D-Ranks and receiving the mission to wave

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura gathered at the Hokage's office, waiting for their next mission. So far, Team 7 had spent their time on various D-rank missions—mostly mundane tasks like catching runaway pets, weeding gardens, and cleaning storage sheds. While Sasuke kept his irritation hidden, Naruto had complained openly about the lack of "real" missions, determined to prove himself with something more exciting than chasing Tora the cat yet again.

Today, however, they finally received something different.

The Third Hokage peered over his desk at Team 7, a faint smile under his pipe. "Given your team's growth, I think you're ready for a higher-stakes mission," he began, glancing over to Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye crinkled. "Our first C-rank," he said, his tone casual but with a hint of pride. "We'll be escorting a bridge builder named Tazuna back to the Land of Waves and ensuring his safe arrival."

Naruto's face lit up. "Finally! A real mission!"

Sakura looked pleased but a little nervous, while Sasuke gave a quiet nod, hiding any excitement he might have felt behind his usual calm expression. Just as Naruto was about to start a boast about how he was definitely ready for a C-rank, Tazuna entered, a gruff-looking older man with a bottle in one hand and a slightly skeptical expression on his face.

"This is what they send me?" he muttered, looking the three genin over with a critical eye. "Kids?"

Kakashi's voice was calm but firm. "I assure you, Tazuna-san, my team is more than capable."

With that, they gathered their things and began heading toward the village gates, where Naruto spotted a familiar figure. Hana Inuzuka was leaning casually against the gate, looking up at the sky, her usual calm confidence exuding from her posture. Naruto felt a surge of excitement, and without thinking, he jogged over to her.

"Hey, Hana!" Naruto called, waving. Koma, who had been trotting beside him, barked in greeting.

Hana turned and gave him a warm smile, her eyes lighting up as she saw him. "Naruto! Headed out on a mission?"

"Yeah, we're going out of the village for a bit! My first real mission!" Naruto replied, grinning. "It's gonna be awesome."

Hana chuckled. "I'm sure you'll do great. Just make sure to come back safe, alright? And don't let Koma get into any trouble."

Koma gave a small bark of approval, nuzzling Hana's hand as she scratched behind his ears. Naruto felt his cheeks warm a bit, feeling an unexpected happiness at her words. He opened his mouth to say something else, but then noticed Sasuke and Sakura watching them curiously from a distance.

"See you soon, Hana," he said, flashing her one last grin before turning back to his team.

As he rejoined them, Sakura tilted her head, giving him an inquisitive look. "So, Naruto… who was that?"

Naruto scratched the back of his neck, trying to hide his smile. "Oh, that's Hana Inuzuka! She's, uh, kind of a friend of mine. She works at the vet clinic. We met when I brought Koma in."

Sasuke glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "And she gave you her old clothes too, right?"

Naruto nodded, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment. "Yeah. She's pretty cool, and she helps me out a lot with stuff. Like Koma's training and… other stuff."

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, Naruto, I didn't know you were so close to her." She gave him a teasing grin. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

Naruto's cheeks flushed, but he quickly shook his head. "No! It's nothing like that. Hana's just… nice, alright?"

Sasuke smirked slightly, though he didn't press further. Kakashi, who had been listening with his usual laid-back manner, gave Naruto an approving nod.

"It's good to have people outside the team to rely on," Kakashi commented, glancing back at Hana as they walked away from the gate. "Make sure to keep those connections strong."

Naruto nodded, feeling a sense of encouragement. His friendship with Hana was important to him, and having his team acknowledge it made him feel more grounded. They left the village with a renewed sense of purpose, Naruto leading the way with his usual enthusiasm.

As they made their way toward the Land of Waves, Tazuna glanced at Naruto, raising an eyebrow. "You've got some interesting friends, kid. That Inuzuka girl… she seems pretty fond of you."

Naruto chuckled, glancing down as Koma trotted beside him. "Yeah, I guess I got lucky. Hana's someone I can trust. And she believes in me."

With that reassurance, Naruto felt more ready than ever for what lay ahead, determined to make the most of this mission and show everyone, including Hana, just how strong he could be.