Hokage Office.
"Lady Tsunade is coming back."
Satoru received Jiraiya's intelligence report.
He immediately jumped up excitedly.
"Shikaku-senpai, come with me to welcome the Fifth Hokage's return."
Satoru said to Shikaku, who was beside him.
Shikaku put down his work, and hearing Satoru's words, especially seeing the happy smile on his face, he felt quite speechless.
The Hokage is an idol many wish to become.
But to Satoru, it was just an ordinary job, no different from any other.
In fact, it was even worse than an ordinary job.
He shook his head, feeling that Satoru's personality was indeed not suitable to be Hokage.
Because he lacked that sense of responsibility, of dedicating one's life until death.
However, his ability as Acting Hokage was beyond doubt.
Satoru was someone Shikaku had watched grow up, and no matter what position he held, he could do it very well.
This was no ordinary ability.
Even in the Hokage position, which he didn't take seriously, he managed to handle all the Hokage's duties in an orderly fashion.
"Hmm, let's go together. It's been a long time since I've seen Lady Tsunade."
At the mention of Tsunade, Shikaku also smiled.
Perhaps this Lady was the right candidate for Hokage.
As long as she was a little more diligent and responsible than Satoru, it would make his life much easier.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two, along with the Anbu members responsible for guard duty, left the Hokage Office... In front of the Konoha Great Gate.
"Hmph, that Third Old Man really... to be messed up like this by Orochimaru. He's really old!"
Tsunade walked ahead, looking at the familiar surroundings, and couldn't help but complain.
Jiraiya said, "There's no helping it. We're all in our fifties. It's inevitable that Sarutobi Sensei would get old."
Whoosh~
A cool breeze blew past.
Shizune and Naruto, who had suddenly wanted to greet the guards at the gate, quietly retreated a little.
Bang!
Jiraiya flew out.
"Bastard, being old only applies to you! I'm still young!"
Tsunade rubbed her fist.
Whoosh!
"Yes, yes, yes, let's hurry. I'm afraid the two Advisors and Satoru have been waiting for a long time."
Jiraiya wiped his nosebleed and walked back.
Whoosh!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Just then, several figures descended from the sky.
"Long time no see, Jiraiya-sama, and Lady Tsunade..."
Satoru said with a smile as soon as he landed.
She was finally back; he was finally going to be free.
"You are? You know me?"
Tsunade looked at the unfamiliar person, asking with confusion.
As for Shikaku and the Anbu members behind him, she naturally recognized them.
She figured this must be the genius Ninja Jiraiya had mentioned, whose talent rivaled Minato's.
"Analysis Team Leader, Acting Hokage Satoru, of course I know Lady Tsunade.
The legendary Sannin, the Ninja World's most formidable medical Ninja,
The strongest female Ninja who has Jiraiya-sama wrapped around her finger,
And also Konoha's future Fifth Hokage,
Konoha's pillar of strength. If I didn't know her, wouldn't that be a joke!"
Satoru praised her tirelessly.
Shikaku, listening from behind, was speechless.
You just want to get rid of the Acting Hokage position quickly, don't you?
Even Naruto, standing behind Tsunade, felt his blood boil listening to it.
He wanted to be that amazing someday.
That way, Sakura would definitely fall for him too.
"Kid, you really aren't suited to be Hokage."
Jiraiya heard the implicit meaning in his words.
He had no attachment to the Hokage position.
Tsunade: "I actually think this kid is very suitable to be Hokage. Why don't we just let him do it?
Judging by Konoha's current situation, hasn't he been doing quite well?"
She looked towards Konoha, which was still undergoing reconstruction.
She wasn't swayed by Satoru's praise at all.
However, the slight curve of her lips betrayed her mood.
"Lady Tsunade, that won't do. Your becoming the Fifth Hokage was decided by a vote of all the Jonin in the Village.
It's not just a casual appointment by the Land of Fire's high command.
Besides, my wife is pregnant, and I need more time to be with her.
This Hokage position makes me feel like I'm letting her down too much."
Satoru's eyes were red, as if this one month as Acting Hokage had made him owe Ayame a great deal.
"...Wife?"
Tsunade asked.
"Haha, Satoru already has two children, and now his wife is pregnant. It's true."
Shikaku explained to Tsunade.
Tsunade heard this and was suspicious: "Such a coincidence? Why do I feel like you're doing this on purpose?"
Most importantly, what did she just hear? You're that busy, and you still have the energy to get your wife pregnant?
If Satoru knew her thoughts, he would surely spit at her.
"No, it's nothing. I just don't adapt to the Hokage position. I feel the responsibility is too heavy.
Just the responsibility of family makes me mentally and physically exhausted."
Satoru feigned a shake of his head.
He looked utterly exhausted.
"Fifth Hokage-sama, let's discuss this back at the office. I'm sure the two Advisors have been waiting for a long time."
Satoru didn't give her any more time to be suspicious.
He then had Tsunade and the others register with the two gate guards before leading them in the direction of the Hokage Office.
Tsunade walked through Konoha's main street, where pedestrians carried various lumber for repairing houses.
She occasionally saw residents repairing their homes.
After a month, not all repairs were complete, which showed that Orochimaru's invasion had indeed caused severe damage.
And from the cheerful children occasionally playing among the pedestrians,
She could also tell that Satoru had handled Konoha's interim period exceptionally well.
Because if it hadn't been handled well, hostile nations would definitely not have let Konoha off so easily.
"Uncle Satoru, are Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei alright?"
Naruto followed behind, his first concern being Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei.
"They're fine. Other than not being able to wake up, they're perfectly well. I bring them apples every day."
Satoru indicated there were no problems.
"Apples?" A scene flashed through Naruto's mind: Sasuke and Kakashi, still asleep, picking up apples next to them and putting them in their mouths.
"As expected of Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke, they can eat apples even while sleeping."
He suddenly understood.
"Wait, how can they eat apples if they're asleep?"
Naruto suddenly realized.
This reaction made everyone else laugh.
"I ate them for them! I was so kind to reward them, but they didn't appreciate it,
So I ate them for them," Satoru chuckled.
"Oh, you, Uncle Satoru... so sly."
"Have the medical Ninja checked them? There won't be any problems, will there?"
Tsunade quickly got serious.
Kakashi was an important combat force for Konoha.
"Don't worry, although we can't wake them up, maintaining their physical vital signs is no problem."
Satoru said confidently.
He checked on them daily, after all.
Moreover, he used genjutsu to trick their body signals, allowing them to absorb nutrients better.
Completely safe.
It seemed there would be no surprises with Tsunade becoming the Fifth Hokage.
He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Tsunade, influenced by Naruto, probably had considerable fighting spirit now.
But it probably wouldn't last long.
She would soon fall back into drinking and gambling.