Sasuke couldn't help but think—
If it were him facing the One-Tail Shukaku right now… what would he do?
The answer made his chest tighten.
Run.
Run as far away as possible.
A monster of that sheer scale had already surpassed what ordinary shinobi could handle.
Even most Jōnin might not be able to deal with it.
And yet—
Naruto had done it.
At that thought, Sasuke's face darkened. He clenched his teeth.
"Damn it… Since when did that idiot become this strong?"
Both he and Naruto had trained under Uchiha Yusuke since childhood.
Under Yusuke's guidance, Sasuke had always excelled—easily suppressing Naruto, the dead last.
He had never once considered Naruto a rival.
The only one who barely caught his attention was the Hyūga clan's heiress—the girl who turned red and flustered whenever she saw their teacher.
But now—
That same dead last was fighting above his level.
Accomplishing something Sasuke himself couldn't possibly manage.
His mentality cracked.
It was like a top student—destined for an elite university—who constantly looked down on the class's worst performer…
Only to suddenly discover that the so-called underachiever had already secured early admission to an Ivy League school overseas.
The shock was devastating.
Beside him, Haruno Sakura, her short pink hair damp with mist, stared at Naruto standing atop Gamabunta's head with awe-filled eyes.
"A-Amazing! I never thought Naruto would be this strong!"
"He was hiding it way too well…"
Her voice carried unmistakable admiration.
Hearing that only made Sasuke feel worse.
After all, Sakura was supposed to be his biggest admirer.
"It must be Uncle Yusuke teaching him something special!"
"He's playing favorites!"
"No… I'll find a chance to ask Uncle Yusuke about this!"
Sasuke fumed inwardly.
If Yusuke knew what he was thinking, he would probably laugh helplessly.
What does this have to do with me?
I treat both of you the same.
...
Three days later.
The entire village of Konoha was in mourning.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had fallen in battle.
For Konoha, this was a monumental event.
The impact could not be overstated.
After all, the Hokage was the village's supreme leader.
At the memorial ceremony—
Genin, Chūnin, Jōnin, elite Jōnin…
Almost every shinobi who could attend was present.
Clan heads and representatives from the major noble families also stood in attendance.
Dark clouds pressed low overhead. A thin rain fell, heavy and oppressive.
Uchiha Yusuke.
Tsunade.
Yūhi Kurenai.
Uzuki Yugao.
Hatake Kakashi.
Might Guy.
Nara Shikaku.
Hyūga Hiashi…
One by one, they placed white chrysanthemums before the Third Hokage's memorial tablet.
Among the crowd, Sarutobi Konohamaru had already cried himself into a sobbing mess.
Sarutobi Asuma stood silently. For once, there was no cigarette between his lips. Whether the moisture at the corners of his eyes was rain or tears, no one could tell.
After offering her flower, Tsunade left alone.
Seeing her solitary figure disappearing into the rain, Kurenai felt a twinge of concern and stepped forward to follow—
But Yusuke stopped her.
"I'll go," he said. "Red, wait here."
Kurenai nodded softly.
"Mm."
...
On the rooftop of the Hokage Building—
Tsunade stood alone in the rain.
Water soaked her hair and clothes, outlining her graceful figure as she gazed silently at the Hokage Monument beyond the building.
Carved into the cliffside were the faces of the past Hokage:
First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
Footsteps approached behind her.
"Do you think this is fate?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
Yusuke stepped up beside her, slightly puzzled.
"Hm?"
Still staring at the stone faces, Tsunade murmured,
"Grandfather died for the village.
"Second Grandfather too.
"That brat Minato gave his life with Kushina to protect the village.
"And the old man…"
"One after another… all the same."
Yusuke understood.
Tsunade wasn't just grieving.
She was wavering.
Becoming Hokage meant responsibility.
Burden.
Sacrifice.
It meant dedicating one's life to protecting the village.
And yet—
Not a single Hokage had met a peaceful end.
The First Hokage died in his prime, building and stabilizing the village during wartime.
The Second Hokage, not yet forty, stayed behind alone to protect Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, and the younger generation—killing Kinkaku, gravely injuring Ginkaku, and ultimately sacrificing himself.
At only twenty-four, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, sealed the Nine-Tails with the Reaper Death Seal, dying alongside Kushina to save the village.
Perhaps only the Third Hokage's death could barely be considered a natural conclusion—
At sixty-nine, he fell in battle while stopping Orochimaru from destroying Konoha.
Because of this—
To Tsunade, the title of Hokage was nearly synonymous with death.
An ominous position.
A cursed one.
Much like the chakra crystal necklace resting at her throat.
Yusuke remained silent for a moment.
To be fair—
Her concerns weren't unfounded.
Looking at history alone, Hokage truly was a high-risk profession.
Even dying at sixty-nine like Sarutobi Hiruzen counted as a relatively good ending.
But Yusuke didn't believe in fate.
Besides—
With him in Konoha, what could possibly happen to Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage?
Who would dare stir trouble here?
He would be the one causing trouble for others if he felt like it.
Seeing Tsunade's low spirits, Yusuke decided against offering comforting words.
For a woman like Tsunade, that wouldn't work.
Direct methods were more effective.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand and smacked her sharply across her backside.
"What's the point of overthinking? Snap out of it!"
Good elasticity. Excellent feel.
Instantly, the gloom vanished from Tsunade's face, replaced by a flush of furious embarrassment.
"Uchiha Yusuke! What the hell are you doing?!"
She spun around, glaring at him.
Yusuke shrugged.
"I was encouraging you. Helping you cheer up faster."
Veins bulged faintly on her clenched fists.
"Idiot! Who encourages someone like that?!"
"I'll keep it in mind next time."
"Next time?!"
"Why not?"
"Get lost!"
...
Thanks to Yusuke's interruption, Tsunade's mood stabilized.
Thinking back, she even felt slightly embarrassed by her earlier sentimentality.
That wasn't like her at all.
Was she someone who feared death?
Hokage?
Fine.
She would take the position.
Not only that—
She would do better than her grandfather and granduncle.
With renewed resolve, Tsunade's spirits soared.
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