Ren had been lost in thought when another blond head entered the classroom with loud confidence.
"Hey, Ren! How's it going?"
Ren glanced over and smiled faintly. "Yo, Naruto. Ready for the Academy?"
"You bet I am!" Naruto beamed, pointing at himself proudly. "I'm gonna be Hokage one day!"
Ren gave him a thumbs up without hesitation.
"Good. You can be Hokage. Just don't regret it later."
Naruto blinked. "Why would I regret being Hokage?"
Ren leaned back casually. "Oh, you'll understand when you're Hokage."
Naruto tilted his head, confused for a second, then shrugged.
"Whatever! I'll still do it!"
He went to join Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba in the back rows, already arguing loudly about who would become stronger first.
Ino leaned closer to Ren, lowering her voice.
"So… what's this about regretting it?"
Hinata also perked up quietly, curious.
Ren shrugged lightly. "You don't know? The Hokage has to sit in an office and read stacks of documents all day."
Ino visibly shuddered. "Paperwork?"
"Reports. Budgets. Mission logs. Complaints," Ren continued calmly.
Ino crossed her arms. "Yeah. He's totally going to regret it."
Hinata giggled softly behind her hand.
High above the Academy, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage observed the class through his crystal ball.
He couldn't hear the conversation clearly, but lip-reading was not difficult for someone of his experience.
When he read Ren's lips, his mouth twitched.
"Sigh… he really is Tsunade's little brother. Like sister, like brother."
He glanced around his office.
Stacks of paper surrounded him on every side.
His mouth twitched again.
"…I can't even refute the child."
He sighed deeply and picked up another scroll.
"Maybe those siblings aren't wrong."
---
Back in class, Iruka Umino entered and introduced himself properly.
The first day was nothing special—basic orientation, seating charts, introductions. Naruto loudly argued with Sasuke Uchiha, Kiba chimed in competitively, Choji snacked, and Shikamaru fell asleep halfway through.
Ren observed everything calmly.
When classes ended, he placed his hands gently on Hinata's shoulders.
"Hey. Tomorrow, you and Sakura come to my house."
Sakura blinked. "Your house?"
Hinata nodded softly. "Y-yes…"
Ino huffed dramatically. "Hey! What about me?"
Ren flicked her forehead lightly.
"Do you even need an invitation?"
Ino grinned. "Hehe. Well, I'll be there anyway."
Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba were loudly debating something behind them.
Ren and the girls waved goodbye and left together.
It had somehow become his "official duty" to escort the girls home.
Ino had declared it once, and Sakura and Hinata had immediately agreed.
After sending them safely to their respective houses, Ren turned toward his own home.
Tsunade was standing stiffly in front of the door.
"H-hey, Ren… wanna go shopping?" she asked, her voice cracking awkwardly.
Ren stared at her.
"Do one thing I say, and I'll forgive you."
Tsunade gasped dramatically and covered her chest.
"You pervert little brother!"
Ren's composure shattered instantly. His face turned bright red.
"Y-you—what nonsense are you talking about?!"
Shizune, who had just stepped out, collapsed onto the floor laughing, clutching her stomach.
Tsunade joined her, laughing just as hard.
Ren's eyebrow twitched.
This woman was doing it on purpose.
He turned away with dignity.
"Shizune-nee, you'll help me, right?"
Shizune wiped tears from her eyes and straightened up.
"So what do you want me to do?"
Ren hugged her immediately.
"Shizune-nee is the best. Can you train Hinata and Sakura in medical ninjutsu?"
Shizune blinked, surprised.
"Medical training? Already?"
Ren nodded seriously. "They're good at theory. I want them to start early."
Shizune smiled proudly and raised her chin.
"Sure. Leave it to big sis."
Ren released her and walked toward the kitchen.
"Special cake for Shizune-nee."
Shizune's eyes lit up instantly.
"Wait! I'll help you! No using the kitchen alone."
Tsunade stared at them, stunned.
"Hey! What about me?"
Ren ignored her.
Shizune suddenly looked very busy arranging ingredients.
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.
"You can't forget your big sister!"
Ren glanced at her calmly.
"I'm a pervert, right? So you should stay away from me."
Tsunade immediately panicked.
"H-hey, Ren, it was a joke! Come on. Make some for me too… please?"
"Nope."
One word.
Tsunade slumped to the floor dramatically.
Ren and Shizune ate cake in front of her.
She stared at them speechlessly.
---
For the rest of the day, Ren ignored her.
He practiced water and earth jutsu without hand signs in the backyard.
With the Rikugan, chakra manipulation was precise and effortless. Water condensed and shaped itself naturally; earth shifted and responded as though it recognized him.
Later, he helped Shizune with housework as usual.
Tsunade watched from the veranda.
At first, she pretended not to care.
Then she tried approaching him casually.
"Ren, need help with that?"
Silence.
He walked past her.
Her shoulders drooped slightly.
She went inside and sat alone for a while.
"…I really messed up," she muttered quietly.
For six years, she had been careful.
And one night of weakness had hurt him.
That realization weighed on her far more than any battle wound ever had.
---
The next morning, Tsunade was awake early.
She stood near the entrance, waiting.
Ren walked past her without stopping.
"Ren—"
He stepped outside.
She watched him leave.
Her chest tightened.
---
Halfway to the Academy, Ren sighed.
"I overdid it," he muttered. "Should've stopped this morning."
He kicked a pebble lightly.
"…I'll buy barbecue for her on the way home."
That should work.
---
Classes passed normally.
Iruka lectured.
Naruto shouted and argued with Sasuke.
Shikamaru slept.
Choji ate.
Kiba barked competitive challenges.
Ren sighed.
Naruto was energetic—too energetic—but in this timeline, things were different.
Because Tsunade had remained in the village, there were no open Nine-Tails rumors. Danzo had not dared spread anything recklessly after receiving a warning from her.
Naruto had a better apartment.
Shizune checked on him regularly to ensure he ate properly.
There was no blind hatred in the streets.
Some villagers scolded him for pranks—but that was fair.
And apologies usually solved it.
---
After class, Ren stopped at a barbecue stall and bought food for everyone at home.
Hinata, Ino, and Sakura followed him.
"So what are we going to do?" Sakura asked.
"You and Hinata will start medical ninjutsu training," Ren replied calmly. "Then we train together."
Ino suddenly jumped onto his back.
He caught her without looking.
"What about me?" she demanded.
"You'll train with me," Ren said smoothly. "Taijutsu. Physical conditioning. I'll make sure you don't slack off."
Ino felt a chill run down her spine.
She tried to jump off, but Ren's grip tightened slightly.
"H-hey, Ren… I think Mom told me to look after the flower shop—"
Before she finished, Ren leaned closer and whispered in her ear.
"You sure? Just you and me training. I was even planning to give you a surprise."
Then, in a normal tone, he said, "Well, since you have work, you can go. Bye."
Ino's ears turned pink.
She gritted her teeth.
She knew it was a trap.
But what choice did she have?
"Fine," she huffed. "I'll train with you."
Ren smiled innocently.
---
At his house, Shizune handed Sakura and Hinata several books.
"Start with these. Human biology, chakra pathways, herbal encyclopedias."
Hinata nodded immediately.
Sakura's eyes sparkled with determination.
They were strong in theory.
Ino, however, stared at the towering stack of books and shuddered.
"They're… huge."
Ren patted her shoulder sympathetically.
"That's why you're with me."
After a while, Ren quietly approached Tsunade.
He placed a bag of barbecue in front of her.
"…I forgive you."
Tsunade blinked.
"…Really?"
He nodded once.
She pulled him into a hug immediately, kissing his cheeks repeatedly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Her happiness returned instantly.
---
Later, Ren dragged Ino outside for training.
It was brutal.
Stances. Footwork. Repetition. Endurance drills.
Ino complained constantly at first.
"You're evil!"
"Do ten more."
"You're heartless!"
"Twenty."
When she finally realized he had tricked her, she pouted dramatically.
Ren leaned closer and kissed her cheek lightly.
"You're improving."
Ino froze.
Then she trained even harder.
Ren shook his head faintly.
"…Girls are complicated."
But as the sun set over Konoha, laughter and light sparring echoed through the yard.
And inside the house, Tsunade watched quietly.
Her smile was softer now.
She would not make the same mistake twice.
[Spacial chapter for - Vendetta240]
[Hay Guys suggest me 3rd talent for Mc]