Iruka, of course, knew that during times of war, many freshly graduated Genin were forced to go straight to the battlefield. He knew very well that Kakashi graduated from the academy at five years old and became a Jonin at twelve. This was common knowledge in Konoha and even in the entire ninja world. (Kakashi, the son of the White Fang of Konoha, who later inherited the Sharingan from the Uchiha clan, was considered a top genius in that era and was very famous among all the ninja villages.)
However, Iruka believed this comparison was entirely meaningless.
Even leaving aside Kakashi’s unique case, back then was a time of war. If the villages didn’t do this, they could lose the war, causing tremendous damage to the village. (Cannon fodder has its role. Since the establishment of the Five Great Ninja Villages, only two ninjas could ignore the threat of large numbers—Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. Everyone else? Look at the Third Raikage, touted as the strongest by the Cloud Village, who also died under a human wave tactic. So, necessary cannon fodder is essential.)
Moreover, Iruka, who experienced the tail end of wartime, knew that those Genin sent to the battlefield back then had a nine out of ten chance of dying. There was no comparison to be made.
Hence, Iruka didn’t want Naruto and his team to take on a C-rank mission so soon.
At least wait two or three months, accumulate enough mission experience, and have a more mature mindset before considering it!
But before Iruka could say much more, the Third Hokage raised a hand to stop him.
“Iruka, Naruto, and the others are no longer academy students. They are now official Konoha ninja.”
Though the Third Hokage’s tone was gentle, it carried an undeniable authority. This left Iruka momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, he nodded silently.
“Yes, I understand, Lord Hokage…”
Iruka then casts a complex look towards Naruto. His eyes reflected a mix of concern, pride, and melancholy. He truly realized that the boy he once protected, like a little brother had grown up. He remembered the day Naruto stood before him without hesitation, defending him. Iruka’s expression softened even more.
“You’ve really grown up… Naruto…”
Iruka thought silently.
Meanwhile, with the Third Hokage’s decision made clear, Naruto showed a noticeable expression of joy.
Even Sasuke, usually so cold, had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
Sasuke’s thoughts aligned with Naruto’s earlier words. He, too was frustrated with the repetitive, low-risk D-rank missions. They offered no real challenge or value. Sasuke wanted C-rank missions for the real combat experience they provided, which would help him grow stronger and faster. Today, Naruto’s bold request matched Sasuke’s desires perfectly. Sasuke naturally supported it.
Moreover, Sasuke saw C-rank missions as a temporary stepping stone. Once he grew stronger, he aimed to take on B-rank missions, which would provide even greater challenges and opportunities to hone his skills.
“So, the C-rank mission I’ll assign you is to eliminate a group of bandits located on the eastern border of the Land of Fire, near the Land of Waves. According to the client and our preliminary investigation, this band of about a hundred bandits lacks any ninjas or samurai among them. They frequently attack passing caravans and have even assaulted border villages. Due to their low combat capabilities, this mission is classified as C-rank, making it suitable for Team 7. I trust you can handle it.”
The Third Hokage found the mission in the second mission book and looked at Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura as he spoke.
A group of over a hundred bandits.
It might sound like a lot.
But this included women, children, and the elderly.
Even with a hundred able-bodied men.
A three-man Genin team should be able to easily clear them out.
The Third Hokage assigned this mission because Naruto’s earlier words had struck a chord.
A fledgling must weather storms to truly soar.
Despite the apparent peace in the ninja world.
As Konoha’s leader, the Third Hokage could easily sense the undercurrents beneath the surface. Konoha had been weakening over the years. The older generation of ninjas was aging, while the younger generation had yet to truly come into their own.
The Nine-Tails incident.
The Fourth Hokage’s death.
The Uchiha Clan massacre.
The near-war caused by the attempted kidnapping of Hinata by the Cloud Village.
All these events had gradually weakened Konoha.
Now was undoubtedly the weakest period for Konoha.
According to the Third Hokage, accelerating the growth of the new generation was reasonable and necessary. Since they had graduated from the academy, it was time for them to face real combat. This would prevent them from freezing or being unnecessarily fearful in future battles against equally or slightly less powerful opponents.
Clearing out bandits, robbers, and similar missions were ideal for training rookie ninjas.
There was no concern, given Team 7’s current capabilities (Naruto could already defeat a Chunin like Mizuki in direct combat).
Moreover, with an elite Jonin like Kakashi leading them.
Even in the worst-case scenario, they would be safe.
Naturally, there was no reason for worry.
Kakashi, the Jonin, showed no particular reaction to the assigned mission.
Sakura, however, felt a bit uneasy.
A hundred bandits? Wouldn’t that be dangerous?
Sasuke’s eyes gleamed with a unique excitement.
A mission to eliminate bandits meant real combat opportunities.
Although the opponents were merely bandits, not ninjas, which disappointed Sasuke, it was still far better than the dull D-rank missions!
Sasuke was quite satisfied with this outcome.
The most crucial point was that if their team completed this mission successfully, they could continuously take on C-rank missions, maybe even B-rank ones, eventually. Fighting real ninjas would then be within reach.
So, at this moment, Sasuke’s eyes shone with excitement.
However.
Naruto’s emotions were different.
At that moment, he didn’t know how to express his feelings. Almost as soon as the Third Hokage finished speaking, Naruto’s mouth twitched slightly barely noticeably.
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