"Why do you really want to become Hokage?" Tsunade asked Sasuke with an expressionless mask, her tone stern.

"I'm also curious about that." Jiraiya added, staring at the Uchiha. "You have never displayed any desire to be Hokage. Where did this come from?"

Sasuke had known the questions would come but his arrogance had dismissed them. Kakashi had warned him that without a proper answer, he wouldn't be made Hokage. The reason behind the desire always dictated on who became the next Hokage. If he couldn't be trusted, then Tsunade wouldn't allow him to become Hokage. No, the decision would be for Kakashi to make. Even as his sensei, the man had stated even he wouldn't select him as his successor. He said the same was for Naruto – but it was easier for the blond.

Naruto's motives didn't need to be questioned. He has functioned for the Leaf unquestionably before. Tsunade even sat behind that desk because of efforts from him.

There was the issue of loyalty. But Sasuke believed he could solve this.

"Naruto told me that whoever becomes Hokage is one that is liked by the villagers. But there are circumstances in which he who becomes Hokage, isn't well received, as in the case of his father. I just wanted to become Hokage because I thought it was deserving for Uchiha to finally be Hokage. But what I want is change. I want to lead this village – that the tragedies that occurred in the past do not occur again."

That had to do with the Uchiha massacre, but Tsunade wasn't going to question on it because Sasuke didn't seem like he enjoyed talking about it.

"Is that?"

"For now yes. I am also trying to understand what it means to be a shinobi and the role of a village."

"So, it isn't just because you want power?"

"I already have power."

"That kind of power and the power the Hokage has are two different things. One is having the authority and the other is prowess." Jiraiya stated. "Orochimaru once desired the power because he could do his experiments without having to hide it. You understand the role the Hokage has?"

Naruto told him many times. Once you became Hokage, nobody dared question you. There was no choice in whether to follow orders. Shinobi were wired to follow the orders of whoever is Kage – even if they didn't like him or thought the orders were wrong. This was why people fought to have Danzo removed from the role. Even Jiraiya would have been forced to follow orders unless he wanted to abandon his loyalties to the Hidden Leaf or cause a civil war.

"Yes. I know."

"We will have this discussion again. But I'll be honest with you, it is going to be difficult for you to become Hokage. But that is just me. My successor will make a decision. For now, there are more important matters."

Jiraiya took over. "Last night, a message came from Kumogakure. Their remaining Jinchuriki has been captured by the Akatsuki. The Summit is been brought closer."

"That leaves just Naruto." Sasuke frowned. If the Akatsuki brought all eight Bijuu here, there would be nothing they could do about it. Those odds were just stacked against them. But the village wouldn't give up Naruto because to do that would be to doom the entire shinobi world.

"If he gets captured it is over. That is why we are thinking of hiding him somewhere."

"I don't think he'll be receptive to that idea.".

"So, he would refuse?"

"No. If you ordered it, he would comply, even if he disagreed with the idea. But I do think his power is necessary for fighting the two leaders. We do not know their power."

"A risk cannot be taken with him. Jiraiya, Kakashi and Gai are our best shinobi. They will be ready for anything." Tsunade said confidently. "Much of it will be decided in the summit. We won't do everything ourselves. We've done far enough already. You will be going with me along with Jiraiya as my two guards at the summit. We leave tomorrow."

"I understand."

"You may leave."

Wordlessly, Sasuke departed from the office.

"I still don't understand why he wants to become Hokage."

"He was always power hungry." Jiraiya replied. "But never the thought of Hokage. If he wants it, it is likely to happen when we are dead. I still don't trust him."

No reasonable person would trust Sasuke with the power simply because he declared his desire. Most people who wanted to become Hokage never made it to the role. You were appointed and did not appoint yourself. There was a lot Sasuke had to learn. He wasn't yet at time, but would eventually get there. Whether this ambition would bear fruit was something to be seen.

"My thoughts exactly." Tsunade said in agreement. "We have much bigger issues to think about."

"But we should consider having someone keep an eye on him."

"I'll think about that."

"Didn't you say that you trained a Rinnegan user? Do you think there is some connection? Those eyes are legendary and it would be somehow to think they would appear twice."

Nothing would be crushing that learning someone you trained has become so corrupted that they would consider even bringing the Elemental Nations to their knees. Nagato had possessed the Rinnegan back then, but Jiraiya had learned he was dead. Maybe that was false. The thought made him want to head straight to Amegakure immediately. If it was indeed one of his students, he would have to correct things.

"Maybe there is connection. Worrying is that Naruto and Sasuke seemed sure the leader is there, in the Rain, but made no attempt to go there."

"It would be dangerous. We do not know anything about the village. If Naruto got captured, it is over. Now I am more convinced than ever that even you should not go there."

Nara Compound

"I feel like I've been ganged on." Naruto said in a casual tone, sitting on a cushion. Shikaku sat across him, Shikamaru on the sides. The room was quiet, empty of any other furniture.

"I'm sure you can find out way through things," Shikamaru replied.

Smiling, Naruto responded. "Not at all. Even I get uncomfortable when I'm surrounded by two geniuses. People who think rationally unnerve me."

Shikaku wanted to point out that to manipulate such a person, you'd have to be perfect or play on their weaknesses. Nobody was perfect. Even a once in a generation genius like Orochimaru had his flaws. Mostly his arrogance but it was the one thing that led to his downfall.

"Before we get to it… I'm curious about the Sharingan." Naruto had it implanted but now he no longer had it.

"Shikaku-san, you're the only person, aside from the Anbu commander, who would trust my word. Do you think people wouldn't suspect me if I walked around with an eye that could manipulate people without anybody noticing? The human mind works in a funny way. We can get along today, and one little wrong, you start questioning everything else."

Always conscious of the things around him. Perhaps that was why Naruto excelled in manipulative games. Then again, as far as Shikamaru was concerned, Naruto had always taken some joy in pressing people. Those little games seemed innocent then. One could look at it as Naruto learning to understand what ticked off people.

It was a little scary, really.

He was the one who was a little uncomfortable. The thought that comforted him was that Naruto had never pressed him.

"You got rid of it then."

"Better that way. Not that is was necessary." Naruto added with a smile. "Do you mean for your son to be involved in things? I doubt there is another reason than that."

"I'm trying to motivate him to be involved. At the moment, he does nothing but serves on request."

"I see…" Naruto faced Shikamaru for a second, his expression unreadable. He then smiled and spoke. "I've had time to consider a few proposals…" he removed a small sealing scroll from his pocket and rolled it toward Shikaku. "You can study them later and provide feedback on where improvements are needed. For now, it is just the general overview of the proposal. The main idea is to ensure that Konoha becomes functional on its own without depending on the Feudal Lord and set out clear structures to ensure the village is run smoothly and the Hokage is removed from certain duties.

"The easy part is the revival of military police. But it becomes inclusive rather than being of a select clan. Funding is necessary. Shinobi employed need to be paid. In that case, taxes need to be implemented to fund essential services. It would be helpful if the academy can have a class introduced to teach those who prefer to take part in the military police. Another way to secure their funding is getting into an agreement with the Feudal Lord in him hiring military police to police the fire country. Bandits, mercenary, they are always up to no good. Military police can be paid to handle such matters."

After a minute of silence, Shikaku replied. "It would be easier to form military police given we once had it. But if military police also handle bandits, it means there won't be missions by towns and small missions to tackle them. Those missions make a lot in terms money for the village."

"It is about creating rules and restrictions to what the force can do. As within the village, there was always restrictions."

"You mean even if the force is there, they wouldn't necessarily be in charge of rooting them out, unless directly hired."

"Yes. They can simply alert those that need to be alerted. It is about keeping a low force that can track movements, handle things that need to be handled but also minding that shinobi need to do their missions."

"It would be easy to create this but funding will be a slight problem as their pay would have to come straight from village coffers. But if the Feudal Lord gets to pay for some of it, it might be easier."

"The problem would be getting him to agree to it."

Naruto shrugged. "Everyone wants a country that is safe and the Feudal lord will want to pay for a service he sees. Besides, I brushed on the matter with him when he was here. The problem might be convincing his council. I'm afraid they might be an obstacle."

"And yet you say that with indifference." Shikaku said.

"There are ways to convince them." Naruto said but didn't elaborate. "Village structure; succession is fine. But we've seen problems. The most powerful usually becomes the Kage. But that is a problem. Because you're powerful doesn't mean you're a leader. That is why I believe we must take some responsibility from the Kage and hand them to other people. The Kage does everything. Which is problematic.

"They get overloaded with responsibility and a workload that needs a couple of people. They focus on other things and neglect others. The Hokage shouldn't be getting involved in the academy. What is the role of the Jonin Commander? He shouldn't even be assigning Genin to Jonin sensei. The Jonin commander should handle such duties and then inform the Kage, who can make changes where he sees fit. The Jonin commander must handle Jonin matters. The Hokage shouldn't even be handing out C-rank missions, unless they affect the village somehow. The Jonin commander should be dishing out Jonin level missions.

"A hierarchy structure is important. The Hokage must delegate. You can have the Hokage at the top. Below him you have Jonin commander, Anbu Commander, Chunin Commander, these four can also serve as advisors in terms of security matters. If you're going to have the military police force, then the commander of the force should be up there."

Shikamaru took his time digesting everything. He wondered if whoever is Hokage would be happy with the delegation.

"All these people report to the Hokage. the Hokage wouldn't have time to check every little thing that happens. If we have a Chunin leader, he'd also be responsible for the academy education. That is someone who oversees the training and education of Chunin and Genin."

Shikaku then added. "The Hokage would be responsible for appointing these people. And dismissing them at will. Loyalty is important. You also don't want to give the Jonin commander too much power. Power does change people."

Naruto smiled at the thought. "Shinobi are built on loyalty. You've never heard of a civil war before. Everyone is loyal to their village and Kage. That aside, the Jonin commander has no power to tell Jonin what to do. The chunin leader only oversees the academy and that Chunin are proper."

"And Danzo?"

"A special case and he was only allowed to do anything because the Sandaime permitted him. Anbu are absolutely loyal to the Kage. Had he permitted it, they would have brought that man to face the music. Everything moves because of the Kage. If there is a troublesome Jonin, and the Kage says he must be untouched, nobody will do anything. If there is something to happen even within the Military Force, Anbu would've have the power to stop it. As it is their role. But they can only move if the Hokage moves."

"Military Force could arrest anyone within the normal shinobi force but not Anbu. Because Anbu are specifically trained, they are always loyal. If not, they just go rogue. So, the Hokage, through Anbu maintains a clear vision of what happens in the village."

"Indeed."

"What of clan heads?"

"What about them?" Naruto asked.

"You don't think they deserve any power?"

"They already have political power. I don't want to create a situation where clan heads have so much power that they are able to overpower a Kage." Naruto said with a slight shake of his head. "This leads us to something of a question. I have debated this thought. The Kage is absolute. No one has the power to remove a Kage from their position. What happens when somehow, another Danzo gets into a position where he becomes Hokage?"

"You think a mechanism should be implemented to remove a Kage?"

"I think but I debate the idea. If the people below the Kage get power hungry, they could try to remove him. I decided it wasn't a good idea. But unless the Kage has committed crimes, leads the village in needless wars, then the Feudal Lord can make a call. But that is only an emergency power, to be exercised with the commanders."

It took some time. Shikamaru felt spent just talking. Naruto seemed to have the answers, even when holes were pointed out. The focus was on giving the village a proper structure once the Hokage wasn't burdened with things he shouldn't be troubled with.

And then there were the taxes. The flow of money in the village. It was an unfamiliar subject for him. He was good with strategies for battle, not taxing civilians and shinobi alike. Reading books was important.

Once the blond had departed, he let loose of a long breath. He would have to stay indoors for a couple of days, just to rest from this kind of mental exercise he had done.

"Protecting borders, huh? It is as if he recognizes that Konoha can't do without the money from the Feudal Lord. But instead of just giving it, he creates a service in which the Feudal Lord pays."

"You saw with Suna, support from the Feudal Lord is always important. But when they are just paying for a service, it reduces their level of influence. At some point, they'll get to the point where they can't imagine the borders of the country not being protected. Their safety is important." Shikaku replied. "It is a matter of making them see that it is necessary. But the major point here is ensuring that Konoha's shinobi are used. When the majority of Shinobi are doing missions, they'll have money to spend on the markets. More goods will flow into the village. More money reaches the coffers of the village. Civilians understand this a little better."

"I'm not sure any Kage will be receptive to some ideas. But some, they'll take. It will give them time to rest."

"Yes. So, what did you think?"

"Konoha can become a well run village. Training is in the hands of Jonin sensei once students become Genin. But the Hokage can't oversee all Genin to see if they are getting proper education. Changing things in the academy a bit, also ensures that finer shinobi are produced…" Shikamaru smiled. "With what he is proposing, I wouldn't have passed. I'm sure even Ino and Sakura wouldn't have become shinobi as well. The graduation exam doesn't really do much. We are fed simple things which in turn doesn't prepare us for the real world. It doesn't have to be anything cruel, but a proper training. It would reduce the gap between those who can afford private tutors and those who can't."

"The Sandaime lessoned the burden because he believed we were no longer in war times and thus no longer needed hush training."

"In turn, he made things too easy. Most of us were not ready when we went to our first missions outside the village. True we are not at war. But we are shinobi, the risk to our lives is always there when we do missions. We can even die participating in the Chunin exams. Any Genin can go. There is no one who can say you're not yet ready. There should be someone who overlooks these teams and recommends to the Hokage which teams should enter Chunin exams."

"If your sensei believes you can do it?"

"Sensei will always believe in their students. We weren't there but not ready. Others who were unfortunate died. If there were proper structures instead of leaving it to the Genin to choose for themselves, some people wouldn't lose their lives in the exams."

Shikamaru closed his eyes, trying to visualize everything Naruto had just said. Perhaps to say the blond wasn't at his level at a strategic level was a little misleading. When it came to dealing with people, Naruto was much better.

But he still had a question. Why was Naruto even making such plans? If implemented correctly, they would benefit the Leaf greatly. But given history, why was he making such an effort? That Sasuke wanted to become Hokage still puzzled him. That was one of the greatest magic trick he'd ever witnessed.

"What is his motive?"

Shikaku smiled. "Not something ideal," he said indifferently. "Because he can. And maybe just to see what would happen if things went that way. It isn't that he wants to see the Hidden Leaf successful. He is more curious about whether it succeeds and what happens thereafter."

"I've always maintained he is a troublesome person."

Sunagakure

Gaara stared at the village streets, peaceful, not yet thriving, but going there. The Feudal Lord offered unconditional support. The villagers played their part. Shinobi gave their all. And he cruised through the mountains with sleepless nights, a watchful eye, and with a hole in this heart.

It could have been shattered. Things could have just gone downhill. And he may not have had the strength to become Kazekage. Gaara had lost a brother. He nearly lost Temari. He was grateful she'd survived. Barely, as it was, but Konoha came through. And for what, he would be eternally grateful. He's gone on a rampage in the village. And yet, they still saved his sister's life. And they were not merciless.

He could thank Tsunade for that.

"Everyone has gathered."

Gaara glanced behind, Baki. He stood atop of the Kazekage tower. The village council was supposed to meet. Those people schemed behind his back. Some plotted for his death. He may no longer be a Jinchuriki, but there were people who were still out for him. People who were still afraid, even after everything.

"Tell me, am I being soft?"

"Why do you say that?"

"People within the village's council actively plot against me. Even going to the Feudal Lord. Some of them will even try to stab me with a knife if all else fails. And yet, I've not yet ordered for their execution."

Baki would have done it long time ago. Those people were committing treason. And the lack of action motivated them to do as they pleased. Some were emboldened by the fact that they have given their money for the recovery of the village. Now that it was no longer Konoha's enemy, and toward a path of greatness, they wanted Gaara gone.

It was unacceptable. Those were just his thoughts. Gaara held the keys.

"Soft, yes. That is true. Normally, such people would have been executed long ago. But you have your reasons."

"Selfish reasons. I am supposed to be thinking what is best for the Hidden Sand. Not for my conscious."

"What if you have them killed? You've earned the trust of the shinobi population. There might still be some who mistrust you, but the majority welcome you."

"Yes. If we had those people killed, it wouldn't cause a huge incident. But those who still support them will act recklessly. We can't afford any incidents now. The village needs to stand strong, united."

"Is this why you want to try to reconcile with them?"

"Yes. And I am responsible for my actions. I was flawed and hurt many people back then. I must atone for it."

"That is your responsibility toward the village, not the council and those who sympathize with their cause."

"I just don't want to do things in a bad way. If I kill them, someone else will be coming for me."

"You must remember, Gaara. Words cannot convince everyone. Even if you do everything you can to win over some people, some cannot change. Keep that in mind. What happens when you forgive them but they do not forgive you? Do you let them kill you?" Baki stared in a cold gaze. "If you let them do as they please, what happens to Suna? You're Kazekage. Your duty is to the village, not your conscious."

Baki delivered those last words with brutality.

He suffered in the hands of Danzo and nearly died. The Sandaime spared his life. He was back home now after serving his time in Konoha. He wouldn't allow his sacrifice to be wasted because of some fools who couldn't get over their hatred.

Gaara would hate him. At this point, he wasn't needed. Baki thought the village was moving toward a good path. It could function on its own. He could die without regrets.

If Gaara didn't want to do it, Baki would do it.

"For now, let us entertain them and hear what they have to say for themselves."

Naruto's House

When Naruto arrived at the house, he found Ino there.

"You welcome yourself now?" He asked, finding the girl lying on the coach, looking out of breath.

"I'm tired and didn't want to go home."

"Training treating you badly?"

"I should have joined you and Karin." Ino replied in a tired tone. She opened her eyes and saw Naruto standing beside her, his eyes staring down at her form. "Where were you?"

"I was out seeing my other girl."

Ino snorted. "You're many things Uzumaki, but not unfaithful."

Naruto laughed. "That's a strange thing to expect from a shinobi. Shinobi lie all the time. I also lie to you when it is convenient."

Ino sat up, meeting Naruto's stare. She was sure he was just trying to poke her. But Ino knew Naruto did have some tastes. He could talk up anyone. He was a manipulative bastard anyway. Even so, she didn't think he'd be with another woman – not when she was around. She didn't expect him to even bring another person. He was loyal to her.

"If you dare do that to me, I will track down the whore and torture her to death." She said in a cold tone.

Naruto just smiled and leaned over, kissing her on the forehead. "How adorable," he said. "Let me entertain my guest."

"You have a guest?"

"Yeah… Sasuke…" Naruto replied, turning away from Ino.

He noted Ino was following him with a rather stern look on her face. He didn't want her hearing anything Sasuke wanted to say but he wasn't going to kick her away if she wanted to peek.

When they arrived at the back of the house, Sasuke had his eyes closed, hands folded across his chest and leaning against the wall. Ino went straight it.

"That's rather rude of you to come into someone's house and not even greet." Ino said to Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't open his eyes to acknowledge her.

Ino looked exasperated for a second. "I give up. It seems you've just become a lot more gloomy in your return." She said. "Anyway, listen to me very carefully because I am not going to repeat myself. Sakura is my friend and she loves you dearly. You're going to respond to her instead of just ignoring her. She is growing and the more you keep quiet, the more you give her hope. If you don't love her, don't make her hope. She is just going to be miserable and won't move on with her life."

Naruto replied. "If he crushes her hopes, she is going to be miserable and picking her up won't be easy. The truth is necessary but in her case, it might deal her some psychological damage."

"I know." Ino said firmly. "But she needs the truth. As her friend, I will support her. It is the only thing I can do." She then glared at Sasuke. "Do this one thing for her. Just think about someone else for a change."

After saying that, she turned away, rather dramatically and then left.

Naruto shook his head and then settled down gracefully.

"Aren't you supposed to be sitting at home?"

"Had a chat with Shikaku. Besides, I'd go crazy if I was just lazing around the house. There is no freedom of movement." Naruto replied.

"Am I that selfish?"

"That's a surprising question coming from you. Did you drink before coming here? Alcohol doesn't treat you kindly since you never got used to it."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." seeing the sharp glare from Sasuke, Naruto smiled. "Yes. You do things only for Sasuke. This is why I told you if you want to become Hokage, it would be difficult. You should have noticed this already."

"Yeah. No one trusts me." But if everything else failed, Naruto would have become Hokage and then appoint him as his successor. There was no other option.

"What do you say to becoming commander of Military Police Force? You work hard, and become respected in the village."

"Isn't that something the Uchiha once led and we were not liked because if it?"

"Nonsense." Naruto shrugged. "But yes, your clan once controlled the Force."

"I was just with the Hokage, and Jiraiya, they never said anything about it."

"If you're going to be dealing with those people, learn a little bit of respect. Tsunade is Tsunade-sama. Jiraiya is Jiraiya-san." Naruto said in a sharp tone. "You don't have to mean it. But that you wouldn't mean it represents a problem about your personality. If you cannot respect Tsunade's position, then even I wouldn't put an effort in getting you what your desire. At any rate, they didn't mention it because it is something I am working with Shikaku-san. Sure, he is going to recommend me for the role, but I wouldn't take it. It's too much of a job and I don't want to be tied to a role."

"You've been busy it seems."

"Aren't I always?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "You just need to know which cards to play and when to play them. The village is massive. Anything can happen."

"I'll take it."

"Good. I'll push things at my end. Then, is there something?"

"I'm going to the Kage Summit with the Hokage. She wants me to be her guard and you'll remain here."

"Bummer." Naruto frowned. "I would have liked to feel the atmosphere where all Kage have gathered. They are supposed to be the most powerful shinobi. They can move mountains."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You'd just want to say something nasty just to provoke them."

"I wouldn't dare. I've been told it takes simple things for war to start." Naruto replied innocently. "Why are you going not me?"

"She is afraid something might happen to you. And given her questioning, if there is an agreement of hunting down the leaders at the Summit, you won't get involved. And Kumo has also lost the Eight Tails."

"Not surprising." Naruto put a hand on his chest. His heart rate spiked for a moment. "I'm either afraid or a little excited." He said to himself. "There might be a suggestion that I should just get killed before they hunt down the leaders."

"Even if it would be shameless, it is not irrational."

"Yes. As long as I am alive, the threat remains. But if I die, they can deal with the Akatsuki in leisure. There'll even be room for failure."

"What happens when other Kage decide they wont cooperate unless you're dead."

"They might make the threat but they are not going to action it. All of them recognize the danger of the Akatsuki. Whether I am alive or dead, the organization needs to be dealt with. A isn't going to permit the organization that took his beloved brother to run loose." Naruto smiled. "Well, you can always remind them."

"I'm not you."

"Spineless."

"I'm just not filled with mischief. If things came to the demand of your death, you'd dare the Kage to kill you themselves."

"Well, if they want me dead, they must do it themselves."

Sasuke shook his head. "That man appeared before me and tried to tempt me. I'm afraid he might try again. He may even appear before the Kage Summit." Sasuke said. "You think he will?"

"Yes."

"Then it would be better if we go with Kakashi. I checked his Kamui. And the abilities are similar. It may be beneficial to have him by the side if he does appear. We can get rid of him then."

"You need to convince the Hokage of that."

"I will." Sasuke replied.

"Then it means there is some relation between the two. As far as I know, Kakashi-sensei got his Sharingan from his teammate who is supposed to be dead. Did someone find him and take the eye? Or did he somehow manage to escape death? But if he escaped death, what would cause him to turn into this?"

"I don't know. We have to do more investigation."

"That is your role."

"And yours is manipulating people."

"Don't say such things." Naruto replied. "I suppose I have to be careful. There is a chance I will get attacked while you're away. Because of this, I will need the Yata mirror. It may come in handy to save my life."

"You didn't say this to anyone." Sasuke said of the threat Naruto feared.

"And neither will you. If I say anything, they'll take measures to keep me hidden. At any rate, it is a prime chance to take the Kyubi while the Kage are meeting. I'll have clones watch the outskirts of the village just in case."

"You confident you can handle it?"

Naruto raised an eye brow. "You want me to step on your throat to remind you of my power?"

Sasuke's eyes shifted into his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. "Try it."

Naruto laughed. "Just hand over the Yata Mirror. I can take care of myself. If not, I can always retreat."

"You really have no pride to say something like that with a straight face."

"I pride myself in my ability to remain alive." Naruto shrugged. "After this, the Feudal Lord needs to be put in line. That way, plans to transform can proceed smoothly."

"I thought you were busy with it."

"I was merely laying the groundwork. One must always be careful not to raise suspicions. Once people become suspicious of you, it becomes difficult to work around them."

When Naruto walked back into the house, Ino was waiting for him with an expressionless look on her face. He matched her seriousness before asking.

"Were you listening?"

"No."

"Why the look?"

"I have something to ask."

"Ask away."

"Can we have dinner with my parents? They want to meet you formally."

Naruto stared at Ino, unblinking. That came out of the blue. Sure, he'd met her mother and has exchanged some conversations with her father but nothing ever serious in a way she was suggesting. It gave him an unpleasant taste in his mouth. He wasn't worried about being liked or not. There were no such issues. It was just that, this was a serious step.

"When?"

"Tonight?"

"That's stretching it."

"You shouldn't ask if you're going to give such responses." Ino stared. "How about tomorrow night?"

Naruto adopted a thoughtful look. "No."

Ino folded her hands across her chest. "Do you even want to meet my parents?"

"Have I not met them?"

"But this time, you'll be at their mercy."

"Saying it like that makes me not want to see them."

Ino smiled. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't believe you could handle it. You can talk your way out of anything. I'm sure you'll be able to handle father. Mother has heard all the good things about you."

"I see… I'll tell you when. There are matters of importance that I must solve."

"More important than our life together."

"There is no life together if I'm dead." Naruto replied a bit harshly. He noticed given Ino's reaction but didn't dwell on it. "Anything can happen, Ino. The Akatsuki could invade this village any day now. I want to sort that out before giving myself hope. I am powerful, but I am not god. I am just a mere mortal. You stick a knife through my chest, and I will bleed to death."

Ino stared.

"You hardly worry about such matters. You've always been confident of your abilities."

"I still am but I understand there are limits. There is much I don't know about enemies I must face." He smiled. "Who made the decision?"

"Father did. And I thought it would be best if we all got together. My parents worry."

"You did leave with me." Naruto pointed out. Maybe it was given for her parents to worry that she could leave again. She was her mother's daughter. He had to acknowledge this much. "At any case, I don't have a problem with it. What is surprising is your maturity in saying this and how you said it. Its making me feel uncomfortable."

"Very funny."

"Should you be out in the open like this?"

Naruto glanced at Jiraiya for a second before staring back at the memorial stone. A bottle of alcohol beside him. He didn't try to get drunk often, but he had his moments. When sadness overpowered, misery haunted him, he felt the urge to drink a little. Today was no special day. It was just another day. The sentiments boiling inside of him were the special emotions. Both his parents were buried. Dead to never rise. And he was staring at a future in which he could become a parent.

"If you're here, it means Sasuke was successful in convincing Hokage-sama to take Kakashi-sensei with."

Naruto really did want to be there. Maybe he should have sent a clone. To watch Kage bickering about the way forward. The blame game being shifted around. He was going to miss the drama. It would've been amusing to watch. But here he was, locked in this village, waiting for the inevitable attack by the Akatsuki.

"Yes, he was. She was concerned about letting him go as he is her successor." Jiraiya sat down beside Naruto.

He was truly a failure of a sensei. He allowed his student to die. Then failed to protect his son. Yet, Naruto was here. He was certain Minato would've been thrilled at how powerful his son had become. Kushina would still worry as if he was a Genin. Mothers were like that.

"Understandable. If both die, the village suffers greatly. But I don't think anyone could manage to tag out the Sharingan duo."

"Anything is possible. The idea that one cannot be defeated often leads to misfortune."

Naruto smiled at the stern words. "Aged and wise men offer good value of lessons." He said. "I must admit, we've grown so powerful we think nobody can defeat us. But that is false. I am aware of this much. A superiority complex truly is a difficult demon to muster."

"You didn't have that before."

"A certain Uchiha rubbed off me the wrong way."

"I didn't think you could be influenced like that."

Naruto laughed. "Nobody is absolute. We just try the best we can to stay resolute to our convictions. But we're alive. We're humans. We're constantly learning and growing. Change is inevitable. It is a mere question of whether it is good or bad." He picked his bottle, took a sip and then put it back. "Tell me, how was my father's mood when he knew he was going to be a father?"

Jiraiya smiled, reminiscing the good old days. Minato had been ecstatic. Kushina thrilled and yet a little afraid. Both had dreams. Desires of how they'd raise their child. But none of it was realized.

"I'd never seen your father happier. Your mother as well. Both had looked forward to seeing you born." Jiraiya stopped himself from raising his frustrations. Now was not the time. This had nothing to do with him.

"I see… I can imagine. That is all I can do..." he said. "Do you think I'm too young to be a father?"

"You didn't knock up your girl, did you?"

"Hahaha… not at all. I am just thinking about when would be the right time to be a father. I look forward to it. That is my future. The one thing I truly desire."

"I'm surprised that is all your desire."

"I've been in many places. I went to desiring to just be acknowledged, to wishing I was dead. Sometimes, just thankful I am alive. What I have achieved is more than enough. Given everything, I just want my happiness. But," he smiled sadly. "I'm afraid of losing it. My father was the fastest man. Yet, he couldn't save mother. He was forced to sacrifice everything. I don't think I can. That is why I don't want responsibility."

"When you're in a position of responsibility, that duty becomes first. And usually family comes second." Jiraiya said in a hardened tone. "To be afraid is natural. We don't know what will happen tomorrow. But if we simply remain still, nothing changes. The hope of what could've been kills you. You don't want to live a life full of regrets Naruto. You will become like me or sensei."

"To die in misery, huh?"

"Sensei always thought he could never atone for his mistakes. He had many regrets."

"Such is life." Naruto glanced at the Sannin

"What is your greatest regret?"

"That I was not around on the night you were born. Had I been around, I would have been the one to die, not Minato."

Nothing changed from being hounded by regrets. It was just misery. People had to accept that humans had limits. They were not Omnipresent. They could not do all. You always wished to protect the things you valued the most but sometimes, it was just not possible. Accepting this much didn't give anyone hope. In fact, you'd never try. Hope inspired people to act.

Naruto didn't really have any interest in soothing Jiraiya's miserable heart. He had his reasons for asking.

Without warning, he changed the subject. "What do you think about Sasuke becoming Hokage?"

"I don't think about it."

"Hm…. Is that so?" Naruto smiled. "I suppose that is to be expected. It comes out of nowhere. The guy has always been selfish and hungry for power. You don't want that kind of person becoming Hokage."

"And yet, you'd support him."

"He is my friend. Sure, I support his dream."

"Why?"

"Because I'm curious. For now, I can watch and help him struggle to make it happen. On the flip side of things, he has ideas on what a Kage should be and how a village should conduct itself. Whether he can make it as a leader remains to be seen. But at the moment, he is not a leader."

"Sensei used to say you understood him better."

"It's always best to study those around you. You twist them when necessary…" he grinned slyly. "He needs to grow. Understand things a little more. But that isn't important at the moment. We have to first navigate through this situation."

"You don't sound too confident."

"Confidence is one thing I've never lacked. But when facing an opponent that I know nothing about, I worry. I may have all the power, but someone weaker can still be the death of me. Life is fragile. It can end easily. We don't break easily in battle, but in circumstances where we know nothing, we break easily."

"Is this why you decided against going to Amegakure?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded for emphasis. "You don't want to walk into a hole you don't even know how deep it is. Even if you manage to land safely and fend off against the threats, you might end up dying because you can't climb up. I don't want to die yet. I want to get married. Have kids. Watch the world change as I grow old. Then I can die."