On the Hokage Rock.
Today was the inauguration ceremony for Konoha's Fifth Hokage. A huge crowd of villagers had gathered below the Hokage's office for what was Konoha's biggest celebration.
Hashirama Senju looked down at the bustling village, a touch of envy in his voice. "So many people are attending Naruto's ceremony. I really want to go see it!"
"No."
Tobirama Senju coldly shut down the idea. "We are the dead," he said in a low voice. "We cannot simply appear before people. It would cause chaos."
Everyone has people they miss and want to see. If it became common knowledge that the dead could be resurrected, not everyone would be able to control their emotions. Desperate people would surely start flocking to Orochimaru for help.
"We could wear ANBU uniforms..." Hashirama suggested.
"No," Tobirama repeated, his tone firm. "Unless we encounter an enemy, we absolutely cannot show ourselves, not even with our identities hidden."
Of course, there was one exception.
The "Blood-Red Chili" didn't care about such rules. Kushina Uzumaki, wearing a hooded cloak, had come to attend her son's Hokage inauguration ceremony.
"Lady Tsunade, let me!" Kushina said, stepping into the Hokage's office. Seeing Tsunade helping Naruto with his formal robes, she quickly moved to take over.
"It's fine, I'm almost done." The blonde Sannin shook her head, a watery glint in her eyes. She gently adjusted Naruto's collar, looking at the calm young man before her. "How do you feel, Naruto? Nervous?"
"...I'm okay, I guess." Naruto let Tsunade finish and tapped his own forehead. "Who's hosting the ceremony?"
"Me." A smile touched the corner of Tsunade's mouth. "I won the honor from that Jiraiya with my fists," she explained softly. "Besides, he didn't want to host it anyway, and I was worried he would mess up your big day."
As his old friend, Tsunade was genuinely concerned that Jiraiya might flash an inappropriate, wicked smile during the ceremony, or that he might get distracted by a few pretty girls in the crowd and forget his lines. The reputation of Konoha's Sannin would be ruined.
"..."
Naruto glanced at his teacher. The old, white-haired man's eye was still a bit bruised, but that didn't stop him from peeking out the office window. It was unclear what he was looking at, but he had been standing there for quite some time.
Tsunade noticed the boy's gaze and cracked her knuckles. "You are the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, and I acknowledge you. Don't you dare learn anything from Jiraiya, you hear me!"
"...Yes." Naruto replied, his face expressionless.
Kushina muttered from the side, "Listen to Lady Tsunade. Stay away from Jiraiya-sensei in the future. Be careful he doesn't teach you anything bad!"
"That's right!" Tsunade's brow furrowed. "That bastard never taught you any real ninjutsu, so what else could he possibly teach you!"
"..."
Naruto's face remained a wooden mask. He added silently in his mind that, in his past life, Jiraiya had already taught him everything he needed to know.
For example, his sense of aesthetics.
"Lady Tsunade! Naru... Lord Hokage!" A boy with a bowl cut and a green jumpsuit burst through the door. "The villagers are almost all here! Guy-sensei sent us to report!"
"It's about time!" Tsunade waved her hand grandly. "Then let's go!" She called for everyone in the office to head up to the rooftop.
The ninja girl with her hair in buns clenched her fists, her face beaming with happiness. "Lady Tsunade is so cool!"
Since Team 3 had been temporarily assigned to the Hokage Guard Squad, Tenten finally had the chance to be close to her childhood idol and was gushing with praise every day.
"Calm down, Tenten," Neji Hyuga said, patting her shoulder.
Rock Lee chimed in from the side, "Tenten, even if you admire Lady Tsunade that much, you can't become a medical-nin like her..."
"..."
The girl's face immediately fell. She really didn't have the talent for it.
On the rooftop of the Hokage's office, jonin like Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy, and Kurenai Yuhi were already present. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were also waiting.
Besides them, there was another special guest: the Fifth Kazekage.
This was the first time in history that a Kazekage had attended a Hokage inauguration ceremony, setting a new record in the ninja world.
Naruto walked over to Gaara and greeted him warmly. "Gaara, how are you enjoying your stay in Konoha? Getting used to it?"
The red-haired boy suppressed his irritation and forced out a few words. "...Konoha's environment is a bit better than the Sand Village's."
Compared to the Sand Village, which was constantly battered by wind and sand, Konoha was sunny and pleasant. The environment was so comfortable it almost made one reluctant to leave.
"Then you should live in Konoha for a long time."
That one sentence made a vein pop on Gaara's forehead. For a moment, he seriously considered lashing out and ruining this guy's inauguration. The presence of several jonin nearby, however, quickly dispelled that thought.
"Ahem..." Koharu Utatane coughed lightly, interrupting their conversation as she handed the Hokage hat to Naruto. Of all the Hokage, none had been as talkative as Naruto, who could make someone's blood boil with a single, simple sentence.
"Tsunade, let's begin!"
"Alright!" Tsunade nodded. She took a few steps to the edge of the rooftop and looked down at the villagers, one hand on her hip. Her tall figure was striking.
It had to be said: good looks are a form of justice.
When Tsunade appeared before the Konoha villagers, a tsunami of cheers erupted.
"Lady Tsunade!"
"Lady Tsunade of the Sannin!"
"Quiet!" Tsunade pressed her hand down, silencing the crowd. "I am the host of today's Hokage inauguration ceremony, and I will be the one to announce the successor to the title of Hokage!"
Her voice rang out over the village.
"At twelve, he graduated from the Ninja Academy.
At thirteen, he became Konoha's strongest ninja.
During the Chunin Exams, he repelled the attack of the S-rank rogue ninja Orochimaru, defeated the Sand Village forces that betrayed our alliance, and single-handedly negotiated with the entire Sand Village, forging a new strategic treaty.
Today, he will stand here, take on the responsibility of managing Konoha, and officially become the supreme leader of our village's shinobi—the Fifth Hokage!
The youngest Hokage in the history of Konoha!
Naruto Uzumaki!"
"..."
"WOOHOO!"
"NARUTO!"
"LORD HOKAGE!"
After a moment of silence, a heaven-shaking roar erupted from below.
Tsunade's speech had actually omitted many details, such as matters concerning the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, so it felt a bit short. However, her voice was captivating, making many people's blood boil with excitement.
The title of a young hero was attractive enough. His battle records were witnessed by all. At the age of thirteen, he had become the strongest ninja in Konoha.
Naruto slowly put on his hat and walked to Tsunade's side, looking down at the villagers below. He had experienced this scene many times before. Sometimes for a pre-battle mobilization, sometimes for a New Year's speech, sometimes for the announcement of a new policy.
Tsunade lowered her head and looked at him with concern. "Hey, Naruto, you're not getting nervous at a time like this, are you?"
"No." The blond-haired boy shook his head and spoke to the villagers below. "Hello everyone. I am Konoha's Fifth Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki."
His voice was a bit young, but clear and steady.
On that afternoon, no one could have known that in the future, the entire ninja world would come to hear that voice.
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Bonus:
Naruto Uzumaki: You know, folks, I actually didn't want to be Hokage. I really didn't.
Konoha Ninja: ???
Naruto Uzumaki: But look — I had no choice. Everyone was saying it, believe me.
Konoha Ninja: ????
Naruto Uzumaki: Because in all of Konoha — and people agree, everyone agrees — I'm the strongest. Absolutely the strongest, okay? Nobody even close. Tremendous strength.
Konoha Ninja: ...
Naruto Uzumaki: I tried to find flaws, I really did. Maybe medical ninjutsu? But you know what? Granny Tsunade — nice lady, very strong, huge fan — she's just not on my level. Nobody understands medical ninjutsu better than I do. Nobody.
Tsunade: …Ahem… this isn't a White House press conference, Naruto…