After speaking, Kaito didn't give Tsunade and the others any chance to respond. His figure flickered and vanished on the spot.
Once Kaito left, Tsunade and the others looked at one another, seeing only confusion reflected in each other's eyes.
Especially Tsunade. Though she never coveted the title of Hokage, to step down in such a way was something she found hard to accept.
Shikaku pondered for a moment before speaking,
"Tsunade-sama, are we really supposed to acknowledge Uchiha Kaito as Hokage?"
A bitter smile appeared on Tsunade's face as she replied,
"What difference does it make if we don't? He doesn't need our acknowledgement at all!"
"Then for now, let's just agree to it. We can wait until Jiraiya-sama returns before deciding the rest?"
"Let's do that."
As soon as Tsunade said this, it was as if all her strength drained away. She slumped weakly to the floor.
Staring blankly at the Hokage Rock outside the window, she murmured,
"Grandfather… what should I do..."
...
At sunset, in Konoha Park,
Yūhi Kurenai sat alone on a swing, gently rocking, her face full of worry.
Staring at the tips of her toes, she muttered to herself,
"What on earth happened to Kaito-senpai?"
News of Kaito becoming the Sixth Hokage had already spread throughout Konoha. To many, he was still a stranger, but some among the older generation remembered him.
When asked about Kaito, they spoke of the impression he left behind—
Uchiha Kaito, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan over ten years ago. He had created the S-rank ninjutsu Raikiri, and from it developed Chidori and other Lightning Release techniques, which caused quite a stir in Konoha back then.
Unlike most of his clan, he was considered an "outlier" among the Uchiha—mild-tempered, kind to others, never arrogant or dismissive. Because of this, the Third Hokage had recruited him into the Anbu and later promoted him to Anbu Captain.
His relationship with the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, was excellent. After Minato became Hokage, he once considered appointing Kaito as Anbu Commander. But for reasons unknown, that decision was ultimately shelved.
Rumors at the time said it was because certain Konoha elders refused to let an Uchiha take that position. Minato, still new as Hokage, lacked the foundation to resist and had no choice but to compromise.
Yet Kaito never showed any dissatisfaction. His calm acceptance only earned him more respect.
However, during one war, his entire squad was wiped out. Only he returned to Konoha alive. From that point on, his personality grew quiet and withdrawn.
Not long after the Nine-Tails' attack, he "died" on a mission outside the village. People's memories of him ended there, fading gradually with time.
But for Kurenai, his face and voice were still crystal clear—just like when she was a child, and Kaito knelt in front of her, patiently teaching her ninjutsu.
She still remembered what he often told her,
"Kurenai, don't rely too much on genjutsu. If you do, one day you'll pay a heavy price for it!"
Girls in the shinobi world matured early. Many of them chose someone to devote themselves to at a young age, and never wavered afterward.
With Kaito's looks, strength, and kind personality, it was impossible for a young girl like Kurenai not to fall for him. Her admiration gradually turned into affection. She once swore she would confess to Kaito-senpai once she became a jōnin.
Because of his influence, Kurenai's mastery of ninjutsu far surpassed what it was in the original story. Combined with her natural genjutsu talent, she quickly became a jōnin.
But no matter how fast she progressed, by the time she did, Kaito had already been "dead" for three years.
Kurenai could never accept his death. She refused to believe such a dazzling genius as Uchiha Kaito had died so inexplicably.
With her beauty and strength, she had many admirers over the years. Asuma, the son of the Third Hokage, was one of the most prominent. But she ignored them all, waiting only for Kaito's return.
And now… he had returned.
But the Kaito before her felt unfamiliar. Not because of his appearance—he looked just as he did back then, even more handsome now.
What felt strange was his behavior.
In her memory, Kaito had always been Konoha's "model shinobi." Efficient in missions, always putting the village first.
Yet upon his return, he had challenged the entire village, and under the gaze of all, brutally killed Danzō.
And then, he declared himself the Sixth Hokage, openly disregarding the still-reigning Fifth, Tsunade.
Everything had happened so quickly that Kurenai's mind was still struggling to catch up.
With a soft sigh, she jumped down from the swing, intending to go home and calm herself.
But when she looked up, she froze.
Beneath a tree ahead stood a familiar figure.
She rubbed her eyes in disbelief and cried out,
"Kaito-senpai?!"
Kaito stood with his arms crossed, smiling warmly at her. He had been there for a while already.
Back at the Root base, Kurenai's words had all but been a public confession. It had caught Kaito completely off guard.
Unlike in the One Piece world, he hadn't been so unrestrained in Konoha. With his life constantly at risk, romance was the last thing on his mind.
His love life in Konoha could be summed up in one phrase—
"No women."
Back then, he only thought little Kurenai was cute, so he often guided her in ninjutsu. He never imagined he'd capture her heart.
No wonder Asuma's eyes had always looked at him so strangely—turns out he had stolen his chance.
Thinking of this, Kaito chuckled softly.
Hearing that familiar laugh, most of Kurenai's doubts melted away. Lowering her head, she whispered timidly,
"Kaito-senpai, I..."
Her voice was barely audible, but with the Goro Goro no Mi and its magnetic field, there was no sound Kaito couldn't catch.
What she said was,
"Kaito-senpai, I've missed you so much!"
Kaito uncrossed his arms, stepped forward, and pinched her cheek—just like he used to.
Feeling his touch, all of Kurenai's doubts vanished completely. Village or no village, it didn't matter. To her, Kaito was still Kaito—the man she loved, Uchiha Kaito!
The longing in her heart burst out all at once. She threw herself into his arms, clinging tightly to his waist, sobbing,
"Kaito-senpai, you finally came back!"
From afar, a masked, purple-haired woman witnessed the scene. Her body stiffened.
She stared at Kaito in a daze, then quietly faded back into the shadows.