Chapter 43 – Where There's a Will, There's a Way: Preparing for the First C-Rank Mission
Ever since the Kurama clan sent over their genjutsu scrolls, Taichi finally had something new to occupy his hospital days.
In the following two days, he managed to learn two techniques from those materials—Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death and Fox's Heart Technique.
What surprised him even more was that, through studying genjutsu, he successfully unlocked Yin Release Nature Transformation.
[Congratulations! Learned Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death Lv1 (0/100)]
[Congratulations! Learned Genjutsu: Fox's Heart Technique Lv1 (0/100)]
[Congratulations! Unlocked Yin Release Nature Transformation Lv1 (0/100)]
With these three additions, Taichi not only patched up his biggest shortcoming but also gained ways to properly make use of his strongest stat—Spirit. His combat options grew richer, and his tactical flexibility expanded greatly.
---
At last, his injuries had mostly healed. After Tsunade's final check-up, Taichi was cleared for discharge.
The moment he stepped out of the hospital doors, he looked up at the blue sky, the bustling streets, the lively crowd, and felt as if he had been reborn. For the first time, he truly appreciated how beautiful everyday life was.
"I really don't ever want to live in a hospital again!" he muttered to himself as he glanced back at the building.
Waiting outside were his squadmates. The moment they saw him, their faces lit up. Uchiha Yōhei dashed forward first, his voice carrying even before he arrived:
"Taichi! Over here—we came to pick you up!"
Furukawa Saori followed close behind, while their jonin leader, Captain Yamaguchi, simply watched from the side with a quiet smile.
"Taichi, it's great that you're finally out. Now we can do missions together again!" Yōhei said loudly, drawing curious looks from passersby.
"Yeah, let me tidy up today. Starting tomorrow, I'm ready to take missions again." Taichi replied. His days in the hospital had left him restless, itching to move.
"Shouldn't you rest a little longer?" Saori asked softly.
"It's fine. D-rank missions are just routine chores, nothing dangerous," Taichi reassured her with a grin. "Besides, Saori—you two are here with me. I can't be the one holding everyone back."
"Exactly! We'll cover for you, don't worry!" Yōhei declared, throwing an arm around Taichi's shoulders. "Come on, let's go. Captain's treating us to snacks to celebrate your release!"
"Is that so?" Taichi turned toward Yamaguchi. Then, with a teasing smile, added: "Yōhei, don't tell me you just wanted dango and talked Captain into it?"
"N-no way!" Yōhei's cheeks flushed red, and he waved his hands furiously.
Saori stifled a laugh behind her hand. Taichi instantly realized he'd hit the mark.
The three of them joked as they walked over to join Captain Yamaguchi, then headed off together toward Konoha's food street.
---
Time passed in peace again.
Team 8 fell into a steady rhythm—completing a D-rank mission every two days, spending the rest of their time training individually or drilling under Captain Yamaguchi's guidance. Occasionally, the captain would even teach them advanced techniques.
Most importantly, after much pestering, Taichi finally convinced Yamaguchi to teach him the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Remembering the exhaustion he'd suffered from using Water Clones, he didn't dare overdo it this time. Each day he only created a single shadow clone to practice kenjutsu. Still, every night when he dispelled it, the fatigue nearly flattened him. At times like this, he couldn't help but envy Naruto's absurd stamina—that kid was built tougher than a cockroach.
Two months of this leisurely routine passed—until one day, someone finally snapped.
"Uwaaaah! Sensei, not another D-rank mission! We've been stuck doing them for two months already!"
Yōhei's loud complaint echoed through the entire Mission Assignment Hall. Heads immediately turned toward him.
This place wasn't just filled with shinobi—it was also the face of Konoha to outsiders. Many clients who came to request missions were present as well. Yōhei's outburst was embarrassingly loud, practically broadcasting their frustration to the whole village.
But when people realized it was him, they only chuckled and let it go.
The reason was simple—Team 8 had already become somewhat well-known in Konoha.
Unlike other fresh graduate squads who needed time for extra training, their team was already stacked: early graduates, clan heirs, and one particularly unusual Uchiha. Their mission completion rate was among the highest for new squads.
And then there was Yōhei himself—nothing like the aloof, cold stereotype of Uchiha. He was loud, friendly, and social to a fault. In just two months, he'd become friends with practically every mission hall clerk. If Obito was the class clown, Yōhei was the class extrovert.
Even now, realizing he'd caused a scene, he bowed repeatedly to apologize. Taichi and Saori quickly joined him in bowing, then dragged him off to a corner.
"Captain, Yōhei's not wrong," Taichi said seriously. "We've been running D-rank errands for two months now. We know the ropes. With our strength, shouldn't we be ready for higher-ranked missions?"
Saori fidgeted with her fingers, speaking in a tiny voice:
"I… I'd like to try a higher-level mission too."
Captain Yamaguchi saw that all his team members were making the same request, so he agreed with a smile. In truth, even if they hadn't asked, he had already planned to take on a C-rank mission within the next couple of days to give them some proper field experience.
What surprised him, though, was how long Taichi and the others had endured without complaint—even the usually restless Yōhei only spoke up today.
"Alright, we can do that," Yamaguchi said, his tone suddenly turning serious. "But there's something you must remember. A C-rank mission isn't the same as a D-rank one. C-rank missions almost always involve combat."
Taichi and the others immediately nodded in unison.
"And another thing," Yamaguchi continued, fixing his gaze squarely on Yōhei, "most of the enemies you'll face are likely to be ordinary people or wandering swordsmen. Still, the danger is on a completely different level compared to D-rank missions. When you're on a mission, you must follow orders. No acting on your own."
"Mm~ mm~ mm!" Yōhei nodded furiously, but after a moment he realized something was off. Looking around awkwardly, he asked with an aggrieved face, "Wait… Captain, you're not talking about me, are you?"
Taichi and Saori snickered quietly at his expense. Yamaguchi didn't answer, simply waving them forward. "Enough chatter. Come with me. Let's see what kind of C-rank missions are available."
The three followed after him in high spirits. Behind Yamaguchi, Taichi flashed Yōhei a discreet thumbs-up, making him chuckle with a goofy grin.
In fact, if Yōhei hadn't spoken up today, Taichi would have. After all, continuing to run simple errands offered little training value and was ultimately a waste of time. The Third Shinobi War wasn't far off. Taichi knew he needed to grow stronger as quickly as possible—strong enough to protect the people around him.
At the mission desk, Captain Yamaguchi carefully sifted through the scrolls of available assignments. The three youngsters craned their necks and even stood on tiptoe to get a better look. They were still too small; even Yōhei, the tallest among them, barely reached Yamaguchi's shoulder. As for Taichi—at just eight years old—he was much shorter.
"Captain, Captain! How about this one—eliminating bandits?" Yōhei eagerly pointed at one of the scrolls.
"No. Too dangerous. This is your first C-rank. We'll pick something simpler," Yamaguchi replied without hesitation.
"Then what about this? Or that one? Or maybe that—" Yōhei went on babbling, hopping from one mission to the next.
Finally, Taichi pointed to one. "Captain, what about this one?"
At the same time, Yamaguchi Masasuke also tapped on the same scroll. "Yes, this one looks right."
The two exchanged glances, a little surprised.
"Not bad, Taichi," Yamaguchi said with a smile. "Tell us why you chose it."
Scratching his head a little shyly, Taichi explained, "Well, first, it's nearby—just across the border in the Land of Rivers. Second, it's an escort mission. The goods are bulk supplies, nothing special, just a lot of them. Sure, there's some risk, but it's not the kind of cargo worth sending ninjas after to ambush Konoha's escort squad. All things considered, I think this mission is well-suited for a rookie team like ours."
Yamaguchi nodded approvingly. "A solid analysis—clear reasoning, and you covered all the important points."
Captain Yamaguchi added gravely, "Remember this: from C-rank missions onward, intelligence becomes increasingly important. You need to learn to extract useful information from even the simplest of assignments. Your growth—and your survival—will depend on it."
The three genin nodded earnestly, recognizing his words as guidance meant to shape their future.
Once the mission was chosen, Yamaguchi led them through the official procedures, receiving both the mission scroll and the permits needed to leave the village.
Outside the mission hall, he waved the proof of assignment in his hand and said, "Go home and prepare everything you'll need. Don't overlook a single detail. This is your first mission outside the village—we can't afford mistakes. Tomorrow, 8 a.m., at the village gates. Dismissed!"