Chapter 7

Today was my graduation.

The day I got to see what team I was put on.

The tests were nothing of note, a standard written test, followed by a taijutsu match against our teacher, we were then asked to perform any additional jutsu we knew.

I showed off some medical jutsu, which was impressive according to one of the teachers.

So, we got a couple of days off afterward, I guess they used this time to decide the teams.

I dunno.

Anyway, today was graduation, Kakashi was going to team Minato, and I was hopefully going on a Jonin team, though I applied to the hospital as well.

I'd see how it goes.

I got Tokuma to give up on an apprenticeship, though it was accidental.

Who knew Tokama would be so against my youthful green jumpsuit?

I just said Tokama and I should wear matching jumpsuits if we were on a team together.

And he revoked his apprenticeship offer.

Tokuma how unyouthful!

I was sitting in the classroom brand new headband on my forehead, watching my classmates leaving one by one.

Until it was only me and Kakashi.

Fuck.

…

Minato did not look like how I remembered him.

He wore a standard Jonin flak jacket with blue pants and a blue shirt, the white cape thing with flames at the bottom nowhere to be seen.

Oh yea, he wasn't the Hokage yet.

Nor was he the yellow flash.

…

We were seated in the shade under a tree.

Minato gave a charismatic grin.

"Alright team 7 why don't we introduce our self's"

Said grin meant nothing and he was met with silence.

He gave a shy smile and continued.

"My names Minato Namikaze, my likes are my girlfriend and training, my dislikes are making my girlfriend angry, and my dream for the future is to become the Hokage."

…

More silence.

"Ok, Shiro-kun how about you?"

…

"My names Shiro Hyuga, my likes are Youthful training and my green jumpsuit, I dislike unyouthfulness and people who are not on time, my dream for the future is to become a figure that will be recorded in the history books."

"Kakashi-kun"

…

"Kakashi?"

"My names Kakashi Hatake, my likes are training, my dislikes are idiots and youthfulness, and my dream for the future is to be a excellent ninja."

…

"Ok meet me at training ground seven tomorrow at 6."

And Minato escaped the awkwardness with a Shunshin.

…

"So, wanna have a spar?"

I got a blank stare in reply.

"To better understand each other's strengths and weaknesses."

Kakashi didn't answer, he just walked away.

Denied.

I was at training ground seven.

I was here 30 minutes early, as was Kakashi, that was something I liked about him.

If you're not early, your late.

Something I learned in my past life that followed me into this one.

…

"Hello, I hope you didn't wait long."

…

"Ok, today we're going to spar so we can get a feel for each others ability"

"Yes Minato-sensei."

Kakashi grunted in reply.

What a charmer.

…

"Ok, so it is you too against me, start NOW!"

Minato disappeared into the trees.

Did he want us to chase him?

That's not going to happen… I don't want to chase someone through the forest.

…

Nope, never mind.

Kakashi seems to want this to be a chase.

…

Kakashi took off after him.

I just followed Kakashi at a comfortable distance.

I figured he'd step on any traps in our way.

I was activating my Byakugan every 30 seconds, while Kakashi through methods only known to him followed Minato's trail.

Eventually I spotted him.

Back in the clearing we started in.

Sigh…

"Kakashi! Minato is where we started!"

I got a nod in reply.

At least I got a response.

We made our way back to the clearing.

A sunny grin met us as we approached.

"Excellent job! Now lets Spar!"

Minato made the seal of confrontation, then attacked before we could even enter the clearing.

Kakashi jumped in first slashing at him with a short blade.

I activated my Byakugan and Chikaku no kyōka and then Shunshined behind him trying to hit him with a Gentle Fist strike.

Both of our attacks were rebuffed.

Minato met Kakashi's blade with a kunai and smacked my wrist away.

Suprised I jumped back.

Minato then grabbed Kakashi's wrist and tossed him at me, I reacted accordingly.

I grabbed Kakashi, spun, and tossed him at Minato.

Minato dogged and Kakashi tumbled passed him.

…

Minato raised an eyebrow at me.

I raised one back at him.

Kakashi tried to attack Minato while we were looking at each other.

Sigh…

Our spar went on for another 30 minutes.

It ended with an unconscious Kakashi when Minato used his head to block one of my One For All Punches.

Sigh…

I was knelt next to Kakashi and using the Mystical Palm on his head, I planed on healing him just enough to avoid a concussion, the rest could be done by a proper med-nin.

Minato was standing next to us looking rather unruffled

"That was well done Shiro-kun, id place your taijutsu at High Chunin and your chakra reserves at Jonin level, you just need more experience against different opponents."

"Thank you Sensei."

"Your Medical Ninjutsu is impressive as well."

I nodded, too busy fighting off Kakashi's chakra to reply.

"Your teamwork on the other hand needs improvement, Konoha values teamwork because…"

…

Kakashi eventually woke.

He got a similar speech.

Though his Taijutsu was rated much lower than mine, as was his chakra reserves.

Haha, suck it Kakashi.

I tried not to look smug

But Kakashi's glare said that I failed.

"Ok team there's not a lot I need to teach you, so were going to get straight into missions with some sparing in between."

We were standing in front of the Hokage ready to get our first mission.

This was my first time seeing him in person.

Though he didn't look too old he still showed signs of age.

Minato started us off with his usual charismatic grin.

"Team 7 reporting for duty."

"Team 7, I have a very important mission for you."

Kakashi perked up

"Your mission is to head to the Matsuzaki residence and vanquish the weeds that have taken up residence in miss Emiko's garden."

Any enthusiasm Kakashi had must have died a quick death, as his shoulders dropped.

…

"Would you like some water dears?"

Emiko Matsuzaki was a kind elderly woman who was barely making it around without her cane.

Her kindness didn't make this job any less annoying though.

"No thanks miss Matsuzaki"

Kakashi just shook his head.

"Yes please, all this hard work is making me thirsty!"

Minato of coarse had done nothing but sit with his back to the fence and had no reason to be thirsty.

*Thunk*

The kunai Kakashi threw at Minato showed how he felt about that.

I figured Minato had enough fun at Kakashi's expense so I went through the hand signs and summoned 3 shadow clones to pick-up the pace.

The work was done in no time.

The look of disappointment on Minato's face warmed my heart.

"Want to run through some more D-ranks today?"

Kakashi gave me a look filled with disdain.

"No"

"You sure? The faster we get these done the sooner we can start on some real missions."

Kakashi changed his tune pretty fast.

"Let's get this over with."

We ran through 3 more missions that day with very liberal use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

...

A week had gone by and we had averaged 5 missions a day, needless to say, it was time for some c-ranks.

"Normally it takes teams a month and a half to get through 20 D-ranks. So, congratulations on completing 34 in such a short time."

The Hokage took a puff from his pipe.

"Sadly, I must ask you to stop, were running out of missions to send new graduates on."

I stood head bowed.

"Sorry Hokage-sama."

The Hokage blew some smoke out of his nose making me think of an annoyed dragon.

"It seems that you won't learn anything doing D-rank missions, so I'm sending you on a C-ranked one instead. Hopefully, you can develop some teamwork while you escort a merchant to the land of hot water, you're dismissed."

Minato stepped forward and received a scroll.

We all filed out and met at the base of the tower.

"Alright we leave in two days, does anyone need help packing?

I shook my head.

"No sensei."

And Kakashi shook his head as well.

"Alright, meet me at the west gate at 6, ill see you then"

And Minato was off leaving behind a swirl of leaves.

"Want to shop together Kakashi?"

"No."

Well at least he responded, usually he doesn't.

Progress?

I spent my two free days in Youthful training with Gai.

After some training we took a break and went shopping for some stuff I would need, I made sure to stock-up on jumpsuits as I had been running low for a while.

I took the time to buy Gai some shuriken and kunai, I didn't know if he would use then but at least he had some if he ever had the urge.

After another round of training we went to Gai's house to visit Duy.

Duy was exhausted as he had reached a new level with the gates and was recovering in his home.

I came over and repaired his body to the best of my ability, and we had a nice chat about escort missions and what I should watch out for.

All in all, I had a Youthful break before my mission.

I was at the west gate standing by Kakashi and trying to make conversation, I was asking Kakashi if had started nature transformation yet and what elements he had an affinity for.

Kakashi wasn't interested, he walked a distance from me and sat down.

All right then.

…

Minato arrived with the client breaking up the awkward atmosphere that bothered me but probably didn't phase Kakashi.

The merchant arrived on a horse-drawn cart that was covered in canvas and presumably filled with his goods.

The merchant was fat, not an acceptable fat, he was so fat that his eyes were pushed closed by the fat around his face.

He was the first fat person I had seen since my rebirth, I had to remind myself not to stare.

"Boys this is Futotta yarō we will be escorting him to the land of hot springs, specifically Yugakure."

"Nice to meet you Futotta-sama"

Kakashi gave a shallow bow.

Fatty got impatient and told us to get going

"Alright let's set off!"

"Yes Futotta-sama."

…

Minato was making conversation with fatty, subtly fishing for information on what business fatty had in the land of hot water.

…

Turns out he was just here to offload his goods from Konoha, and to get potatoes from hot springs.

And some of their famed spring water if the prices were right

Predictably the fatty was going there for food and drink…

…It took us four days to get to the land of hot springs.

Minato and fatty had become fast friends and now are chatting like they had grown up together.

Minato had taught us a simple E-ranked camping jutsu so we could start fires if we needed to in the future.

…

The land of hot springs still had its reluctant shinobi force at this time, so now and then as we made our way through their territory and into the village, I could see them jumping through the trees and patrolling the roads.

Though they made me nervous Yugakure Shinobi had a reputation for pacifism so I wasn't overly worried, though I wondered if I'd meet Hidan. Still, I figured it was unlikely.

…

We saw fatty off at the gate and made our way into the village after getting visitor passes.

I was happy to ditch the fatty, as I was worried that a bandit scare would give the fatty a heart attack and we would fail the mission.

Though I could treat him I doubted the client getting hurt was good for my ninja resume.

With that load off my shoulders I was following Minato with a bounce in my step.

We stopped at a two-story building with a sign on it that had the kanji for hot springs on it.

"Alright, I'm going to get us a room at this Inn, Kakashi your free to explore just be back before sunset."

"Yes Sensei."

"Shiro your with me."

And with that I and Minato were off to the inn.