Chapter 20

Weeding.

Gardening.

Cleaning.

Babysitting.

Chasing after cats.

Such was our week after the team 13 was formed. It was ridiculously boring but it paid well. Now if only I could turn normal money into Catalog credits.

Still I kinda understood the reason we did these kind of missions. The Shinobi of the village were cold blooded murderers that could kill any of the civilians with minimal difficulty and can use powers that might as well be magic to them. By doing stupid jobs like these we were showing that we were human too and improving our relationship with the civilians.

Though accepting this reality would be hard if I had to weed another garden.

"Hokage-sama, I believe that they are ready for a C rank missions." Which I wouldn't have to do because Yugao is a great sensei!

"Are you sure about this Yugao-san? It's been only a week since they graduated." Shut up Iruka, we don't want you to ruin this. Even Chocho was thinking along these lines going by the way she was glaring at our former teacher.

"I will allow it." And the old man comes to the rescue.

"Hokage-sama!"

"We both know that this year's rookies are quite talented, Iruka. I believe that they are ready." He said gently but also with a steel in his voice, making Iruka deflate.

"Now, please call in Yurinoshi-san." The Hokage said and the man I assume to be 'Yurinoshi-san' walked in.

He wasn't exactly an impressive looking man. Sure, he seemed slightly bulkier than an average civilian even under his grey suit with orange trimmings. The beanie on his head looked kinda dumb though.

"Yurinoshi-san here has requested a team for protecting him and his merchant friends' caravan on their way to the Land of Vegetables." Hokage explained.

"Thank you for accepting." The merchant bowed to the Hokage and then to us. Quite a polite fellow.

"It is no problem. I am Uzuki Yugao and these are my Genin; Shigaraki Sumire, Akimichi Chocho and Senju Daiki." She introduced us to the client who flinched when he heard my name. Guess the name of Senju was well known even in a nation as small as the Land of Vegetables.

Or maybe he knew somebody who had lent money to my drunkard aunt only for her to run away without paying. Likely possibility.

"Team, prepare for a week and meet me in the village gate in an hour." Yugao ordered and we all left with a nod.

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"I will be leaving the village for a while." I said to Shutara and Soi Fon.

"A mission?" Soi Fon asked and by her tone I was pretty sure that if she had cat ears, they would be dropped with sadness right now. She had gotten even more attached since the dicking I gave her before the team 13 started taking missions.

"Yup, to the Land of Vegetables." I said as I took the lunch box Nene had prepared for me and sealed it inside a small scroll.

"I also want you to take some missions. To gather intelligence of the current climate of the nations." I said and she perked up, looking giddy at the thought of being of use to me.

"Also, I believe that I don't need to tell you not to use Suzumebachi in any mission."

"I know, Daiki-sama." She said.

Suzumebachi was a pretty damn strong tool with a two attack kill that did exactly what that sounded like. Get hit in the same spot by Suzumebachi, and you die. But in a world like this somebody would somehow see that and then spread the tale. That wouldn't do as I wanted Soi Fon's zanpakutō to be an ace in the hole that nobody knows about.

"Also Shutara, is there anything you will be doing?"

"I was invited to tea along with Kushina by Uchiha matriarch." She said.

"After that I will continue learning more and more from Kushina. She said that I am quite skilled with cursed seals." She said and then laughed into her hand after seeing my wide eyed look.

"Not the kind you are thinking. While Orochimaru's little 'escape from death' cards are also cursed seals, the term is actually for any seals that has a negative effect on living beings. Like seals that cause paralysis or seals that would stop people from disclosing information." Shutara explained. That sounded useful.

"Are there any cursed seal that can seal away chakra?"

"Yes but Kushina claimed that not only they are very high level but also far too complex to use in mid battle. They take time to properly activate and can be distributed by foreign chakra. Meaning they have to be applied to an unconscious target, limiting their use." She explained it to me.

"Still it might be useful. Especially if we can reverse engineer them to be effective on other sources of energy." I said, I would be going to other worlds after becoming Hokage after all. A seal that could cut off a magician's magic would be very useful.

"Well, I'll be off."

"Take care."

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The air around was somewhat awkward. Kinda understandable since nobody really liked waiting for one person. Even Yugao sensei looked like she was slightly irritated at Chocho's tardiness.

Which became far more noticeable when the Akimichi girl finally arrived with a very big backpack.

"Huh, why don't any of you have backpacks with you?" She asked with her head tilted to one side, looking clueless.

"We all have our stuff here." Yugao said as she pulled out a scroll, an action that was followed by me and Sumire too.

"Huh… that seems convenient." She said with a pout.

"Why is your pack so big though, Chocho?" Sumire asked and was answered with the niece of Akimichi Choza pulling a chocolate bar from her backpack.

"Snacks." She said as she bit on the chocolate.

There was a moment of silence before Yugao sensei took a deep breath and broke it.

"Chocho."

"Yeah?"

"When we return I am tripling your training."

"Huh?!"