Not many fresh genin had the patience to keep doing these low-pay, dirty, and exhausting D- rank missions. They all wanted to leave the village and see the world.
As the three of them stared at Xin with expectant eyes, Xin looked back at them with a strange, almost sympathetic expression.
What's with that look?
Is there something we don't know?
Given the unique nature of their squad, the village wouldn't assign them too many dangerous missions. If anything were to happen, especially to Hyuga Suzune, the consequences would be severe.
Sure, Ryoji's status as a Uchiha made him important, but if something happened to him, it was survivable. But Suzune was different-she was from the main Hyuga family, and the main house didn't have many members left, especially women.
If something happened to Suzune, the Third Hokage wouldn't be able to answer to the Hyuga clan, especially since their young heir, Hyuga Hiashi, was still unmarried. Losing the perfect future clan head's wife would be a political disaster.
"Maybe after you complete a few more D-rank missions, you'll start seeing C-rank missions," Xin said casually.
"Why? Can't you take on higher-ranked missions for us?" Ryoji asked, confused.
Xin was a jonin, a village prodigy whose name was already known throughout the ninja world.
Why couldn't he take higher-ranked missions?
Why couldn't they leave the village and go on real adventures?
"That's a great question," Xin said with a smirk. "Next time we're at the Hokage's office, why don't you ask the Hokage yourself?"
That line again.
Once more, Xin used the Third Hokage as his shield, and just like that, Ryoji lost all his fight.
He was fuming inside but could only grit his teeth and silently eat his ramen.
Even if some of the Uchiha didn't agree with all of the Third Hokage's policies, openly criticizing him was another matter entirely.
They were just starting out, and they already wanted to fly before they could walk. Ninety-nine percent of fresh graduates had the same mindset as Ryoji when they first left the Academy.
They looked down on D-rank missions-the simplest and most basic assignments meant to help them ease into the life of a ninja. They all wanted to go out on high-level missions, to fight enemies and experience real combat.
What they didn't realize was that if it weren't for the village's protective policies, those mundane D-rank missions would be snatched up long before they had a chance to take them.
The Hidden Leaf had a population of hundreds of thousands, with at least a few thousand ninjas, and the majority of those were genin. At least twenty thousand were lower-ranking ninjas.
If D-rank missions were open to everyone, would these fresh-out-of-school genin even get a chance?
These fresh buds, who had just stepped out of the greenhouse, all had their heads in the clouds.
They had no idea that these basic tasks they hated were the kind that most other genin would fight over.
It wasn't until they had their butts handed to them a few times that they'd learn the meaning of reality and hardship.
After finishing their ramen, everyone headed home.
"Remember to meet at the village gate tomorrow at 9 a.m. sharp. I won't wait long, so don't be late," Xin reminded them before leaving.