The Hokage's office was heavy with the scent of ink, parchment, and old smoke. Scrolls lined the walls in neat but towering stacks, each one a record of a decision that shaped the village. Behind the desk, the Third Hokage leaned forward, pipe in hand, his gaze warm but sharp as ever.
Team 7 stood in a loose line before him. Naruto couldn't keep still, bouncing on the balls of his feet with all the restless energy of a caged animal. Sakura fidgeted, hands clasped nervously. Sasuke stood slightly apart, posture straight, arms folded, silence radiating from him like a shield.
Kakashi, at the rear, had his little orange book in hand, as though this meeting were the least pressing matter of his week. His single visible eye curved upward, relaxed, but his posture was too precise to be careless.
Naruto's voice cut through the room. "Old man Hokage, this is ridiculous! We've been pulling weeds, chasing cats, cleaning trash—this isn't shinobi work! I'm gonna be the Hokage one day, and the Hokage doesn't pick up garbage!"
"Idiot," Sakura hissed, shoving his arm. "You can't talk to Lord Hokage like that!"
Sasuke exhaled quietly, disdain flickering across his face. He didn't need to speak—his body language said everything.
The Hokage let out a small chuckle, tapping his pipe against the ashtray. "I see. You three feel you're ready for something greater, do you?"
"Yes!" Naruto shouted, nearly falling forward in his enthusiasm. "Give us a real mission already!"
Kakashi's voice was mild, drifting lazily between their bickering. "I'll admit, Hokage-sama… they are a bit eager. Perhaps it's time to challenge them."
The Hokage's expression shifted—still kind, but carrying the weight of a man who had seen too many graves dug too early. After a pause, he reached for a scroll. "Very well. There is a request that was… inconvenient for a lesser squad. But perhaps it will serve as a test." He slid the scroll forward across the desk. "You will escort a man named Tazuna, a bridge builder, back to his home in the Land of Waves. Protect him until his work is complete."
The door creaked open. An older man shuffled in, his face lined with age and drink, beard flecked with gray. He glanced at the three genin, skepticism etched deeply into his features.
"Are these… children supposed to guard me?" He scoffed, tugging at his flask. "They look like they'd trip over their own sandals."
Naruto bristled immediately. "What'd you say, old man? I'll prove I'm strong enough!"
Kakashi's hand descended casually, pressing Naruto's head down without effort. "Don't mind him. He talks big, but he works hard. Besides—" his visible eye curved again "—if my students fail, I'll protect you myself."
The Hokage's gaze lingered on the group as they left, laughter and arguments trailing behind them. His eyes narrowed briefly, shifting toward the far shadows of the office where he felt the faintest ripple of chakra retreat. He said nothing.
⸻
The Village Gates
From a rooftop overlooking Konoha's southern gate, Arato stood motionless, ANBU mask reflecting the pale morning light. Below him, Team 7 gathered.
Naruto fumbled with his pack straps, muttering about ramen. Sakura fussed with her hair, casting furtive glances at Sasuke, who remained utterly indifferent. Kakashi trailed behind them, every inch the picture of lazy disinterest, yet Arato could sense it—the subtle edge beneath the calm.
Their first true mission outside the walls, Arato thought. His chest tightened with something between unease and nostalgia. This is where the world stops being games. When shinobi learn that real missions bleed.
His gaze slid to Naruto—the boy who carried the Nine Tails, laughing loudly, utterly unaware of the weight within him.
Arato shifted slightly, his mask catching a glint of light. I can't walk beside them. But I can make sure they don't fall too soon.
⸻
The Road Out
The dirt road stretched before them, winding through fields and forests, alive with cicadas. Team 7 moved at a slow, uneven pace. Naruto filled the air with constant noise, arms waving as he bragged about the enemies he'd defeat.
"Bandits? Ha! I'll knock them out with one punch! Believe it!"
"Please," Sakura muttered. "You'd trip over your own kunai first."
Sasuke ignored them both, his eyes fixed ahead, calculating. His silence was more commanding than Naruto's shouting could ever be.
At the rear, Kakashi read his book, stride loose. But Arato could see the subtle flickers of his chakra awareness spreading outward like invisible threads. Kakashi missed nothing.
From above the treeline, Arato shadowed them silently, boots barely brushing bark. He studied the rhythm of their team: the chaotic energy of Naruto, the hesitant discipline of Sakura, the sharp edges of Sasuke's focus, and the lazy but calculating presence of Kakashi.
Then his gaze shifted to Tazuna. The man's hand trembled faintly around his flask. Fear wasn't unusual on missions, but there was something else—hesitation, guilt. You're hiding something, Arato thought, narrowing his eyes. The Hokage suspected as much.
⸻
A Moment's Rest
The group stopped near a stream. Naruto immediately crouched to splash water on his face. "Finally! I'm starving! When's lunch?"
"Can you think about anything besides food?" Sakura groaned.
"Food and becoming Hokage!" Naruto shot back, grinning wide.
Sasuke knelt on a rock, sharpening his kunai with precise, economical movements. His eyes were elsewhere, distant, focused inward.
Arato crouched high above, unseen, scanning the path behind them. That's when he felt it.
Chakra. Faint, carefully suppressed, but there. Two signatures. Moving slowly.
His hand slid toward his tanto. A single strike, and he could erase the threat before it touched them.
But his fingers stilled. His jaw clenched behind the mask. No. This is their test. If they can't even face this, they won't survive what's coming.
So he waited. Watching.
⸻
The Weight of Shadows
Naruto laughed below, splashing water with childlike abandon. Sasuke's gaze was sharp, honed like steel. Sakura fussed, nervously adjusting her gloves.
Kakashi closed his book briefly, his lone eye scanning the treeline. Just for a heartbeat, his gaze brushed the shadows where Arato stood.
Arato froze, then melted deeper into concealment. He felt me. Of course he did.
When Kakashi's eye returned to his book, Arato allowed himself a quiet breath. Watch your team, Hatake. I'll watch them too.
As Team 7 gathered to continue, a ripple of killing intent stirred faintly along the path ahead—barely more than a whisper.
The true mission was about to begin.
And in the shadows, Arato was ready.