"Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth—haha! You're just like me, kid!"
Jiraiya ruffled Tatsuma's hair, making it even messier than before. He then turned to Minato, who was staring at the testing paper in his hand.
"It wrinkled, tore, and caught fire," Minato noted. "So I should be Lightning, Wind, and Fire?"
"Yeah, not bad at all. Another three-affinity ninja. It's a shame I can't teach you much about Lightning Style, but I've done quite a bit of research into Wind and Fire. You'll have to figure out the Lightning stuff on your own later."
Jiraiya spoke with a hint of regret, but Minato simply nodded. He wasn't disappointed; he hadn't even mastered a single elemental jutsu yet. Aiming to master three at once would be reaching far too high.
"So, what's the plan?" Jiraiya asked. "Do you want to take a few days off while I draw up a training regimen—balancing practice with missions—or do you want to start a mission right now?"
If they were typical fresh Genin, Jiraiya wouldn't even bother with a custom plan; he'd just drag them out for tree-climbing and water-walking. But Tatsuma and Minato... they had already mastered those basics while still in the Academy. He and Hiruzen had even watched their graduation assessment through the Telescope Jutsu, so he knew a "standard" approach wouldn't cut it.
His enthusiasm for his first students wouldn't allow for a lazy, cookie-cutter curriculum. Testing their chakra natures was the first step in creating a tailored path for them.
Tatsuma and Minato shared a quick look before Tatsuma answered for both. "Jiraiya-sensei, we're ready to take on a mission right now."
Minato was driven by pure excitement for the shinobi life. Tatsuma's reasoning was more practical: he knew Genin usually had to grind through a string of D-rank chores like weeding gardens or finding lost cats. Better to get those out of the way now so they could move on to real training and higher-ranked missions sooner.
Jiraiya nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "I figured you'd say that. That's why I've already picked out a mission that suits you perfectly."
"What kind of mission?" Minato asked eagerly.
Jiraiya pulled a scroll from his vest. "A C-rank. Your objective is to capture a rogue ninja from Takigakure and dismantle the gang he's established within the Land of Fire."
Minato's eyes lit up with anticipation. Tatsuma, however, looked stunned. He hadn't expected to jump straight into a C-rank. Seeing his reaction, Jiraiya let out a booming laugh.
"Surprised, Tatsuma? Even the Old Man—Lord Third—was hesitant at first. But for talents like yours, D-rank missions are a total waste of time. This one is just right. The target is a Chunin who fled to the Land of Fire and set up his own little operation. It's mostly just a few ronin and thugs. I'll be coming along, of course, but... unless your lives are in immediate danger, I won't lift a finger. Honestly, if you can't handle a target like this, I'll have to start questioning those 'genius' labels."
Jiraiya wiggled his eyebrows, clearly trying to bait them, but neither boy took the bait. Seeing their lack of a dramatic reaction, Jiraiya sighed and asked in a lazy drawl, "So? Do you accept?"
"We accept." "No problem."
They nodded in unison. Jiraiya tossed the scroll to them. "I'll let you two decide the departure time."
As Minato unfurled the scroll to check the details, Tatsuma spoke up tentatively. "Jiraiya-sensei, since this is a mission outside the village... what about food and lodging expenses?"
Standard ninja missions often involved roughing it. You didn't exactly stop at restaurants or build campfires; you relied on Soldier Pills. But Soldier Pills were expensive, and Tatsuma was worried about the overhead.
Seeing Tatsuma's hesitant yet expectant look, Jiraiya scratched his belly and chuckled. "You want to borrow money?"
"Borrowing Soldier Pills would work, too," Tatsuma said, being perfectly upfront.
Jiraiya nodded. "Anything else? Ninja tools? Explosive tags? Smoke bombs? Do you need any of that?"
As their Jonin instructor, Jiraiya didn't mind spending a little on his students. Especially since Tsunade was currently holed up at her estate and wasn't around to blow his savings; his wallet was feeling quite heavy for once.
Tatsuma shook his head. "Goppu-sensei already bought us new tools. Explosive tags and smoke bombs are too pricey. If we buy those, we might end up spending more than the mission reward is worth. It's not worth the investment."
"Not worth it? This is your first mission. Are you sure you don't want to be a bit more prepared?"
Jiraiya watched them with an amused glint in his eye. Both boys shook their heads. They were approaching this with a "borrow and repay" mindset; the more they borrowed, the more they'd have to pay back later.
They were officially Genin now, which meant their monthly subsidies from the village would stop next month. They'd have to cover their own rent and utilities. Without a single completed mission to their names, they didn't dare overextend their finances.
"Fine then. I'll prepare the Soldier Pills for you. When do we leave?"
Jiraiya didn't push the issue. Tatsuma looked at Minato, who had finished reading the scroll.
Minato thought for a moment. "An entire village is being held hostage. Every day we wait is another day of danger for the villagers. Tatsuma, can you leave after lunch? I don't need much prep time; it's up to you."
Tatsuma nodded. "No problem. We're in the same boat. I just need to grab my gear from home."
Minato turned back to Jiraiya. "Sensei, we'll depart after lunch. Let's meet at the village gate at 2:00 PM. Is that alright?"
"You're the ones in charge of the mission. I'm just here to watch and stay out of your way," Jiraiya shrugged.
With the plan set, the group disbanded for the time being. Minato headed off to map out their route, while Tatsuma went to the Hokage Building to file the paperwork and pick up their travel permits.
Back at home, Tatsuma finally sat down to read the mission scroll himself.
The destination was a place called Shiroizumi Village, a settlement known primarily for its hot springs and entertainment industry. Recently, it had been taken over by the rogue ninja from the Hidden Waterfall, a man named Naka Noboru. Their mission was to capture him and his criminal syndicate. The client was the Daimyo's Office.
After a quick scan of the details, Tatsuma packed his gear: a large ninja tool backpack, two smaller pouches for his waist and thigh, and a full set of basic tools. He locked his door and left.
He finished the paperwork at the Hokage Building, then made a quick stop at the Konoha Library to research Shiroizumi Village. After a quick lunch, he headed to the village gates.
Minato was already there waiting. They exchanged the information they'd gathered, and Jiraiya arrived right on the dot. After their permits were verified by the gate guards, Tatsuma and Minato stepped outside the walls of Konohagakure for the very first time.