Chapter 2:The First Anime Event Has Started!

Team 7 trudged along the bustling streets of Konoha, their heads hanging low as they made their way towards the hokage tower. The morning sun was high, casting a warm glow over the village, but it did little to lift the spirits of Naruko, Hitomi, and Yuto. Each step towards the Hokage Tower felt like a step closer to doom.

Naruko, unable to contain her frustration, muttered under her breath, "I can't believe this... another D-rank mission! We're shinobi, not errand boys!" She clenched her fists, her brows furrowed with indignation.

Hitomi nodded in agreement, her usual stoic face showing a hint of annoyance. "We've been at this for two weeks. I thought we'd be doing something more... challenging by now."

Yuto, walking a step behind them, couldn't help but sigh. 'I can't blame them,' he thought, 'I myself was looking forward to do many missions that could hone my skills and give me some real experience. I thought that since the three of us have shown our potential, we would get the treatment that Itachi and Kakashi got. I guess that they only got good mission's fast due to war.'

But Yuto wasn't one to just accept his fate. He had come up with a plan last night—a plan that could probably get them out of this rut. Leaning closer to Naruko and Hitomi, he whispered, "Remember what we discussed? If we want to get a C-rank mission, we'll need to play our cards right."

Naruko's eyes lit up with mischief. "Right! The plan to snatch Kakashi-sensei's precious Icha Icha book... he won't know what hit him!" She grinned, already imagining their success.

Hitomi smirked slightly, a rare expression on her usually serious face. "I never thought I'd stoop to blackmail, but... desperate times, I suppose."

However, as they were about to discuss more of their plan, a voice interrupted them, lazy and amused. "You know... it's not very polite to plot against your sensei, especially when he's right behind you."

The trio froze in place, turning slowly to see Kakashi standing there, his visible eye crinkled in amusement. He had his beloved orange book in hand, the pages fluttering in the wind as if mocking them.

Yuto's face paled. 'I didn't even feel him! How can he make his presence disappear like that? Is that thought in the anbu or higher level ranks like Jounin?'

Naruko, ever the brave one, tried to play it off. "Oh, hey Kakashi-sensei! We were just... um... discussing how much we appreciate your guidance!" She laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.

Kakashi tilted his head, eyeing them curiously. "Oh? Is that so? Because I distinctly heard something about burning my book unless I give you a C-rank mission."

Hitomi's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 'How could we be so careless?'

Kakashi's eye gleamed with a hint of sadistic glee as he declared, "Since you three have such... creative ideas, I've decided to reward you. How does 200 extra D-rank missions sound?"

The reaction was instant. Naruko let out a loud wail, "Nooooo! Anything but that!" She practically collapsed to her knees, looking up at Kakashi like he had sentenced her to death.

Hitomi's jaw tightened, a look of pure betrayal in her eyes. "This... this is cruel, even for you, Kakashi-sensei."

Yuto couldn't help but facepalm. 'I should have known this would backfire... now we're in deeper trouble than before. At least i can sometimes ask Kakashi about that skill he used to let his presence disappear.'

Kakashi chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the despair radiating from his students. "Come on, cheer up! I have a surprise for you," he said, his tone teasing.

The trio exchanged confused glances. 'A surprise?' Yuto thought, wary of their sensei's definition of surprises.

As they reached the Hokage Tower, Kakashi led them inside. The old stone walls and the steady stream of ninja coming and going did little to calm their nerves. Soon, they found themselves standing before the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen smiled warmly at Team 7. "Ah, Kakashi, what brings you and your team here today? I assume you're here for another D-rank mission?"

Kakashi gave a mock sigh. "Yes, Hokage-sama. However, I believe my team could benefit from something... a bit more challenging today. Perhaps a C-rank mission?"

The trio's eyes widened in shock. Naruko's jaw dropped as she stuttered, "W-Wait, are you serious?!"

Hitomi blinked, hardly able to believe her ears. "Is this... really happening?"

Yuto couldn't help but smile, though he quickly schooled his features. 'So, this is why he brought us here... Sensei's full of surprises. But judging by this, i guess the wave mission, the starting event of the Naruto Anime is gonna begin soon.'

Hiruzen chuckled at their reactions. "Very well, Kakashi. I have just the mission in mind." He pulled out a scroll and laid it on the table before them. "You'll be escorting a certain individual back to his homeland. It's nothing too dangerous, just a simple escort mission."

Kakashi turned to his students, his tone dropping back to its usual deadpan. "Don't get too excited. You'll still be doing those 200 D-rank missions as punishment after this. Consider this a... brief reprieve."

Naruko's face fell. "Ugh, I knew there was a catch!"

Hitomi sighed but couldn't hide the small smile on her lips. "At least it's better than nothing."

Yuto nodded, a determined look in his eyes. 'This is it, the first Arc of the Anime.'

Naruko's eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned forward, her mind racing with possibilities. "Who are we going to escort, Hokage-jiji? Is it a princess? A prince? Maybe some important minister?" she asked, practically bouncing on her toes.

Hiruzen chuckled softly at her enthusiasm but remained mysterious, merely smiling as he made a hand sign. The large wooden doors creaked open, and in walked an old man who was clearly tipsy, holding a half-empty sake bottle in one hand. He stumbled slightly, his face flushed as if he'd been drinking all morning.

Both the girls eyes widened at the unexpected sight. This was definitely not what they were expecting. While Yuto thought that this cemented the start of the Wave Arc.

Hiruzen gestured to the man, introducing him with a warm smile. "This is Tazuna, a bridge builder from the Land of Waves. Your mission is to escort him safely back to his village and protect him while he completes a bridge he's constructing. He's had some trouble with bandits harassing him, so your job is to ensure his safety."

Tazuna squinted at Team 7, his expression skeptical as he took a swig from his bottle. "These kids are supposed to protect me?" He let out a drunken laugh, pointing at the team with a shaky hand. "You expect these brats to keep me safe? Especially the short one—looks like a little idiot!"

Naruko blinked in confusion. "Short one? Who's he talking about?" She looked around, only to realize that she was, indeed, the shortest among her teammates. Her cheeks flushed red with fury as she clenched her fists. "Who are you calling short, old man?! I'll show you who's an idiot!"

Before she could launch herself at Tazuna, Yuto and Hitomi quickly grabbed her arms, holding her back. Yuto sighed, "Naruko, chill. This isn't helping our case." But even he couldn't help but smirk at Naruko's fiery reaction. 'This old guy definitely knows how to push buttons...'

Hitomi kept her cool, though a hint of a smile tugged at her lips. 'She's always so easy to rile up,' she thought, amused by her teammate's outburst. She was definitely gonna tease Naruko later about this.

Kakashi, observing the scene with his usual nonchalance, simply raised his hand. "Alright, alright, that's enough. Tazuna-san, I assure you, my team is more than capable of handling any bandits you might encounter."

The old man huffed but didn't argue further, though his eyes still held a glimmer of doubt. 'These kids better not slow me down... especially if Gato's men come after me.'

Hiruzen, wanting to reassure Tazuna, added, "You're in good hands, Tazuna. Team 7 has been performing excellently, and Kakashi here is one of our strongest Jounin. You have nothing to worry about."

The old man grumbled under his breath but reluctantly agreed. "Fine, fine. Just don't let me end up in a ditch somewhere."

As Tazuna turned to leave, Kakashi glanced back at his team. "Meet me at the village gate in an hour. Make sure you're packed and ready for a long trip."

"Yes, Sensei!" they chorused, though the excitement was still evident in their eyes—especially Naruko's.

Once outside, Yuto's mind was already spinning with plans. 'This is it... the Wave Mission. If everything goes like in the anime, then we'll definitely run into Zabuza and Haku.' His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. 'And Zabuza has the Kubikiribocho... I might be able to get my hands on it. It's one of the things I need to start some of my plans I made when I first arrived in this world.'

As they left the Hokage Tower, Naruko punched the air in excitement. "Finally, a real mission! I can't wait to kick some bandit butt!"

Hitomi smiled softly at her. "Just remember, Naruko, this isn't a game. We have to protect our client."

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Naruko waved her hand dismissively, but her grin didn't falter.

Yuto, however, remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. 'If I play my cards right, I could come out of this mission with both the Kubikiribocho and some valuable assets. But I have to be careful... Gato's men are nothing compared to Zabuza. When he shows up, I need to be ready to get the drop on him and get the sword while no one is looking.'

The three of them hurried off to prepare, excitement bubbling within them despite Kakashi's stern reminder that their punishment of 200 D-rank missions still loomed over their heads. For now, though, they had a chance to prove themselves on a real mission, and none of them were planning to waste it.

(Pls give me some power stones!)

(Find out next time on Naruto:Eye system)