D-rank missions sucked. I'd heard as much from canon Naruto and fanfiction alike, but that still hadn't prepared me for the monotony of them.
Now, the monotony wasn't really what I didn't like about them. I'd worked as a janitor for a couple years in my first life, and I didn't have a problem with doing the same thing over and over again so long as I felt the compensation was good. That was the issue – the compensation wasn't very good. I could probably rifle through my couch and find more money than I'd get working a D-rank. Granted, the D-rank pay I received was split from the sum my whole team received, as well as the percentage retained by the village, but it was still cheap to buy a D-rank mission. That was probably by design though.
Making D-ranks so cheap made them affordable to everyone. Pretty much the entire village could hire a team of genin for a D-rank every once in a while. That let the villagers see ninja to know they were protected, as well as humanize ninja in their eyes from spooky scary village defenders to 'that nice kid that cleaned my carpet the other day'.
Still, there was one D-rank that was nowhere near as difficult as my previous life had led me to believe.
"Got it." I said, freezing the Daimyo's wife's cat in my shadows. Tora, the cat, had tried to flee, but between my shadows that could immobilize it and Misaki's byakugan that could track it wherever it went, we'd made short work of a mission I'd heard was the bane of genin for years. I didn't know how this cat had been around long enough to terrorize the previous generation of genin while it would still be around for Naruto's team to face. Maybe the Daimyo's wife just kept getting new cats and kept naming them Tora? I didn't know, and I really didn't care. It was just another job. The only reason it was semi-noteworthy was because I recognised it from the anime.
"Well done, my talented little genin!" Hayashi cheered as the three of us exited the Hokage building with our meager pay in our pockets.
"Can we do real missions now?" Kenji begged. He'd been the most vocal about his dislike of D-ranks, and had been the most frustrated with our work during the last few days. Honestly, I was still surprised that Hayashi was letting us go on missions at all this early, so, despite my dislike of D-ranks, I couldn't be too mad.
Hayashi frowned, pointing a finger at Kenji chidingly. "Now, Kenji, D-ranks are real missions, and all missions a shinobi undertakes should be done with the same level of discipline. When you understand that, and you've all mastered team tactics, we can go on our first C-rank."
Kenji groaned. "Fine. Are we done now?"
Hayashi nodded. "I think that's enough for today. We'll start again tomorrow at 7. Does anyone have anything else they'd like to say before we separate for the day?"
"Um…" Kenji looked around nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "My mom wanted me to invite you over for dinner. She said she wanted to meet my team."
"That sounds fun." Hayashi said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jonin jacket. "When did she want us to come over?"
"…Tonight?" Kenji said hesitantly.
Hayashi sighed. "A little more warning would have been appreciated, but I'm free. Misaki? Shinto?"
Misaki and I looked at each other.
"I have to let Aika-san know I won't be home for dinner, but I can come." I said.
"I will also need to speak to my parents, but I can come." Misaki said.
"Then it's settled. When did your mother want us to be there, Kenji?" Hayashi asked.
"Five o'clock." Kenji said, looking a little surprised everyone had so easily agreed.
"Okay, team, we meet at Kenji's house at 4:45. See you there!" Hayashi's body flickered and he disappeared, a trio of leaves spiraling to the ground where he once stood.
"I'll see you both there. I need to go home first." I said, nodding goodbye to my teammates before hopping up onto the nearest roof and running towards the Nara Compound.
X
Aika had been in support of me going to spend time with my team. When I asked if she'd be alright for the night, she'd told me she would use the free night to go over to Shikaku's house and spend time with Shikamaru. That made me feel better about randomly telling her I was going out with no warning.
I arrived at Kenji's house fifteen minutes prior to our scheduled meeting time and stopped on a nearby roof. Kenji lived in a single-story house in the civilian district. He wasn't in the slums, but his house wasn't in one of the nicer areas either. Relating the area to my old life, I would put it in the middle class.
"Shinto."
I turned and smiled at Misaki as she walked up behind me. "Hi, Misaki."
She stepped up next to me and looked around at the houses with me. "What do you think of Kenji?" she asked.
"In what context?" I asked, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. There were a couple directions she could take this conversation, and I'd prefer that my teammates didn't talk poorly about one-another behind each other's backs. Dead last or not, Kenji was our teammate now. Pointless animosity wouldn't help any of us.
"I have been thinking about how he will contribute to our team. I am a front line fighter and you are a mid to close range support fighter. Ideally, Kenji would fill the backline role, but without a large chakra capacity, he will not be able to use many ninjutsu." Misaki explained.
"Do you have an idea for how he can fill that role?" I asked carefully.
Misaki nodded. "Do you know how to make explosive tags? Used in tandem with chakra strings and kunai, I believe he could grow to be a major threat."
That…was actually a pretty good idea. Fuinjutsu worked around his chakra limitations because he could prepare everything he needed ahead of time. If he attached the tags to kunai and threw them with strings…
"We should talk to Kenji and Sensei about this during training tomorrow." I said.
Misaki smiled proudly. "I'm glad you approve of the idea, Shinto. I… There was something else I wanted to discuss with you." she said hesitantly.
I turned to look at her. "What else did you want to talk about?"
"Well… Sensei is here." she said abruptly, her back going ramrod straight.
No sooner had she warned me than Hayashi landed on the roof right next to me, resting his forearm on the top of my head. "Hello, small genin. Are you ready to practice your manners and eat a delicious meal prepared by our teammate?"
"Sensei, could you take your arm off my head?" I asked dryly.
"But your hair is so poofy! It makes the perfect cushion." He was leaning on me like I was a table.
Misaki covered her mouth and turned her head to the side, trying and failing to hide a giggle. Apparently, she found the unamused frown on my face amusing.
"Let's go!" Hayashi cheered, picking Misaki and I up by the back collar of our jackets and dragging us down to the street. He set us down in front of the door to Kenji's house and knocked lightly on the door. A few seconds later the door swung inwards.
A short, portly woman in a dirty apron was smiling at us as she beckoned us into the house. "You must be Kenji's team."
Hayashi nodded. "Yes. I am Kenji's jonin sensei Hiroshi Hayashi. These are my students Misaki Hyuga and Shinto Nara.
"It's good to meet you. I'm Chika Aoki. Come in, come in!"
"Thank you, Aoki-san." I said as I walked in.
"Psh. None of that. You can all call me Chika." Kenji's mom, Chika, said warmly as she waddled into the kitchen. "Kenji! Your team is here!" she shouted through the house.
"Coming, mom!" Kenji ran around the corner, wiping his hands on the apron he was wearing. "Uh… Welcome?" he said shyly. "The ramen is almost done. You guys can sit down at the table if you want." He disappeared back around the corner into the kitchen. I could smell chicken broth and could see steam drifting around the corner. I was looking forward to the ramen.
The table we were led to was set for five. I hadn't met Kenji's father yet, and the number of chairs around the table led me to believe he wasn't in the picture for whatever reason. I didn't say anything about it of course. I had tact.
"So! Kenji tells me you both graduated from the Academy early." Chika said as we sat around the table, her focus on Misaki and I.
"That is correct, Chika-san." Misaki said. "Shinto and I have been training together since we were eight and have been working hard to graduate early."
"So I've been told. Only ten years old, but you were both top of the class. That's very impressive!" Chika had a bright smile on her face, but her words made this feel more like an interrogation than anything else.
Hayashi chuckled. "I'm very happy to have been selected to teach this team. I see great things in each of my student's futures, Kenji included."
"I hope so. My Kenji has worked hard to graduate. He isn't afraid of a little extra work if it will help his team." Chika said.
"Mom, please don't embarrass me." Kenji said, a grimace on his face as he came into the dining room carrying a large pot. He scooped some ramen into the bowls around the table then carried the pot back to the kitchen.
As Kenji was sitting down with us, Chika said, "It's not embarrassing to know your mother cares about your wellbeing, baby."
Kenji's muscles were tense. "Maybe to you." he mumbled.
Chika lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "No mumbling. We have guests."
"Mmm! This is very good." Hayashi said loudly, slurping up another spoonful of ramen. It seemed like he was trying to not-so-subtly change the subject.
Kenji's face lit up. "Thanks. I made it myself!"
"You made this?" I said with a raised eyebrow, eating another spoonful. Hayashi was right, it was really good. "Whenever we're out on missions, you're our official cook."
"Agreed." Misaki said with a sharp nod before shoveling more ramen into her mouth. She was enjoying it too.
Kenji was positively glowing under the praise even as he turned away, bashful. "I've always liked cooking. I figured I would need a hobby for when I wasn't out on missions."
"You're not wrong. It's healthy to find something to enjoy outside of ninja life. That's something you can help your teammates with." Hayashi said, shooting a pointed look my way.
I frowned. "Training is my hobby."
Chika tutted, shaking her head. "That's no good, young man. Everyone needs something to do when they aren't at work."
"He has a garden." Misaki said. "He grows flowers and tea leaves. He has brought me to it on a number of occasions."
Chika grinned as she looked between us. "Has he? Who would've thought the young ninja had such a tender side."
I stared into my ramen bowl, refusing to acknowledge the heat in my cheeks. Misaki threw me under the bus. But that didn't mean I was embarrassed. I wasn't. Gardening was perfectly manly, especially when you grew pretty flowers that killed people. I didn't mention that to Chika though. That would probably just make her press harder to get me to pick up a hobby.
"And what about you, dear?" Chika asked, looking at Misaki. "What do you do for fun?"
Misaki looked away shyly. "I also have a garden. I like flowers."
Chika smiled wide, her eyes shining. "That's lovely. I like flowers too."
The conversation transitioned towards our training schedule and time at the Academy. Kenji's mother was very welcoming and kind. Kenji himself seemed embarrassed the majority of the evening, but I didn't see what he had to be embarrassed about. His cooking was amazing, something we all stressed at length, and his mother was great. We spent most of the evening talking about our various experiences at the Academy and cracking small jokes. It was a great bonding experience.
At the end of the night, Sensei walked Misaki and I home. We stopped at the Hyuga Compound to drop Misaki first, then made our way to the gate of the Nara Compound.
"Thanks for walking me back, Sensei. You didn't have to."
He smirked. "And miss a chance to spend more time with my genin? Unlikely. Have a good night, Shinto." He disappeared in a puff of smoke, a scrambling of leaves fluttering to the ground in his wake.
I snorted at his dramatics and entered the Nara Compound. After so long being a loner, it was nice to have more people to hang out with. I was looking forward to getting together with my team in the future.
X
Hiroshi Hayashi was in a pleasant mood, a rare thing in recent days. The war had been rough on him. Certainly this didn't make him exceptional. It was war. Everyone who had a hand in it and even those left at home, they all came away with scars.
Hiroshi had spent a year in ANBU, trying to find a new place in the world after the loss of his mentor upended his life, but his time there felt empty. He was doing more of the same thing that had led him to being so depressed: killing. So he'd left. One of his teammates told him to try taking a genin team at his farewell party, and Hiroshi had been surprised to find he really liked the idea.
His little genin were the breath of fresh air he needed. Their determination, their optimistic outlook, their company – it was all helping him heal in a way he didn't know he needed.
Kenji was determined and took to each lesson with ferocity, doing everything he could to catch up to his younger teammates. He had a long way to go before Hiroshi would be comfortable taking him out on missions, but his perseverance would serve him well.
Misaki was always so collected, but her mask slipped on occasion, giving Hiroshi a glimpse into her true thoughts. She really enjoyed spending time with her team, be they training or even doing D-ranks. She didn't have the usual arrogance one would commonly associate with a Hyuga, and Hiroshi believed that to be in no small part due to his third student: Shinto.
Shinto was always so serious, analyzing everything in front of him and plotting out his moves three steps in advance. He needed to paint a fence? He would inspect the area and find the most efficient way of painting it before beginning. He was told to spar with Kenji? He'd hide in his shadows and analyze his teammate, finding a way to help Kenji improve without immediately beating him or disrespecting him by holding back.
Hiroshi chuckled. He needed to find a way to get that boy to loosen up. There was more to life than fighting. He didn't want his genin to live the life he'd led. He wanted them to be happy.
Hiroshi walked down the street to his apartment and climbed the steps to reach his unit. When he opened the door, his breath caught.
"Shimura-sama," Hiroshi greeted, falling to one knee and bowing his head at the village elder standing just inside his apartment. It was thanks to Danzo Shimura that Hiroshi was able to transition out of ANBU and into his position as a genin instructor. He owed the man more than he could easily quantify. "How can I be of service?"
Danzo looked down at him with a sorrow-filled frown. "There is pressure from the other elders and the Hyuga Clan to see your genin promoted to chunin as soon as possible."
Hiroshi felt his heart skip a beat. He hadn't had his genin team for even two months and there were already voices calling for them to be promoted?
"Shimura-sama, they are not ready; they are far from ready." Hiroshi said, staring up at the man pleadingly.
Danzo's face was filled with pained regret as he said, "I know. I am afraid there is little I can do. The support for this decision far outweighs what meager resistance I could front. I was only able to delay them. The Chunin Exams in Iwa, that is the latest they would accept."
Hiroshi felt a chill sliding over his skin, like a blanket of frost on a chilled eve. "Nine months… They would have my genin fight for their lives in Iwa in nine months?" Hiroshi couldn't believe it. If that was the latest they would accept, that meant Danzo had to convince them not to send his students to Kumo in three months. They wanted to send Konoha's children against fully grown adult ninja with only three months of experience as genin?
Hiroshi wanted to rage at the world, but he forced himself to remain focused. "What can be done, Shimura-sama?"
Danzo shook his head sadly. "The decision has already been made. I am sorry I could not buy you more time, my boy, but you only have nine months to prepare your students."
Hiroshi wanted to scream, but he bowed his head low. "Thank you, Shimura-sama. Thank you for the extra time and for the warning. I will do everything in my power to ensure they are ready when the time comes."
Danzo walked forward and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "No one will be able to prepare them like you can, Hiroshi. There is a reason I fought for you to teach them. If you require any assistance from me, you have but to ask."
"Thank you, Shimura-sama. I will likely take you up on your offer."
Danzo nodded, patting Hiroshi's shoulder as he stepped past him. "Good night, Hiroshi, and good luck." The village elder walked out his door and made his way down the steps leading up to Hiroshi's apartment. Hiroshi watched the man's back until he was no longer visible, then closed his door.
Hiroshi's pleasant mood was gone. In its place was cold calculation. He needed to ensure his students were ready to face the Chunin Exams in nine months. He needed to intensify their training. They were too slow. They were too disorganized. They did not have a proper team dynamic yet. All of this and more would have to be rectified.
Hiroshi would not fail his students like he failed his mentor.