Facing Jiraiya's invitation, Tsunade froze for a moment.
"Are you kidding me, Jiraiya?"
Seeing Tsunade deliberately avert her gaze, Minato understood at once. It was a clear sign of avoidance. The deaths of her younger brother and her lover had left deep scars on the strongest medical-nin. Asking someone burdened with such trauma, someone who could barely face the sight of blood, to take on the role of Hokage was indeed forcing the issue.
Jiraiya said, "I mean, if we fail this mission, then we have to prepare for the worst. Besides, Sarutobi-sensei isn't young anymore. He's already brought up the idea of stepping down as Hokage."
As the topic surfaced, the kids at the other table quieted down, all eyes turning toward them.
Tsunade had already drunk several bottles since arriving, but drinking only made the sorrow heavier. Slightly tipsy, she looked at Jiraiya.
"Then you should be the first choice, shouldn't you? Don't tell me he never asked whether you wanted to be Hokage."
"Nothing ever gets past you," Jiraiya laughed dryly, regret flickering across his face. "But you know my personality. I'm not suited to be a good Hokage. More importantly, I still have things I absolutely have to deal with."
"Stop putting yourself down," Tsunade said. "Ever since you gained Mount Myōboku's approval and mastered Senjutsu, your ability and experience are more than enough for the position. And stepping back for a moment, Minato Namikaze is right here. Wouldn't it make more sense for him to continue as the Fourth Hokage?"
Minato said nothing.
Naruto looked at his dad, unsure what he was thinking.
"You should understand," Jiraiya said in a low voice. "Minato doesn't belong to this world. According to our estimates, once all the missions on these scrolls are completed, they'll permanently leave this era and return to their own world."
Naruto froze on the spot.
Minato lowered his head slightly, avoiding everyone's eyes, probably unable to face Naruto's reaction at that moment.
Sasuke watched Naruto quietly. No one understood this feeling better than him. Gaining something only to lose it later hurt far more than never having had it at all.
Sakura looked worried as well, her heart aching at the thought that one day she might never see Rin again.
Young Kakashi and Young Obito Uchiha felt grateful for coming to this world early and learning the truth of the future, yet furious that this world's Obito Uchiha had trusted a false illusion and slaughtered his teacher's family.
Hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade was reminded of the large-scale space-time incident that had occurred in Konoha not long ago.
She also remembered Nawaki and Dan.
If only she had the chance, how desperately she wished she could travel back in time, save Nawaki whose body had been torn apart by explosive tags, save Dan who had been clinging to life during the Second Shinobi World War.
Jiraiya didn't give them much time to dwell on their grief. He asked again,
"Tsunade, are you willing to accept the position of Fifth Hokage?"
Tsunade let out a sigh, barely thinking before answering.
"I refuse. Only an idiot would want something like the Hokage position."
The way she rejected it felt harsh, as if she were denying every Hokage who came before, denying the title itself, denying the will and faith of Konohagakure.
"Why?!" Naruto slammed his hand on the table and stood up. Knowing he was the Fourth Hokage's son, growing up with the dream of becoming Hokage, the thought of returning to a future where he would once again be alone overwhelmed him. "Why refuse it like that?!"
This wasn't anything like the brave figure Naruto remembered from just a few days ago.
Back when they had all traveled to the era of the Nine-Tails incident, this strongest medical-nin had crossed that invisible barrier, summoned a Katsuyu hundreds of times larger than the ones Sakura and Rin had called forth, brought hope back to Konoha, and even saved Iruka-sensei's parents.
How could it turn out like this?!
Even if she wanted to refuse, why deny the Hokage itself? Why say only idiots would want to be Hokage?!
It was as if his own dream, and his father who had become Hokage in this world, were being mocked as foolish.
Honestly, Naruto felt…
Deeply disappointed.
Tsunade looked at him without saying a word.
Naruto's voice trembled with anger and grief. "You doing this… it's like denying what being Hokage even means…"
Like denying our dreams. Like denying my dad's sacrifice for the village.
"Kid, you're Naruto Uzumaki, right?" Tsunade said. "You don't really look like your father."
Minato: "......"
Please don't say things like that, this is really embarrassing!
And how does he not look like him? Minato thought they looked exactly alike. The same blond hair, the same blue eyes. More importantly, Naruto took after Kushina in both face and personality. No matter how you looked at it, he was an adorable kid.
Ignoring the resentful look his own student shot him, Jiraiya laughed loudly after hearing Tsunade's words.
"Compared to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, anyone would seem lacking, wouldn't they?"
"Pervy Sage?" Naruto realized he was talking about his father in this world.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
The man who entrusted him with the Nine-Tails and the duty of protecting the world, then sacrificed himself. A father he would never get the chance to meet.
Jiraiya looked at the Minato Namikaze before him and, through him, seemed to see that familiar figure in the Hokage cloak.
"After all, that guy's overall quality as a shinobi was the best in history. His talent in ninjutsu, his clear and sharp mind, the love he earned from the village's shinobi. And most importantly—he was just as handsome as me!"
The people at the neighboring table looked at Minato, then at Jiraiya.
"Could you maybe leave out that last part?" Obito muttered to Kakashi.
Young Kakashi replied flatly, "Rare moment when I agree with you."
Jiraiya: "..."
"Anyway!" Jiraiya forced a relaxed tone. "Minato was my outstanding disciple, and Naruto is his son. Even if he isn't remarkable right now, I believe that one day he won't lose to his father."
"If you're asking why, it's because he's a child Minato believed in."
And also the protagonist of my Tales of Gutsy Ninja.
"But…"
Tsunade's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Jiraiya and everyone present.
"Even the Fourth Hokage you value so highly died to protect the village, didn't he?" Slightly drunk, Tsunade sneered. "And he even died at the hands of his own disciple."
Naruto's and Obito's pupils shrank sharply.
That single sentence ignited a surge of anger in their chests with nowhere to go.
As if deliberately fanning the flames, Tsunade wasn't finished.
"Starting with my grandfather, then the Second Hokage, the Fourth Hokage—who among them didn't die for the village?" she continued. "That old Third Hokage only lived this long because he was lucky. If he can't escape this time and dies at Orochimaru's hands, then he'll end up just like the others."
At this point…
Young Kakashi and Sasuke at Naruto's table also turned cold. Sakura and Rin, who had originally planned to ask Tsunade-sama to take them as apprentices, were now stuck in an especially awkward position.
But it still wasn't over. Tsunade's next words hit Naruto and Obito like an explosion.
"Human lives aren't the same as money. Gambling your life just to become Hokage? Only an idiot would do that!!"
Snap.
The chopsticks clenched tightly in Naruto's hand finally gave way and broke clean in two.
Idiot…
She actually called it stupid.
"…You've changed, Tsunade," Jiraiya said quietly.
Tsunade let out a self-mocking laugh. "We're over fifty now. How could we still be as naïve as we were back then?"
She deliberately glanced at the kids at the neighboring table.
"The Hokage is garbage. Anyone who wants to become Hokage is a fool!"
Bang!
Inside the pitch-black Kamui dimension, Adult Obito Uchiha, who had been idly turning his mask in his hands while listening, reacted on instinct and slammed the mask hard against the ground as if venting his anger.
He hadn't realized it yet, but as he drew closer and closer to the truth, something inside him was changing.
He had once believed the entire world was nothing but a trash heap endlessly producing more trash. He had believed the Hokage was garbage too, which was why he abandoned his dream of becoming Hokage.
And yet now, just hearing someone insult the Hokage was enough to make him furious, furious enough to hurl his mask to the ground.
Staring at the orange mask lying unbroken in the distance, Obito Uchiha felt a deep sense of confusion.
…
Outside the Kamui dimension, another bang echoed.
Naruto and Young Obito slammed their hands on the table at the same time and stood up.
Beside them, Young Kakashi and Sasuke leaned back in their chairs, legs crossed and arms folded across their chests, their posture making their displeasure unmistakable.
At this moment, it wasn't just the two of them. Even Sakura and Rin were angry, glaring with wide, blazing eyes at the strongest medical-nin they had once wanted to take as their teacher.
"Come out!" Naruto shouted in fury. "You dare insult the Hokage in front of me! Insult my dad! I won't let you get away with it! Come out! I don't care if you're a woman or not, I'll beat you until you cry!!"
Young Obito didn't say a word, but both he and Sasuke activated their Sharingan, their eyes blazing as they stared down Tsunade. If Naruto hadn't already stepped forward to challenge her, they would have moved as well.
"Hmph." Tsunade let out a cold, mocking snort. It was clear she felt looked down on by these bratty kids.
Adult Kakashi and Minato Namikaze remained expressionless. As adults, they were just as displeased, but they no longer showed it as openly as children did.
Jiraiya sighed. Standing between them, he truly felt caught in the middle.
Everyone moved outside the sake house.
"Jiraiya-sensei…"
Minato added quietly, "I don't think Tsunade-sama would really go all out against Naruto, but as his father, I can't help worrying."
"Relax," Jiraiya replied. "Tsunade knows where to draw the line."
It wasn't that Jiraiya wasn't angry at Tsunade's words. But having fought alongside her in the Second Shinobi World War, having loved her openly for over forty years, and having personally witnessed her lose the people she loved and withdraw from the shinobi world, that anger had long since transformed into a deep, quiet compassion.
Tsunade glanced at the six boys facing her, all brimming with hostility, then turned her head slightly.
"Go farther out," she said bluntly to the members of Kakashi's team and Minato's team.
"You six… come at me together."