"Why is Mama trying to beat that boy, Shizune?" asked the girl with red streaks and blonde tippings through her blonde hair, which was tipped with red. She looked curiously at her raven-haired companion, who was carrying a pig in her arms.
"I don't know, Mito-sama..." Shizune replied, watching as the boy toyed with her master, who was unable to catch him with her punches.
This only irritated Tsunade further, and within minutes, several large craters had appeared in the ground where her punches had landed.
Shizune, however, knew that her master was only playing around and did not really intend to harm the young Shinobi.
"So slow..." Enma teased the Sannin, who suddenly increased her speed, catching him off guard. He broke into a sweat as he narrowly dodged a devastating punch. "Hey, hey... are you really going to kill me?"
"I am!" Tsunade shouted, but her fist stopped an inch from his face when he suddenly came to a halt.
"Hey, you don't want to hurt me..." Enma had just smirked when a heavy punch landed in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and he winced in pain that he had never experienced before.
He swayed on his feet, and before he could react, she had removed his blindfold and was closely examining his eyelids, which bore seals.
The Uzumaki gasped for breath and winced as he healed the damage she had caused.
"Your eyes are sealed," she frowned, observing his eyelids for a while.
Enma looked up at her, and his heart skipped a beat.
"You are beautiful."
She was taken aback by his words and then looked at him with curiosity.
"You can see me?"
"Yes."
"What is the colour of my seal?"
"Violet."
"My haori?"
"Grass-green."
"My eyes?"
"Brown."
She furrowed her brows and carefully inspected the blindfold in her hand.
"So, this is what truly prevents you from seeing. You can see even with your eyes closed."
"Yes."
"How?"
"Secret," he smiled.
"Why are your eyes sealed then?" she frowned as she leaned in closer.
"It helps me train, and seeing with them closed consumes chakra."
"Oh..."
Enma lowered his eyes and stared at the beautiful crystal necklace with special seals that she wore around her neck.
Tsunade frowned as she sensed where his eyes were, and her brow twitched. However, she froze when she heard him ask a question.
"You created this necklace?"
She realised that he was not looking at her chest, but at her necklace.
"No. It was created by my grandmother, Mito, and was her gift to my grandfather, Hashirama."
"Oh."
"What caught your interest?"
"It's pretty, and it has interesting seals on it. Suppression seals, only meant to react to the most potent chakra when it runs out of control." He frowned. "Only Bijuus possess such chakra..."
'And very few people,' he thought to himself.
Tsunade smiled at his words and helped him put his blindfold back on.
"You see too much. So, keep it on."
Her words made him smile.
"Did you come here to find me?" she gently asked, planting a kiss on his forehead.
"Yes. The Third Hokage tasked me to bring you back to the village so that you can take up the mantle of Fifth Hokage."
She narrowed her eyes at him as she pulled away.
"Why are you wearing a Jonin flak jacket?" She ignored what he said and asked instead.
"I am a Jonin."
Tsunade raised her brow at him and frowned.
"How?"
"The Third made me a deal that if I agreed to find you, he would give me the Jonin rank."
"The old man was too generous," she smirked.
"Perhaps. Or maybe I am just too strong to be seen as a Genin." He shrugged. "But only he would know the real reason why he did it, and he's gone now."
"Hmm..."
She straightened her back and sighed.
"Go back, Enma. I am not returning to the village."
"May I ask why?"
"You may, but I will not answer." She shrugged and then smiled at her summon, who was intently watching the Uzumaki. "You may go back, Katsuyu."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama," the slug replied, then disappeared back to her home.
Enma remained in place, observing Tsunade as she walked towards the two ladies and the ninja pig, and his Mind's Eye settled on the younger girl, whose chakra was very potent and filled with life, just like Karin's chakra.
He frowned as he took off his blindfold and looked towards the girl, taking in her features, and noted the red and blonde tips of her hair, the red streaks, and her greyish-brown eyes.
Even though it was a little disrespectful, he still used one of his powers and focused on her blood. His brows furrowed deeper. She was the spitting image of her mother.
Lowering his head, he put the blindfold back on and sighed.
"Take the position of Hokage and I will make you a deal," he said, and the Sannin stopped in her tracks.
"You sound like Orochimaru now."
"My apologies, but you are needed to lead the village and save it from falling into the wrong hands," he said. "If you don't come and accept the position, your teammate Jiraiya will be selected as Hokage, even though he refuses to become one."
"He will be fine. He's a good man."
"It's not about who is a good man and who isn't," he said meaningfully, and she looked at him with interest.
"What is it about then?"
"It's about not being controlled by people and their ideals, and not forcing their ideals upon others. It's about keeping prejudice away and being respectful and fair. Fair enough to understand the true value of the people who live there, and wise and honest enough to admit and rectify the mistakes of the past. That's the kind of person Konoha needs as Hokage right now. Is your teammate such a person?"
Tsunade furrowed her brows at his words.
"Those don't sound like the words of my late sensei."
"They aren't. These were the words of my late father." He noticed how her heart trembled at the mention of his father, and it was almost as if she were guilty about something.
Tsunade stayed silent for a while and then narrowed her eyes at him.
"Family or village?"
Enma smiled at her question.
"The village means nothing if my family is not safe, happy, and respected there."
"So, family over the village?" She smiled.
"Always," he nodded without hesitation.
"Heh..." she grinned. "My sensei would never have trusted you if he knew the real you."
"No one knows the real me." He shook his head. "No one knows the truth of anyone. Not entirely."
His words lingered in her mind.
"He was wrong about you too, but then again, you were never his first choice to take the position of Hokage. Maybe he did not trust you either. After all, he wanted Jiraiya to succeed him."
"Oh, what was he wrong about me?"
"To you, family comes first as well. You have no love for the village if the people you care about are not safe there." He said. "Which is why you don't wish to return to Konoha and bring your daughter into the hold of that dark web of conspiracies, ambitions, power, madness, and death."
"Were these the words of your father too?"
"No. These are my words and assessment." He shook his head and sighed. "Come and take the seat of Hokage. I promise you that I will keep you and your daughter safe."
"That's what you're offering in the deal?" She grinned.
"No," he shook his head. "It's something you will appreciate a lot."
"Oh?" She was quite sceptical now. "What is it?"
"My trust, and a gift."
Tsunade looked at him curiously, and when she stepped forward, she watched him weave some hand seals.
"Wood Style: The Black Tortoise!"
He smacked his hands on the ground, and she stared in shock as large and thick vines suddenly emerged from the earth and surrounded her.
Even the ground beneath her moved, and she was pushed up, enclosed inside a large dark hall with a dome that soon enclosed her.
She heard a snap of fingers, and the torches on the walls lit up, illuminating the place.
"So, what's your answer?" he asked with a smile, and she stared at him in astonishment.
Tsunade did not know what to think or say, but then she furrowed her brows.
"Do people know that you can use Wood Style?"
"No."
"Then..."
"No one other than you, your daughter, the raven-haired girl, and your ninja pig saw it. Everyone in the town is under my Genjutsu."
She frowned at his words.
"What's the gift that you promise?" she asked, and he stayed quiet. "What?"
"You need to agree to become Hokage first. After all, it is an S-Class mission. Will look good on my profile." He smiled playfully.
She raised her brow at him and folded her arms.
"And you promise that your gift will be worth it?"
"Yes," he nodded.
"I will agree if you can promise me one more thing," she suddenly said, and he looked at her curiously.
"What?"
She walked over to him and placed her forefinger on his forehead.
"Promise me that you will not die before me."
Enma grinned at her words.
"I won't die. I promise."
"Good," she said, and planted a kiss on his forehead. "You will also have to promise me that you will take over as Sixth Hokage after me."
"I don't want to be Hokage. It's boring."
"Heh, and you want me to do something boring for you?" she smirked.
Enma sighed and nodded.
"I will take over or recommend someone worthy of the position when you are tired of holding it."
"But if I don't approve of the person you recommend, you will have to become the Sixth Hokage."
Enma stayed silent, and her grin widened.
"I am very serious. You will have to say yes if you want me to return to the village with you."
Her words made him sigh, and he helplessly shook his head.
"Fine."
"Promise?"
"Yes."
Tsunade then took off the necklace on her neck and placed it around his neck.
"I have no need for it."
"It will be a reminder to you about the promises you have made to me today." She stepped back. "Now, where's my gift?"
"You haven't promised to take the position of Hokage yet."
"Yeah, yeah, I will be the Fifth Hokage." She sighed.
Enma nodded to her and then took off his blindfold.
Tsunade watched him closely, but then her heart stopped when she saw him open his eyes.
And what she saw was beautiful, terrifying, and almost dreamlike...
Outside, Shizune and Mito were still stunned by the massive Black Tortoise that the boy had created with his Wood Release, and the younger girl soon had stars in her eyes.
It was gigantic, over fifty metres tall, and more than a hundred and fifty metres long. Also, it looked so lifelike...
The two had even considered it a Genjutsu, but they knew what they were seeing was real. Very real.
"Awesome..." Mito whispered.
Her companion, however, gulped in fear as she found the structure terrifying. She finally understood why someone like Orochimaru had chosen not to fight a boy like him.
A while later, they both flinched when the Tortoise opened its mouth, and Mito instantly rushed towards it.
"Mito-sama!" Shizune panicked and gave chase, soon coming to a halt by the young princess when she saw her master again.
Both their mouths dropped open when they saw Tsunade walk out of the mouth of the tortoise with the Uzumaki boy, and there was something different about her.
She looked even younger, almost like she was in her early twenties, and the little princess frowned when she looked at her mother's bosom, which was smaller, and more proportional as well. However, her chest was still big, and she pouted at the sight of it. Somehow, her mother had become even more beautiful than she already was.
Shizune, who had been with her master for almost all her life, had never seen her take such a form before, and if she was honest, even she was falling for her charm now.
However, she soon got over her shock, believing her master had used her Special Transformation Jutsu to make these changes.
"Get things ready, Shizune. We are heading to Konoha. I am the Godaime Hokage now." She grinned, and her words stunned both her daughter and her student.
"Y-yes, Tsunade-sama!" The raven-haired girl immediately bowed and rushed to the town to collect their things.
Mito, on the other hand, was curiously looking at the boy, who was the same age as her.
She closely inspected his hair and even took a sniff, which made Enma raise his brow at her.
"Teach me!"
He was taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm.
"What?"
"Teach me how you created it!"
"No. It's my secret," he shook his head, and she grew angry.
"Mama, tell him to teach me."
"He doesn't listen to me." Tsunade shrugged and walked away.
When she was far enough, she looked back and could not help but be stunned at the sight of the massive Black Tortoise.
"Alright, alright. Don't be mad. I will give you a gift." Enma relented when the girl started pestering him, and, God, she was louder than Naruto.
"What gift?"
"This Tortoise."
"How?"
"I will show you. Step back." Enma said to her before weaving a series of long hand seals, then sat down and placed his hands on the tongue of the Tortoise.
Nothing happened, and Mito furrowed her brows, waiting for some magic.
"Alright, come out." She felt him grab her hand and lead her out, and then she watched him take out a scroll from his jacket, which instantly enlarged in his hand.
He opened it, placed his right hand over it, and a very detailed seal appeared, which almost resembled a Summoning Seal.
Enma then formed a Seal of Confrontation with his left hand, and the Black Tortoise vanished with a puff of smoke. Soon, its image appeared in the centre of the Summoning Seal on the scroll.
"Here." He wrapped up the scroll, shrank it down, and handed it to her. "It's a defensive fortress. In case you ever need to protect yourself and your friends from harm, you can summon the Black Tortoise to take shelter inside it. Just remember to pour a handful of your chakra into the seal. It will only respond to the special chakra that you and I have."
"Awesome!" she excitedly grabbed the scroll. "You are stronger than Mama!"
Tsunade's brow twitched at her daughter's words, and she narrowed her eyes when the boy did not deny her claim.
Thankfully, he did not acknowledge it either, or else she would really have taught him a lesson about not looking down on his elders.