Konoha: The Honored One

The bright moon hung high in the sky, surrounded by a scattering of stars, casting a serene glow over the city. Bambo Street, a small hotel, stood beneath the night's canopy, nestled in the heart of the peaceful town.

"Hmph." Tsunade let out a soft snort, slowly opening her eyes. The unfamiliar ceiling above her brought a wave of confusion.

Her heart skipped a beat as memories rushed back, and with sudden panic, she bolted upright, exclaiming, "Gojo!"

The room fell silent as everyone exchanged looks, all raising an eyebrow at Tsunade, who seemed to have just woken from a nightmare.

Sakura, standing nearby, eyed Tsunade curiously, clearly puzzled by her outburst.

Tsunade's gaze darted across the room, landing on the one person she feared above all: Gojo.

Wait. No, that wasn't right. Wasn't he... wasn't she... adopted by Gojo?

Tsunade's thoughts were a whirlwind, her mind still struggling to piece together what had happened. The atmosphere around her was heavy, as if waiting for an answer. Her eyes widened in realization—legs!

Gojo, who had been lounging on the soft sofa, lazily closed his book. He crossed his legs and glanced over at Tsunade with a smirk. "So, you actually call my name now? Guess you've grown up, huh? Still having those kinds of dreams, huh?"

Tsunade coughed awkwardly, her cheeks flushing a shade of pink. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Where's Orochimaru?"

Gojo lazily scratched his chin, adopting an air of mock thoughtfulness. "Hmm, he should be... having fun."

"Fun?" Tsunade blinked in confusion, her brows furrowing. "Give me the details, clear and concise."

Gojo tapped his chin thoughtfully, then raised a finger as if delivering a profound statement. "Mating."

"Mating?" Tsunade's lips twitched. Was that it?

She stared at Gojo for a long moment, her fist slowly clenching as she stewed in the absurdity of his response. She didn't really need to know what had happened to Orochimaru anyway. Gojo had it covered—he could handle Orochimaru well enough.

Shaking her head, Tsunade let go of her fist. "Forget it. It's over." She sighed, then looked around at the members of the Seventh Class standing in front of her. They were lined up neatly, too perfectly orderly. The only person who could have done this was Gojo.

"Is this the famous Seventh Class?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "So... organized?"

"Master Tsunade, I am Gojo's student, Sakura Haruno ," Sakura spoke up with a polite bow, her voice sweet and respectful. She was eager to make a good impression on the future Fifth Hokage. "Thank you so much for developing the Strength of a Hundred Seal. Gojo has already taught it to me, and you are also my teacher, Master Tsunade." She added, trying to sound graceful, though it was clear she had rehearsed these words.

Gojo smirked, satisfied. This was exactly what he had taught her to say. She respected Tsunade, of course, but the Strength of a Hundred Seal had been an invaluable tool for her, enabling her to keep up with Naruto and Sasuke.

"Very polite. She's a good student." Gojo said with a small nod of approval.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at him, her gaze skeptical. "Hundred Seal? You? Teaching students properly?"

Her thoughts churned. Gojo was known for his carefree, self-centered nature. Yet here he was, apparently imparting knowledge to his students. Tsunade could feel the shift in Gojo—a lot had changed.

Sasuke, with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, stood stiffly. "Sasuke Uchiha ," he said with a serious expression, his eyes meeting Tsunade's with a hint of defiance. After a long pause, his gaze flickered to the side, and in a quieter voice, he added, "Thank you... Master Tsunade... for sending Gojo to us. He's... an excellent teacher."

Tsunade's eyes gleamed with amusement as she heard Sasuke praise Gojo. He wasn't the type to offer compliments lightly, so this must have been forced out of him. Gojo had demanded it.

"Oh? Uchiha?" Tsunade tilted her head slightly. The orphaned Uchiha, still with that deep, silent anger buried in his heart. He hadn't let it consume him, though. Good for him.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki !" Naruto suddenly declared, his voice full of enthusiasm. He puffed his chest out and pointed proudly at Tsunade, his forehead protector pushed high on his head. "Under Gojo's excellent education, I'm gonna work hard and become Hokage! I'll make everyone proud!"

Naruto beamed with his usual exuberance, flashing a bright and confident grin. Tsunade froze for a second, her fingers subtly tightening around her robes. She could almost see the face of her late younger brother, Senju Nawaki, in Naruto's cheerful smile. That same hopeful grin, the same dream.

Becoming Hokage... that was Nawaki's dream, too.

"Is this little brat the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?" Tsunade smirked, her lips curling in amusement as she regarded Naruto, who was still happily talking about his aspirations. "Only an idiot would want to be Hokage."

A mocking tone crept into her voice. "The Third Hokage was an idiot too. They all are." Her words were harsh, but there was a hint of pain behind them. She wasn't talking about Naruto. No, Tsunade's heart ached as she reflected on the pain of her own lost loved ones.

Gojo's voice broke the tension as he pointed at Naruto with pride. "In terms of idiots, this one's my favorite. He's just like a hot pepper."

Naruto's face twisted in frustration, his anger flaring. "How dare you insult Hokage!" he yelled, pointing a trembling finger at Tsunade. "Hokage is the greatest person! Apologize to Grandpa Third Hokage!"

Tsunade's lips curled into a wry smile. "Hokage is stupid," she repeated, her voice light and taunting. "No matter how many times you say it."

Shizune, standing to the side with a pink pig plushie in her arms, sighed quietly. Tsunade and Gojo really were cut from the same cloth. Both could be so childish at times, squabbling with each other over the smallest things.

Naruto wasn't about to let it go. He cracked his knuckles, his eyes burning with determination. "Don't stop me, Gojo! I'm gonna teach her a lesson!"

Gojo shook his head lazily, smirking. "Sure, kid. But you're gonna regret it."

Naruto slammed his fists together, creating a few shadow clones. With a quick move, one clone formed the Rasengan in its hand, ready to strike.

"Rasengan?" Tsunade blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected Naruto to have mastered such a powerful technique so soon. Wait, Gojo taught him this?

Before Naruto could make a move, Tsunade flicked her finger lazily.

"Bang!" Naruto was sent flying across the room, crashing through the wall and into a pile of debris. His body lay there, dazed and unconscious.

The members of the Seventh Class gaped in shock, unable to believe what had just happened. Tsunade's power was undeniable.

"Big talker," Tsunade muttered, brushing her hair back with one hand. She stood tall, proud, as though she hadn't just wiped the floor with one of her students.

The Seventh Class, however, had been trained by Gojo, and they had no illusions about their own power. They had seen how strong they'd become under his training. They weren't that far behind Tsunade.

"Master Tsunade, you're incredible!" Sakura marveled, her eyes wide with admiration. "Can you really beat Gojo? How strong are you, then?"

Sasuke nodded silently, but his eyes were filled with a new kind of respect. If Tsunade could beat Gojo, then what did that say about her?

Tsunade's gaze shifted to Gojo, her smile turning dangerous. "You mocking me, Gojo?"

Gojo shrugged nonchalantly. "You know, Tsuna, you could be Hokage."

Tsunade's smile faltered, her teeth gritted in feigned annoyance. "Don't joke with me. You know my temper."

Her thoughts raced. Could she really be Hokage? Every time she saw Gojo, her heart fluttered in ways she couldn't quite explain.

Still, Tsunade loved him deeply, but could she take that step?

She shook her head. "I'm not giving in so easily."