Genin are only permitted to accept D-rank and C-rank missions. But for newly appointed genin, most of their assignments are D-rank — tedious and requiring patience — ideal for tempering the minds of young shinobi.
Still, this phase holds important significance. It's a critical period of team bonding. The main purpose is to allow the jonin instructor to develop a deeper understanding of their subordinates — not just their strength, but also their personalities, habits, and flaws — so that they can avoid putting their team in danger due to lack of coordination. After all, these young shinobi are Konoha's future, and naturally must be nurtured with care.
Asuma Sarutobi was a relatively easygoing jonin — perhaps due to the influence of his father, the revered "Shinobi no Kami" (God of Shinobi), respected even beyond the borders of the Hidden Leaf. Asuma's guiding principle was to bring out the strengths and talents of each team member. Compared to someone like Kakashi, one could say Asuma was a much more hands-on mentor.
That afternoon, after completing yet another D-rank mission, Team 10's three genin followed Asuma to the Hokage's Office to report in. Even Choji, usually quiet and well-behaved, had grown somewhat weary of these repetitive tasks. But as the team's de facto core, Shikamaru often offered rational explanations and calmed the others. Unlike Naruto, Choji and Ino at least understood boundaries.
The mission assignment office was located inside a simple hall within the Hokage's building. As one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, Konoha didn't need to flaunt extravagance like the smaller villages. Still, order was maintained by stationed shinobi, and even civilian clients understood to behave respectfully. The reputation of Konoha alone was enough to keep most people in line.
As the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't typically oversee such routine matters. However, the growth of the younger generation was now one of the village's top priorities. He had personally reviewed the recent missions of all the newly graduated genin teams. Today, with Team 10 scheduled to turn in their assignment, he had come to the mission desk in person — a rare appearance. Civilians lucky enough to glimpse one of the "Five Kage" considered it an honor, even if the elderly Hokage didn't look quite as majestic as they had imagined. But none dared show disrespect — to ordinary people, shinobi were figures of mystery and power.
The moment Team 10 entered the hall, the four of them immediately noticed the elderly man seated behind the central desk, wearing the iconic white hat with the kanji for "Fire" — the symbol of the Hokage.
Though they had seen the Third Hokage before when he occasionally visited the Ninja Academy, it was another matter entirely to stand before him now. Ino and Choji, now mature enough to understand his authority, quickly straightened their postures and stood at attention — not everyone had Naruto's carefree nerve.
As their jonin leader, Asuma handed over the mission report — signed by the client — to a clerk, who then passed it to Hiruzen.
Seeing an "A" rating on the report, Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction. With growing competition among shinobi, a client review system had been implemented, similar to service ratings in the modern world. The evaluation ranged from A (excellent), B (good), C (pass), and D (fail). D-rank and C-rank missions were typically the only ones subject to such evaluations. Poor ratings could result in warnings or disciplinary actions. Higher-ranked missions, however, rarely received such assessments — usually, failure meant death.
"Asuma," Hiruzen said, barely glancing at the report summary, which was standard for trivial missions. All shinobi are required to submit a written mission debrief afterward, typically handled by the team leader. But for something as minor as a D-rank assignment, the details were irrelevant.
Tapping his pipe thoughtfully, the old Hokage continued, "Your team has been receiving high evaluations for several consecutive D-rank missions. I believe it's time... you move on to C-rank missions."
Team 10 had, after all, passed the genin exams with top marks. After gaining experience through several missions, they were well-prepared for something more serious.
Upon hearing this, Ino and Choji couldn't hide their joy. Even Shikamaru cracked a subtle smile. C-rank missions often involved combat — usually against bandits or rogue civilians — but they were considered real experience. More importantly, such missions also served a darker purpose: to let the genin taste blood.
This was likely the same purpose behind Team 7's Wave Country mission in the original story. Unfortunately — or perhaps fortunately — they ran into Zabuza Momochi, which complicated things far beyond the mission's intended difficulty.
Shikamaru glanced at Asuma, who happened to be looking back at him. Their eyes met. Asuma smiled knowingly, clearly understanding that Shikamaru had already grasped the true nature of this next step.
Hiruzen searched through the mission list before selecting one and handing it to Asuma. With a deep, meaningful look, he instructed, "The mission is to capture a group of escaped criminals. Be at this office by 9 a.m. tomorrow. The client will be present to explain the details."
After leaving the building, Asuma waved at the still-buzzing Ino and Choji and said, "You two can go home and pack. We'll be away from the village for a few days. Be sure to bring all your gear and spare clothing."
Then, turning to Shikamaru, he added, "I need to speak with you privately."
Shikamaru gave Ino and Choji a reassuring smile. "First time leaving the village, huh? If you're unsure about anything, ask your parents. I'll catch up with you later."
Though puzzled, the other two nodded and went home to prepare.
Asuma and Shikamaru walked down the streets of Konoha as dusk settled in. Lanterns lit up the shopfronts one by one, and more villagers emerged, heading toward izakayas and eateries. The streets became lively.
Though called a "village," Konoha had grown to the scale of a small city. Most of its resources were self-sustaining — a necessary precaution to avoid giving enemy spies an opening. Establishments like Ichiraku Ramen had been around for generations. The idea of an outsider casually integrating into Konoha, even becoming a ninja, was simply a fantasy. No one without proper background would be allowed to breach Konoha's security protocols. Even visiting clients were kept under observation if deemed suspicious.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Asuma muttered, lighting a cigarette. He didn't look back as he asked, "You understand the real purpose behind this mission, don't you, Shikamaru?"
"A true shinobi's world isn't the innocent roleplay of children," Asuma exhaled smoke, his tone grave. "I'm not worried about you — you have the mindset of a shinobi. I truly believe you'll become someone great. But Ino and Choji... they're different."
"You see this?" He gestured to the street — villagers greeting one another, men laughing and entering izakayas. It was noisy, yes, but there was genuine joy on their faces. "The war is over. Konoha is finally beginning to flourish again. These smiles, this peace — it's our duty as shinobi to protect them."
Staring into Shikamaru's thoughtful eyes, Asuma added, "You've always looked after Ino and Choji. But moving forward, I want you to stop treating them that way. They're shinobi too. They must awaken to that reality."
"…I understand," Shikamaru replied flatly. Truthfully, he had simply retained a bit of his adult mindset from his past life, seeing Ino and Choji as kids. But to be a full-time babysitter? That was never his intent. He didn't expect Asuma to read so deeply into it and even offer a lecture. It left him a little exasperated.
"Good!" Asuma grinned, slapping him on the back to lighten the mood. He leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Now tell me the truth, Shikamaru — the first real fight's tomorrow. Are you nervous?"
"…"