"An A-rank mission?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's wrist twitched slightly as surprise flashed across his face. Already ready to take on an A-rank mission?
Fearing that Minato might not fully grasp the deeper meaning of the team system, Hiruzen pondered for a moment and then advised him earnestly:
"Minato, you'd better think this through more carefully.
Leading a newly formed team on missions is fundamentally different from carrying out missions alone. You should understand that."
"Your three teammates are all very promising children, but aside from Kakashi, who already has several years of mission experience, both Mai and Guy have just graduated."
"For their growth, the first few missions should ideally be ones they can complete independently. As the jōnin leader, you should only provide support from the sidelines, filling in gaps and correcting mistakes."
"That's how they receive the best training. Not you charging in and mowing down enemies while they stand behind cheering for you."
"In my opinion, starting with a B-rank mission would be more appropriate."
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke patiently and with genuine concern.
When Team Seven first carried out a mission outside the village, even with Kakashi as their jōnin leader, the Third Hokage had only assigned them a C-rank mission in the Land of Waves.
Now, being willing to grant Minato's team a B-rank mission was already a sign of considerable trust.
Minato glanced at his students, then shook his head.
"Hokage-sama, I am confident that my students already possess the strength to independently complete an A-rank mission."
"A-rank missions concern the safety of nations and villages. They usually require at least one jōnin, or multiple chūnin working together. You'd better be absolutely sure."
"Yes. I've already thought it through," Minato nodded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed Minato truly had great confidence in his team's strength.
Had Kakashi improved further, reaching a level close to that of a jōnin?
Or had Uchiha Mai's strength increased, allowing him to approach Kakashi's level?
Hmm… both possibilities existed. If that were the case, and if the team's coordination was good, then perhaps they really could complete an A-rank mission.
Instinctively, Hiruzen ruled out the possibility of Guy suddenly exploding in power.
It wasn't disdain. It was simply that this type of hardworking genius rarely experienced explosive growth in the early stages.
Kakashi and the Uchiha were different. Both clans were known for producing prodigies - sometimes even fighting kids could lead to noticeable improvements.
"In that case, I just so happen to have an A-rank mission available here. It's quite suitable for your team."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, thought for a moment, then pulled a document from a nearby stack and handed it to Minato.
Uchiha Mai glanced at it, but due to his height, he could only vaguely make out words like "protect" and "bring back."
The restless Guy simply jumped up to look at the contents directly, full of curiosity about his first major mission in life.
After reading carefully, Minato showed a look of surprise.
"Lady Tsunade still hasn't returned to the village?"
Tsunade?
Uchiha Mai raised an eyebrow slightly. This mission was actually related to her.
After finishing, Minato passed the document to Uchiha Mai. Kakashi and Guy hurried over to look as well - after all, it involved one of Konoha's strongest figures.
The document stated the mission requirements clearly: locate Tsunade-hime in Tanzaku Town and bring her back to the village. If bringing her back proved impossible, the team was to remain by her side and ensure her protection.
There was no time limit. The reward was tiered: successfully bringing her back would earn 800,000 ryō. If they stayed behind to protect her, the team would receive 80,000 ryō per month.
Obviously, bringing her back was far more worthwhile.
Sarutobi Hiruzen interlaced his fingers and sighed.
"This is not an easy mission. In terms of both difficulty and nature, it suits your team well."
"After the Second Great Ninja War ended, Tsunade fell into deep decline and spent her days drifting from one casino to another. Not long ago, we received intelligence that she was spotted in Tanzaku Town."
"Recently, the scent of war has been growing stronger again. The village urgently needs Tsunade to return - even if only to apply strategic pressure on the other villages."
A trace of worry flickered in Hiruzen's eyes. Uchiha Mai understood exactly what the Third Hokage was concerned about.
Before Shippuden, the timeline was notoriously chaotic. In his previous life, some believed the Legendary Sannin left Konoha after the Second Ninja War, while others believed they didn't.
Since arriving in this world, Uchiha Mai had often heard news of Jiraiya and Orochimaru from clan elders, suggesting that both were still in Konoha.
Tsunade, however, was rarely mentioned. She had most likely left the village in practice - much like a famous athlete quietly retiring from their career.
Without the Legendary Sannin, no matter how many talented members the new generation had, Konoha could not possibly stand alone against multiple major villages.
Kato Dan and Nawaki had both died in the Second Ninja War. From that point on, Tsunade developed hemophobia, and her combat strength declined sharply.
She was the only one among the Legendary Sannin who had a legitimate reason to leave Konoha, and also the only one who left while the ninja world was still unstable - without the village rushing to bring her back.
But now, things are different.
The situation in the ninja world was growing increasingly chaotic. Even if Tsunade's return didn't provide much direct help, strategically it would still restrain the plans of other villages.
She might have a fear of blood - but who knew what could happen in the future?
Moreover, leaving her outside indefinitely was dangerous. What if one day she was assassinated by enemy jōnin?
There were idiots who tried to stab Susanoo with a kunai. It wasn't impossible that a few reckless chūnin or jōnin would dare to attempt Tsunade's assassination.
At present, Konoha was essentially bluffing - like playing poker with a three and a four, pretending to hold pocket kings. They might scare off some opponents, but all it took was one person willing to go all-in to force them to show their hand.
Bringing Tsunade back was ultimately the safer choice.
"Alright."
Minato clapped his hands together and promised confidently:
"It's not exactly the type of mission I wanted most, but this one will do."
"Within a week at most, we'll definitely bring Tsunade-sama back."
Minato was brimming with confidence. After all, it was just bringing someone back - how hard could it be? Tsunade was a Konoha ninja. Would she really dare to defy the Hokage's order?
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled, amused by Minato's inexplicable confidence. If the Hokage's words were that effective, this mission wouldn't have been classified as A-rank.
"Half a month… no, make it a month."
"If you bring her back within a month, the mission will be considered complete."
"If you can't, your team will remain at Tsunade's side. Wherever she goes, you follow. Ensure her safety at all costs."
"Yes!" they replied in unison.
After accepting the mission, Minato gave his students a few instructions, set the departure time, and dismissed the team to prepare.
The next day, at the gathering point, Uchiha Mai and Kakashi were calm as ever. Guy, on the other hand, was visibly excited, chattering endlessly while tugging at his teammates.
"My dad says Tsunade-sama is Konoha's strongest taijutsu ninja and the greatest medical ninja! She's the dream goddess of countless Konoha shinobi!"
"I can't wait to get to Tanzaku Town and ask Tsunade-sama for guidance in person!"
(End of Chapter)