Or at least get our stories straight."

Hinata giggled while Naruto huffed. "It's nothing like that," he said. "Besides, I haven't managed to pull anything big since team-11 became official. Shisui-Sensei has been keeping us busy. "

"So, what is it then?" Hinata's father asked.

"We got our first C-rank," Naruto said.

This got surprised looks from the three adults at the table. "You're first C-rank?" Hinata's mom asked. "And so soon?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, Shisui-Sensei asked for one after we caught that stupid cat," he explained.

"Tora?" Sara said with a shudder.

Naruto looked at her with surprise. "You know about that hell cat?" He got a quick nod from her. Then he looked back at the others and explained the details of the mission.

"I see," Hinata's dad said, rubbing his chin. "Reminds me of the time my team got their first C-rank. Come to think of it, we got ours fairly early in our time as a team."

"You did?" Naruto inquired. Hinata nodded her head, showing she was interested in the story.

Hinata's dad nodded. "I believe it was about two or three months," he said. "Normally, a newly formed genin team takes about four or five months to take their first C-rank mission."

"So, what was yours like, father?" Hinata asked. "And what about your mother?"

"Ours was a bit more involved than yours," Hinata's dad said with a grim expression. "We got a bandit elimination mission. We got our first kills in that mission."

The atmosphere in the room became more subdued at the mention of that. "I'm sorry," Naruto said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"No, it's alright," Hinata's dad said, shaking his head. "Standards back then were a little different than they are now. With any luck, you three won't have to worry about that on this mission."

"By comparison," Hinata's mother started. "My team's first C-rank was tamed. We had border patrol along Wind Country. It was an uneventful mission, but I remember how excited my team was. It was also our first time leaving the confines of Konoha."

Hinata's dad nodded. "The same thing for us," he said. "A C-rank is usually the first time that a genin leaves the village."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I think it will be fun," he said. "Going somewhere that isn't Konoha. Meeting new people and getting to know them," then he turned his head to face Sara. "So, Sara, what was your first C-rank like?"

Sara shrugged. "I was something like yours, Naruto," she said. "A courier mission. Though not to the Capital. We had to collect a scroll from one of our outposts near Lighting Country's border. Then bring it back to Konoha. I think it might have been their monthly reports."

"D-did you meet any Kuno-nin?" Hinata asked nervously.

Sara shook her head. "Thankfully, no," she replied. "Though I do remember the mix of excitement and uneasy at the thought of encountering some Kumo-nin."

"Even back then, Kumo wanted our eyes," Hinata's dad said bitterly.

Sara nodded. "Still, I remember being excited by our first C-rank," she said. "Though I never did show it to my teammates and sensei. But I will admit I am a little envious that you get to go to the Capital. Even if it's for a short stay."

"That's if the Council member agrees to let us stay there for a day or two," Naruto said. "If not, then I think we'll have to leave the next day."

Hinata's mom nodded. "Well, here is hoping you get to stay. The Capital is simply stunning. So many people and so many buildings. It's like being in a whole other world."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, Jiji, I mean the Sandaime," he said. "Even recommend the hot springs there."

Hinata's mom smirked. "Why am I not surprised?" She commented. "There's a couple of restaurants there that you have to try. I'll be sure to give you a listing before you leave."

Hinata nodded. "That would be nice," she said. "We might even get to go shopping if we have the chance."

Naruto stiffened. That wasn't something he was looking forward to. Then again, Hinata wasn't nearly as bad as the other girls he knew. So maybe it won't be complete torture for him. He might even be able to bring back some souvenirs.

"So, I assume you'll be packing for the trip," Sara said.

Naruto nodded. "We figure that packing for two weeks should be enough," he said. "But Shisui-Sensei said we should pack for an additional week just in case something comes up."

Sara smiled. "Smart man," she said.

"Which brings me to something important," Hinata's dad said, standing up. "I know that this is just a simple C-rank. But once you are out of Konoha, anything can happen. You won't be afforded the same protections you would have inside our walls."

Naruto looked at the man intently. "I get that," he said. "We won't be as safe outside the village."

Hinata's dad nodded. "Which is why I have to ask you something. Something that only a father can ask."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" He asked.

"Look after my daughter," Hiashi said. "No matter what happens, you'll keep her safe and make sure she returns home. That you will protect her above all else, even your own life."

"Father," Hinata said, shocked by her father's statement.

Before she could get the rest of her protest out, Naruto stopped her. "You won't have to worry about that Hiashi-San," he said. "She's one of my precious people, and I will do everything I can to protect her. Even if it does cost me my life."

Hinata looked at him with an unreadable expression. "Naruto," she said softly.

Naruto saw a smile forming on Hiashi's lips. "I would expect nothing less from you, Naruto," he said. "But I will also ask you not to sell your life so short. You have people here who care about you, including my daughter. It would break her heart if something happened to you."

Naruto smirked. "You don't have to worry about that either, Hiashi," he said. "I'm not going to die that easily. I still have my dream of becoming Hokage, and I can't do that if I'm dead."

He heard a snort coming from Sara. "Knowing you. You would still find a way," she said.

"Hiashi-San," Naruto said. "I would give my life for Hinata, as I would with any of my other precious people. But I won't do that unless there is no other way. So, you don't have to worry about me dying anytime soon."

That was when Hinata spoke. "He's right," she said, standing, looking more determined than she ever was in her life. "I'll protect him too. I'll bring him home safe like he would with me. Because" she hesitated for a moment. Like she was looking for the right words. "Because I don't want there to be a world without Naruto."

Naruto was struck speechless. He never knew Hinata could say something like that and have so much convection. "Hinata," he said. He felt something in his chest. A warm feeling that seemed to spread across his body, comforting him. The thought of someone else wanting to protect him, valuing his life, felt nice.

"I never knew she felt like that about me," he thought.

"That's because she cares about you," Kurama said. "Deeply so."

"What do you mean by that?" Naruto asked the fox, confused.

He heard a snort coming from the fox. "You'll figure it out one day."

"I see," Hiashi said, closing his eyes. "Then I guess I had nothing to worry about," he looked at the two children present at the table. "Protect each other. Watch over each other and bring the other home. That is all I can ask of you. Can you do that?"

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other. At that moment, they had an unspoken conversation, and a promise was made. They would protect each other, no matter what. Then they looked back at the man and nodded.

Hiashi smiled. "Good then," he said, sitting back down. "Then, with that said. I wish you the best of luck on your first C-rank."

Hitomi chuckled. "Always the worry wort deer," she said to her husband. Then she looked at the children. "Trust each other and protect them. Do that, and I know the two of you will always come home," her smile spread across her face. "You should extend that courtesy to your teammate, Sasuke. Remember, you are part of a team. Trust him and your sensei, have faith that they will protect you as well."

Naruto and Hinata nodded, understanding what the woman was conveying to them. "We will," Naruto said. "Together the three of us and our sensei. We can do anything."

Hitomi nodded. "Good then," she looked over at Sara. "Anything you would like to add, Sara-San?"

Sara shook her head. "No," she said. "I think you covered everything I would have said. So enjoy your first C-rank, and I hope that you do get to stay in the Capital for a few days. That said, do please try to keep out of trouble. I don't think the collective blood pressures of the Elders can handle a letter from the Daiymō."

"I'm not that bad," Naruto pouted as the others laughed.

Konoha front gates

The next day the members of team-11 were gathered together at the front gates of the village. They had packed all the supplies they needed and some extra and had assembled at the front gates about half an hour before the designated time.

All three were excited about their C-rank mission and that they would soon leave the safety of Konoha's wall. None more so than Naruto, he look out the massive gates with awe and wonder. Seeing a road that seemed to stretch out forever.

He had used his eyes to look outside the walls of his village to see what was out there. Forests as far as the eye could, lush and beautiful. It always gave him a sense of excitement that he would one day step outside the village.

At 08:00 Shisui-Sensei walked to them with a smile. "Alright, team-11," he said. "Today, we have our first C-rank mission. Are you ready?"

"Hai!" was the response from the three genin.

"Did you pack everything you need for this mission?" he asked. "Food, water, clothes, and weapons?"

Naruto nodded. "We did Shisui-Sensei," he said. "We even packed extra like you said. We're ready to go," his other two teammates nodded.

Shisui nodded and smiled. "Good," he said. "Then, as of right now, our mission begins. Remember, we are to take this scroll," he held out a scroll in his hand. "To the Capitol. Where we will drop it off at the Daimyo's palace. Now, it is highly unlikely that we will get to meet the Daimyo, but I still expect the three of you to be on your best behavior. Is that understood?"

"Hai, sensei," the genin said in unison.

Shisui nodded. "Good," he said. "Once we drop off the scroll. We are then to meet up with a member of Konoha's civilian council. From there, we'll escort him back to the village. Again, I expect all of you to be on your best behavior. He is a high-ranking official in our village and deserves to be treated with respect. Understood.

Naruto swallowed on his breath but nodded his head. "Hai, sensei," he said with the others. He saw Hinata and Sasuke exchange worried glances.

Shisui's expression softened, and he crossed his arms. "Try not to worry too much," he said. "While I do want you to treat the council member with respect. I'll be expecting the same from him. If he treats you in any way, that is unfitting for a shinobi of our village. Let me know," he looked at Naruto. "I'll be sure to handle it."

Naruto smiled and nodded at his sensei. "Thank you, Shisui-Sensei," he said.

Shisui nodded back at him. "Now then," he said, looking over the three of them. "Any questions?"

Naruto looked between his two teammates, seeing if they had anything to ask. He saw they didn't. He looked back at Shisui and shook his head.

Shisui nodded. "Then follow me," he said, leading them to a stall next to the village gate. It was manned by a pair of Chunin.

One of them greeted Shisui. "Shisui-San," he said. "What are you doing here and with a group of genin?"

Shisui smiled at the man. "They're my genin team," he explained.

The man quirked an eyebrow. "So, the rumors were true," he said. "I assume you're here to leave the village for a mission?"

Shisui nodded. "Indeed," he said. "It'll be our first C-rank."

The gate guard chuckled and rubbed his chin. "I remember my first C-rank," he said, "Not quite as exciting as later missions, but you never forget the thrill of leaving the village for the first time," then he pulled out some papers. "Just sign here and tell us how long you should be out."

Shisui nodded and signed off on the papers. "We should be gone around two weeks," he said. "Three at the most."

The gate guard and his partner nodded. "Then we'll be seeing you. Good luck out there."

Shisui gestured to his genin to follow. Just moments later, they were outside the walls of the village. Once outside, Naruto felt a rush of thrill wash over him. Even though he had dozens of pairs of eyes looking around, he couldn't stop his head from looking around, soaking in every detail. Even though there was nothing in his head to soak things in with.

Despite all of this, Naruto felt his heart beating faster, and his breath was getting shorter. The forest outside of Konoha, the sounds of birdsong, and even the rush of the wind somehow felt different than they did when he was in the village.

He had seen all of this with his eyes many times, wishing he could be out there experiencing it for himself. Now that he was, somehow, it all felt so much more real. In the back of his mind, he also realized he had taken another step on his path as a Shinobi.

It took him a moment to realize that his teammates and sensei were giving him bemused expressions. Naruto stopped looking around and rubbed the back of his head, feeling his cheeks burning. "Sorry, guys," he said. "I think I got a little overexcited there."

Shisui chuckled and waved him off. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I've been there before. There's something about leaving the village for the first that stirs the soul," then he looked at the other two members of team-11. "Besides, these two were looking around almost as much as you were."

In response, Hinata and Sasuke looked away with their faces turning red. Naruto smiled and committed the image to memory. "It's nice out here," he said.

Shisui smiled at him. "Come on, we're wasting time here," he said, walking up in front of the genin. "There will be plenty of time to take in the sights as we move. Naruto, do you think you can send some of your eyes forward? Give us some advance warning if something comes up?"

Naruto nodded. He already had sent sever pairs ahead of them in advance. "I already did," he said. "Nothing so far."

Shisui nodded. "Good," he said. "Once, we're a little way from the village. I want you to send some pairs behind us."

Naruto nodded. "What about to our sides?" he asked.

"Not bad idea," he said. "You won't be stretching yourself out, will you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Trust me, I got plenty," he said, channeling some charka into the seals along his arms. More eyes appeared in small clouds of smoke. They then floated around the group of four.

"We really do need to figure out how many you have," he said, then shook his head. "But that will be for later," he looked at Hinata. "I know we'll have Naruto's eyes out there. But I'd feel better knowing we had an extra layer of detection. Hinata, I want you to turn on your Byakugan at random intervals and scan the area."

Hinata nodded. "Hai, Shisui-sensei," she said.

Shisui nodded and looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke, I want you to stay alert, too," he said. "You'll never know what could slip past these two."

Sasuke nodded. "I will," he said.

"Then team-11, move out," Shisui ordered as the shinobi squad broke into an even run. Their first C-rank had truly begun.

Hours later, the members of team-11 had left the forest surrounding Konoha and were now out in the open roads. Once more, Naruto was amazed at everything he saw. The forest had parted, opening up to a vast world. Until now, he had never seen this. All his life, he had lived in Konoha, and to him, it had been the world so big and vast that it could take him weeks or months to explore every corner.

Then he stepped outside it, outside the forest that surrounded it. Now he could see how small his village was and how big the world was. He had his eyes ahead of him, and even as far as he could see, there was no end to the world. It just kept going on. Even the sky above him seemed more distant.

He saw that Shisui was smiling at him. "Pretty amazing, isn't it," he said. "I remember my first time outside of the village. And I'm not talking about some small excursion into the forest the academy sometimes does. It was when I had my first C-rank with my team. We were escorting this merchant back to his village. It was a dull mission, but I remember how excited I was at leaving the village for the first time."

While Naruto kept his attention on the roads ahead. He was focused on Shisui-Sensei's story. "What was it like?" he asked. "Seeing all of this," he gestured to the world around them.

Shisui 's smile grew fonder. "Probably about the same way you're feeling now," he said. "Konoha is a big place. There's no denying that. To a kid that grew up in it, it might seem like Konoha and its forest are the whole world. That there is nothing past it. Then you leave it and take that first step out of the forest, and you realize just how small it is. Konoha is not the world, but it is just outside its walls."

Naruto nodded and turned his attention back on the road. It seemed to stretch on forever, and even then, Naruto had to wonder what lay at its end. What was passed that? How much bigger was the world?

"Shisui-Sensei," Sasuke asked. "You've been to lots of places, right?"

Shisui nodded. "Yeah, I have," he said.

"What are they like?" Sasuke asked. "How do they compare to Konoha?

Shisui looked on at the road. "I can't really say," he answered after a short pause. "I've been to so many different places and met so many different people. I don't think it is fair to compare any of them to Konoha. To me, Konoha is my home, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Sure, some places aren't really much of anything, and places I would rather never visit again. But the others, though, had their own charm. Wither it be the sights or feelings around them or even the people that live there. They hold a special place in my heart as well. Trust me when I say that there is a whole world out there."

"Do you think we'll ever see it all?" Naruto said in wonder.

Shisui shook his head. "Even if we to live a thousand years, I doubt we'll be able to," he said.

"Listen to your sensei, kit," Kurama said. "I have been around since the days of the Sage of Six Paths, many thousands of years ago. I have been to many places and seen many things, but not even I have not seen all corners of this world. And I may never."

"But aren't you immortal or something?" Naruto said to the fox. "Don't you have all the time in the world?"

"I may have all the time in the world. But the world moves on," Kurama said. "A great city may rise in a distant corner of the world and last for a thousand years, then tumble to dust in another thousand and be forgotten by the third. And I would have noticed simply because I was not in that corner of the world."

Naruto thought about Kurama's words and realized how much wisdom they had. "Something on your mind?" Shisui asked, taking Naruto out of his thoughts.

"Sorry Shisui-Sensei," Naruto said. "I was just thinking about something that Kurama said.

"Kurama?" Shisui questioned. Then he realized who Naruto was talking about. "Oh right, your tenant."

Naruto nodded. "He was just saying how even he hasn't seen everything in this world," he said. "And expressed his doubts he would ever."

"But isn't he Biju?" Shisui asked. "Won't he live forever or something?"

Naruto nodded. Then he gave Shisui and the rest of his team the same analogy that Kurama gave him. Shisui had a thoughtful expression on his face, while Hinata and Sasuke still looked a little confused. "I see," he said. "I can see where your friend is coming at. Time erodes all things. Even the mountains and forests will one day disappear."

Naruto nodded. "I guess that's another thing to remember," he said. "To see a place while it is still there. While it can still be remembered."

He saw Shisui smile. "As I said before, the life of a Shinobi is a hard one," he said. "It is filled with hardship and sacrifice. But it is also a rewarding one. We will do and see things that ordinary people can only begin to dream of. We get to travel across the elemental nations and see places that, for most, only exist on a sheet of paper."

Naruto nodded. "There's so much to see out there," he said. "I know I won't be able to see all of it in my lifetime. But I want to see as much of it as I can."

The rest of the day passed by them as they continued to travel. When the sun started to set, Shisui had them stop on the side of the road for the night. By the time they had set up camp and eaten, night had fallen.

They would have a rotating watch. One would stay up for a couple of hours and keep watch while the others would sleep. Then would switch out for one of the others. Naruto was the first one on the watch.

It was especially easy for him since he had his eyes spread out across the area, and while he slept, his eyes could keep an eye out for things. It also let him gaze up at the stars. Once more, the young genin was struck with how different it felt from being in Konoha.

He had seen them before in the village and even watched them from one of the parks in the village. But never before did they seem so bright and numerous.

"Even the stars are different out here," he said. "I don't think I have ever seen so many out in the night."

"That's because we're out from the village," Naruto heard a voice say next to him. Shisui walked up beside him and sat down on the ground. "The lights from the village wash out the lights from the stars. I think they call it light pollution or something."

Naruto nodded, he turned his head to look up at the night sky. "So they're always up there," he said. "Just drowned out."

Shisui nodded. "Something like that," he said. "I was a little surprised, too, when I saw them. It really does make you feel small when looking at them."

Naruto nodded, having gotten that feeling. "There's so many of them," he said. "What are they really?"

"Hmm?" Shisui looked at him with curiosity.

"The stars," Naruto said. "What are they? Are they just tiny little lights in the night sky? Or they something more?"

Shisui looked up at the sky and smiled. "That's not a bad question to ask," he said. "I've heard people say each star is the light of other worlds."

Naruto turned his head to face Shisui. "The light of other worlds?" Naruto questioned.

Shisui nodded. "Yeah, each of those lights are other worlds, shining down on us." Shisui let out a small snort. "So maybe on another world, ours is just another light that shines down on them."

Naruto looked at the stars with newfound wonder. "Kurama," he said to the fox. "What do you think?"

He heard a snort coming in his head. "I could care less what stars are," Kurama said. "They have always shined down on this world. And they are one of the few unchanging things in this life. So it doesn't matter what they are, they will always be there."

"In short," Naruto said with a mental eye roll. "You don't know," he heard another snort then his mind fell empty.

"There is another that people think they are," Shisui said, unaware of the short exchange. "It's similar to what I told you but interesting nonetheless."

"How so?" Naruto asked.

"That those stars are suns," Shisui said. "Like our own, and that each sun shines down on another world. Sounds like pretty far-fetched stuff, doesn't it?"

"And the bit with them being other worlds, isn't?" Naruto pointed out.

Shisui shrugged. "They both do, to be honest," he said. "But we'll never really know. Will we?"

Naruto mussed on the thought for a bit. "Not unless we can travel to them or look at them somehow," he said. "But I guess that's not really something we can just do."

Shisui snorted. "Then again, we do live in a world where we can throw out fireballs and summon giant animals. Hell," he pointed to Naruto's stomach. "You got a giant nine-tailed fox sealed in your gut."

"Hello," said fox quipped.

"So, I guess anything is possible," he said. Then he took a deep breath and let out. "But we got other things to do right now, like completing this mission. Or you getting to bed, your watch ended a little bit ago."

Naruto smiled and turned his head down at the ground. "I was wondering when you would say that," he said. "I guess we got a little side-tracked."

Shisui shrugged. "It can be a good thing," he said. "I liked the little conversation we had."

Naruto nodded. "It's like you said," Naruto started. "There's so much more out there. Our world has just opened up, and it's a little overwhelming."

Shisui smiled. "I think everyone gets like that when they leave their home for the first time," he replied. "They see how big the world is and how small they are in comparison. But they keep going on," then he looked back at Naruto. "Get some sleep. I'll take over for my watch."

Naruto nodded and stood up. "I'll keep some of my eyes active," he said.

Shisui gave him a worried look. "Won't that stop you from sleeping?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Only if I have a lot of active eyes," he said. "I can put my eyes into something of a passive stat. Where it's like I closed them. That way, I can sleep," he rolled up a sleeve showing the seals on his arm. "Remember, I didn't always have these. How else do you think I got any sleep?"

"That's a fair point," he said. "You said you would keep a few active?"

Naruto nodded. "I can have some activity without disrupting my sleep. The only thing that will happen is the images will be mixed into my dreams. So, I don't do it often."

Shisui nodded. "Well, alright then," he said. "You have a good night's sleep."

Naruto nodded. "You too, Shisui-Sensei," he said, then walked away. He arrived at the tent he was sharing with Sasuke. Hinata had her own separate tent. The Uchiha boy was sound asleep on one side of the tent. Naruto took the other and laid down.

He was lying down on his back, so he was 'looking' up. He still had some of his eyes looking up at the stars.

"There really is so much more to see," he thought. "I never knew that the world was this big."

He heard a snort coming from within his mind. "Trust me, Kit," Kurama said. "You have yet to see anything. But I suspect that you will live to see many things and places. Today was just the first steps towards those things."

Naruto mentally nodded at the fox. "Kurama," he addressed the Biju. "You've been around a long time, right? Like for thousands of years?"

He felt the questioning expression coming from Kurama. "I thought that was well established," he said. "But yes, I have been."

"You think you can tell me about some of the places you've seen?" Naruto asked. "You know, before I fall asleep," he could already feel the edges of sleep tugging at his mind.

From within the seal, Kurama smiled. "Very well then," he said. "I think we have time for one story."

Naruto smiled and turned over to his side as he listened to the story Kurama had to tell. His first day outside of Konoha had not been an eventful one. But it had opened the world up to the young Uzumaki.

Bit of a short one I know, but I wanted to focus more the teams's wonder of leaving their village for the first time. Namly how Naruto would take it, the kid has never been outside of Konoha, so it should be understandable that he's a bit excited. The next chapter though should be longer and will be center on team-11's arrival in the capital, and their day there. It was also serve as in introduction to another OC who I hope you guys will like.

As I said I wanted the first C-rank to be on the lighter side of things, mostly a straight forward mission for them, that doesn't a sudden turn. Though I won't promise that nothing won't happen. After all they're still Shinobi and the unexpected is a part of their lives.

Until next time, see you in the next update.