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Ronglin had no idea that Tsunade was using him as a tool in her rivalry with Jiraiya. After returning home, he prepared everything he needed for the days ahead.
From today onward, he was officially a genin, eligible to accept various missions and earn both rewards and contribution points.
Before becoming a genin, the village provided a fixed stipend to help him get by, but after graduation, he'd have to rely on himself. Although genin could only take low-level D-rank or C-rank missions, it would be enough to ensure his livelihood.
Aside from money, the most important thing was contribution points, which could be used to learn new jutsu.
Of course, if Tsunade were willing, she could help him obtain them.
However, Ronglin didn't think he had enough charm to make Tsunade go out of her way for him.
In reality, each of the Sannin had their strengths and weaknesses. Jiraiya excelled at mentoring students; Orochimaru, though dark and unpleasant in many ways, was the best choice for learning advanced techniques. As for Tsunade, Ronglin felt she was more suited to being a powerful backer.
Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses—no one was perfect. Having a solid support system within the village was crucial, so being part of Team Tsunade satisfied Ronglin greatly.
Before today, Ronglin had hoped for a competent jonin instructor, but who would have guessed it would be Tsunade herself?
The news that Tsunade was taking on apprentices—and that Ronglin was one of them—quickly spread throughout the village. Tsunade herself wouldn't have gone around broadcasting this, and Ronglin certainly wasn't the type to advertise it. That left the other two members of Team Tsunade: Shimura Ying and Haruno Yuxi. Particularly Haruno Yuxi, whose loose lips might have been responsible for spreading the word.
"Ronglin, do you think Tsunade-sensei will show up soon? It's already ten o'clock."
At the training ground the next morning, the three members of Team Tsunade stared at each other in exasperation. They had all arrived before six, yet Tsunade still hadn't shown up by ten.
"Since Tsunade-sensei didn't specify an exact time, she can come early if she's in a good mood or late if she's not."
Ronglin had anticipated this outcome and mentally prepared himself for the wait. Without any urgency, he pulled out a meat pie he had made and began nibbling on it slowly.
"It seems someone came prepared."
Before the frustrated Haruno Yuxi and Shimura Ying could say anything, Tsunade's voice rang out from afar. Upon closer inspection, she looked exhausted, as if she hadn't slept well the previous night.
Could it be because of Kushina Dan…? Ahem, evil thoughts!
Ronglin immediately banished that thought. Despite Tsunade's carefree demeanor, trying to take advantage of her was easier said than done.
"Haa~ Sorry to keep you waiting. I drank a bit too much with some friends last night, so I'm late. Since everyone's here, let's get started. Our first mission as Team Tsunade is quite memorable!"
Yawning, Tsunade led the three away from the training ground. The nature of the mission remained unknown for now.
"This is it."
After wandering through winding paths, Tsunade finally stopped in front of their destination:
"Our mission today is simple. Forget about tasks like catching cats or walking dogs—you wouldn't enjoy those anyway. This one's more interesting."
"Ah! Is Tsunade-sensei treating us to a hot spring?"
Haruno Yuxi's face lit up with joy. Their destination turned out to be a hot spring inn.
What an idiot! We're here for a mission, not to soak in a hot spring. Just wait and see!
Ronglin shot a deadpan glance at Haruno Yuxi and said nothing. Shimura Ying blushed slightly, wanting to speak but holding back, leaving him speechless.
"Of course…"
Tsunade smiled broadly, and Haruno Yuxi grew even more excited, mentally giving Tsunade a perfect score. Their first mission as genin was going to be a hot spring visit—how amazing!
"Of course not."
Tsunade's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a stern expression. "We're here to complete a mission. Have you ever heard of someone coming to a hot spring to carry out a task? Your job is to clean the hot spring baths. If you consider cleaning a bath soaking in a hot spring, then sure!"
"Huh?" Haruno Yuxi froze in shock.
"Cough cough!!"
Shimura Ying cleared his throat awkwardly, trying not to burst into laughter. Ronglin shook his head, pretending not to hear anything. Cleaning the hot spring baths didn't sound appealing. He hoped there weren't too many pools to clean. Compared to this, Ronglin would rather walk dogs or take on a few random D-rank missions instead.
"Lady Tsunade, welcome!"
The owner of the hot spring inn soon appeared, greeting Tsunade warmly. Clearly, they were on familiar terms.
"Mm." Tsunade nodded and gestured toward Ronglin and the others. "Let's get started. Please show them the way."
"No problem! Also, a private bath has been prepared for you, Lady Tsunade. I hope you enjoy your rest."
The innkeeper and Tsunade had grown close over time, mainly because Tsunade loved soaking in hot springs. She often visited, and sometimes even racked up tabs.
"Thank you."
Tsunade accepted without any embarrassment, turning to her team with a reminder: "Make sure you clean thoroughly. Otherwise, it'll affect your mission evaluation. You don't want to embarrass me, do you?"
"We'll definitely complete the mission!" Ronglin shouted confidently.
"Good. Off you go."
Tsunade nodded approvingly, liking Ronglin more and more. With a dismissive wave, she said, "Get to it."
But when the innkeeper revealed the number of baths they had to clean, the three members of Team Tsunade nearly fainted on the spot. There were twelve baths in total—big and small—enough to drive them crazy.
While the poor Team Tsunade trio labored away, Tsunade was thoroughly enjoying herself. Sipping sake and relaxing in the hot water, her fair skin flushed a light pink as she basked in pure bliss.
Damn D-rank missions! After finishing the task, Ronglin returned home utterly exhausted.
He couldn't even muster the energy to continue his usual nonstop training—not because he didn't want to, but because he simply had nothing left. Cleaning twelve baths, big and small, nearly killed him. The other two fared even worse, while Tsunade had the time of her life.
She soaked in the hot spring, sipped her sake, and only lacked finding a handsome guy to join her for a fun time. In the end, she left the inn completely satisfied.
After a full day of hard work, the reward they received was pitifully small. Ronglin was almost too embarrassed to mention it.
Still, the D-rank mission phase was something they had to endure.
Soon, the three members of Team Tsunade tried their hand at various D-rank missions. They quickly realized that cleaning hot spring baths was actually one of the easier tasks. Some missions were so miserable they made you want to cry—like clearing animal feces from farms. That experience left such a sour taste in Ronglin's mouth that he nearly threw up his breakfast.
As for their teacher, Tsunade didn't even step foot inside the farm. Her reasoning was simple: "It smells too bad in there."