Hashirama cracked his neck with a groan, lounging back in his chair like a man returning from exile.
"Three months of paperwork and peace... ugh, I was starting to miss war."
"You always were an odd one," Madara muttered, arms crossed. "Give the man a des,k and he forgets he's a god of battle."
"Easy for you to say," Tsunade chimed in dryly, swirling the sake in her gourd. "You don't have five departments breathing down your neck every day."
Minato offered a gentle smile. "I think I finally understand what Hiruzen meant when he said paperwork is deadlier than kunai."
"Speak for yourselves," Kakashi (from the Third timeline) muttered, not looking up from his book. "I managed to finish all my reports and re-read 'Icha Icha Tactics' twice. Productive few months, really."
A small chorus of snorts followed.
"Well, someone was enjoying themselves," Road to Shinobi Tsunade said, tapping her fingers against the armrest. "Meanwhile, I've been dealing with two Chūnin Exams and one rebellion-in-the-making."
"Must be Tuesday," murmured Dark Timeline Kakashi, voice laced with grim amusement.
Then came Tobirama's flat, unbothered voice.
"I barely noticed the time pass. Lab work tends to keep the hours from mattering."
"Seriously?!" Naruto turned to face him, eyes wide. "You didn't even feel the wait?"
"I finished five prototypes and rewrote a third of my summoning scripts. The wait was... productive." Tobirama adjusted his gloves, completely serious.
Hashirama groaned. "Tobirama… again? You didn't even come up for air, did you?"
"Not necessary."
"Honestly, I admire the consistency," Minato said, chuckling. "Though I think even I needed the break."
Sasuke shifted slightly in his seat, eyeing the others with his usual cool disinterest. "This isn't a tea party. We're here to move forward."
"You're always so intense," Naruto said, stretching his arms behind his head. "But fine, fine. I'll say it now. I'm taking the top three this time. Believe it."
"Talk's cheap," Obito said, his voice low and tinged with humor. "Better back that up."
"Yeah? Just watch me," Naruto shot back, grinning. "I've left a Shadow Clone in charge of the village this time. He's got a whole checklist."
...
The rustle of papers had become a kind of background music, repetitive, soul-sapping, and endless. Naruto's shadow clone was hunched over the desk like a defeated warrior, the pen dangling between his fingers as if it weighed a hundred pounds.
"…Remind me again why I agreed to this," he grumbled.
Shikamaru didn't even look up. "Because the original you promised ramen. And because he's off galivanting through other worlds while you suffer in his stead."
"Right," the clone muttered. "Tactical betrayal. Classic."
Before Shikamaru could respond, the soft click of the office door interrupted the conversation.
Hinata stepped in with a gentle smile, Himawari bouncing at her side. The moment she spotted the clone behind the desk, Himawari lit up.
"Papa!" she beamed, rushing toward him with all the enthusiasm of a child unbothered by the nuances of shadow clones versus originals.
The clone's expression instantly melted. "Himawari-chan!" He scooped her up and set her on his lap, ruffling her dark hair. "You're a sight for sore eyes. Literally. I think I've gone blind from reading too many reports."
"You do look tired," she said with innocent concern, poking his cheek. "Are you going to come home early today?"
The clone froze. His smile faltered for just a second.
"I… might not be able to, sweetheart," he said gently, brushing some hair from her face. "But the real Papa will be back soon, and I'll tell him to bring you something nice. Maybe taiyaki?"
"Promise?" she asked, holding out her pinky.
He grinned and hooked his own around hers. "Promise."
Hinata watched them quietly, her eyes full of quiet affection. Then she walked over, placing a hand on the clone's shoulder.
"You're doing more than enough," she said softly. "Even as a clone."
He looked up at her, a flicker of emotion in his eyes, something caught between gratitude and guilt.
"Thanks, Hinata. I just… I didn't think it'd hit this hard," he admitted. "Being here, pretending to be him… it's different when you're not running around fighting gods. It feels real."
"It is real," Hinata said firmly. "You're holding the village up while he's away. Naruto wouldn't be Naruto if he didn't have someone like you… helping shoulder the weight."
Shikamaru cleared his throat quietly. "Is this getting too emotional for a Tuesday?"
"Pipe down, you're crying inside," the clone muttered, then turned back to Himawari with a more playful grin. "Alright, little ninja. One more hour of paperwork, and then we escape. Deal?"
"Deal!" she chirped.
Hinata chuckled, then leaned down and pressed a kiss to the clone's cheek. "I'll have dinner ready when you get back. You've earned it."
And with that, she took Himawari's hand, and the two of them headed out, sunlight catching in their hair as they passed through the doorway.
When the door clicked shut, the clone stared after them for a moment longer.
"…Man," he said finally, eyes soft. "He is lucky."
Shikamaru returned to his papers with a grunt. "Don't let it go to your head."
The clone smirked faintly, picked up his pen again, and got back to work.
---
The other Hokage chuckled. Even Madara cracked a rare, amused smirk.
And this time, the possibilities were endless. After Naruto's bold declaration, the room fell into a stunned silence.
For a brief moment, not a single Hokage spoke. He had jumped straight to claiming a top-three spot without a hint of hesitation as if it were a foregone conclusion.
It was classic Naruto.
"Seriously, this guy…" Kakashi muttered, his eye still fixed on his book, though a smile tugged at the corners of his mask.
Madara chuckled darkly, folding his arms with a prideful gleam in his eyes.
"Hmph. Speaking of the top three..." He paused for dramatic effect, his Sharingan flickering with anticipation. "There's no way I'm not on it. I will take a place at the top."
He let out a booming laugh, the kind that made the air crackle with challenge. "Let's see which one of you has the guts to prove me wrong!"
No one looked particularly shocked. Honestly, this sort of exchange had become routine.
Each Hokage had their flair for theatrics, and these competitive boasts before the rankings dropped? Practically tradition at this point.
Hashirama sighed with an amused grin. "Here we go again."
Tobirama didn't even look up. "Predictable," he muttered, though there was the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth.
Though Madara's confidence drew more than a few skeptical glances, no one questioned Naruto's claim. Unlike Madara's world, which had yet to break into the top tiers, Naruto's was the most advanced on the timeline. Even in his first participation, Naruto had snagged second place.
And if not for Ryan's absurdly high score in the same round, Naruto might've claimed first outright.
Since then, the Seventh Hokage's world had consistently hovered within the top three. His optimism wasn't arrogance; results backed it.
Madara's claim, on the other hand, was less grounded in precedent.
Still, his pride was as immovable as ever.
Some of the others shared quick, knowing glances, half-amused and half curious.
"You're aiming for the top three again, Madara?" Minato asked lightly, his tone polite but edged with humor. "That's ambitious."
"You'll see," Madara replied coolly. "This time will be different."
The chatter stirred the air, a cocktail of tension and anticipation. Everyone was letting off steam after three long months of waiting. Some grumbled about paperwork. Others traded good-natured barbs. But all of it was mere buildup.
In the midst of it, Ryan stood up from his seat, clapping his hands lightly.
"Alright, alright. That's enough warm-up," he said with a grin. "You've all vented enough. Time to get serious."
His voice cut through the noise like a signal flare.
Everyone's attention snapped forward.
"The system's ready. Let's see how the worlds rank this round."
A system chime rang out across the chamber.
[Would you like to initiate the World Leaderboard Ranking?]
"Do it," Ryan commanded, his voice calm and clear.
The moment his words fell, a radiant light pulsed at the center of the celestial roundtable.
Golden glyphs and lines of energy spiraled into the air as a massive light screen unfurled above the table. Characters formed midair, twisting and reforming into legible script.
It was time.
Everyone leaned forward slightly, eyes glued to the display.
[World Leaderboard: Now Initiating]
[Participating Worlds]
First Hokage Hashirama's World
First Hokage Uchiha Madara's World
Second Hokage Tobirama's World
Third Hokage Kakashi's World
Fourth Hokage Ryan's World
Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato's World
Fifth Hokage Tsunade's World
Ninja Path Tsunade's World
Sixth Hokage Kakashi's World
Tsukuyomi World Hokage Uchiha Obito's World
Sixth Hokage Sasuke's World
Seventh Hokage Naruto's World
[Please Note: Ranking rewards are determined by world performance, rarity metrics, and national power. To increase your reward tier, continue raising your world's development level!]
The announcement echoed through the chamber, the same polished voice the system used at the start of every summit. Familiar as it was, it still stirred a flicker of anticipation in each of them.
Every Hokage present already knew the rules by heart.
The higher your world ranked, the greater the rewards. But the top three held something more than recognition. Their prizes came with power, influence, and the kind of legacy that reshaped nations.
First place stood alone. Everyone wanted it. Only one could claim it.
Twelve Hokages sat in silence, each a warrior, a leader, a symbol of their era. Some wore their history like armor, others like scars.
And now, with the air drawn tight and still, the results were only moments away.
---
Enjoyed the chapter? You can read 35+ more chapters now on P*treon/Marioni.