What's it like to be called "bro" by your future son?
Minato Namikaze smiled and accepted the nickname, genuinely happy to explain Ninja Academy knowledge to his future son.
"Because back then, during the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha and Iwagakure were deep in the conflict, suffering heavy casualties. People like Obito had just graduated from the academy, and they were quickly pushed to become Chūnin and take on C-rank and B-rank missions. In teams like Kakashi's, if even one person became a Jōnin, even though Obito, Kakashi, and Rin were still kids your age, they would have to head to the battlefield and carry out A-rank missions independently."
Minato took the chance to explain the scope of A-rank missions:
"A-rank missions are all about the interests and conflicts between ninja villages or even entire nations. To put it bluntly, they're war-related missions. Typically, A-rank missions involve stealing or escorting crucial intelligence tied to a ninja nation or village, protecting high-ranking individuals vital to the village or nation, or eliminating enemy ninja forces."
"The rewards for these missions typically range from 150,000 to 1,000,000 ryō."
"One million ryō?!" Naruto exclaimed, wide-eyed. "My Gama-chan couldn't possibly hold that much money even if it stuffed itself to bursting, I'm telling you!"
"Gama-chan?" Minato asked, confused.
Naruto pulled out his frog wallet to show him. He was fond of this Fourth Hokage guy. Of course, he wasn't about to mention the monster sealed in his belly—if he did, he'd probably have to punch him as a 'thank you'!
Then he watched as the Fourth Hokage gently ruffled his hair, his blue eyes smiling kindly.
"Good habit, saving up mission pay. Well done."
"Of course I do!" Naruto replied proudly. But that brief touch felt strangely off. It wasn't the same as when Grandpa Hokage ruffled his hair, and while it was somewhat like when Iruka-sensei did it, it still felt different.
Sasuke also sensed something slightly wrong but couldn't pinpoint it.
Sakura: "What about S-rank missions?"
Minato: "S-rank missions usually involve matters of life or death for a nation. For example, ninja might be requested to participate in wars by their own or other countries, or they might be tasked with assassinating key figures whose deaths could alter the course of a nation's politics. They could also involve escorting secrets that might decide the outcome of a war. The rewards start at one million ryō, with no upper limit."
The three kids' eyes widened in shock.
"No upper limit?!"
"Then how many A-rank and S-rank missions has the Fourth Hokage completed?" Sakura asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.
Minato gave a shy smile. "I'm not the Fourth Hokage yet. I've completed 122 D-rank missions, 147 C-rank missions, 216 B-rank missions, 301 A-rank missions, and 30 S-rank missions."
Unsurprisingly, he was met with admiring gazes from his future son and his friends. Minato felt quite pleased.
Naruto: "What about Kakashi-sensei?!"
"D-rank missions: 197. C-rank missions: 190. B-rank missions: 414. A-rank missions: 298. S-rank missions: 42."
"42 S-rank missions?! That's even more impressive than the Fourth Hokage, dattebayo!!"
The trio's attention immediately shifted from Minato Namikaze to Kakashi.
Sakura: "So Kakashi-sensei isn't just some ordinary delinquent jōnin?"
"Hey, Sakura, can you cut me some slack in front of Minato-sensei?" Kakashi glanced at Minato Namikaze. "Minato-sensei is only twenty now, five years younger than me. He still has time to take on more A-rank and S-rank missions before becoming Hokage."
Naruto: "Wait! Does that mean the Fourth Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei are both super rich?!"
"Hm..." Minato thought for a moment before smiling. "I suppose you could say we're quite well-off."
"But Kakashi-sensei is super stingy!" Naruto complained to the Fourth Hokage. "He's never even treated us to ramen!"
Kakashi scowled. "Enough with the complaints. I'll treat you guys later."
"Success!" Naruto grinned like a chubby little fox cub, his 'plan' having worked.
The group got back on track...
"Minato and I suspect this SSS-rank mission involves a critical threat to the entire ninja world," Kakashi said.
Minato-sensei: "If the masked man in these scrolls is the Kirigakure ninja we encountered a few days ago, then he's hiding an even more terrifying identity—that of a future figure destined to shape the entire ninja world's fate."
But...
He stared at the two scrolls on the table.
'The Masked Man'.
Should he be killed?
Or saved?
Also, did the person who brought them to this future world intend for them to learn the future's course and decide earlier how to handle the Masked Man?
Or was it just the same theory of multiple outcomes within a single world?
If he knew that the future would bring an extremely formidable enemy, one who could travel back in time and kill his parents before his birth—then, if he could protect the entire world, it might be better to nurture him after his birth.
While Minato hesitated, Naruto asked a question.
"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, how much should a bounty for an SSS-rank mission like this be?"
"..."