34 A Mission You're Not Ready For

"So you're telling me that there is more unexplored Sage Regions and that you happened to meet one because Guremaru is the grandson of the First Wolf Sage?"

"Basically"

Hiruzen didn't answer for a while, probably contemplating the importance of the information I had just given him.

"Also, I can't give access to anyone I don't deem worthy. It is something akin to Jiraiya-sama teaching Naruto how to summon Toads"

"That puts you, Ryota-shounen, in a point so crucial to Konoha that you might as well be parallel to the Sannin"

I had already thought of Hiruzen's words, but I knew that by no means was I as strong as a Sannin. Jiraiya alone could beat me, as long as he could summon Gamabunta. Tsunade was also a nono, just thinking about her strength was... scary. And the same applied to Orochimaru, who was simply disgusting to be close to. I was perhaps getting close to them, but I wasn't as strong as them. Hell, Orochimaru could stand against an enraged Naruto with four tails released.

"I'm honored to hear that but... what am I to do now? Should I keep working with my team as a three man cell?"

"That, Ryota-shounen, is something I want to talk about with you"

Those words made me feel excited and dreadful at the same time. It was as if my body knew that danger would come with whatever the Hokage said, but my mind was excited at the prospect of a situation that required adrenaline.

"You see, I've been sending many Shinobi on reconaissance missions to the area where you encountered that Missing Nin with the envoy from Iwa. Just as you informed me back then, our sensors found remnants of chakra belonging to a Bijuu"

Realizing where this was going, I was expectant of the next words that Hiruzen would say. If the mission I was getting was what he was implying, then I would have to prepare a lot for it.

"As such, as unorthodox as it is, you will be assigned your first mission as a Solo Shinobi, and will be working with a team of Jonin selected specifically for this task. Do not worry about your team, your cousin Kiba has already been re-assigned to fill in your spot"

"I'm glad that such is the case. Even if he isn't as strong as I am, Kiba did train with me and I taught him a trick or two. Besides, he is also a good tracker"

"Now, about your mission. This one has been classified as S-Rank and it is vital to Konoha's future. It will take an indefinite ammount of time to be completed and you might even return to Konoha from time to time, since it is not something you can fulfill in a short time. In fact, I have estimated that it will from six months to a year or, perhaps, even more time"

I could already tell what the mission would be and, as crazy as it sounded, I thought that if someone could pull it off it was me. I knew about the Bijuu and I already knew the one that was running free right now. Isobu was, matter of factly, the Bijuu with the highest affinity with me. His control over water would allow me to do so much more with my Suiton that I could only hope this mission was successful.

"Now, we will move on to the first part of this mission: Learning the seal that will allow you to hold the Bijuu. Follow me, Ryota-shounen"

*

Hiruzen lead me through passages that I had no idea existed. It wasn't the Anbu's base and it wasn't Root either, so my only guess was that this place was known only to the Hokage. And it indeed was.

"This place here, Ryota, is all that was left of the Uzumaki after their fall. This are their sealing techniques, their Fuinjutsu. And this one here... is the seal that has been used to seal Bijuus before"

"So this is the seal that keeps the Fox inside Naruto?"

For whatever reason, Hiruzen didn't react to my words. I knew it was because he most likely already knew that I could feel it inside of Naruto, but it still hurt my ego to get no reaction out of him.

"How long do I have to learn this?"

"As long as it takes... is what I would like to say, but within a week if possible. We now know there is a group of people hunting for the Tailed Beast, so we have to hurry, as harsh as it is"

"Give me a week, ten days at most"

After that I sat down and began studying the working of the seals and callygraphy, completely ignoring Hiruzen who was there watching over me. When he was about to leave, I remembered I hadn't gone back home yet, but I didn't worry much, since Guremaru was there. Still, I wanted to leave a message.

"Old man, if you could tell my mom I'm busy training in something important, I'll be thankful. Guremaru is there so I guess she already knows what happened"

*sigh* 'This brat... give him a hand and he'll take your elbow or even your shoulder'

*

I knew I had already spent around three days in that hidden vault, but I had no plans to get our until I mastered the Fuinjutsu used to seal Kurama. My meals appeared every four hours, probably sent through some unknown means by the old man. Whenever my mind got clouded by frustration at a certain character of a mistake in my chakra input, I excercised. I knew that I had to master this.

The mission I was given by Hiruzen was not something I was ready for. I might be strong and perhaps be on par with some Jonin, but I was not ready to face a Bijuu. This would be my first time heavily relying on whatever teammates I was assigned and, as such, I had no choice but to do my best in what I could do.

'If I don't, everyone in this mission could potentially die'