Hokage's Office – Hokage Building
"Lady Tsunade! Why won't you let me go to the front lines?!"
Naruto stood in front of Tsunade's desk, visibly frustrated.
A vein twitched on Tsunade's forehead as she clenched her fists.
"I've told you many times, Naruto!" she snapped. "Akatsuki's target is you! Haven't they already attacked you before?"
She stood up, slamming her hand on the desk.
"If they capture you, we're finished! Their goal is the Tailed Beasts. If they succeed, they'll create a weapon of war powerful enough to tip the balance! Do you understand? This war could be completely lost if you fall into their hands!"
Naruto clenched his fists. He understood the risk—but he couldn't just sit around and do nothing.
"But how can I just stay here while my friends risk their lives for me?!"
He pounded his chest with his fist, his expression fierce.
"Lady Tsunade, you know how much I love this village. I cherish my friends! How can I just stand by and watch them shed blood to protect me?"
His determined blue eyes locked onto Tsunade's.
"I'm going to be Hokage one day! And a Hokage doesn't just stand back and let his comrades fight alone!"
His voice rang out with unwavering conviction.
Tsunade stared at him in silence.
Naruto was her most trusted student. She knew his stubborn nature—his fierce loyalty, his love for Konoha.
And his words… they moved her.
After a long pause, she let out a deep sigh.
"You really don't know when to give up, do you…?"
She crossed her arms. "Fine. But if you want to go to the battlefield, you have to prove your strength to me first. And more importantly—" she narrowed her eyes—"you must guarantee that the Nine-Tails won't lose control."
Naruto frowned.
That was the one thing he couldn't promise so easily.
Tsunade watched his expression carefully.
"I'm not saying you can't fight," she continued, her voice calmer now. "But Naruto, you need to be able to protect yourself. You need someone watching your back. You need—"
BAM!
The office door suddenly burst open with a deafening crash, slamming into the wall.
Tsunade's eye twitched.
She didn't need to turn around. She already knew who it was.
This familiar action, this familiar scene—there was only one person it could be!
Sakiya!
Sure enough, Sakiya strode in confidently, a triumphant expression on her face, stopping right at Tsunade's desk.
She completely ignored Naruto, who was still processing what was happening.
With an excited smile, Sakiya slapped both hands on the desk and started chanting.
"Eye of Death~ Eye of Death~ Eye of Death~"
Tsunade's expression darkened, the veins on her forehead throbbing.
Naruto, sensing danger, glanced between Tsunade and Sakiya.
Sakiya, oblivious to it all, kept slapping the table, her little face flushed with excitement, eyes squinting in joy.
Naruto frantically signaled at her with his eyes.
But of course, Sakiya wasn't paying attention.
Meanwhile, Tsunade's patience had hit its limit.
She slowly lifted her head, her eyes burning red, and a terrifying aura spread through the room.
The energy was suffocating.
Sakiya's hands slowed. Her cheerful expression faded, replaced by a flicker of panic as sweat began to bead on her forehead.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Tsunade said slowly, her voice carrying an ominous weight.
Sakiya swallowed.
The next moment, Tsunade's gaze locked onto her, and her presence became overwhelming.
Sakiya instinctively took a step back. In her mind, Tsunade was now towering like a monstrous figure stretching across multiple floors.
Fear gripped her.
"I... I thought you said I could... use the Eye of Death..." she stammered.
A hand suddenly landed on her head.
Sakiya froze, trembling.
Tsunade's hand rested lightly, but her smile was anything but kind.
"I've told you many times," Tsunade said, her voice dangerously soft. "No nonsense in my office."
And then—her grip tightened.
Sakiya let out a small wail, like a cat getting its head squished.
"Woo~"
Naruto saw Sakiya in danger and gritted his teeth, shouting at Tsunade.
"Sakiya is just a little... she just—"
Tsunade turned her gaze to Naruto, and for a brief moment, an overwhelming pressure filled the room.
Naruto froze.
"You want to stand up for her?" Tsunade asked, her tone sharp.
Naruto's face broke into a sweat.
"I... I..."
He glanced at Sakiya, who looked like she was about to burst into tears. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to speak.
"I have to!"
BAM! BAM!
Two loud thuds echoed in the office.
The next second—two bodies hit the floor.
Sakiya lay there, her eyes blank, mouth slightly open, drooling. A large, swollen bump stood out on her head.
Naruto lay beside her, twitching occasionally—clearly still alive, but barely.
Tsunade exhaled, her anger fading.
"I knew it... I should never have said anything to either of you."
She had called Sakiya here for an important discussion. Since Sakiya was part of the main combat force, Tsunade wanted to go over strategy with her.
But of course, things didn't go as planned.
Five minutes later, Naruto groggily sat up, looking at Tsunade with a hint of fear in his eyes.
Tsunade remained calm, as if nothing had happened, and continued the conversation.
"Naruto, if you want to go to the battlefield, you need to ensure your survival—and more importantly, you must be able to control Kyuubi.
So, you need to come up with a plan that satisfies me."
Naruto immediately perked up and hurriedly responded, "Kyuubi? As long as I can make sure my strength is enough and I won't be captured, that should be enough!"
Tsunade shook her head.
"We need multiple fail-safes, Naruto. No one can rely on just words, because anything can happen on the battlefield. A perfect plan is a must."
Naruto frowned, deep in thought.
Just then, a voice suddenly chimed in.
"No need for a plan. I'll just cover him."
At some point, Sakiya had moved next to Naruto, arms crossed over her chest.
Despite the large bump on her head, she stood tall, her face serious—trying to project an air of authority, though she looked more like a kitten trying to roar like a tiger.
"You should know by now that I'm one of the main forces in this war! My power is the strongest in the world! No—correction, the strongest across all dimensions!"
She puffed out her chest.
"So long as I'm here, no one will be able to lay a finger on Naruto!"
Naruto felt a little touched by her words, but his pride as a ninja wouldn't let him accept being "protected."
He grinned.
"Sakiya… that's really kind of you. But I don't need your protection."
His smile softened.
"And don't think you need to fight for me, okay? I'll handle this myself."
Tsunade, who had been observing the exchange, sighed.
"Since Sakiya says so, I feel much more reassured. I'll allow you to go to the battlefield, Naruto—"
Naruto's eyes lit up, but before he could celebrate, Tsunade finished her sentence.
"—but only if you can prove your strength. You need to show that you can protect yourself."
Naruto blinked.
"Wait… you agree?"
He frowned, confused.
"Huh? Why did you agree right away when Sakiya said it? Do you really think she's strong enough to protect me?"
Tsunade nodded without hesitation.
"Exactly."
Naruto looked back and forth between Sakiya and Tsunade, suddenly feeling a little… defeated.
"Am I really that weak? Do you all think I'm worse than Sakiya?"
Without missing a beat, Tsunade nodded again.
"She's far better than you."
Naruto's face stiffened.
"I refuse to be protected by Sakiya!"
But then, an idea struck him. His eyes lit up, and he turned to Tsunade with a determined look.
"I know how to prove my strength!"
Tsunade's expression remained neutral.
"And how's that?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking a little awkward. Then, he turned toward Sakiya, his excitement mixed with something unspoken.
"You believe Sakiya is far stronger than me, right?"
Sakiya tilted her head, looking at Naruto curiously.
"Am I?"
Tsunade, realizing where this was going, narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You sure about this?"
Naruto grinned, though a bit nervously.
"Yeah. I want a one-on-one match against Sakiya."
Sakiya blinked in surprise.
Tsunade, after a brief pause, smirked knowingly.
"Alright. I approve."
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