Chapter 47: The annoying Tazuna
Night
Uchiha Household
The black-haired boy lay on his bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He felt a strange, unbearable heat throughout his body, and a strange impulse lingered in his heart.
However, twelve-year-old Sasuke couldn't understand what this impulse was.
With no other option, and with training tomorrow, he decided to get up from his bed, stumbled to the bathroom, and turned on the shower.
Cold water sprayed out from the showerhead, and the unbearable heat inside Sasuke's body slightly subsided.
However, when he dried off his body and prepared to go back to sleep, he once again felt his body heating up inexplicably.
Sasuke twitched his lips. He probably now understood that the problem lay with the food pill Sakura gave him earlier in the day...
Sighing helplessly, the boy put on his clothes and went to the training ground from earlier.
He needed to burn off some excess energy.
So, Sasuke began to jog around the training ground, lap after lap.
Suddenly, under the moonlight, Sasuke seemed to spot a figure sneaking around.
Who?
Sasuke moved closer to the figure and soon realized it was Naruto.
"Naruto?"
Sasuke looked at the blonde-haired boy in front of him, surprised.
"Huh?!"
"What are you doing here?" Naruto exclaimed in shock upon seeing Sasuke.
"Why? Did you come here to discuss something with me?" Sasuke crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Naruto.
"You..." The two locked eyes, neither of them willing to back down.
After a while, Sasuke couldn't stand it anymore. His body felt like it was on fire.
"I'm not dealing with you."
With that, Sasuke turned and resumed his run.
Naruto, feeling the same intense heat from the food pills, refused to fall behind. He quickly caught up to Sasuke.
Seeing Naruto pass him, Sasuke's expression darkened, and he immediately sped up to pass Naruto.
Naturally, Naruto wouldn't let Sasuke have the upper hand. He pushed forward and overtook Sasuke.
Sasuke, lips pursed, silently passed Naruto again. Naruto, frustrated, sped up once more.
"Tail-end runner, stay behind me!" Sasuke taunted.
"You're the one who should stay behind me!" Naruto shot back.
"Naruto!"
"Sasuke!"
"Naruto!!"
"Sasuke!!"
"Naruto!!!"
"Sasuke!!!"
That night, the village of Konoha witnessed a pair of like-minded rivals, releasing the energy of youth through their race~~~.
The Next Morning
When Sakura and Kakashi arrived at the training ground, they found the two boys sound asleep, side by side...
"Well, it seems they get along so well~~~" Kakashi remarked, looking at the two kids, his visible eye curving into a crescent smile.
Three days later...
Naruto had mastered the Rasengan, and Sasuke had successfully learned the Chidori.
However, due to Sasuke's current chakra reserves, he could only perform the Chidori twice.
Kakashi, along with his three students, officially took on a mission from the Land of Waves.
Mission Issuance Office
"These kids don't look reliable at all," grumbled an old man reeking of alcohol, eyeing the members of Team 7.
"Huh? What did you say?!" Naruto, impulsive as ever, immediately wanted to step up and argue with the task's employer.
"Naruto, don't attack the client," Kakashi quickly intervened, chuckling. Then, he turned to the old man, Tazuna, and said, "Don't worry. Though they are a bit young, they are competent ninjas."
The task Tazuna had posted was a C-rank mission, but due to Konoha's intelligence network, it had been determined that this mission was more in line with the A-rank category.
The reason for labeling it C-rank...
It was because Tazuna had spent most of the mission's reward money on alcohol.
Sakura had no respect for the old man. If it weren't for this mission providing an opportunity to help Sasuke and Naruto hone their skills, she would've wanted to deal with him right there and then.
The truth was, if Sakura hadn't already secured the mission, Tazuna would have been apprehended by Konoha within a week.
Lying about mission ranks was something no ninja village could tolerate.
A ninja's life was worth far more than this old fool's actions.
Tazuna's behavior was like eating a meal at a restaurant and running away without paying, or visiting a brothel and... cough cough...
If it weren't for this mission being a perfect opportunity for Sasuke and Naruto to practice, Tazuna wouldn't have even made it to Konoha's gates.
Unaware that he was walking dangerously close to death, Tazuna was still bickering with Naruto.
"Yeah, I'm talking about you, the shortest one."
Naruto, stunned for a moment, then glanced at Sasuke and Sakura, comparing their heights.
Despite Sakura having taught Naruto how to cook, Naruto still loved his instant noodles, especially the kind you just add hot water to.
And so, he often ate it.
The consequences came quickly...
"You!"
"I'll kill you!"
Naruto immediately lunged toward the drunken old man, but Kakashi quickly stopped him.
Sakura, narrowing her eyes, walked over to the old man and spoke in a low voice only he could hear:
"If you don't want news of you wasting the mission reward money on alcohol to spread in the Land of Waves, you'd better behave yourself."
"And we also have the right to reject a mission whose reward doesn't match its difficulty."
"If that happens, you'll be facing Konoha's reprimands."
Hiring two jōnin, including the last Uchiha and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, for a C-rank reward? This drunkard was still running his mouth.
Tazuna's face turned pale, his expression flickering between green and white as he silently looked at Sakura. Her jade-green eyes were devoid of any emotion.
It sent a chill down his spine.
Even the smallest ninja was still a ninja.
"I understand..." Tazuna finally sobered up.
"Let's go, Naruto. No need to argue with this old fool."
Sakura turned toward Naruto, who was still being held by Kakashi, and gave him a warm smile.
"Hmph, this guy's so annoying."
Naruto made a face at the grumpy old man as he walked behind Sakura.
And so, Team 7 officially began their first mission outside the village.
Zabuza, you've worked hard. I'll light a stick of incense at your grave~~~
Sakura thought as she watched Naruto excitedly glancing around, thrilled by his first mission outside the village.
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