"It wasn't that hard, really! I just tried once and it worked!" Naruto grinned, clapping his hands together. A few small saplings burst up from the ground before him, their green leaves trembling under the morning sun.
Tsunade froze, staring blankly at the tiny trees sprouting from the dirt. Slowly, she turned toward Naruto, her expression caught between disbelief and awe. "How… how did you do that?"
Naruto scratched his cheek, looking completely casual. "Well, it's just like you said, Granny Tsunade. I took the chakra ratio that matches the necklace you gave me and merged the chakra attributes. Once I balanced them, I could use Wood Release!"
Tsunade's eye twitched. If she hadn't known how guileless Naruto could be, she would've thought he was mocking her.
Wood Release was something only the First Hokage had ever mastered. The research to reproduce it had cost countless lives people sacrificed in failed experiments with Hashirama's cells. The project had eventually been banned by the Third Hokage because of the deaths.
And yet here stood Naruto, who had apparently awakened it… by experimenting once.
Tsunade sighed deeply, massaging her temple. Maybe… he's just too gifted for his own good.
"Wood Release techniques are recorded in the Scroll of Seals," she said at last, standing up. "I'll fetch it for you. Stay here."
A few minutes later, she returned carrying a massive scroll nearly half as tall as Naruto. "Here. The Scroll of Seals. All the known Wood Release techniques are written here. Study it carefully."
"Thanks, Granny Tsunade!" Naruto accepted the scroll with bright eyes and immediately began to unroll it, his fingers tracing the ancient ink.
The scroll was a priceless treasure the complete record of all powerful and forbidden techniques since the founding of the Leaf Village. And yet Tsunade had handed it to him without hesitation. That trust spoke volumes.
Time passed quietly. Tsunade sat at her desk handling paperwork, Shizune stood beside her organizing documents, and Naruto sat cross-legged on the floor, absorbed in the scroll.
It was almost a perfect scene of peace.
Until
"I can't take this anymore!"
The outburst shattered the calm. Tsunade slammed her hands on the desk and slumped back in her chair with a groan.
Paperwork, reports, authorizations piles of them surrounded her. For someone who loved freedom and adventure, being chained to a desk felt like torture.
"Shizune, we're going to the tavern. Just one drink!" Tsunade declared, already throwing on her robe.
Shizune caught her by the arm immediately. "No, Lady Tsunade! You still have dozens of reports to review. If you don't process them today, the entire administration will fall behind schedule!"
She knew her teacher far too well. Tsunade's version of 'just one drink' always ended with her passed out until noon the next day.
"I only need a sip! To refresh myself!" Tsunade protested, trying to drag Shizune toward the door.
Naruto watched their tug-of-war, chuckling softly as he closed the scroll. "Granny Tsunade, are you really that bored?"
"Of course I am! Paperwork is nothing compared to a good fight or even good sake!" she huffed. "By the way, did you finish reading the Wood Release techniques?"
"Pretty much. I think I understand the basics of what the First Hokage left behind. I'll try them out later." Naruto nodded seriously, then grinned. "But if you're bored, Granny, how about a sparring match? Exercise is better than paperwork, right?"
Tsunade arched a brow and tousled his hair roughly. "You little rascal… you just want to fight, don't you?"
"Heh, maybe," Naruto laughed. "We never finished our last match, remember? This time I promise I won't use the Eight Gates just pure strength! How about it?"
Tsunade hesitated. A real fight would be a good stress reliever.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune interjected quickly, seizing the moment, "fighting Naruto is much better than drinking. At least you'll come back clear-headed and you'll have burned off that frustration!"
That argument finally convinced her. Tsunade nodded. "Fine. A spar it is. Shizune, put the Scroll of Seals back. Naruto, come on."
Two hours later, the secluded training ground was nearly unrecognizable. The earth was torn apart, trees splintered, and craters smoked where fists had met with devastating force.
Both Tsunade and Naruto sat side by side on a boulder, drenched in sweat and panting heavily but smiling.
"Now that," Tsunade said between breaths, "was worth it."
"Yeah," Naruto grinned, "way better than paperwork!"
After a brief silence, he turned toward her, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Granny, I've noticed you always have a mountain of reports to handle. Is running the village really that much work?"
Tsunade exhaled slowly. "Of course. The Hokage is responsible for everything from the military to civilian affairs. Every request, every complaint, every report ends up on my desk. It's not hard work, but if I stop for even a day, the system starts to clog up."
Naruto frowned, rubbing his chin. If he ever became Hokage, did that mean he'd be stuck doing the same thing? Even Tsunade, as capable as she was, could barely stand it. How was he supposed to survive that kind of boredom?
After a long pause, he spoke again, this time more seriously. "Granny… couldn't you just delegate some of those smaller decisions? Like, create a council or something a group that handles routine stuff and just reports the important parts to you?"
Tsunade blinked, surprised by the thoughtfulness behind his suggestion.
"It doesn't have to be giving away power," Naruto continued. "It's just… sharing responsibility. You'd still make the final calls, but you wouldn't have to deal with every tiny issue yourself. Otherwise, even the strongest person would burn out."
Tsunade's expression softened. The idea wasn't new, but hearing it from him so earnest and simple hit differently.
The Third Hokage had once tried something similar with the position of Hokage's Advisors, but it had ended in political division and power struggles. People like Danzo, Homura, and Koharu had turned that system into a web of manipulation.
Did she really want to walk that road again?
But then she remembered Hiruzen's words: "You must not treat Naruto like a child anymore."
She sighed quietly. "Delegation of power sounds simple, but it can divide authority in dangerous ways."
Naruto shook his head. "Not divide just distribute. Like, take civilian matters for example. I heard from Shizune that even when the Guard arrests someone for petty theft, they have to report the case all the way to your office. Isn't that kind of ridiculous?"
Tsunade frowned slightly, unsure how to argue with that.
"That kind of stuff could be handled locally," Naruto went on. "Let the Guard process it according to the rules. If you're worried about mistakes or corruption, then just have the ANBU check the records every month. If they find any injustice, they can reopen the case."
He leaned back, hands behind his head, smiling. "That way, you can trust the system and focus on the big stuff. Like protecting the village and training the next generation."
Tsunade looked at him for a long moment, and a rare, gentle smile spread across her face. "You really have grown, Naruto."
He blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Heh, maybe a little."
As the wind swept across the ruined training ground, carrying away the dust of their spar, Tsunade felt something shift inside her. Maybe it was time the Hokage stopped trying to carry everything alone.
Perhaps… it was time to start trusting others to share the weight.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Already hooked by this cosmic shinobi journey? Share what drew you in your words and reviews keep the flames of youth burning bright. And every 300 Power Stones will unlock a bonus chapter, pushing Naruto's path to the stars even faster!
Naruto's dream has only just begun, and the Unbound Evolution of his destiny is far from over. Stay with Naruto: Set a Goal, Conquer the Universe and reach beyond the horizon together!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a