Chapter 23:Life Rolls on...

(Italics: Thoughts/Flashbacks/Dream sequence.Bold: Title and Kyubi's / Demon's / Inner Naruto's / Inner Sakura's Speech. Underline: Time Skips

Six Months Later...

Tsunade sat on her desk and looked through two files with a rare grin on her face as she went over the mission reports from Naruto from the last six months.

In total Twenty-three missions were completed, thirteen of which were B rank, while the remaining ten were all very dangerous and important A Rank Missions.

Although Kakashi had been his partner on five out of ten of the A-Rank missions, but regardless his record was looking very good, if he kept this up he could be Hokage in a few years tops...

She knew the moment she made Naruto an Jounin he would refuse anything lower than a B-Rank mission and considering his abilities who was she to refuse him?

With these finishing thoughts the Hokage turned her head and looked down on the training progress report Tenten had filled out for her, in the file Tenten said:

"Ino's progression rate and mastery of the weapon summoning Jutsu are off the charts! She can now fight me on par with my very own techniques, also it seems she has incorporated your chakra enhanced strength Jutsu into her own Taijutsu style which balances her out as a close range fighter and long range fighter. From what I've seem about her Taijutsu style is she incorporates your chakra enhancement theory with a balance of speed, power, and defense. But when she combines the Taijutsu style with the Weapon Summoning Jutsu a potent, yet deadly combination is created. From what I can tell her training is completed, she is very confident in her abilities and will perform excellent on the battlefield." Signed: Tenten

After reading both reports Tsunade was filled with a strange form of pride in knowing these two Shinobi could very well become some of the strongest of their generation. And also knowing she was allowed the privilege to witness history in the making brought her a strange sense of accomplishment.

Tsunade smiled softly to herself and poured herself a glass of Sake and proposed a toast as she looked out the window, her thoughts reflected on Naruto and Ino and she drained her glass right before she said: "To the next generation."

Naruto jumped from tree branch to tree branch with a wide grin on his face as he focused all his energy into returning to Konoha.

For the past six months since Naruto's Promotion to Jounin Rank he's always been on a mission or training so he never got any chances to visit his lover Ino or any of his other friends for that matter.

His excitement made him forget the delicate cargo he had slung over his shoulder, the person in bondage over his shoulder began to struggle which in turn caused Naruto to punch him in the gut as he muttered: "Quit struggling you're already captured anyway."

Naruto performed a quick series of hand signs and said: "Chakra Weight Jutsu Release!" A Seal on Naruto's chest appeared and vanished, releasing the training restraints on Naruto's body. Naruto flashed a fox-like grin and said: "Alright Konoha here I come!"

And with those last words Naruto sped off toward Konoha at full speed.

Ino leaned against the training post, breathing heavily and absolutely drenched in sweat. Ino sighed and smiled as she said: "The baths it is!"

And with that happy thought in her mind the young Kunoichi went speeding off toward the Konoha Hot Springs.

As Ino was sprinting in the directions of the hot springs she began to think about Naruto, what he was doing right now, how he was doing, they had not seen each other in six months, although that was only about twenty four weeks it seemed like an eternity to Ino, and she even wondered if he felt the same way.

But knowing him even if the first thing on his mind was her he'd be at Ichiraku's before he came looking for her. This thought caused Ino to smile to herself happily.

After a few short minutes of traveling Ino had finally arrived at the hot springs and she admitted after a long training session the hot springs were absolute heaven.

She sighed and leaned her head back as she said: "Yeah this is the life..."

For the past six months Ino had been training constantly to give Naruto her full support but more importantly she was redefining herself, improving her newly obtained abilities and proving herself. She was training so often now her friends would always joke and say his crazy training routines are rubbing off on her. Who knows maybe they're right.

Naruto had arrived at the Gates of Konoha, he smiled and straightened his headband as he walked past the guard post into the village. Naruto was so excited to come back he wanted to go ahead and report to Tsunade and get it over with opposed to her having to send someone for him and then bitch at him.

Naruto concentrated his chakra into his legs and with a burst of speed and chakra vanished and sped toward the Hokage Tower like a speeding orange bullet, Naruto came to a sudden halt which tore up some of the ground around him but he paid it no attention as he entered the Hokage's Tower and began to climb the spiral staircase.

Tsunade had finished half the bottle of Sake she had opened earlier and boy was she feeling it, nobody had came to disturb her in quite a few hours and she was glad, she knew she wasn't wasted but to say she wasn't a little drunk would be a lie.

Almost as if on cue an audible knock is heard on the outside of Tsunade's office door.

Tsunade cleared her throat and said: "Come in."

The door opened and Naruto emerged from the doorway with the classic grin of his embedded into his facial expression, he waved his hand and said:

"Hey Tsunade how's it going? I got my mission report done see?"

Naruto smiled and held out a document in a hasty gesture. Tsunade looked at the report and smiled as she said:

"Another A-Rank completed just like that. How long did it take you to find the A-Rank criminal in the Bingo Book let alone capture him?"

Naruto scratched the back oh his head and smiled nervously as he said:

"Well actually finding him was the hard part, it took me almost three weeks but it only took ten minutes to beat him into submission especially when I introduced him to my Ego Clones."

Tsunade shook her head in disbelief and laughed a little as she said: "You're really set on this Hokage thing aren't you kid?"

Naruto nodded his head and said: "You know it."

Tsunade laughed a little which caused Naruto to give Tsunade a confused look before she spoke again:

"You know Hokage is such a big title and it's true you really have to be qualified for the job, some might even say privileged or destined but the most annoying part of the job is all this annoying paperwork..."

Naruto grinned a little at Tsunade's usual complaint and replied:

"That might be true however... It's a small price to pay to be given the Honor of protecting everything and everyone in this village I hold precious and fulfilling my life's dream."

Tsunade smirked and looked out the window and peered down on the village as she replied:

"Touche Uzumaki... Touche..."

Here is the long awaited installment in my greatest story ever. I did a time skip and have developed and powered up Ino's character immensely and I think I did a good job in this chapter, but you all know how much I love feedback from my readers, so if you care drop me a REVIEW and let me know how I did, take it easy and thanks for reading. Peace! - DemonicLove555