Naruto rebirth! Born again with a system.

Chapter 43: Different Paths!

The morning after their bell test found Team 15 assembled at the mission office earlier than usual, their bodies still bearing the subtle aches of the bell test with Minato Namikaze. Despite the exhaustion that had claimed them the previous evening, all three teammates had slept fitfully, their minds replaying the incredible experience of training with a legend.

Kōzaru arrived first, Yuki and Riku walking silently beside him as he navigated the early morning bustle of Konoha's administrative district. His enhanced senses detected the familiar scents of his teammates long before they appeared, but more importantly, he could smell the distinctive chakra signature that belonged to their new sensei.

"Morning," Aotaka said as he approached, his hand resting casually on his sword hilt—a habit that had become even more pronounced. The young Senju moved with the fluid grace but there was a new awareness in his posture, a recognition of just how much further he had to go.

"You both look like you slept about as well as I did," Tatsuma observed, his usually sharp eyes carrying the slight fatigue of someone whose mind had been too active for proper rest. "I kept thinking about the bell test and what I could have done differently."

"I know," Kōzaru replied, his voice carrying the same mixture of excitement and disbelief that had characterized their conversation the evening before. "I've been trying to figure out how anyone could possibly counter something like that. It just seems almost too OP!"

"Speed like that shouldn't be possible," Aotaka added, still processing the encounter. "But he made it look effortless."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Minato himself, his distinctive blonde hair catching the morning light as he approached with the easy confidence that seemed to define everything about him. The legendary shinobi's presence immediately commanded attention, other teams glancing in their direction with mixtures of curiosity and respect, his reputation already speaking for itself.

"Good morning, Team 15," Minato said, his voice carrying the warmth that had made him so beloved. "I trust you all recovered well from yesterday's exercise?"

"Yes, sensei," all three replied in unison. There was something different about their relationship now—the formal acknowledgment of skill that came from having faced each other in the training exercise.

"Excellent," Minato continued, his eyes moving to study each of them with the calculating gaze of someone making important assessments. "Because today brings new challenges."

He led them toward the mission assignment desk, where the familiar chunin clerk waited with a stack of mission scrolls. But as they approached, Kōzaru's enhanced senses detected something unusual—the subtle tension in the air that suggested this wasn't going to be a routine assignment.

"Team 15," the clerk said, his voice carrying official authority, "you're being assigned a D-rank mission this morning." He handed a scroll to Minato, who examined it briefly before passing it to Kōzaru.

"Message Courier - Internal," Kōzaru read aloud, his voice carrying slight confusion. "Deliver scrolls and messages between Konoha departments due to jammed communication lines. Reliable runners are needed." He said for all to hear.

"A D-rank mission?" Aotaka asked, his tone carrying the same puzzlement that was evident in his teammates' expressions. "After yesterday's evaluation?"

"That seems..." Tatsuma began, then paused, working through the implications. "Why would they give us a courier mission?"

The answer came from an unexpected source. A second clerk approached their group, this one carrying a different scroll—one marked with the red seal that indicated higher classification.

"Minato," the second clerk said, his voice carrying the gravity of important business, "you have a separate assignment."

Minato accepted the scroll with professional calm, but his eyes grew more serious as he read its contents. The B-rank marking was clearly visible, along with classification seals that suggested this was related to the ongoing war effort.

"Ah," Minato said, his voice carrying understanding as he looked up from the scroll. "I see."

The three teammates exchanged glances, their confusion deepening. Why were they being separated? Why was their sensei receiving a different mission entirely?

"Sensei?" Kōzaru asked, his enhanced senses detecting the shift in Minato's chakra signature that suggested increased focus and preparation. "Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong," Minato replied, his tone reassuring but carrying the weight of someone who understood things his students didn't yet grasp. "Just... necessary."

He moved slightly away from the mission desk, gesturing for them to follow. When they were out of earshot of the other teams, he turned to face them with an expression that carried both pride and regret.

"The war situation is escalating," he said, his voice lowered to ensure privacy. "Skilled jōnin are being called for increasingly critical missions. The village needs every experienced shinobi available for the war effort."

The implications began to sink in. Tatsuma was the first to voice what they were all thinking.

"You're being sent on a war mission," he said, his voice carrying the weight of realization. "And we're being given busywork because we're not ready for that level of combat."

"It's not busywork," Minato replied, his tone carrying the patience of a teacher correcting a misunderstanding. "Internal communications are crucial during wartime. When normal channels are compromised, reliable messengers become vital to maintaining command structure."

"But it's still a D-rank mission," Aotaka pointed out, his voice carrying the frustration of someone who had tasted real combat and was now being asked to return to mundane tasks.

"Yes," Minato acknowledged, his expression growing more serious. "Because while your skills are impressive, you're not yet ready for the type of missions I'll be handling. The enemies we're facing now... they're not like anything you've encountered before."

The weight of his words settled over them like a blanket. They had felt powerful after their individual training, had felt capable after holding their own against a legend, but the reality of their situation was becoming clear. They were still genin, still learning, still growing into the shinobi they would eventually become and they would for now still be given D-rank missions.

"However," Minato continued, his voice carrying the warmth that balanced his practical assessment, "this mission is more important than its rank suggests. The village depends on information flow, and today, that flow depends on you."

He handed them the mission scroll, his eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. "Complete this assignment with the same dedication you showed yesterday. Prove that you can handle responsibility, even when it's not the adventure you might prefer."

[New Quest: Message Courier - Deliver scrolls and messages between Konoha departments. Reward: 500 EXP]

The system notification appeared in each of their minds, but the experience reward seemed almost insulting after the 5000 EXP they had failed to earn the previous day. Still, they were shinobi, and shinobi followed orders.

"Yes, sensei," they replied in unison, their voices carrying acceptance even if their enthusiasm was somewhat dampened.

"Good," Minato said, his smile returning as he prepared to leave. "Complete your mission and report back here once you're finished. I should be back later today, and we'll debrief both assignments."

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"What kind of mission are you going on?" Kōzaru asked, his curiosity overcoming his training in appropriate boundaries.

Minato's expression grew more guarded, but not unkind. "The kind that requires experienced jōnin," he said simply. "The kind that I hope you'll never have to face until you're much stronger than you are today."

The implication was clear—this was dangerous, possibly life-threatening work that was beyond their current capabilities. The war was real, the threats were genuine, and their beloved sensei was about to walk into the kind of situation that claimed the lives of skilled shinobi.

"Be careful, sensei," Tatsuma said, his voice carrying genuine concern.

"Always am," Minato replied, his confidence unshakeable. "And you three be thorough. This mission might seem routine, but in wartime, there's no such thing as unimportant information."

With that, he began to walk away, his movements already carrying the focused intensity of someone preparing for serious combat. But he paused after a few steps, turning back to face them one final time.

"Remember what I taught you about teamwork," he said, his voice carrying the weight of a final lesson. "Trust each other, support each other, and never forget that your greatest strength lies in working together."

Then he was gone, vanishing in a swirl of leaves that left the three teammates standing alone in the mission office, holding a D-rank assignment that suddenly felt much more significant than its classification suggested.

"Well," Kōzaru said after a moment of silence, his voice carrying the determination that had driven him to master the Fang Over Fang technique, "I guess we have a job to do."

"A courier mission," Aotaka said, his tone carrying resignation mixed with growing acceptance. "Not exactly what I expected after yesterday."

"But he's right," Tatsuma added, his tactical mind already working through the implications. "Information flow is crucial in wartime. If the normal communication lines are compromised, we might be the only way for different departments to coordinate."

They looked at each other, their expressions reflecting the same mixture of disappointment and determination. This wasn't the adventure they had hoped for, but it was the mission they had been given, and they would complete it with the same dedication they had shown in everything else.

"Besides," Kōzaru said, his voice carrying growing enthusiasm, "500 EXP is still 500 EXP. And who knows? Maybe we'll encounter something interesting along the way."

"In a courier mission?" Aotaka asked, his eyebrow rising skeptically.

"You never know," Tatsuma said, his voice carrying the wisdom of someone who had learned to expect the unexpected. "In times like these, even routine missions can become something more."

As they prepared to leave the mission office, their conversation turned to logistics and planning. The scroll contained a list of departments that needed communication, along with specific messages and documents that required delivery. It was detailed work, requiring precision and reliability rather than combat skill.

But as they walked through the morning streets of Konoha, each of them couldn't help but think about Minato's words. The war was escalating, skilled jōnin were being called for critical missions, and their sensei was walking into danger while they handled internal communications.

It was a humbling reminder of where they stood in the grand scheme of things. They had made incredible progress, had earned the respect of a legend, and had proven themselves capable of remarkable teamwork. But they were still genin, still learning, still growing into the shinobi they would eventually become.

The courier mission awaited, and with it, the chance to prove that they could handle responsibility regardless of its classification. In a village at war, every mission mattered, and every shinobi had a role to play.

Even if that role was delivering messages rather than fighting legends.

"Come on," Kōzaru said, his voice carrying the warmth of friendship and the promise of shared purpose. "Let's show them what Team 15 can do, even with a D-rank mission."

"Agreed," Aotaka replied, his hand moving unconsciously to his sword hilt. "We'll complete this mission perfectly."

"And then we'll be ready for whatever comes next," Tatsuma added, his voice carrying quiet confidence.

As they disappeared into the busy streets of Konoha, their mission scroll secured and their determination renewed, the three teammates began another day of service to their village. It might not have been the adventure they had expected, but it was the duty they had been given, and they would fulfill it with the same dedication that had brought them this far.

The war continued around them, legends walked into danger, and Team 15 would play their part in keeping the village running, one message at a time.