If one were to ask any ninja what he or she thought about being a hokage, the response will be their greatest dream coming true. But for a certain Hiruzen Saturobi, it was a living nightmare. And it was so terrifying that, when he found out he had to retake the position because of his successor death, he almost consider committing siuside. Why would he do that one may ask, the answer is one obvious word: paperwork.
Yes the the never ending mountain of paperwork have proven to be the professor greatest, scariest, and undisputed challenge. Capable of giving despair to even it's greatest opponents. A reason why he was desperate for a retirement. And just when he finally got it, Minato's death forcing back the former to the 'post of doom'.
The old man looked at the picture of Lord 4th hanging on the wall and could have sworn he saw the latter smiling at him. Or was it his imagination? He sighed in defeat 'I really need a retirement.' .
He then turned his attention to the people in front of him. The first was Kakashi leaning toward a wall while reading his book. The second was a female anbu who has blue hair, a cat mask and a sword strapped on her back.
The final person was a female jonin leaning toward the wall opposite of Kakashi while playing with a kunai by spinning it before catching it in a reverse grip and repeating it. She has a golden blonde hair tied up in a loose ponytail and a black bo staff strapped on her back.
"So let me get it straight, you're saying that she killed him by crushing his balls? All Because he called her ugly?" The jonin woman asked the anbu. When she got her response as a nod, she chuckled "She has my respect.". Kakashi could feel his eyes twiching when he heard the comment. Taking out a man by his balls is no joke as you have to be extremely dangerous, brave, or straight idiot. And on top of that, it was just plain rude. But his co-worker just say it out like the one responsible deserved a medal of the highest honor.
"Haruko Chan, you do realize she just killed a fellow shinobi, an act that can mark her as a traitor to the hidden leaf and a rogue ninja, right?" He tried to reason to the jonin, now identified as Haruko, but she only rose an eyebrow "Do you really have to tell me this when we all know that you're her sensei?" She asked him, making him groan as he remembers about that.
"Why Did she even do that?". As soon as Haruko heard his question, she chuckled before responding "Isn't it obvious? That idiot made fun of her looks. And that's one of women's sensitive topic. Imagine what'll happen if you were to make fun of lady Kushina's hair.". Everyone except her turned pale at the mere thought of laughing at the hot red harbanerbro in which Kakashi and Hiruzen both made a mental note to never make fun of any females hair, no matter who she is.
Hiruzen decided to quickly change the topic by asking the anbu "Does the victim's family know?". "I don't know hokage sama. As soon as they left, I ordered some jonins nearby to take care of the corpse and came straight here to report." She responded, disappointed to forget such an important part.
Haruko, however, was concerned about something else. "The jonin who died, that was Hwang Dongsuk right?" After receiving a confirmation being right, she sighed "Ok. Maybe it's more serious than I thought."
Kakashi rose his uncovered eyebrow "Which is?"
Instead of answering, she faced Hiruzen in a way of saying 'You're telling him or not.'
The hokage sighed before answering "Hwang Dongsuk was actually a hunter before being married to my clan."
Kakashi nodded, somehow getting the gist of it but the anbu, however didn't quite get it. "Hunter? Do you mean hunter nin?" She asked, confused.
"Rookie?" Haruko asked the Hatake who responded with a nod.
Hiruzen activated the privacy seal in the room before addressing the anbu "Neko, listen to me. This is an s class information. So be careful on who you disclose it to." The anbu straighten up. Ready for the high classified information.
Seeing this, the hokage began "Few years after the kiubi attack, mysterious portals started appearing around Konoha. I dispatched some anbus to investigate." He took in a long puff from his pipe before continuing "Turns out those portals where gateways to a dungeon like world which are filled with monsters."
"Which kind of monsters?" The anbu, Neko, couldn't help but ask.
Haruko was the one that answered instead "The one that hunt you in your nightmare. Except they won't hesitate to eat you alive. And are smarter and and can grow as powerful as the tailed beasts."
Kakashi then continued "If you're wondering why they weren't any invasion, that's because the portals contain some energy barrier that somehow prevent them from passing through. However, we have to defeat the monsters or else the barriers will weaken and the monsters will escape."
"Not only that, but those portals have been randomly appearing anywhere not only in the land of fire, but the entire Shinobi continent." Hiruzen concluded.
The anbu couldn't believe what she heard. Portals have being appearing almost everywhere? And they've being leading to powerful and dangerous monsters? How come she didn't knew?
As if he read her thought, Hiruzen answered "During my last Hokage summit, we found out another continent at the far west called Fiore. The warrios there were trained to deal with those kind of monsters. The reason why they never contacted us was because they never wanted to take part of our 'civil war', so we came to an agreement."
"We provide them with security, give them everything they need, and keep everything a secret." Haruko concluded "And in return, they take care of those beasts for us."
"Oh! I see." Neko answered. So what happens to those hunters become their responsibilty. And given how powerful they are, breaking the threaty might not end well for Konoha. But one thing is still bugging her.
"Wait! You said he was a hunter, so that means he retired right? So dosen't that means he's not affected by the treaty?" she asked.
Haruko, for the first time, was worried"Wearther he is or not isn't the problem. The problem, actualy, is his brother."
Kakashi wondered who that was, but it didn't take him long as Hiruzen answered "The beast of the west, Hwang Dongsoo."
Kakashi eye went wide. "The Hwang Donsoo? The one who just became an s rank?"
"And from what I heard, he doesn't treat humans that do bad stuff to his brother differently from monsters. Even if they're his close friends." Haruko answer made the silver haired jonin paled. If that was true, then the problem is a lot more dire than he could imagine.
"So, what do we do?" Neko couldn't help but ask. Given her idea of s class being no joke despite not knowing anything about them.
Haruko shrugged "To be honest, I will have gone to the hunter association chief for a favor but I'm no kage."
Hiruzen nodded, understanding what she meant"Very well. You're dismissed." He ordered the anbu, in which she responded by bowing before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
After a while, Haruko asked a question no one ever thought it exist "So, when is Sakura getting her bingo book entry?".
(Off screen noise: cricket chirping repeatedly.)
"What?" She asked the duo who were starring at her like she grew a second head. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" Kakashi screamed the second time that day. Haruko blinked twice at his sudden outburst before chuckling "Wow, the one and only Kakashi Hatake, screaming like a little kid after hearing a simple suggestion. I'll like to be the best friend of whoever broke that shell of yours.". Hiruzen was trying to hold his laugh. And Kakashi, his face was so red, it looks like it could explode at any moment.
Despite the fun she was having, Haruko decided to be serious "But think about it. A rookie that just graduated a day ago taking out an elite jonin just like that? That's no ordinary rookie. That's a soon to be hokage level fighter, who could be one of the youngest person to reach S-rank. And it won't take long before Danzo sends his lapdogs to add her to his personal military. Just do the math, and you'll understand.".
They both nodded, realizing that she was right. Sakura has proven that she was capable of reaching S-rank in just some few years with just that single feat. And it won't take long before Danzo take interest in her and decide to add her to his Root. Not to forget about Hwang Donsoo who will want her head.
Realizing this, Hiruzen jumped to action "Kakashi, Haruko, this is a S-rank mission. I'm adding Sakura Haruno to your target watch. Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't go against the village! Now go and check if Danzo has already made a move!" He ordered. "HAI!" the two jonins responded in which he dismissed them right after the response.
As soon as they left, his eyes fell on the mountains of paperwork and his expression became grim 'I really need a retirement.'
(Author: (See Sakura is about to say something.) No! You're not being the shadow monarch!
Sakura: Awwwwwww.)