Ryota took a deep breath, clearing his mind. This was the biggest day of his life as a ninja so far, the day he would take over the leadership of the entire village. He was a hero and war veteran, the last of his siblings, the son of a father he never knew, and the grandson of one of the greatest ninjas. Today, he would become the Hokage of Konohagakure. He had never sought such a position, feeling it was meant for others, not him. He didn't even advance past the rank of genin until his twenties and had almost died as one.

As he prepared, he knew the challenges ahead would be significant, requiring all his abilities. Looking at himself in the mirror, his long brown hair hanging over his shoulders, and his soft light brown eyes staring back, he realized he was not an old man—only in his mid-thirties, with plenty of days ahead. He reached over to get dressed when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. He looked into the mirror to see who it was and instantly recognized her.

"Tia, love, I must admit I never thought I would be the one to take up this leadership," he said honestly, looking at his beautiful wife in the mirror. The elegant, graceful woman standing just behind him to the right was still so beautiful, with her long flowing black hair, soft features, and warm black eyes.

He smiled, remembering the first time he had met his wife. He had been out exploring after his failure in the chunin exams when he ran into a group of bandits along the road. He attacked them, saving a group of captured civilians. Tia was among them, a woman driven from her home for being seen as an omen of bad luck. Ryota knew that was far from true, and he loved his wife. They had been married for over fifteen years.

"Now, I guess things have been moving in this direction for a while, but I know that I wouldn't be here without you by my side, my love," he said softly, turning to face her, his eyes focused on hers. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead tenderly, taking her hands into his and holding them firmly. "You are a wonderful partner, mother, and woman, and without you, I wouldn't be the man I am today."

Ryota pressed his lips against hers before she could respond, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her close. It was an intimate moment between them, reminding her how important she was to him. His boys were important too, but she was the one who held his heart. She was his wife, the love of his life, the woman of his dreams, and the only woman ever for him.

They enjoyed the peaceful moment. "You have been my hero, my love, my rock, and my everything ever since we first met," she informed him, her voice soft and warm. "You will do a great job as Hokage. You are the right person for this task. You have been a great father and accepted everything that has happened, moving forward. You were there in my most challenging times. When my pregnancy went south, when I was told I couldn't have any more kids, the health scares because of that—you were always by my side. I am forever grateful for having you. Without you, I don't think I would be here today, my beloved."

Ryota looked at his wife and hugged her. "I will continue to be here for you, Ace, and Kaza. Even with more responsibilities, your importance is absolute to me."

Tia nodded, knowing he meant it. He was a good man, a great man. They enjoyed this moment of warmth and quiet as they held each other.

Tia pulled back and helped Ryota finish dressing. The two remained quiet, enjoying the warmth of their long and fruitful relationship, the softness of the morning, and the excitement and anticipation for what was to happen later that day.

Later that day, Ace and Kaza were ready. Both, for once, wore the traditional colors of the Togusa clan—the white, purple, and teal of the clan robes. The two of them sat together, waiting. Kaza looked over at his brother and smiled. "So, I heard that you went on a date with Sakura last night. Did it go well?"

"Yes, it went great, brother. It was a lovely meal, and Sakura was a great date. I believe she's going to meet us here, and I promised to spend time with her today. Of course, spending time with my little brother is important as well," Ace said, messing with Kaza's already messy hair a bit. "I'm sure you're going to spend time with Ino, correct?"

Kaza nodded. "Yes, that's the plan, brother. You also know there's like three months between us," Kaza commented, looking at Ace.

"Yep, and you're three months younger, so I'm the older brother," Ace said, messing with him as the two of them sat there. "Sensei should be around here too, and we should check up on him at some point."

"Yep," Kaza agreed. "I imagine sensei is hanging out with old friends and having fun himself today."

"That sounds about right," Ace commented, looking over and noticing two people approaching them. "Hey Mom, Dad, you look all ready for the day," he said firmly as his parents, also in the traditional robes of the Togusa Family, joined them. This was a day for the whole clan, a day to remember the struggle and now the triumph of determination and resolve to make it to this high level.

"Yes, want to walk with us to the tower? I'm sure it's going to be a long and busy day, boys," Ryota said, giving the two a smile. "One for the record books, though."

"Yes, that sounds good," Kaza said, getting up as he smiled at his parents. Ace joined them as they walked. The four of them, soon joined by their grandmother, walked from the old shrine to the tower. It wasn't a short distance as the shrine was on the outskirts of town, barely even in the city at all.

Masuki had joined them as well, wanting to be there for her son. She knew that her late husband Misaku would be extremely proud of his son, as would Rota, Aosuke, Mia, and Kazanori. She remembered how it was Kazanori's dream to make it big in the village, but he died like the others in the war. She was glad she was here to represent the past. She remembered the old days when the village thought so little of them as a clan and put them down.

She had brought the Togusa Roses and planted them in the area around the Hokage Tower the day before. It was a prideful mark, a show that the Togusa were now a significant part of the village and that they would leave their mark on it in the best possible ways.

The group split up, with Ryota, Masuki, and Tia going to the tower while Ace and Kaza joined the group gathering in front of the tower. As the two brothers stood there, they noticed two people approaching them: Ino and Sakura. Sakura was in a lovely red Chinese-style dress, and Ino in a perfect purple kimono. The two brothers were very much focused on the two friendly rivals.

The brothers were pretty much beside themselves as they looked at them, Ace's focus on Sakura and Kaza's on Ino.

"Um, good afternoon, Sakura. You look beautiful today," Ace said after failing to say anything for a good few moments.

"Ino, um," Kaza stammered, walking over and taking her hands into his own. "You are the most beautiful flower here, Ino," he said, blushing a good bit as he looked at her.

Sakura's cheeks tinted slightly as she smiled warmly at Ace. "Thank you, Ace," she replied, her eyes bright with happiness. "You look really handsome today too." She appreciated how well he had dressed up for the occasion and felt a sense of pride and admiration for him.

Ino, on the other hand, was a bit more playful in her response. She gave Kaza a flirty smile and a slight wink. "Well, thank you, Kaza. You clean up pretty nicely yourself," she teased, her tone light and affectionate. She was clearly pleased with his compliment and the effort he had put into his appearance.

Ace, feeling more confident now, grinned at Sakura. "I'm glad you like it. I thought it was a special day, so I had to look my best." His eyes lingered on hers, clearly showing how much he appreciated her presence and her words.

Kaza, still holding Ino's hands, felt his heart race. "I'm glad you think so, Ino. I really wanted to make a good impression today," he admitted, his blush deepening. He was clearly touched by her playful yet sincere response.

The two happy couples found their way to the ideal place to watch what was going to happen, each sitting side by side. They shared excited whispers and exchanged looks filled with anticipation for the ceremony.

Inside the tower, Ryota stood looking out, both Amon and Tsunade were in the room with him. "Now, it is an honor to meet you, Lady Tsunade, and sensei, thank you for all your help too. I promise I won't let either of you down, and I will very much need both of your help in this new challenge that awaits me. I can't believe it is almost time to take up the mantle of leader of the village. It feels like only yesterday I was a genin on sensei's team, and the day after that Minato made me a chunin."

Tsunade smiled warmly at Ryota. "You've come a long way, Ryota. The village is in good hands with you. And remember, we're all here to support you."

Amon nodded in agreement. "You've always had the potential, Ryota. This is just the beginning of a new chapter. We believe in you."

Ryota nodded before he walked out to the balcony and stood before the gathered people. He saw his wife standing nearby as well as his mother. He took the headpiece of the Hokage and held it up.

"Hello, I am Ryota Togusa, and it is a pleasure to introduce myself to you not as just another shinobi, not as your teacher at the academy, not as your comrade in arms. I am here to take up the role of leadership. I am here to do my best to make this world a world worth living in, growing in, and I will strive for a future where the village is one which leads by example for the rest of the world to follow," Ryota said, starting as he looked out at the people.

"I know what it is like to lose. I know the challenges and darkness that come from being a shinobi of Konoha. That not everything is perfect, and that war brings hardships and challenges. I know that not everyone is ever able to get the acknowledgment they deserve for the work they put in. That the choices we as ninja make are never easy or simple, and life is hard even for us survivors of the past," he continued, his voice filled with emotion.

"I promise to work my hardest, to help lead us from the challenges of the past to a greater future. For this end, I will need the help of everyone, and the support of everyone to make sure the village grows stronger. I will in turn be here to help and support each of you on your individual journeys to your better tomorrow. For, as of this moment, I, Ryota Togusa, am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, and I will do my best."

The crowd cheered for their new Hokage, filled with hope that this was the start of a new age with a new generation taking leadership. Ryota waved as the festive activities began and people celebrated together below. He reached for Tia's hand, holding it firmly. He promised himself that he would be the best leader he could be and would continue to grow stronger to support his village as much as possible.

Tia smiled at Ryota, squeezing his hand in return. "You've always been strong, and my hero, my love," she said softly. "And now, you'll be a beacon of hope for everyone here."

Ryota nodded his head, his face rather red as he looked over at his wife. He knew that having her here, having his mother here, having his kids here. It made this moment so much greater for himself. "Thank you, my dear, I will do my best to live up to those words."

As the celebration continued, Ace and Kaza stood with Sakura and Ino, watching the festivities unfold. Ace looked over at Sakura and smiled, feeling a sense of pride and excitement for the future. "This is a big day for all of us," he said, glancing over at Kaza, who was deep in conversation with Ino.

"Yeah," Kaza agreed, looking up at the Hokage tower where his father stood. "It's a new beginning for our family and the village."