"The brat who is the jinchuuriki of the nine-tails fox?" Tsunade asked.
"If you put it that way, then yes…" Hiruzen said in a low voice.
Tsunade felt the difference in tone and understood that she was close to crossing a line.
Both Jiraiya and Naruto walked their way up to the terrace…
"Jiraiysama!" Shizune bowed down to greet Jiraiya.
"Mm." Jiraiya nodded.
("Ton-ton, Shizune…. It brings back many memories.") Naruto thought.
"Tsunade!" Jiraiya called out as he approached Hiruzen and Tsunade.
"Youthful as ever, I see!" Jiraiya complimented.
"Long time no see! Jiraiya!" Tsunade smiled, following which she turned towards Naruto.
Jiraiya stopped in front in front of Hiruzen and asked.
"What do you mean by leaving your will?"
"Old Man?" Jiraiya asked.
"I wanted to ask the same," Tsunade added.
"Hmm?" Naruto stared at Hiruzen.
"I wanted to make plans for the village just in case I died," Hiruzen said as he inhaled from his smoke pipe.
"…." Tsunade, Naruto, Jiraiya, and Shizune stared at Hiruzen.
"Tsunade!" Hiruzen turned towards her as he expelled the smoke.
"I want you to fill in my position as the Fifth Hokage!" Hiruzen said.
Naruto and Jiraiya did not feel as surprised as Tsunade and Shizune.
Especially Tsunade, who stared at Hiruzen.
"Huh?"
"This isn't funny old man!" Tsunade said in a firm voice as she looked at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen showed no expression on his face.
("He is not joking at all….") Tsunade inferred.
"He is right Tsunade," Jiraiya commented.
"Easy for you to say, Why don't you become one?" Tsunade asked.
"You are more suited for it than I am…" Jiraiya said in a firm voice.
"Jiraiya is right!" Hiruzen supported Jiraiya's comment.
"Old Man, I will agree to the previous idea of yours, but I will not agree on this one." Tsunade made her stance on the matter clear.
("Oh boy, here we go again…") Naruto thought as he stared at the argument taking place in front of him.
"Tsunade, This is only if I die," Hiruzen said.
"I don't care!"
"Only a fool would like to become a Hokage!" Tsunade said as she stomped away.
Naruto felt some chords strike with him with that sentence of hers.
He thought back to the days he never left the Hokage office, due to which he had missed out on very important family events and neglecting of his care for Boruto, Himawari and the others due to busy doing his work. For some reason, he could not accept those words of hers at the same time. Naruto knew that being Hokage had nothing to do with being a fool. He knew that it took a lot of will power and determination for a ninja to become the leader of their respective village, regardless of whichever nation it was.
"Let's Go Shizune!" Tsunade ordered.
"WAIT!" A voice interrupted at this moment.
"You'd better take your words back!" Naruto ordered in a firm voice.
"Hmph!"
"What gave you the guts to order me like that?" Tsunade asked as she looked down on Naruto.
"Unlike you…"
"I will be the heir to the Hokage name, no matter what!" Naruto said in a firm voice as he raised his fist towards Tsunade.
Tsunade felt her heart beat faster for some reason, as she stared at Naruto's determined expression,
"Because…"
"To become a Hokage is my dream!" Naruto stated as he pointed his thumb towards the center of his chest.
Tsunade was reminded of Dan and Nawaki while staring at Naruto.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune knew the pain Tsunade was feeling right now.
("Good Kid!") Hiruzen and Jiraiya stared at Naruto.
Tsunade's attention returned back as she stared at Naruto.
"You want me to take my words back?" Tsunade asked.
"Though I may not look it, I am one of the legendary sanin."
"Why should I even take a Genin like you, seriously?"
Naruto stared at her with no emotions being reflected across his face.
"Are you asking for a fight kid?" Tsunade asked.
Naruto nodded.
"All right then…"
Tsunade raised her right hand towards Naruto as she pointed with her index finger.
"One Finger!"
"This is enough to take you down."
"Hehe.." Naruto smirked softly.
Hyūga Clan District….
A man was relaxing in the veranda of the big house, as he sipped his green tea and stared at the surroundings.
"Hiashi-sama!" A man landed beside him.
"What is it?" Hiashi asked.
"The boy has returned to the village!" Kô said as he half kneeled towards Hiashi.
"Where is he now?" Hiashi asked.
"At the Hokage's office," Kô replied.
"Hokage's office?" Hiashi stared at Kô.
Meanwhile, Hinata was practicing in a training field within the Hyūga district….
She moved around her palms…
One vertically, the other horizontally in a curve one after another.
("Not enough!")
("I need to be faster!")
("Stronger!")
Hinata thought as she sped up her movements while still maintaining the pace at which her palms moved, one after another.
A small net of chakra formed.
The net became brighter and brighter, until….
(bang!)
A small explosion of chakra deflection sent Hinata to the ground.
At this moment a hand appeared in front of Hinata.
"Neji-niisan!"
Hinata reacted.
"Let me help you up!" Neji said.
"Mm," Hinata agreed as she extended her hand.
("Is this a technique of the Head Family?") Neji thought back to Hinata's movements.
"Hinatsama!"
"Those movements of yours…" Neji mentioned.
"It is something that I am practicing on my own.." Hinata said as she took a deep breath.
"Hah!"
< Byakugan! >
Hinata activated her eyes and started to move her palms around like before, slowly building up her speed.
("Now that I see it, it seems to be of the same origin of the Eight trigrams technique!") Neji thought as he stared at Hinata.
Hinata concentrated as she increased the speed of her movements once again, building upon the momentum.
A chakra net started to form, following which it became brighter and brighter.
Hinata continued, despite her arms feeling heavy like 100kb weights bearing down on them.
The net became very bright at this moment.
("I may not be a genius like Neji-niisan who was able to master the Eight Trigrams 64 palms, but I will not be left behind either.")
("I will work hard. So that I can stand beside him.")
< Hidden Taijutsu - Gentle Fist Art - Defensive Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms >
Hinata announced as she finished executing the technique.
Neji stared at Hinata with his mouth open.
He knew how hard it was for him to trace his steps and learn the Head families arts without any guidance or a manual to help him figure it out.
"You've executed the technique successfully!" Neji said as he smiled towards Hinata who was gasping for breath after executing the technique.
"Yeah!" She managed to spurt the words as she kept breathing in and out.
Neji excused himself from the field.
Hinata rested under a tree, as she stared at the morning sun that was shining down.
She then reached into her pocket and took out a piece of paper.
Hinata stared at the message Naruto left behind.
"It's been three weeks since I have seen you…" Hinata thought as she held the letter in her hand.
However, Hinata did not know that she was being watched by Hanabi a few meters away.
("Who is Naruto?")
("Does Sister like him?")
("Is he the boy dad is looking for?") Hanabi thought.
"Hanabi-sama!"
"We must leave for your daily training," Hanabi's caretaker said.
"Yes! Natsu-san" Hanabi replied as she walked away with her.
Back on the terrace of the Hokage building…
Tsunade stared at Naruto as she taunted him.
"Come on kiddo."
"Nah,"
"What's in it for me?" Naruto asked.
"Huh?"
"Didn't you want me to take my words back?" Tsunade asked.
"I did, but that's not the compensation I am looking for…" Naruto said.
("Don't push your luck with her Naruto!") Jiraiya thought.
"Oh?"
"What would you like?" Tsunade asked.
"A bet!" Naruto said.
"A bet?" Tsunade asked.
"If you lose to me, You will agree to become Hokage."
"If you win, however…"
"You can do anything you want," Naruto said.
"I will lose to you?"
"Quit dreaming!" Tsunade said.
"Why don't we find out?" Naruto asked.
"You're on!" Tsunade said as she entered a battle pose.
"Wait…"
"I change my mind!" Naruto said.
"What now?" Tsunade asked impatiently.
"If you lose, you will become Hokage; there's no profit in it for me," Naruto said.
"You're smart!"
"What do you want?" Tsunade asked, feeling as though she was really gambling.
"I want money for a lifetime supply of ramen," Naruto said.
"Lifetime?"
"I don't know how much lifetime supply costs though but all right." Tsunade agreed.
Jiraiya walked in between Tsunade and Naruto.
He stretched out his arm as he looked towards both sides.
"READY?"
Naruto and Tsunade stared at each other intensely, during which a small storm whipped about in between both of them.
"FIGHT!" Jiraiya raised his hand…