A few weeks after the bell test found Team 7 back in the Hokage's office, a slightly less enthusiastic Naruto standing beside a yawning Sakura and a mildly amused Sasuke. Kakashi, as usual, was late, arriving with a sheepish grin and a crumpled mission scroll.
"Alright, alright," Kakashi said, waving a hand dismissively. "Let's get this show on the road. Your next mission is... to help an old farmer till his fields."
Naruto groaned, while Sakura sighed, her dreams of ninja glory fading further into the distance. Sasuke, however, just raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips. "At least it's not a cat this time," he drawled.
And so began weeks of D-rank missions, a monotonous cycle of cat chasing, field tilling, and general village busywork. They retrieved lost pets, helped shopkeepers carry heavy loads, and even spent a day chasing a runaway boar that had escaped from a butcher's pen
Naruto, despite his initial disappointment, threw himself into each mission with his usual boundless energy, often creating more chaos than he solved. One memorable incident involved him accidentally setting fire to a haystack while trying to scare away some crows, resulting in a very angry farmer and a very singed Naruto.
Sakura, initially reluctant to participate in such mundane tasks, gradually warmed up to the idea of helping others. She even developed a knack for finding lost pets, her gentle demeanor and soothing voice proving surprisingly effective. However, her infatuation with Sasuke remained a constant, her eyes often lingering on him during missions, much to his mild amusement and occasional exasperation.
Sasuke, meanwhile, approached each mission with a detached efficiency, his Sharingan allowing him to quickly locate lost objects and identify potential problems. He even developed a surprisingly good rapport with some of the villagers, his quiet demeanor and helpful nature earning him a few smiles and nods. He also found a strange sort of amusement in Naruto's antics, often offering dry, sarcastic commentary that only seemed to fuel Naruto's enthusiasm.
One particularly memorable mission involved retrieving a lost ferret from a group of mischievous children. The ferret, it turned out, had a penchant for shiny objects and had managed to steal a valuable necklace from a jewelry store. The chase involved a series of slapstick mishaps, including Naruto getting stuck in a sewer pipe and Sakura accidentally setting off a firework display.
Throughout these weeks, Sasuke's skills gradually improved. His Chakra Reserves and Chakra Control increased slightly with each mission, a testament to the constant use of his abilities. His Sharingan, too, grew slightly more proficient, allowing him to perceive chakra signatures with greater clarity.
(Name : Sasuke Uchiha)
(Age : 13)
(Chakra Reserves : 2380/2380 [Genin])
(Chakra Control : 24%)
(Ninjutsu : Adept)
(Genjutsu : Novice)
(Taijutsu : Adept)
(Shurikenjutsu : Adept)
(Sharingan : 12/25 [Level 1 - One Tomoe])
Despite the monotony of the missions, a sense of camaraderie began to develop within Team 7. They were a strange bunch, a loud, enthusiastic ninja, a love-struck kunoichi, and a transmigrated Uchiha with a mysterious system. But they were a team, and they were learning to work together.
Then, one morning, as they stood in the Hokage's office, Kakashi announced their next mission. "Alright, team," he said, his voice unusually serious. "This one's a little different. It's a C-rank mission, escorting a client to the Land of Waves."
Naruto's eyes lit up, finally seeing a real mission. Sakura straightened up, her initial reluctance replaced by a sense of anticipation. Sasuke, however, felt a strange sense of foreboding. He knew what was coming, the Land of Waves, Zabuza. The real test was about to begin.