MANA [Sarutobi Konohamaru]

Chapter Thirty-Eight

One Year Later.

Konohamaru stood before the Sixth Hokage, with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes trying to stay open. He and his teammates once again finished another mission in a town not far from the village, and it was just a simple Chuunin mission. Nothing exciting, as he said.

"You seem a little bored, Konohamaru." Kakashi pointed out.

"Gomenasai, Hokage-sama!" Ebusi bowed, with Konohamaru in his grip, making the sixteen-year-old boy bow as well. "Konohamaru, show some respect!"

"SENSEI!" Konohamaru tried get out of his sensei's grip.

"Ebisu, it's alright." Kakashi said. "So, tell me, what seems to be the problem."

"Hokage-sama, our team have only been getting basic missions! We're Chuunin level now, shouldn't we be getting Chuunin level missions!" Konohamaru argued.

"You are, it just so happens it's simple escorts, retrieval missions, and deliveries to other nations. With peace all over the Five Nations, there's not much to do to make the missions 'exciting', not that I'm complaining about the peace." Kakashi said.

"There has to be one mission that doesn't involve escorting stuck-up aristocrats!" Konohamaru yelled.

A knock at the door caught Kakashi and Team Ebisu's attention. After Kakashi called for the person to enter, the door opened and entered Uchiha Mana.

"Hokage-sama." Mana bowed before Kakashi.

"Mana, I told you, you don't have to call me that..." Kakashi said. "So, how was your mission at Iwagakure?" Mana tossed a scroll at Kakashi's way. The man caught it with ease and looked at the content. "I guess it was a success... how did they take your presence?" Kakashi knew about Sasuke and Mana's battle with the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki, to take him, it made her and her brother enemies of the nation. After the war though, they were pardoned of their actions, but that didn't mean that everyone forgave them for taking the Raikage's brother.

"If you're asking if I got into trouble, I didn't. But I did run into some rogues, but they were taken care of, the Raikage said that he'll take care of them since they were missing-nins of their country." Mana sighed. "And I ran into Onii-san on the way as well, he sends his regards."

"That's nice of him." Kakashi said. "Well, that's all for your mission, you could head home now. Consider it an early present."

Mana glared at Kakashi.

"Present?" Konohamaru muttered in confusion.

"Hai, arigatou, Hokage-sama." Mana bowed and turned to leave.

"Mana?" Konohamaru called for her.

"Hm?" Mana turned to Konohamaru. "What is it?"

"Ano..." Konohamaru was blushing. Why did I even call her? I got nothing to say! "See you later?"

Mana smiled. "You always do."

After Mana left, the room was silent, and Konohamaru had his eyes fixed on the door where Mana was.

"I take it that there's no problems with the missions, then?" Kakashi asked.

Konohamaru snapped out of his reverie and turned to Kakashi.

"How come Mana gets to go to missions far from the village?" Konohamaru asked.

"Well, it's because she's a Jounin." Kakashi said. "Did you forget, Konohamaru?"

"Oh, right..."

"If that's all, well, I'll see you tomorrow for your mission." Kakashi said.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."