Tsunade naturally understood Sarutobi Hiruzen's objective. After all, his intentions were far too obvious.
"I need someone to assist me," Tsunade said after a brief silence of two seconds.
"No problem."
Hiruzen smiled when Tsunade agreed. "You can mobilize any ninja in Konoha Village."
"…" Tsunade's mouth twitched slightly. Why don't I ever see you delegate so much power under normal circumstances?
"The distribution of rewards and punishments is a serious matter; don't drag it out too long," Sarutobi Hiruzen reminded after thinking for a moment.
"I know," Tsunade replied with a thoughtful expression. "Within a week, I'll come up with a suitable reward plan."
"A week should be about right." Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
Though Tsunade accepted somewhat reluctantly, once she agreed to something, she would always see it through to the end.
"Did the Hidden Mist Village say when they'll send their delegation?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, turning to her.
"Next month," Tsunade answered. "But they didn't specify a date."
"Then who do you think Konoha should send to negotiate with them?" the Third Hokage asked with a faint smile.
"…" Tsunade immediately had a bad premonition.
"I think Lady Tsunade is the most suitable," said Nara Shikaku knowingly.
"This war was won under her leadership, and having her represent Konoha would strengthen our position."
Yamanaka Inoichi nodded in agreement. "Lady Tsunade successfully achieved her goals during the previous negotiation with the Hidden Mist Village."
Choza Akimichi followed, "Indeed."
Soon, Shibi Aburame and others echoed the sentiment in unison.
"Since everyone recommends you, then I'll trouble you, Tsunade," Sarutobi Hiruzen said in a deliberately casual tone.
Tsunade was speechless—almost amused. What a group of terrible actors.
"It's still early," she said flatly. "We'll discuss it when the time comes."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to press further, but stopped himself. There was enough time for Tsunade to officially assume the Hokage position.
If she became the Fifth Hokage, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to personally handle negotiations with the defeated Hidden Mist Village.
The only question left in his mind was where to begin the process of officially appointing her.
"Then it's pending," Sarutobi Hiruzen concluded.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
She had expected him to finalize the decision—or at least make her give a temporary agreement. His sudden change of pace made her suspicious, though she couldn't immediately pinpoint why.
"Ibiki," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, shifting topics, "we captured quite a few Hidden Mist nin this time. Your interrogation unit should extract as much information as possible—but without harming them."
These prisoners would eventually be exchanged, but until then, their value couldn't be wasted. So long as they remained alive, the Hidden Mist would have no grounds to protest.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Morino Ibiki replied, rising to his feet.
Kitazawa's eyes flickered toward him. Ibiki Morino—Special Jonin of Konoha, expert in interrogation.
In the original story, he would later appear as the proctor of the first stage of the Chunin Exams.
But what came to Kitazawa's mind now was Ibiki's younger brother, Idate Morino—the one who stole the Sword of the Thunder God, a relic of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Idate, deceived by Aoi Rokushō, had fled the village, and both became missing-nin. Aoi, wielding the Thunder God's sword, would later join the Hidden Rain Village.
Kitazawa stroked his chin thoughtfully. I wonder if that incident has happened yet. If it has, I can just retrieve it myself.
After all, he had already decided to give the sword Samehada to Uzumaki Naruto. The Thunder God's sword could then be passed on to Uchiha Sasuke, for fairness' sake.
But he couldn't forget the other students either.
Kitazawa planned to select a few items from the spoils of war to gift them. Over the last two and a half months, he had slain numerous Mist Jonin and collected plenty of valuable loot.
He didn't need it himself, so distributing it among his students would strengthen their trust and morale.
"All the ninja who sacrificed their lives in this war are heroes of Konoha," Sarutobi Hiruzen declared solemnly.
"This Saturday, we will hold a mass funeral at the Konoha Memorial Stone. Every ninja must attend."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," everyone replied in unison.
"This matter will be handled by Inoichi," Hiruzen continued. "All expenses will be reimbursed by the village treasury."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Inoichi immediately understood. The Yamanaka Clan owned most of Konoha's flower shops, making him the perfect person to manage the arrangements.
With one issue after another addressed, two hours passed in the blink of an eye.
"Today's meeting ends here," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, rising from his seat after confirming everything had been arranged.
As he left, the other Jonin began to disperse.
"Even with the war over, there's no rest," Tsunade muttered with a frown, biting her finger in frustration.
"That's what they call, 'the more capable, the more work they do,'" Kitazawa said with a small smile.
"What are you smiling for? You're not getting off easy either."
Tsunade turned toward him. "You won't be teaching this week—focus entirely on assisting me."
"Yes," Kitazawa said with mock solemnity. "Since it's Lady Tsunade's command, I'll see it through… even if it costs me my life."
As for returning to the Ninja Academy to teach, he hadn't taught for two and a half months anyway, so one more week wouldn't make a difference.
"That's more like it." Tsunade's lips curled slightly as she said, "Don't worry, you won't be the only one. I'll ask Shizune and Shikaku to help."
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded.
"Let's start tomorrow." Tsunade glanced out the window and added, "I'll call you when I leave."
They had arrived in Konoha at ten in the morning, and after two hours of meetings, it was already noon. Forcing everyone to work immediately, without even half a day of rest, would seem inhumane.
And, most importantly, Tsunade wanted to visit the casino.
She had refrained from gambling for two and a half months. Who knew how she had managed to endure that long?
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
Tsunade stood up and walked toward the door. But just as she reached it, she suddenly stopped.
"Here, for you."
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed something toward him. "Consider this your reward for assisting me this week."
Before Kitazawa could react, a small dark shape arced through the air. Instinctively, he caught it.
A faint warmth spread through his palm—making him pause.
When he looked down, his eyes fell upon a familiar pendant. A green crystal shimmered faintly within his grasp.
Kitazawa's mouth twitched. He recognized it instantly.
It was the First Hokage's Necklace, the cherished memento of Senju Hashirama—and Tsunade's most treasured possession.
Within that green crystal pulsed the lingering chakra of the First Hokage himself.
In the original timeline, it had even suppressed Naruto's Nine-Tails transformation.
Receiving this necklace could only mean one thing—he had earned Tsunade's full recognition.
But that was exactly the problem. Everyone who had ever received this necklace had died. Even Uzumaki Naruto had fallen once.
Because of that, fans in his previous life had dubbed it the "Death Necklace."
Kitazawa sighed, shaking his head.
Tsunade had already disappeared down the hall, giving him no chance to return it. And besides, if he tried to give it back, she'd probably beat him half to death.
"I'm a system user, after all," he muttered under his breath with a grin. "I've got cheat—I can handle it."
He slipped the necklace over his neck. His clothing covered it completely, making it unnoticeable to anyone who wasn't looking closely.
Unlike Tsunade, it didn't stand out.
He let out a small hum. Then again, when Tsunade wore it, I didn't really notice either... There were far more distracting things to look at.
[Current Mission: Make your squad famous in this war.]
[Mission Reward: Bloodline Limit and corresponding Ninjutsu.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa's brows furrowed as three glowing lines of text appeared before his eyes.
It's finally complete?
He had assumed the system would mark it done when the Hidden Mist surrendered, but apparently, it waited until their return to Konoha.
[In this war, your team gained immense fame, becoming widely known throughout Konoha.]
[Based on your reputation, the host has acquired Magnet Release and nine Magnet Release Ninjutsu.]
A rush of information surged through his mind, flooding his senses.
He stood frozen, stunned, taking several minutes to fully absorb it all.
When he finally processed it, his first thought was simple—he had hit the jackpot.
Learning nine Magnet Release techniques at once meant he had essentially mastered the entire bloodline.
Magnet Release—the power to control iron or gold through magnetic force.
In the original history, several ninja wielded it: the Third and Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure, and Troy of Kumogakure.
Even Gaara had inherited the ability from his father, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
The Magnet Release of the Third and Fourth Kazekage differed: one commanded iron, the other gold.
The techniques bestowed by the system were from the Third Kazekage's lineage—
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wings.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method.
And several others.
The Third Kazekage—once hailed as the strongest Kazekage in history—might have met an unfortunate end, but his power was undeniable. Even as a human puppet in Sasori's hands, his might remained fearsome.
Now, Kitazawa had inherited that same potential.
In terms of power, his strength had soared to new heights. Magnet Release could attack, defend, and even allow flight—its versatility unmatched.
With this, all of Kitazawa's war-related system missions were complete.
All in all, it had been a profitable two and a half months. None of his efforts had been wasted.
As he walked along, Kitazawa began organizing his next priorities.
First: assist Tsunade in distributing rewards and commendations—and while at it, help her find a Hyuga Jonin.
Second: return to the Ninja Academy. Though wars triggered missions easily, that opportunity had passed. From now on, he'd have to rely on Naruto and Sasuke for mission triggers.
Third: Danzo.
That man wouldn't stay patient for long. When the opportunity came, he would surely strike at Tsunade.
The only question was when.
Perhaps he and Tsunade could devise a plan to lure him out first? That was something worth considering.
Fourth: the remaining system missions.
He had completed most of them already—only seven remained.
Kitazawa planned to first complete the mission to modify the Medical Forbidden Technique: Body Revival Technique.
If things went quickly, he could develop a Medical Ninjutsu capable of regenerating limbs within two weeks.
Then he would discuss promoting it with Tsunade to maximize its influence. This way, he could earn the highest possible reward from the mission.
He just didn't know what that reward would be.
Still, Kitazawa felt it wouldn't disappoint. After all, a Medical Ninjutsu for limb regeneration possessed immense practical value and significance.
The fifth and sixth matters were somewhat related—finding Sasori to create puppets, and retrieving the Sword of the Thunder God from Aoi Rokushō.
Aoi Rokushō was currently a ninja from Hidden Rain Village. Hidden Rain had, in truth, already fallen under the control of the Akatsuki Organization.
Kitazawa thought he could contact Konan. The last time they met, she had told him that if he ever needed something, he could come to her.
With those thoughts in mind, Kitazawa arrived at the Hyuga Clan compound.
"Kitazawa, why are you here?" Hyuga Hiashi stepped forward to greet him.
Though his tone wasn't overly enthusiastic, it was still a much warmer reception compared to before.
"Hiashi Clan Head," Kitazawa said with a slight smile. "Lady Tsunade would like to request Hyuga Kaori's assistance with her work."
Naturally, he couldn't tell Hiashi directly that Tsunade needed a Hyuga bodyguard because he feared she might fall under a Genjutsu.
Fortunately, during the previous Jonin meeting, Sarutobi Hiruzen had stated that Konoha's ninja were at Tsunade's disposal for the upcoming award ceremonies.
Hyuga Kaori was a female Jonin. Kitazawa knew her from the time they had briefly cooperated on the battlefield.
"Of course," Hiashi agreed without hesitation.
Hiruzen's stance during the morning meeting had made it clear—the next Hokage would definitely be Tsunade.
The Hyuga Clan had no reason to refuse such a request, especially when it offered a chance to build goodwill with the future Hokage.
"Please wait a moment; I'll call her now." Hiashi immediately sent a messenger to summon Kaori.
Not long after, Hyuga Kaori appeared before them.
"Lord Kitazawa," she greeted politely.
"No need to be so formal," Kitazawa said, repeating Tsunade's request.
"I understand. When do I start?" Kaori asked.
"Right now." Kitazawa thought for a moment before saying, "I'll take you to Lady Tsunade."
After bidding farewell to Hiashi, the two headed toward the casino.
As for how Kitazawa knew Tsunade was there, it was simply a guess.
She had rushed off far too eagerly earlier. There was only one thing that could make Tsunade react that way: gambling.
Sure enough, Kitazawa found Tsunade at the casino, seated at a table and happily placing bets.
"Lady Tsunade," he called out as he approached. "This is Hyuga Kaori."
Tsunade paused, remembering what Kitazawa had said earlier about finding a Hyuga bodyguard. She hadn't expected him to act so quickly.
"Lady Tsunade," Kaori said, bowing respectfully.
"Hmm." Tsunade nodded. "You'll accompany me for this period."
"Lady Tsunade, don't gamble too late, or Shizune-sensei might get angry," Kitazawa reminded her.
Shizune had gone to Konoha Hospital to handle the war casualties, so she wasn't with Tsunade.
"Why so much chatter?" Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. "Don't disturb me."
"Don't forget," Kitazawa said again.
"I know!" Tsunade glared at him.
Hyuga Kaori blinked, slightly puzzled. Their interaction was… odd. What kind of student talked to their teacher like that?
Leaving the casino behind, Kitazawa made his way to the Ninja Academy.
On the training field, the Genius Class students were in the middle of practice.
"Teacher Kitazawa is here!" Kiba spotted him first and shouted excitedly.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Naruto immediately stopped training and ran toward him.
Kiba, Ino, and Hinata followed close behind. A few more disciplined students looked toward Kakashi, awaiting his signal.
"Take a ten-minute break," Kakashi said, watching the group.
Since Kitazawa's absence, Kakashi had been filling in as their instructor. With his mastery of seven chakra natures and countless jutsu, he was easily the most qualified.
"Teacher Kitazawa, you're finally back!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Kiba added eagerly. "We thought about you every day!"
Hinata shyly nodded in agreement.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" The Genius Class surrounded him, voices overlapping in excitement.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Naruto suddenly asked, "Did you really defeat the Fourth Mizukage?"
Sasuke also looked over curiously at that question.
"I defeated the Fourth Mizukage together with Lady Tsunade," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"That's amazing!" the students gasped in awe.
Even if it was a joint effort, a battle of that level was far beyond their imagination.
"Teacher Kitazawa," Sasuke asked, "who's stronger—the Fourth Mizukage or Hokage-sama?"
"Hokage-sama," Kitazawa answered without hesitation.
It was the only proper answer; otherwise, it could raise questions about his loyalty.
Besides, judging from the original events, Hiruzen's strength did slightly surpass that of the Fourth Mizukage.
"As expected… I still have to become Hokage!" Naruto declared, clenching his fists.
Kitazawa couldn't help but smile. Power comparisons never failed to ignite a ninja's fighting spirit.
"Teacher Kitazawa," Ino asked with bright eyes, "when will you start teaching us again?"
"Next week," Kitazawa said. "I still have some things to handle this week."
"Eh? We have to wait that long?" Ino pouted in disappointment.
"Even if I'm not teaching, I'll visit when I can," Kitazawa said with a gentle smile, patting her head.
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P@atreon/Arvinstorm (45+ Advanced Chapters)