The soft glow of morning sunlight crept through the window, casting faint golden streaks across the wooden floor of Naruto's small apartment. The gentle warmth should have been a peaceful wake-up call.
But instead—
"AHHH! I'M LATE!"
Naruto jolted awake, flailing as he got tangled in his blanket, before tumbling off the bed with a thud! He barely had time to process his situation before sheer panic took over.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
In a frantic rush, he threw on his jacket, slipped on his sandals, and dashed out the door—half a piece of toast sticking out of his mouth.
The village was already alive with activity. Merchants were setting up stalls, shinobi were moving between rooftops, and kids ran through the streets playing ninja. But Naruto had no time to enjoy any of it.
He sprinted through the crowded pathways, jumping over baskets, weaving through pedestrians, nearly toppling over an old man carrying vegetables—
"Sorry!" he shouted, not even looking back.
After what felt like an eternity of running, he finally reached the meeting spot.
His team was already there.
Sasuke leaned against a tree, arms crossed, looking as disinterested as ever. Sakura had her hands on her hips, an unimpressed frown on her face.
And Kakashi… was casually reading Icha Icha Paradise, as if Naruto's lateness was nothing but a mild inconvenience.
Naruto let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Umm… sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I overslept."
Kakashi turned a page. "Hmmm? Oh, did you?" His tone was so nonchalant, it was impossible to tell if he actually cared.
Sakura sighed. "Naruto, this is only our third day as a team. You're already making this a habit?"
Naruto pouted. "It's not like I meant to!"
Sasuke scoffed. "Idiot."
Before Naruto could snap back, Kakashi finally tucked his book away and clapped his hands together. "Alright, now that we're all here, let's go. We have a mission waiting."
Naruto's ears perked up. Finally! A real mission!
The Hokage's office was filled with the familiar scent of old parchment and burning incense. Scrolls were stacked neatly on the desk, and behind them, the Third Hokage sat with his usual calm expression, pipe in hand.
Naruto's heart pounded with excitement. This is it. Our second mission. Maybe this time, we'll get something cool!
The Hokage handed Kakashi a scroll, who unrolled it lazily. His visible eye scanned the contents before he sighed lightly.
"Today's mission…" he began, pausing just long enough for suspense. "Gathering specific plant species for Konoha's medical supplies."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!" Naruto's entire body sagged. "You mean another chore?"
Kakashi glanced at him. "It's a mission."
"But it's boring!"
The Hokage chuckled. "D-rank missions are assigned to help young shinobi understand teamwork and responsibility, Naruto."
Naruto groaned, but he knew arguing wouldn't change anything. It was already decided.
Still grumbling, he followed his team out of the office.
The forest surrounding Konoha was filled with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Sunlight streamed through the branches, making patterns on the ground. It should have been a beautiful, refreshing sight.
But for Naruto?
It was the worst.
"Ughh, how am I supposed to know which plant is which?" Naruto muttered, crouching beside a bush and poking at it with a stick. "They all look the same!"
Sasuke, a few steps away, was already collecting the correct plants with no trouble. Sakura was carefully checking each one against their mission guide, making sure not to pick the wrong ones.
Naruto, meanwhile, was still glaring at the plants as if they had personally offended him.
"You could at least try to follow instructions," Sakura huffed.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault they gave us a mission for old ladies."
Kakashi, who had been leaning against a tree flipping through his book, finally spoke. "Missions are missions. The more you complain, the longer it'll take."
Naruto groaned but begrudgingly went back to work.
Time passed agonizingly slowly. The warm afternoon air made him drowsy, and the repetitive task drained his enthusiasm. This isn't what I imagined being a ninja would be like…
Finally, after what felt like forever, Kakashi checked their gathered plants and nodded. "Alright, we're done here."
Naruto stretched his arms, yawning. "Finally!"
Just as he was about to ask if they could do something actually fun, Kakashi spoke again.
"That's it for today. Go home and rest."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait, that's it? Can't we do another mission?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Nope. One per day for now."
Before Naruto could argue, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the three genin standing there.
Sakura sighed. "Well, I'm heading home. See you guys tomorrow."
Sasuke didn't say a word—he simply turned and walked away.
Naruto watched them go, standing there for a moment. Another wasted day. Another boring mission.
He looked up at the sky, watching the drifting clouds.
"One day," he muttered to himself. "One day, I'll actually get to do something real."
With his hands in his pockets, he turned and made his way back home, already wondering if tomorrow would be any different.