A few days later, Team Ten completed several more D-Rank missions, such as finding cats, weeding, and cleaning riverbeds.
Tsunade was the first to feel a clear impatience with this tedious and repetitive process.
During another mission handover in the Hokage Office, as the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen habitually picked up his pen to issue another D-Rank mission, Tsunade unceremoniously interrupted the proceedings.
"That's enough, Old Man." She crossed her arms and spoke bluntly, "I think these brats have polished their basics enough. They're capable of handling higher-ranked missions now."
The Third Hokage looked up from the documents, glancing at his impatient Disciple and then at the three students behind her, each with a different expression.
"Since you put it that way..." The Third Hokage unhurriedly took another mission scroll from a drawer, unrolled it, and read at a leisurely pace, "Then, here is a suitable mission. It's located on Izu Oshima in the eastern waters of the Land of Fire. Over the past two months, several bizarre deaths have occurred in succession."
"All the victims claimed to have watched a Black Videotape of unknown origin within a week before their deaths. Their states of death were quite uniform, with faces showing extreme terror as if they had witnessed an indescribable horror, yet there were no obvious fatal wounds on their bodies. The local sheriff is at his wits' end and suspects supernatural forces or Ninja involvement, thus sending a request for assistance to Konoha."
Shizune subconsciously hugged the bag in her arms tighter, her small face turning pale. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "A... a videotape that kills you after watching it? That sounds like a plot from a ghost story..."
Tsunade frowned and tapped her finger on the desk. "Izu Oshima? That's too far. Traveling all that way just for a lousy videotape? The travel time would be longer than the mission itself. Change it."
The Third Hokage nodded without any temper and pulled out another scroll. "Then, how about this one? It's the Saeki residence in the Setagaya District of Sanban City. Five years ago, a family of three mysteriously disappeared. There were no signs of a violent struggle at the scene, nor any loss of property; it was as if they had vanished into thin air."
"In the five years since, five civilians who broke in, three sheriffs responsible for investigating the case, and two real estate businessmen who purchased the house all died mysteriously in their own homes or temporary residences shortly after entering the mansion. The causes of death varied, but similarly, no signs of external intervention could be found."
"The mansion is now considered a cursed haunted house. The authorities in Sanban City hope Konoha will dispatch professionals to conduct a thorough investigation."
Shizune's face grew even paler. She leaned closer to Kurenai Yuhi and whispered, "A haunted house where you die if you live in it... This, this sounds even more like a ghost story than the last one... and it's serial killings..."
Tsunade rubbed her temples, her tone full of disdain. "Cases involving old cold cases and serial deaths that are rumored to be curses are the most troublesome to investigate. The clues are probably long gone, the scene might have been disturbed countless times, and we'd have to deal with a bunch of local bureaucrats and superstitious commoners. It's time-consuming and exhausting—purely a thankless task."
"No, change it again!"
The Third Hokage good-naturedly switched to another scroll. "Then, how about this mission? In Uzumaki Town on the southwest coast, a series of inconceivable murders and conflicts have occurred recently. Multiple male townspeople, including the son of a local wealthy merchant and a sheriff, have been involved in violent struggles."
"The targets all point to a black-haired girl said to possess startling beauty and a tear mole under her eye. They fight over her out of jealousy, plotting against each other and even resorting to direct killing, as if they have completely lost their minds. There are already rumors locally calling her the reincarnation of a heart-bewitching fox demon."
"What fox demons or ghosts? Isn't it just someone skilled in Genjutsu causing trouble?"
Tsunade snorted directly after hearing it, but this time she didn't immediately refuse.
Seeing Tsunade's attitude soften, the Third Hokage smilingly threw out another option. "In Mizumi Village near the northwest border, young women have been disappearing one after another on full moon nights over the past three months. They are found the next morning fainted in front of the shrine outside the village. Their lives are not in danger, but their memories of the previous night are completely blank, and their bodies show signs of slight exhaustion."
"Rumors are spreading in the village that they are being taken as brides by the Mountain God, causing widespread panic. The local garrison's investigation was fruitless, so they reported it and requested professional Ninja assistance."
Shizune's face was still a bit pale as she murmured softly, "Taken as brides by the Mountain God... it still sounds weird..."
"Why is it always gods, ghosts, or urban legends?" Tsunade couldn't help but complain. "Old Man, don't you have anything more normal, like wiping out bandits or escorting a merchant caravan—typical C-Rank missions?"
The Third Hokage shrugged with an innocent look. "The Land of Fire has been relatively peaceful lately. Conventional escort and bandit-suppression missions have been taken by other teams. What's left are either these with a touch of the supernatural that need Ninjas to uncover the truth and dispel rumors, or even farther and more complex international missions."
He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, rummaged through the pile of scrolls on the desk again, and pulled out one that looked relatively new.
"Right, there is one here... well, perhaps it's a bit special, but it might be quite suitable for Team Ten's current situation."
The Third unrolled the scroll, his eyes scanning the content, and read in a steady, normal voice:
"Mission Type: Personnel Escort. Client: Higashino Shinichi, guest chef of the Aji no Takumi Restaurant in Konohagakure. Mission Content: Escort the restaurant's guest chef, Higashino Shinichi, safely to the Capital of the Land of Fire, and ensure his safety during this period until he completes the entire process of participating in the Land of Fire's Number One Gourmet Competition, then escort him safely back to Konoha. Mission Rank: C-Rank."
The Third Hokage read it in a flat, straightforward manner, as if it were just an ordinary escort mission.
However, the moment he finished speaking.
Everyone in Team Ten, including Tsunade, snapped their heads around to look at Higashino Shinichi, who had been standing to the side and mostly silent since the meeting began!
Every face was written with shock, confusion, and a sense of absurdity, as if thinking, 'Did I hear that right?'
Shinichi is also a chef?
Going to participate in a gourmet competition?
Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi were completely stunned, their eyes wide and round.
Tsunade blinked, her impatient expression completely frozen. She raised her hand and pointed her index finger uncertainly at the calm Shinichi, then turned back to the Third Hokage. "Old Man, is this client Higashino Shinichi you're talking about the same person I'm thinking of?"
"If the client didn't provide false information, then it's the same person."
The Third Hokage cleared his throat and then said with a smile, "Well? Tsunade, are you taking it?"
"Take it! Why wouldn't we?" Tsunade no longer hesitated and snatched the mission scroll from the Third's hand with a crisp, decisive movement.
She turned around to face Shinichi, a very kind and even exaggeratedly enthusiastic smile suddenly blooming on her face. In a tone as if she were treating an important VIP client, she said:
"Mr. Higashino Shinichi, please rest assured! Next, we, Team Ten of Konohagakure, will definitely use the most professional attitude to fully guarantee your absolute safety on this trip to the Capital! We guarantee to deliver you to the competition venue without losing a single hair and then escort you back in one piece! You just focus on preparing for your competition!"
What was this?
Issuing a mission request to himself?
Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi complained inwardly.
Facing Tsunade's intentionally playful and solemn promise, the corner of Shinichi's mouth couldn't help but twitch. However, he quickly regained his composure, nodded slightly, and responded cooperatively, "Then I'll leave the upcoming journey in your hands."