Slowly, days passed.
Naruto's routine never wavered.
Each morning, he sent shadow clones to the prison—a quiet army of vengeance and judgment.
Not just for the KF4. Naruto's wrath grew disciplined, evolved from personal revenge into something larger. Justice—cold, methodical, and surgical.
He reviewed every file, every record.
He judged.
He punished.
Each inmate was dealt with based on the gravity of their crimes. Thieves were given labor. Murderers were broken—piece by piece. Rapists? They got no mercy. Traitors? They were stripped of everything.
Word spread.
Even hardened criminals whispered his name like it was a curse. "Naruto." The new face of terror within those walls.
His reputation surpassed Ibiki's, not because of cruelty, but because of purpose. Because he was no longer the jinchūriki. He was the executioner of a new era.
Meanwhile, outside the prison...
Konoha began to breathe again.
The poison was being flushed from its veins.
Parasites were rooted out and tossed aside. Corrupt jonin, silent co-conspirators, those who benefited from the shadows—they were all exposed and punished.
Even clan elders—long considered untouchable—were forced into retirement.
No more secret councils.
No more shadow votes.
They could offer opinions, yes, but their influence was over.
Especially in the Hyuga clan, the change was nothing short of revolutionary.
Hiashi stood before the clan compound like a man reborn.
"The branch seal system is abolished," he declared.
Shock. Outrage. Chaos.
The main branch exploded with protests, but Hiashi's voice carried finality.
"If you think you can chain your kin forever, then you no longer belong in this clan."
And just like that, the chain was broken.
He even vowed to find a way to remove the cursed seals already placed on branch members.
It was no longer about tradition.
It was about healing.
Konoha was healing.
One wound at a time.
But amidst this renewal, one gaping void remained.
Leadership.
The Hokage seat—untouched since the fall of Hiruzen—stood like a hollow throne.
For a time, the people were content. Naruto's presence was stabilizing. His strength, his actions, his will—it carried the village.
But a village needs more than will.
It needs a leader.
And so, every active jonin was summoned to the Hokage Tower.
The room was quiet at first—old faces, young hopefuls, tired veterans, and respected elites.
There was no bickering.
No infighting.
Just one question hanging heavy in the air:
"Who will become the next Hokage?"
In the Hokage Tower – Jonin Assembly Room
The air was heavy—not with dread, but with destiny.
This wasn't a meeting. It was a turning point.
Every seat was filled.
Kakashi sat in the far corner, slouched lazily with his usual book in hand—but his eyes, sharp beneath the cover, were unreadable.
Guy, who normally exuded blinding optimism and noise, was quiet today. His posture was straight, hands clenched in respectful silence.
Across the room, Kurenai, Anko, and Yugao stood shoulder-to-shoulder—arms crossed, expressions hardened with conviction. Women who had bled for the village, now staring down the weight of its future.
The major clans were present: Hiashi Hyuga, Fugaku Uchiha, Shibi Aburame, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Shikaku Nara.
The Sarutobi, Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans were missing—stripped of power, their funds frozen in the wake of the KF4 scandal. A void in the hierarchy that no one mourned.
Even Jiraiya was absent, still on his self-appointed pilgrimage. He'd known long ago what would happen to Hiruzen—Naruto had told him. And so, he stayed away. Perhaps out of shame. Or respect.
As for Tsunade… she wasn't even in the building.
She didn't need to be.
She already knew.
And Minato… his return was still complicated.
Kushina had already stepped down. She had nothing left to prove.
And so, for the first time in what felt like generations…
There was no room for politics.No scheming.Just urgency.
"We've cleansed the rot," Shikaku said, fingers steepled, voice calm but firm. "But now the village is bleeding without a head. We need a Hokage."
Murmurs followed.
"Someone strong.""Someone the world will trust.""Someone who can lead us through this new era."
Fugaku stood first. His cloak shifted slightly with the motion, but his voice was steady.
"I nominate Kakashi Hatake."
Gasps rippled like a wave.
Kakashi's eye twitched. "Wait, what?"
Fugaku didn't flinch. "You're the Copy Ninja. ANBU commander. You've trained legends. You were Fourth's student. His son is your student. You carry his will."
Kakashi groaned and shut his book with a lazy snap. "I appreciate the faith, Fugaku-san… really. But unless we want the Hokage office to drown in unfinished paperwork and neglected memos…"
He tilted his head."Pick someone who doesn't have allergic reactions to admin work."
Laughter broke the tension.
Hiashi stepped forward next. "Then I propose Fugaku himself."
But Fugaku raised a hand. "No. My duty is to restore the Uchiha reputation, not sit on a throne. Besides…" He glanced across the room."The one who made all this possible… wasn't me. It was Naruto."
The room fell quiet.
Inoichi spoke, the thought forming aloud. "He's the one who purged the corruption. Unified the clans. Cleaned the council. Helped even the Hyuga break their chains."
He paused.
"…Can't he be Hokage?"
Silence again.
Kurenai spoke gently, yet firmly. "He won't take it. He's still a genin, technically. And even if we offered it to him… he'd decline."
She smiled faintly.
"He'd name Tsunade."
The realization landed like a hammer.
Heads turned.
Brows rose.
Minds raced.
Of course.
"The Sannin…"
"She's strong. Respected. A medical genius."
"She rebuilt the hospital overnight."
"She has Senju blood. Direct lineage to the First Hokage."
"She embodies the Will of Fire."
Shikaku rubbed his chin. "And I hear she finally kicked the gambling habit."
Guy stood, his tears already forming. "YES! She is a WOMAN OF FLAME AND YOUTH! A SYMBOL OF HOPE!"
Kakashi muttered from the corner, "She once punched me through a wall. That's Hokage behavior if I've ever seen it."
Chuckles passed around.
Then nods.
Fugaku.Hiashi.Shibi.Inoichi.Shikaku.
One by one, every jonin raised their hand.
Unanimous.
Shikaku uncapped his pen and wrote the words with finality:
"We, the Council of Jonin, recommend Tsunade Senju as the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure."
The letter was sent to the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni—the one authority in the Land of Fire who technically outranked even the Hokage. The man who held the purse strings and sanctioned leadership in the eyes of the nation.
Within days, his reply came.
He approved Tsunade Senju as the Godaime Hokage, the Fifth Shadow of the Leaf.
The ceremony was scheduled for the coming weekend.
The announcement spread across the village like wildfire.
And for once, no protests came.
No resistance. No whispers of dissent. Just smiles, cheers, and relief.
After years of quiet suffering and shadowed rule, Konoha finally saw the sun rise again.
Meanwhile, in the Uzumaki household…
Tsunade was fast asleep on the couch, arm dangling lazily off the side, the rhythm of her breath slow and peaceful. A blanket half-covered her legs, and a near-empty sake cup sat on the table nearby.
Naruto approached silently.
He crouched down in front of her—just inches away from her sleeping face.
A soft smile danced across his lips.
He leaned in…
…and gently pecked her lips.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek."I couldn't resist… Godaime Hokage."
Tsunade suddenly opened her eyes, catching Naruto just as he was about to pull away. Startled, he leapt back, hands raised in mock surrender.
"Even after having six girlfriends," she said with a smirk, her golden eyes narrowing playfully, "you're still aiming for me?"
Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean... who wouldn't? You're the Godaime Hokage now—brains, beauty, and strength. Kinda hard not to fall for all that."
Tsunade arched an eyebrow and slowly rose from the couch, her long golden hair cascading over her shoulders like sunlight through silk. "Think you can handle me, brat?"
Earlier that day, Tsunade had quietly asked everyone in the house—Kushina, Kana, Karin, Shizune, even Hinata and the others—for space, just for the night. "I need time alone," she had said. "With him." No one questioned it. They simply nodded and left the home with knowing looks and soft smiles.
And now, the house was quiet.
No voices. No interruptions.
Just two people who had fought their whole lives—through grief, war, loss, and longing—now standing on the edge of something soft. Something real.
Naruto took a step forward, closer this time. No teasing. No antics. Just him—eyes sincere, heart open.
Their gazes met. No words were needed.
Then Tsunade reached for him, pulling him into a kiss that began tentative but grew deeper—richer—like a dam breaking after years of restraint. Her hands trembled slightly. She wasn't the confident slug princess or the iron-fisted Sannin in that moment. She was just a woman... who'd waited far too long to be held.
They moved together, slowly, gently—as if the world would shatter if they rushed.
Tsunade had never given herself to anyone, not truly. Despite the rumors and the bravado, her heart—and her body—had remained untouched. The wounds of her past kept her closed off for decades. She had buried herself in duty, alcohol, and fear. But tonight, with Naruto, all those barriers melted away.
And Naruto, despite his youth, understood her in a way no one else ever had. He didn't rush. He didn't fumble. He simply loved—with patience, with reverence, with warmth.
The night wrapped around them like silk, not wild or frantic, but sacred.
Two broken souls, learning how to be whole.
When morning arrived, the sunlight poured softly into the room. Tsunade lay nestled against Naruto's chest, her breathing even, her fingers curled slightly over his heart.
For the first time in decades, Tsunade Senju—healer of nations, bearer of grief, the strongest woman in the world—felt young again.
And loved.
Truly, wholly… beautifully loved.