Hi there

Hi there! This is a fanfiction about Naruto's life as the Hokage in three chapters, from the start to the end.

FROM THE START

--

The two men were looking at each other. All around them, flames were dancing on the grass and within the trees, and enlightened the sky of a golden red colour.

The same colour that was engulfing Naruto's body, like some sort of flaming chakra with nine tails at the back of his bowing figure.

Sasuke was looking at him with imperturbable eyes.

"And so, you thought that getting all crazy could work against me? You're still counting on that monster to get more power… Naruto, you're weak".

But the blonde man's face wasn't crazy at all. Sure, those signs on his cheeks were picturesque. But his eyes were of a dark, calm blue. And he was smiling.

"Sasuke… I'm not the same old Naruto you used to know five years ago… I'm stronger than that stupid fox, now" he said. And his voice sounded as normal as it should have been.

Sasuke's eyed went wide open for just a second. Then he smiled back at his rival.

"You can completely control the nine-tails fox, uh? I thought it was impossible if not with Sharingan".

"There's always another way. Time ago, I earned its trust" Naruto simply stated. His body didn't move of an Inch. None of them dared to do the first move without preparing a tactic.

Nobody could argue to the fact that, at that time, they had become the two strongest ninjas of the whole earth.

"Earned its trust?" Sasuke grinned, "Same ol' Naruto, I see. Nobody else could have thought of something this stupid".

Naruto smiled wider in response.

"And what about you, Sasuke? Did you learn any new jutsu? I hope you've gotten stronger than last time".

Sasuke moved a few steps toward the other, wearing a serene smile. Naruto's chakra claws scratched the ground under them.

"When it comes to training, I'm always two years over you

--

Naruto was on the top of the Hokage mountain. When he was younger, he used to go there and make some pranks over those faces sculpted on the rock – like staining them with red paint. But he was a kid no more. He was over twenty, now. He was a man – yet not quite, in Sakura's opinion, but he sure looked like one.

Anyway, he did mature. He always had that same brilliant expression of years ago when he had to, and that stupid-looking expression when he didn't understand something.

Sakura arrived there moments later. She was smiling like if she was having the best time of her life.

"Naruto!" she yelled, making the boy turn his head in her direction "Naruto! Tsunade-sama is waiting for you at her office!"

Naruto distorted his mouth in disappointment.

"… Nee, what does the old hag want with me?"

Sakura's vein on her forehead started pulsing faster in anger, but she tried her best to calm down.

"Naruto… Tsunade-sama has something very important to tell you!".

"Important?"

Sakura went all smiling.

"I couldn't tell you… Oh, but who cares!"

She ran over him and hugged him tight. Naruto was too surprised to even hug her back.

"SHE WANTS TO BE SUCCEEDED BY YOU AS THE FIFTH HOKAGE!"

Naruto gulped and froze. That wasn't the reaction she was expecting from him. That was his biggest dream since, well, ever! And now he had made it. He just was under shock, maybe. Better ask, anyway.

"Naruto… is something wrong?"

He pulled her away and bowed his head.

"Naruto…?" Sakura hesitantly asked him again.

"I'm not going to accept" he said, softly.

Sakura was in disbelief. She couldn't find anything to say.

"What are you talking about? Did you understand what I said?"

"I did, pretty well. And I should admit, at first I was happy to hear it. But… I can't" he answered, giving his back at her.

"What?? Why is it, you can't??"

"I can't be Hokage, not until I do what I still have to do".

":.. Have to do?" Sakura trembled.

"Yes. How can I be Hokage, if I can't even save my friend?".

"YOU BAKA!!" Sakura yelled, punching him on his head with strength. Naruto almost lost his balance, but then regained it in time.

"Ouch!! Sakura-chan! What was that for?".

"You should know better! Shannaro! You know what Tsunade-sama once told me?? Jiraya-sensei once spoke those exact words! He never became Hokage because he felt like running after Orochimaru! Still, you're different from him!".

Naruto looked at her. Tear were resting on the lower part of her eyes, although she was trying her best to keep them inside. That vision made the boy feel really awful.

"You saved your… our friend. You did!".

--

Naruto and Sasuke were still facing each other. After a whole hour of fight, there still was no winner. And they both were exhausted and low on chakra.

"Why, why, why won't you leave me alone?" Sasuke snarled.

"I… can't… because you're my pal".

"I have to kill Uchiha Madara! Why won't you understand that?"

"… Ah… Look at you… Always searching for revenge… First Itachi, then Konoha, then Madara…"

"What, are you saying that Madara doesn't deserve to die for all he did?".

"I'M TELLING YOU TO DO THIS TOGETHER! ME, YOU AND SAKURA. Madara has the whole power of all the other eight tail-beasts! You can't beat him individually. I want to help you, you dumbass!".

"This… This is an Uchiha affair. You have nothing to do with it. Moreover, I don't think like your power could be that useful to me. You're still weak, you dobe".

Naruto growled in rage and stood on his feet.

"WELL THEN, SASUKE! If I defeat you, you'll do what I say, and accept my help!".

Sasuke stayed still. Tomoe were rolling in his red eyes, as he activated his Magenkyo Sharingan for the last blow.

"Magenkyou Chidori" he mumbled.

"Eh… I see like you're even going to use that technique and ruin your eyes, to defeat me" Naruto stated, "Then, I'll have to go all out, too. FUTON, RASEN SHURIKEN!"

The ground trembled, and all the flames around them grew even bigger. Two balls of chakra –as big as a soccer ball - appeared in their both hands.

They prepared for the ultimate strike. Charged up, and then dashed up ahead.

--

Sakura's voice became softer.

"You were able to put some sense in his head. And thanks to this…"

Naruto was still giving his back at her.

"BAKA, LOOK AT ME!" she punched him again. Naruto looked at her.

"… Thanks to this, you persuaded him to fight with us, and we killed Uchiha Madara. Thanks to this, the world is in peace… and Sasuke-kun, too".

Naruto wasn't accepting it.

"But, Sakura-chan… he didn't come back with us at Konoha! And I promised I would have taken him back to you!"

Sakura suddenly looked like… empty. She said slowly:

"Is this what you really promised?"

"Of… Of course, Sakura-chan. I promised you. You know".

Sakura couldn't have it anymore. She cried.

"I thought you had understood, already…"

Naruto looked at her in confusion.

"He… Sasuke-kun… He's… back to his former self. He's not that obsessed with revenge anymore. He's… Even if he's not back in Konoha, I know you saved his soul from corruption. YOU SAVED HIM! YOU SAVED US ALL! And that stupid promise of yours… who cares about that!".

Sakura fell to her knees, sobbing. Naruto didn't know what to do. He somehow knew she was saying the truth… But he still didn't feel like deserving the title of Hokage. But Sakura had something else to say.

"If… If you won't be our… my Hokage, I won't accept… any other Hokage".

Naruto was shocked to hear those words.

And then a voice came from behind them: "Speaking the truth, I agree with Sakura".

Shikamaru's voice.

And indeed, when Naruto and Sakura turned their head, they saw Shikamaru. And Chouji. And Ino, Neji, Ten Ten, Kakashi, Gai, Sai, Lee, and all the gang. Tsunade was there, too.

"I can't see anyone fitting that title more than you, Naruto" Kakashi added.

Gai and Lee both were in the "nice guy" pose.

And Tsunade said:

"Naruto, for the first time in my life, I have to agree with you: I'm an old hag. I can't be the Hokage anymore. Now, you're even stronger than me. And I want you to succeed me".

Naruto stared in disbelief. He couldn't believe his own eyes.

"Everyone…" he tried to say.

"Just say yes, already" Neji said.

"Yeah" Ino marked up.

"Way to go, Naruto!" Chouji.

"You made it" Iruka said.

Naruto looked at everyone. Everyone… Everyone wanted him to become Hokage. He looked at Sakura again. She was on her knees, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"Please…" she begged, "If you don't realize your dream… to keep a promise you made me… it will hurt me more than if you didn't keep your promise".

That was enough. He smiled back to her, with that smile that always surprised her, as if it was the easiest thing to do, for him, in the worst situation.

"Okay, then" he simply said. He looked at her, then at all the others.

"If you want me that badly… I'll become Hokage".

--

The clash had destroyed everything around them. The flames disappeared, as if their fuel had just vanished with the end of the fight.

Naruto and Sasuke were both lying on the ground, with no strength.

"Now… now do what I say" Naruto whispered.

"Eh… you still didn't defeat me! I win!" Sasuke replied, but he himself sounded much less persuaded by what he said than he thought.

"I'm… not… finished, either" Naruto replied back. They tried to move their bodies, but it was too difficult for both of them.

"Eh…Eh… Eheh…" Naruto giggled.

"What the hell are you laughing for, dobe?" Sasuke objected.

"You… You can't move!" he grinned.

"YOU NEITHER, idiot!"

"Ahah… t-true…" Naruto laughed again.

And Sasuke smiled, but he turned his head not to be seen by the other man.

"Sasuke… Pal, you will need my strength..."

"…Hmppf. You've become strong… pal…"

End of part 1.

Thank you for reading. Did you like it?