Chapter 6: Bells and Breakfast
Ryouma watched the departing figure of Hiruzen Sarutobi until he vanished from sight. Only then did he slump weakly into a chair, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. He inhaled a lingering cloud of tobacco smoke instead, which sent him into a brief, coughing fit.
What an incredible world... But why did the system have to give me such a complicated backstory?
The system, as usual, offered no answer, which only made Ryouma's head throb with frustration.
Well, the boat will straighten itself out when it reaches the bridgehead, he finally decided. And since this world is real... then the people in it are real, too. If they're real... maybe it's not so bad to treat this as a second chance at life. As long as I never forget my original goal.
The thought brought a genuine smile to his face, and the dark clouds of worry in his heart began to dissipate.
Time flew by quickly. The first ray of morning sunlight fell on Ryouma's cheek, coaxing his eyes open. He glanced at the clock; it was already 6 a.m.
Though every fiber of his being desired to sleep until he woke naturally, reality was a harsh alarm clock.
He still had an hour before the 7 o'clock meeting time. The thought that the adorable Hinata would be coming to find him soon sent a little thrill of excitement through him.
He moved like a whirlwind, pulling on his clothes and tying his forehead protector securely before washing up. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, Ryouma had to admit he looked quite handsome, presentable enough to meet anyone.
Then his stomach let out a loud, protesting growl, instantly deflating his confidence.
"Even my own stomach is conquered by my good looks? I really am too handsome for my own good!"
After completing his daily, necessary dose of narcissism, he began to ponder more practical matters.
After all, good looks couldn't be eaten. His stomach was growling not from admiration, but from hunger, and it was his responsibility to feed it!
Guided by this sense of duty towards his own abdomen, Ryouma began ransacking the small apartment, searching for anything edible.
Whether it was a test from the heavens or a cruel continuation of the same poverty he'd known in his old world, Ryouma was facing the grim prospect of involuntary weight loss once again.
Knock, knock, knock...
A sound at the door interrupted his futile search.
Hearing the knock, he rubbed the frustration from his face, replaced it with a bright smile, and opened the door. Sure enough, Hinata stood there.
"Good morning, Hinata."
"G-good morning, Ryouma-nii." Hinata's face was flushed. This was the first time she had ever gone to knock on someone's door so early, and the act made the introverted girl feel as warm and flustered as a stove.
"Let's go." Ryouma locked the door behind him and smiled at her.
"Um... well..." Hinata agreed, then hesitated, wanting to say something but too embarrassed to speak.
"Hm? What is it, Hinata?" Ryouma looked at her curiously. Based on his understanding of her character, she must have something important to say.
"It's... it's nothing..." she stammered, suddenly moving her hands behind her back, trying to hide a small paper bag.
Ryouma had seen her action clearly. "Is what's in that bag for me?" he asked with a gentle smile.
"Ah... yes..." Hinata's face turned an even deeper shade of red, caught in the act. She brought the paper bag forward and offered it to him. "I... I was afraid Ryouma-nii didn't have time for breakfast... so I brought some snacks..."
"Oh?" Ryouma looked at her shy expression, touched by her thoughtfulness. He took the paper bag, then crouched down slightly to be at her eye level, his smile soft and warm. "Thank you very much, Hinata."
"You're... you're welcome..." she mumbled, quickly walking ahead of him. "We should go... we mustn't keep Kurenai-sensei and Kiba waiting..." Her hurried steps betrayed her flustered state of mind.
Ryouma watched her retreating back, chuckled to himself, and caught up in two long strides, falling into step beside her.
What a thoughtful, silly girl.
When they arrived at the designated bridge, they found Kurenai and Kiba already waiting. Seeing Ryouma and Hinata approach, they walked over to meet them.
"Sorry for making you wait," Hinata said, bowing her head in apology.
"It's no trouble," Kurenai reassured her with a smile. "The agreed time hasn't arrived yet, and we just got here ourselves."
Kiba, hearing this, crossed his arms and let out a "Hmph!" looking up at the sky with feigned disinterest.
"Today, our mission is quite demanding!" Kurenai said, her expression turning serious as she looked at the three genin.
Seeing her stern face, their hearts tightened. They all perked up, listening intently, afraid of missing any crucial information.
"The first mission is..." Kurenai's magnetic voice drew out the suspense. After thoroughly whetting their appetites, she declared loudly: "The first mission... is... to help the villagers plow their fields!"
"What?" Both Ryouma and Kiba stumbled in unison, then shot each other a look before Kiba turned away with an annoyed grunt.
"Sensei, is it possible to get a different mission?" Ryouma asked, scratching his head. Even if he couldn't go after that Konoha rogue ninja yet, he needed a mission that actually paid. He couldn't afford to keep living on empty.
"You've only just become genin," Kurenai explained patiently. "You have no mission experience. More dangerous missions aren't suitable for you right now."
"Those farm-work missions don't give us any real experience at all!" Ryouma protested. "Please, Kurenai-sensei, give us something with a challenge. Something that pays a bit more, too."
Kurenai looked at Ryouma, her brow furrowing slightly. Then she turned her gaze to Hinata and Kiba. "What about you two?"
"I... I'll do whatever everyone else decides..." Hinata said softly.
Kiba clicked his tongue, not wanting to be outdone. "Kurenai-sensei, this mission is way too simple for me! You should give us a real mission!"
Kurenai took a deep breath, looking at the two boys who were full of energy but had no real concept of what they were asking for. She thought for a moment. "Alright then... I have a bell here." She produced a small, silver bell and held it up. "If you can take it from me within fifteen minutes, I'll agree to your suggestion."
I'm borrowing Kakashi's method here... but...
Her eyes settled on Ryouma. This boy's speed... Even though he was late last time, he managed to subdue Kiba, who's from the Inuzuka clan. That means his speed must be considerable.
"Hmph! Just watch! This time, I'll definitely get the bell before you do!" Kiba bared his teeth in a confident grin, running a thumb over one of his fang-like canines as he shot a competitive glare at Ryouma.
Hearing Kurenai's challenge, Ryouma almost laughed aloud. He never expected her to pull a Kakashi. But the objective here was different.
Kakashi had used the bell test to evaluate Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's teamwork.
Kurenai, however, was purely testing their individual strength.
If they could take the bell, their power would be recognized, and they could take on more difficult missions. If they failed... well, it was back to the fields for them.