Tsuchigumo

Unpredictable Mission

Obito had a stare down with Minato, "I'm just saying....that since I'm so bad at teaching during D-rank missions, we should totally skip that and do C-ranks, you know?" He pleaded, "Please, Sensei, they are very much ready!"

Minato sighed, "Obito, most of your D-ranks are a fail...and only considered successes because of Hinata political skill. Now you want me to send your team on a C-rank? Be reasonable,"

Obito whimpered, "It's because D-ranks are just not my...my...my funk, you know?!" He begged, "Please let me take on a C-rank, Sensei~! Please~!" He's literally a crying, whining mess in front of the Hokage and the elder. Hiruzen bit back a laugh while Minato grimaced at the sight of a prospective Hokage candidate all but rolling on the ground pulling a tantrum worthy of a 2 years old. It was quite the spectacle.

His poor Genin team awkwardly stood there looking at their mess of a teacher.

Why was this man even allowed to teach again?

Minato ignored the man-child before him and looked at the report again. It wasn't like his team come up short. In fact, when it comes to 'hunting' and 'guarding' real life simulation training, they come out at the top of the 'game'. It seemed that this team leaned more into tracking and bodyguard job. But he has yet to see their true potential. He know that Shino and Naruto can both do espionage due to their 'little friends' that they both have contract with. Hinata showed incredible ability in defusing situation, showing a sharp analytic mind. She could be trained for political relation and decoding messages.

But at this point in their career, everything was just a possibility. Their real abilities might lies elsewhere. Both Hinata and Naruto can easily become a heavy assault duo. He won't count out Shino but Aburame prefer to pick their fights with high probability of winning. He's more a tactician. But if cultivated right, his Kikaichu can also be the 'devouring' type, which would make him a dangerous heavy assault too.

He closed his eyes. D-ranks were there to see their team dynamic and he can already tell that Hinata can do most of the dealing, Shino will do most of the planning, while Naruto will be their brute force. All three have shown their capability. The only thing missing would be the leader of their team when Obito wasn't present. He has yet to see leader quality in any of the three because it seemed that they can work without a clear leadership.

Mostly because they were not challenged enough...

Sighing, he knew that he needed to give the Genin a more challenging mission. It felt too soon but perhaps it was because Naruto was on the team. He might be reluctant because his son, still so socially young, was on the team. Realizing that his paternal instinct would hold Naruto and his team back, he opened his eyes and hardened his resolve. Hiruzen noticed the shift in attitude and nodded, understanding where the reluctance came from.

It wasn't because Obito messed most of the D-ranks. His team was fine and worked well together. But rather it was Minato that's struggling with fatherhood and leadership.

Clearing his throat, he threw a stamp at Obito, nailing the Jounin between his eyes. Obito silenced his whining and stared at the Hokage with betrayed eyes that would have been more fitting on a 3 years old on the verge of tears. Minato ignored his look and took out a scroll, "This mission should be simple enough for you,"

He handed Obito the mission scroll, the cord keeping it close marking it as a lower C-rank. Obito grinned as he eagerly opened the scroll, "Guard the bridge builder Tazuna until the bridge he's building is completed...alright! This should do! Thanks, Sensei!" He ignored Minato's mumbled about proper reference to him and turned to his team, "Alright, Team Obito! He he, I like the sound of that....ahem! Alright Team Obito! We are going to guard a bridge as our first C-rank!"