Chapter 17 – Another Strange D Mission: Lost Chicken, Jiraiya's Mess, and Tsunade's Wrath
The next day
The Hokage's office that morning was once again filled with complaints.
Kazuki stood with both hands raised high.
"Lady Hokage! This time please give us a more challenging mission! I am already ready to face great danger!"
Shikamaru yawned wide.
"Hhh… but I just want to relax.…"
Hinata lowered her head, her fingers pressing each other.
"I-I… will just follow…"
Tsunade put her sake glass hard on the table.
"Silence, all of you! The next mission is already clear. Listen carefully."
Kazuki swallowed his saliva, full of hope.
"Finally! What is it? Catching a criminal ninja? Escorting merchants to another country? Or maybe—"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"Your team's mission is: Catching a rooster that ran away from its cage."
The room went silent for a moment.
Kazuki fell to the floor.
"AAAAHHH?! A chicken?!"
---
Chasing Chickens in the Village
Team Kazuki then ran around the village chasing a fat white chicken with a bright red comb. The chicken moved fast, as if already trained in taijutsu.
Kazuki shouted while jumping to the roof.
"Don't run, cursed chicken!!"
The chicken instead leapt across the tiles, then flapped its wings as if floating for a moment.
Shikamaru lazily refused to chase, only standing with hands in his pocket.
"Hhh… that chicken is smarter than I thought. So troublesome…"
Hinata tried with Byakugan, pointing to the chicken's running direction.
"K-Kazuki-kun! To the right! Behind the ramen shop!"
Kazuki immediately ran with full spirit, but as soon as he turned, SPLASH!—he crashed into a bucket full of laundry water, drenched all over.
"GYAAA!! Damn chicken!!"
The chicken crowed loudly, as if laughing at them.
---
Suddenly, a familiar laugh was heard.
"Hahaha! What is this? The future ninja candidates, defeated by a chicken!"
Jiraiya appeared from the end of the street, standing proudly… while carrying a big fishing net.
"Just leave it to Lord Jiraiya! I am an expert in catching wild creatures!"
Kazuki immediately admired.
"Wow! Lord Jiraiya, so this is also part of ninja research, huh?!"
Shikamaru held his forehead.
"Hhh… he still misunderstands…"
Hinata bit her lip, confused whether to scold or not.
Jiraiya then jumped high, throwing the net toward the chicken. All eyes widened—
WHOOSH!
However, the chicken ducked nimbly, and Jiraiya's net instead covered a group of young girls who were shopping for vegetables.
"KYAAA!! You pervert!!"
SMAACK!!
Jiraiya got struck by vegetable baskets, rolling on the ground.
Kazuki gaped.
"Wow… even that chicken can dodge a legendary ninja like Lord Jiraiya?! Incredible…"
Hinata lowered her head to cover her face, her cheeks red.
Shikamaru let out a long sigh.
"Hhh… this is really troublesome."
---
Tsunade Steps In
The chicken became wilder, entering the Hokage's office. Tsunade who had just wanted to drink sake immediately saw the chaos.
"WHAT IS THIS?!"
The chicken jumped onto the table, kicking Tsunade's sake glass until it spilled.
DOOM!!
A terrifying aura burst out from Tsunade.
Kazuki turned pale.
"T-that chicken just now… challenged Lady Hokage?!"
With one punch, Tsunade smashed the table. The chicken jumped again, but this time Tsunade instantly grabbed it with one hand.
Everyone went silent.
Tsunade smiled while lifting the chicken.
"Even with something like this you're useless? Truly pathetic."
Kazuki, Shikamaru, Hinata, and even Jiraiya could only bow their heads.
---
Another Misunderstanding
After the mission was over, Tsunade still glared at Kazuki sharply.
"You. Don't let yourself be influenced by Jiraiya's nonsense."
Kazuki nodded firmly.
"Yes, Lady Hokage! I will follow ninja research carefully like Lord Jiraiya!!"
Tsunade: "…..."
DOOM!!
Tsunade immediately threw a sake bottle at Jiraiya's head.
"JIRAIYA, YOU FILTHY OLD PERVERT!!"
Jiraiya fainted on the spot.
Kazuki turned innocently.
"Eh? Did I say something wrong again?"
Shikamaru sighed for the hundredth time that day.
"Hhh… yes, obviously."
Hinata only smiled awkwardly, her cheeks red, while trying to hold back a small laugh.
.....
TO BE CONTINUED…