That morning, the atmosphere in Konoha Village was still shrouded in a thin mist. Birds chirped softly among the branches of the blooming sakura trees.
Inside the Hokage's office, the calm atmosphere instantly changed when the door opened and the characteristic energetic voice of a woman was heard. "Good morning, Grandpa Third!" Kushina greeted, waving cheerfully.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was looking at a pile of reports on his desk, looked up and smiled gently at the red-haired woman. "You're earlier than I thought, Kushina."
"I just couldn't wait to get back to work. Besides, my students are getting bored with just training and no missions," Kushina replied, sitting casually in the guest chair.
Soon after, the door opened again, revealing three young figures who immediately greeted respectfully in unison. "Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane, and Natsu Hyuga reporting!"
Kushina turned and welcomed them with an enthusiastic wave. "Yo! Today we get a real mission!"
Hiruzen nodded, then handed a scroll to Kushina. "This is a C-rank mission. You are assigned to escort a tax shipment from Tanikawa Village—a small farming village near the western border of the Land of Fire."
"Taxes?" Kotetsu asked, his face slightly disappointed.
"Isn't that too easy, Lord Hokage?"
"Don't underestimate a C-rank mission," Hiruzen said in a calm but firm voice. "The amount of money being transported is quite large. It's highly likely that bandits or robbers will try to seize it. You must ensure the safety of the village head and make sure the tax money arrives safely in Konoha."
Izumo nodded seriously. "Understood, Lord Hokage."
"The village head you will be escorting is named Mr. Genza," Hiruzen continued. "He's a kind but rather forgetful man, so you'll need to be patient. He's accompanied by one guard who... hmm, talks too much."
"Wow, looks like this journey will be lively," Natsu murmured.
Kushina quickly read the scroll, then stood up. "Okay, then, we'll leave tomorrow morning. Prepare your supplies, make sure you're in top condition!"
Her three genin nodded in unison.
Before leaving, Hiruzen looked at Kushina with a wise gaze. "Don't hold back too much, Kushina. Guide them... but also protect them if the situation turns bad."
Kushina nodded with a confident smile. "Of course, Grandpa. I won't just protect them—I'll make them grow."
The three then left with Kushina, their steps filled with burning enthusiasm.
Tomorrow would be the start of a new journey, and although it was only a C-rank mission... for them, it was a step into the real shinobi world.
—--------------
The sun had just risen as Team Kushina gathered at the main gate of Konoha Village. The gentle morning light illuminated the dirt road stretching westward, towards their destination.
Kushina stood at the front, wearing her rarely used Jounin uniform. Her long red hair was tied back simply so as not to interfere with her movement.
"Izumo, Kotetsu, Natsu! Is everyone ready?" Kushina asked with her typical enthusiasm.
"Ready, Kushina-sensei!" Izumo and Kotetsu replied in unison. Natsu simply nodded, as usual.
"Good! Today we'll meet the Tanikawa village head at the first meeting point. Remember, even though this is just a C-rank mission, stay alert. If you're careless, even a bush can disguise an enemy."
Kotetsu raised an eyebrow. "Sensei, isn't that a bit... excessive?"
"Better paranoid than in a coffin," Kushina replied casually with a smile. The journey began.
They walked through the cool forest path, with birds singing and a gentle breeze blowing.
Along the way, Kushina didn't stop chatting with her three students—sometimes testing them with strategy questions, sometimes just throwing jokes.
"If you encounter a bandit carrying a large axe but has no chakra, what do you do?" Kushina asked suddenly while walking backward.
"Attack first before he gets close?" Izumo answered quickly.
"Wrong," Kotetsu chimed in. "We need to form a formation first."
"Run," Natsu answered briefly.
Kushina chuckled. "Natsu's right. If the enemy doesn't use chakra, don't waste energy. Unless they force an attack. But if you can avoid it, avoid it."
They continued walking until they finally approached a small village that looked peaceful from a distance. Rice fields stretched out on the left side of the road, and in the distance, smoke could be seen from the chimneys of simple houses.
Under a large banyan tree by the roadside, two figures were waiting. An old man with a white beard and a wide bamboo hat—Mr. Genza, the head of Tanikawa village.
Next to him, a young man with spiky silver hair, wearing a slightly oversized village guard uniform. He was busy telling a story—to whom, it was unclear, as Mr. Genza seemed to be asleep standing up.
"Umm... Sensei? Is that who Lord Hokage meant...?" Izumo asked hesitantly.
Kushina nodded slowly, a slight smirk on her face. "Yep. Welcome to your first escort mission... with NPCs full of drama."
They walked closer.
Mr. Genza slowly opened his eyes. "Oh! You're from Konoha? Oh dear, I fell asleep. Sorry, sorry..."
"And I'm Hiro! The best village guard from Tanikawa! Nice to meet you! I'll help keep things safe! If you need stories during the trip, I have hundreds!" the guard said with burning enthusiasm.
Kushina just gave a wry smile. "I guess this journey will be... interesting."
With that, the group prepared. They would continue their journey towards Konoha, carrying the tax money stored in a large box—now pulled by a wooden cart. While birds flew above them, the long and unpredictable road began to await.