Chapter 37: The Great Grass-Cutting Mission(2)

Chapter 37: The Great Grass-Cutting Mission(2)

The house they arrived at was modest but well-kept, nestled in a quieter part of the village.

Knock. Knock.

After a moment, a frail yet firm elderly voice called from inside, "One moment!"

A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Madam Chiyo—a small, wrinkled woman with kind yet sharp eyes. The moment she saw them, she let out a relieved exclamation.

"Ah! You're finally here!" she said. "Come, come in."

They stepped inside. Though simple, her home was cozy and well-maintained.

"Let me see the mission scroll," she said, holding out her hand.

Mikoto handed it over, and Madam Chiyo carefully read through it. After confirming everything, she nodded in satisfaction before motioning for them to follow.

"Come along, then. I'll show you the mess you'll be dealing with."

As they stepped outside into her backyard, the sight that greeted them was… something.

Grass. Grass everywhere.

Wild, untamed, and growing without a care—reaching up to their knees in some areas.

Kenshiro-sensei gave it a single glance before turning to them.

Without a word, he simply waved his hand in dismissal, silently telling them:

"Get started."

Then, he walked over to a stool that had already been prepared and took a seat next to Madam Chiyo, ready to watch them work.

Mikoto sighed.

Ryota groaned.

Kiyoshi just cracked his knuckles and got to it.

And so… their day as glorified gardeners began.

---

The team stood before the lush jungle of overgrown grass, each preparing to tackle the task in their own way.

Ryota was the first to move—unsheathing his sword with a dramatic shing!

"Alright, time to show this grass who's boss," he declared, taking a stance as if he were about to face off against a worthy opponent.

With precise slashes, he began cutting through the grass, his blade moving in smooth, practiced motions. Though it was just simple yard work, he still treated it like training, aiming for clean cuts and controlled strikes.

Meanwhile, Kiyoshi took a different approach.

He formed a hand seal, took a deep breath, and exhaled a controlled stream of fire.

Unlike a large-scale attack, he kept the flames small and precise, carefully burning away patches of grass without letting the fire spread.

"This is good practice for controlling my flames," he thought, watching how the fire reacted to the dried and green areas.

Mikoto simply sighed at the two of them before pulling out her kunai.

Instead of making a big show of it, she efficiently sliced away at the grass with quick, effortless movements. Unlike Ryota, she wasn't trying to be flashy—just effective.

As they worked, Kenshiro-sensei and Madam Chiyo watched from the side.

Madam Chiyo chuckled, shaking her head. "Quite the energetic bunch," she said.

Kenshiro-sensei simply sipped his tea, unfazed as always. "At least they're working."

Meanwhile, Ryota suddenly paused, realizing something.

"…Wait, why am I treating this like some kind of samurai duel?" he muttered to himself.

Kiyoshi, still focused on his flames, didn't even glance over. "Because you're an idiot?"

"Oi."

Mikoto stifled a laugh but kept working.

And so, the Great Grass-Cutting Mission continued.

---

The sun rose steadily, casting a warm glow over the backyard as the team continued their task. Sweat dripped down Ryota's forehead as he swung his sword with precision, the neatly cut grass piling up beside him.

Kiyoshi, still practicing his fire control, kept his flames in small bursts, ensuring he didn't scorch the soil. Though he was improving, the concentration required was draining him.

Mikoto, on the other hand, worked effortlessly, her kunai gliding through the overgrowth with methodical efficiency. Compared to the two boys, she looked the least exhausted.

After some time, Ryota exhaled and stood up straight, stretching his sore arms. "Okay, I think we're almost done here..."

But just as he said that—

A rustling sound came from within the tall grass.

The three immediately turned their attention to the movement.

Kiyoshi narrowed his eyes. "Did something just move?"

Ryota gripped his sword. "Tch, don't tell me we have to deal with pests too."

Mikoto sighed. "It's probably just a—"

Suddenly, a small blur shot out from the grass!

Before they could react, a white-furred rabbit darted past them, fleeing toward the nearby trees.

"…A rabbit?" Ryota blinked.

Madam Chiyo clapped her hands in delight. "Ah! So that's where my little Bun-chan was hiding!"

The team turned toward her in disbelief.

"You mean we were cutting around your pet this whole time?!" Ryota exclaimed.

The old lady simply nodded. "Yes, yes. I suspected he was somewhere in there. That's why I asked for a team of young ninjas—your sharp eyes wouldn't miss him!"

Ryota looked like he wanted to say something, but Kenshiro-sensei suddenly stood up.

"Alright," the sensei spoke, stretching his arms, "you've finished cutting the grass. The mission is complete."

Mikoto dusted off her hands. "Finally."

Kiyoshi let out a tired sigh, his chakra slightly depleted from using his fire. "That took longer than expected."

Kenshiro-sensei turned to Madam Chiyo. "Please confirm that you're satisfied with their work."

Madam Chiyo inspected the yard and gave a pleased nod. "Yes, yes, wonderful job! I'm sure my little Bun-chan appreciates it too."

She then shuffled inside and returned with a small sealed envelope, handing it to Kenshiro. "Here's the payment, as agreed."

Kenshiro accepted it with a simple nod. "Good."

Then, without hesitation, he turned to his team.

"Alright, you three. Let's head back."

---

After returning to the mission assignment office, Kenshiro-sensei handed in the mission report while the three of them stood waiting.

The overseeing Chunin took the scroll, confirmed the details, and stamped it 'Completed.'

"Good work, Team Kenshiro," the Chunin said flatly before handing a thin-looking envelope to Kenshiro-sensei.

Kenshiro took it without a word, counted the money inside, and then split it into three portions, handing them to his students.

The moment Ryota saw his share, his face dropped. "Wait… this is it?"

Kiyoshi frowned as well. "D-rank missions really don't pay much, huh..."

Mikoto, though less vocal, couldn't help but compare it to the fat payment they had received for their last mission.

"Well, that was an A-rank mission," Kiyoshi muttered, as if reminding himself.

Ryota scowled. "Yeah, an A-rank mission where we risked our lives, brought back critical intel, and captured a shinobi… of course, we got paid well for that."

Mikoto nodded. "D-rank missions are just normal chores. It makes sense that they don't pay much."

Kiyoshi sighed. "But they do have one thing: safety."

A short silence followed.

"...I guess I'd rather get paid little than almost die again," Ryota muttered, though he still looked bitter.

Kenshiro smirked. "Welcome to the life of a genin. Don't expect every mission to be an adventure."

Ryota groaned. "So unfair..."

---

As they stepped outside, the afternoon sun cast long shadows over the village.

Kenshiro stretched slightly, then turned to them with his usual serious expression.

"We'll continue training tomorrow."

The moment Ryota heard the word training, a sudden chill ran down his spine as he remembered yesterday's suffering under Kenshiro's brutal regimen. His muscles ached at the memory.

Mikoto, staying composed, nodded. "That makes sense."

Kiyoshi sighed but agreed. "A balance between missions and training is good."

Ryota, despite his inner dread, forced a smile. "Y-yeah… balance… sure…"

Kenshiro raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "Rest up today. Tomorrow, we train."

With that, they dispersed—Kiyoshi and Mikoto mentally preparing for training, while Ryota was mentally bracing for impact.