In the Senju household, Tsunade shot a disdainful glance at Takayama Haru.
"With your cowardly nature, even if the administration assigns missions in this area, they wouldn't put them on your shoulders!"
Uzumaki Mito looked over at Tsunade and said, "Tsunade-hime, stop pestering the administration about assigning missions to Haru. If that's how you feel, then don't speak up again."
Tsunade turned to Mito and retorted, "Grandma, do you really want Haru to go out on missions? Either way, I don't agree. Even if Haru wants to go on missions, at the very least he should wait until Kushina has had a child!"
Haru froze for a moment. That direct, huh?
Why does it sound like I've suddenly become some kind of breeding stallion?
So I should only go on missions after Kushina's had my child?
Still… Tsunade's words fit right in with Haru's ideals!
Kushina blushed deeply, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, throwing a furious glare at Haru.
How could Tsunade-sensei say something so outrageous?
"!?"
Mito turned to Tsunade, her gaze serious. "If you keep talking like this, what do you think people will say about our Senju clan?"
"The foundation of Konoha is that the village comes first. We're all part of the same whole—there is no special privilege or exemption!"
"And besides, Haru is the future Hokage. Didn't he say he didn't want to be Hokage and suggested Kushina instead?"
"If he shrinks from a mission like this, how can he ever be considered Hokage?"
Tsunade pouted. "Hmph. Better than ending up dead."
"You still think Nawaki and Dan's deaths were just accidents?"
"I don't know if they were accidents, but I don't want another one. Like it or not, Haru's the only male member left in the Senju clan."
Even Haru was a little confused. Wasn't Tsunade always annoyed with him before?
Why the sudden shift?
Tsunade still wouldn't back down. "Besides, with Haru's current strength, as soon as the Lord Third retires, with support from Grandma and me, he will become Hokage."
"Foolish talk," Mito cut in sternly. "You think strength and family support are all it takes? You're still so naive!"
Haru frowned, confused again.
Mito explained patiently, "Haru, in this village, Hokage is chosen by everyone—by all the people."
"It's not just about who's the strongest. It's about who the entire village wants to follow."
When Haru heard that, his eyes lit up with a flash of realization. He started to understand.
"Tsunade, do you remember when the Uchiha wanted to make one of their own Hokage? Why didn't that ever happen?"
"Wasn't he strong enough? The Uchiha were plenty powerful—but your grandfather still became Hokage."
"That wasn't just a decision by the Senju. It was the will of the whole village!"
"Even the Uchiha clan itself didn't fully support their own candidate."
"You still think just being strong is enough?"
Haru's mind clicked. Suddenly, a lot of things he'd wondered about while watching the original Naruto made sense.
Why didn't Orochimaru become Hokage? Was it really because the Third just personally chose Minato?
Probably not. The people of Konoha never wanted someone like Orochimaru—a beast in human form—as Hokage.
Becoming Hokage means earning the hearts of the people.
It's a subtle, profound truth.
Tsunade pouted again. "Grandma, I already know all that! But what does it have to do with what I'm saying?"
"If Haru refuses to take missions, what will people say about him? What will they think of the Senju clan? How will we have any credibility to support a Hokage candidate?"
"Of course, it's still early to worry about that. Haru, you should focus on earning military merit and getting to know the elite jonin of the village first."
Too early?
Not at all!
Everyone thought peace would last—but in just a short time, another ninja war would erupt.
After that war, the Third Hokage would step down, making way for the Fourth.
That would be when Haru would help Kushina contend for the title of Fourth Hokage.
"Grandma, whatever you decide is fine. I don't want to cause trouble."
Then Tsunade brought up something shocking.
"By the way, Haru proposed to Kushina—with just a single flower!"
"Lady Tsunade!" Kushina let out a breath, her cheeks flushed bright red.
Just then, Jiraiya walked in.
His face was still wrapped in bandages from their last, rather intense, incident…
"Haru…"
The moment Haru saw Jiraiya, he had a feeling.
Was he going to war?
But Haru wasn't afraid. In fact, he felt a flicker of anticipation rise in his chest.
Tsunade didn't waste time. "Jiraiya, you be the judge! Haru proposed to my sister Kushina with a single flower—is that enough?"
Jiraiya scratched the bandaged side of his face, then nodded. "I think it's fine, really—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Tsunade punched him straight into the courtyard.
"Ahhh—!"
A huge crash echoed from outside.
Ten minutes later, Jiraiya sat opposite Haru, his cheeks wrapped in fresh bandages—he was nearly unrecognizable.
"Haru, I came because there's a mission that needs to be carried out."
"Is it related to the situation in Kirigakure?" Haru asked.
Jiraiya nodded. "Exactly. Looks like you're well-informed. Here's what happened—the chaos in the Mist has caused a flood of rogue ninjas fleeing from the region."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen launched a brutal suppression, making things incredibly dangerous over there."
Haru asked curiously, "So we're going to rescue them?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "We don't have the resources to save everyone. Our mission is to save one person."
"She's very important. Just a young girl, but she possesses two kekkei genkai—"
Two inherited bloodline limits?
Who is this girl?
Is she already part of the picture?