The streets of Konoha were alive with the usual morning rush, merchants calling out their wares, villagers bustling about, and the scent of grilled food lingering in the air.
Amidst the crowd, three young shinobi weaved through the marketplace, their eyes darting around in search of a single target—Tora, the runaway cat.
Naruto, walking between his teammates, let out a groan. "A cat? Seriously? This is what we're doing today?" He huffed, adjusting the mask Kakashi had given him earlier.
"This is a mission," Sakura said, crossing her arms. "A real ninja takes every mission seriously, no matter how small."
Naruto frowned. "Yeah, yeah, but we're ninja, not pet catchers!"
"Then hurry up and catch it so we can be done with this," Sasuke muttered, scanning the rooftops.
Naruto shot him a glare. "Tch, don't act so cool about it. You don't wanna do this either!"
Sasuke didn't respond. Instead, his gaze sharpened, his body tensing slightly.
"There," he said simply, nodding toward a small wooden stall near the marketplace's edge.
Naruto and Sakura followed his line of sight, spotting a striped brown cat perched lazily on a crate.
"Tora," Sakura confirmed.
The cat seemed unbothered by their presence, lazily grooming itself. But as soon as it locked eyes with them, its ears twitched—
—and it bolted.
"AFTER IT!" Naruto yelled, already sprinting forward.
Tora was fast. Ridiculously fast.
It darted through alleyways, squeezed between stalls, and leaped over baskets, narrowly avoiding Naruto's grasp every time he lunged for it.
"How is a cat this fast?!" Naruto shouted, skidding to a stop as Tora slipped through a narrow gap in a wooden fence.
"Quit yelling and focus!" Sakura snapped, sprinting alongside him.
Sasuke, moving with calculated precision, leaped onto a rooftop, keeping pace with the cat from above. His sharp eyes tracked every movement, waiting for an opening.
Tora dashed around a corner, weaving through a group of startled villagers.
Naruto followed, nearly knocking over a fruit stand in the process. "Sorry, old man!" he shouted without looking back.
"Watch where you're going, brat!" the vendor yelled.
Sakura groaned. "Stop causing trouble and just catch it!"
"I'm trying!"
Suddenly, Tora made a sharp turn and darted toward a tall tree near a quiet courtyard. In a single bound, it scaled the trunk, scrambling onto a high branch.
Naruto skidded to a stop, panting. "Oh, come on! Now it climbs trees too?!"
Sasuke landed beside him, his gaze fixed upward. "I'll get it," he said, stepping forward.
Without another word, he jumped onto the trunk and began climbing effortlessly. His fingers found easy holds, his movements fluid. Within seconds, he was perched on the same branch as the cat.
Tora let out a warning hiss, its fur standing on end.
Sasuke ignored it. With a swift motion, he reached out and grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck.
For a moment, it struggled.
Then it went completely limp.
Naruto's eye twitched. "Are you kidding me?!"
Sasuke smirked slightly as he dropped down from the tree, landing lightly on his feet. He held up Tora, who dangled motionlessly in his grip.
"It gave up just like that?" Naruto threw his hands in the air. "This stupid cat made me run all over the village, and now it surrenders the second you grab it?!"
Sakura sighed in relief. "At least we finally caught it."
Naruto crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath. "I swear, this cat hates me…"
Sasuke simply turned and started walking toward the Hokage's office, Tora still hanging from his hand.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the village as Team 7 made their way toward the Hokage's office, their first mission successfully completed.
The sound of their footsteps echoed against the stone path, the only other noise being the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
Naruto adjusted his mask slightly, making sure it sat properly on his face.
His eyes flickered toward the small cat in Sasuke's grip, which now looked far more exhausted than any of them.
Tora had finally given up struggling and hung limply in Sasuke's hands, occasionally letting out a tired meow.
"We should get moving," Kakashi said casually, walking ahead with his usual lazy stride. "Madam Shijimi has been eagerly awaiting her beloved pet's return."
Naruto, still energized from the mission, simply nodded and quickened his pace. His mind wasn't on the cat anymore—he was already thinking about the next mission.
Inside the Hokage's office, the air smelled faintly of ink and parchment.
Hiruzen sat behind his desk, puffing his pipe as he glanced at the young Genin before him.
Beside him stood Madam Shijimi, her extravagant robes shimmering slightly as she eagerly scanned the room.
The moment she laid eyes on Tora, her face lit up with delight. "TORA! My precious baby!"
Sasuke barely had time to extend his arm before she snatched the cat from his grasp, cradling it tightly against her chest.
The cat let out a strangled, defeated meow.
Madam Shijimi smothered Tora with affection, nuzzling its fur. "Ohhh, Mama was so worried about you!"
Naruto watched the scene unfold, silently noting the cat's miserable expression.
He wasn't sure if Tora was more exhausted from being chased or from being reunited with its overly affectionate owner.
Kakashi, completely unfazed, clapped his hands together lightly. "Mission complete, Lord Third."
Hiruzen nodded approvingly. "Well done, Team 7."
A clerk stepped forward and handed Kakashi a small pouch of coins. Without hesitation, he took a portion for himself and then tossed the remaining payment toward his students.
Naruto caught his share effortlessly, his gaze lowering to the money in his palm. His fingers curled around the coins, and a thought struck him.
Wait… we actually get paid for this?
It made sense. Missions were assigned by the village, and shinobi were professionals. But now that he was holding the payment himself, the reality of it sank in.
"Is this how we earn money as shinobi?" Naruto asked, glancing up at Kakashi.
Kakashi nodded. "That's right. Missions serve multiple purposes—helping people, maintaining stability, and providing income for the village and its ninja."
Naruto stared at the coins for a moment before slipping them into his frog-shaped wallet.
He wasn't sure why, but something about earning money on his own felt... good. It wasn't a handout. It wasn't something he had to beg for. He had earned this.
Sasuke and Sakura quietly stored their own shares, already familiar with the system.
Hiruzen watched them with a knowing smile. "Good work today. I suggest you all get some rest. There will be another mission tomorrow."
Naruto's eyes lit up slightly. "What kind?"
Hiruzen chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough."