Once back in Konoha, Tsudande and Shizune ran test after test to make sure Naruto was really okay. Besides tiring quickly, he checked out fine.
Naruto was laying in his hospital bed lightly dozing when his door opened. "Granny Tsunade! Hey, am I good to leave?"
She smiled as she sat down on Naruto's bed. "Not yet."
"But …"
"When you can actually stay awake for a full day, then I will let you out of here."
The blond huffed but nodded. He looked down at his hands, troubled.
Tsunade couldn't help herself; she took her hand and brushed Naruto's wild locks out of his eyes. "What's bothering you?"
"The Shogun and his daughter." Naruto looked up to her. "You're not going to punish them, are you?"
She sighed. "Naruto, they kidnapped you, forcibly extracted your chakra, made us think you were dead and caused the Kyubi to take over your body. Don't you think they deserve to be held accountable for their actions?
Naruto looked away and bit his lower lip. "Yes … maybe … I don't know." He closed his eyes, then looked back up at the Hokage. "What would you do if your people were dying?"
Tsunade took a sharp intake at the intensity in his blue eyes. She took a deep breath, blew it out, then smiled. "Don't worry too much. I have taken your concerns into consideration. They will not be delt with too harshly."
Naruto smiled as his eyes became heavy. "Good … Thanks … Granny …" He closed his eyes completely now, drifting off again.
Tsunade smiled and touched the boy's hair again. "Because I thought I lost you, I wanted to come down hard on them." She touched his whiskered cheek. "But you always remind me of how to look beyond myself." She smiled more as Naruto nestled into her hand.
As she stood, she bent over and kissed his forehead. "You are going to be an amazing Hokage." She looked lovingly at him and then left to get back to her duties.
In the lab of Tsurui village, Nozomi spoke with the head scientist. "How are all of the test subjects doing?"
"Same as before, his charka is resonating and growing within each of them, no adverse reactions, no rejections."
"What about the other chakra we are being sent from Konoha?"
The scientist shook his head. "Not as promising. I wish we still had access to that boy."
Nozomi nodded. "They think they are being noble by sending us low quality charka but all they are doing is hastening our deaths."
The scientist put a hand on her arm. "We still have hope with the ones already transplanted before we lost him."
The girl took a vial of glowing yellow charka from her robes.
He smiled, "You were able to save one!" He said happily.
She nodded.
"I can transplant this into a dozen or more volunteers."
"Don't use all of it."
"Master?"
"There is something else I want you to do with it." She handed over the vial along with a scroll to the scientist.
He read it over, eyes going wide. "This …" He looked up at her.
"Can you do it?"
"Of course, but you understand the risks, right?"
Nozomi nodded. "This will keep him connected to this village, forever."
They both stared at the glowing yellow vial.
Naruto, I told you that you'd never leave this village … and a part of you never will, Nozomi thought as she looked at the scientist.
"Let me know when it ready." She turned and walked out of the lab.
"Yes, of course, Master," The scientist bowed to her retreating form.
The End