Several days had passed since the invasion, and Konoha was on the right track to heal. Today, Ren walked next to Naruto as he led the boy to the T&I department, where he was supposed to talk to Gaara. It was something Ren could plainly see that bothered Naruto. Something he both wanted and did not want to do.

He was conflicted, scared, and had no idea why he had gotten this job other than being a jinchuuriki. But at least, the boy hid his apprehension well underneath his usual exuberance.

Ren even started wondering if orchestrating this and pushing him into this was the correct choice, but it was a bit too late for regret right now. In the manga or anime, Naruto and Gaara’s relationship was built on the real connection they built during their interactions and battles. It was forged through understanding, pain, and struggle.

Here? The boys barely spoke to each other. They did not know each other. They did not know each other’s past. The only connection they had was that they were jinchuuriki.

Ren hoped it would be enough. That once they started talking to each other, they were going to build at least some sort of connection. He wanted Naruto and the future Kazekage to bond. For the sake of Konoha. Not because of some zealous loyalty and nationalism. Not because of some fabled Will of Fire whose meaning changed every time a different person took its words to his mouth. But because he freaking lived here and would prefer peace rather than war.

Because no matter how unsuited the current half-insane Gaara was, he was still the most eligible candidate from the Kazekage’s children. Hopefully, Naruto could tighten a few loose screws in the boy’s head. Hopefully, it would be enough for him not to go down the deep end, taking Suna with him.

It was frustrating. All the foreknowledge Ren had, and yet, he was utterly powerless to do anything about the current situation. He could not control what other people or villages would do. He could only do his best to prepare for any eventuality and hope for the best.

At least, things seemed to be stabilizing. Iwa and Kumo were still watching, and the preliminary peace talks with Suna had begun, from what he knew. Tomorrow, Naruto would be off on a mission with Jiraiya, hunting for a stray last Senju because the one-armed monkey couldn’t stay a Hokage after being crippled.

Hiruzen was still a ninja to be feared, but losing a hand decreased his combat effectiveness. It made him look like a much lesser shield for Konoha. Which, in turn, made Konoha look vulnerable.

The higher-ups couldn’t have that. Even Hiruzen understood that. Unfortunately, for the old monkey, Jiraiya vehemently refused the job. Danzo… not even Hiruzen was deranged enough to consider his old friend. And that left him with the only possible option. Tsunade.

Kakashi didn’t have enough renown and was known to be lazy, always late, and irresponsible. Not to mention, he wasn’t exactly an S-class ninja right now.

Gai didn’t have the correct mental predisposition, even if he had the necessary prowess. Appointing him to the office would make Konoha into a laughingstock.

Ren was still lowkey suspecting that Gai was cultivating that kind of reputation on purpose.

Hiruzen even considered Ren during their last meeting. Fortunately for Ren, he was just a chunin and didn’t have the necessary reputation among the Konoha ninjas to get the position. Hinata and Ino were strong enough for it, but they had the same problem, with the addition of being clan heirs. That brought some other political issues into play. Issues that could have been resolved with some compromises if Hiruzen had the time to navigate them, but he didn’t have that luxury right now.

Hiruzen was pretty much fucked no matter which direction he turned when deciding on his successor. Tsunade, the drunk gambler who was widely known as the best sucker far and wide, was simply the best of several very bad options.

Ren didn’t envy him, but at the same time, the old man had only himself to blame. Hokage candidates needed to be cultivated for years; they were not something that popped up out of nowhere whenever the village needed it.

Hiruzen was clearly trying to set up his son, Asuma, as his successor. But that plan was in its initial stages. Hiruzen had most likely thought he could last for three to five years more. That he could give Asuma the needed time to become an S-rank ninja.

And to give credit where it was due, Asuma had the talent to reach it. He was no monster like Itachi, Hiruzen, or even Kakashi, who didn’t have the prowess because of his laziness and depression, rather than a lack of potential. But not every S-rank ninja was a monster of talent. Some of them reached it through dedication, training, and effort.

Asuma could get there. Especially with Hiruzen’s tutelage.

Though Hiruzen’s time was up. For now. Konoha needed a new Hokage, and Asuma was not ready. Then again, there might be an ulterior motive in choosing somebody like Tsunade. Young she might look, but it was no secret the woman was old. And Hiruzen was very aware that her secret healing technique drained her lifespan.

She was going to die sooner rather than later. If Konoha were ever attacked, her death would be even more imminent. And with Hiruzen being out of the office, he would have all the time in the world to give Asuma the necessary training.

Ren reckoned that Tsunade could buy Hiruzen five, maybe ten years to train his son. Not to mention, she was going to obviously hate the job. It would remind her of her loss every single day she would have that obnoxious hat on her head.

Maybe Ren was just seeing conspiracies where there were none, but he doubted Hiruzen would give up on his plans so easily. He didn’t seem that sort of person. Tsunade would also most likely happily abdicate if Hiruzen came up with a viable, good candidate who could take the hat from her hands once she served a few years in misery.

No. Tsunade was just a Hokage meant to rebuild Konoha. To strengthen it before somebody more “suitable” could take the seat.

It was yet another reason why Hiruzen couldn’t give the hat to Danzo. That old man would have never given it up. And now, Ren, Ino, and Hinata, the only other S-rank ninjas in the village outside of Jiraiya, were also no longer in the running, considering they had refused their Jonin promotions.

For Ren, it was normal by now. He made his distaste for the rank clear. He didn’t need it. It brought too much responsibility and work, while giving in return nothing that he would need.

Most of the Konoha Jonin, for example, were already sent on missions in the last few days. A-ranks and B-ranks, back to back, and they would be doing that for months, if not over a year. All of that, to prove that Konoha was still strong and dissuade the other villages from declaring war.

For a run-of-the-mill chunin, becoming a Jonin brought prestige, respect, access to better technique scrolls, allowance to go to higher missions, which meant better paychecks, access to better teammates and sparring partners, connections to more important people in the village, and more.

All things that Ren, Ino, and Hinata had not needed.

Ren didn’t expect Ino and Hinata to turn down the promotion straight to Jonin. His girls didn’t share their decision with him, and he never said anything on the matter outside of a few rants about why becoming a Jonin would be stupid for him. He only got to know about their promotion refusal when the stressed Hiruzen called him into his office yesterday and shouted himself hoarse at him.

Honestly, Ren probably deserved it. Hiruzen had three S-rank ninjas who refused to step up. That would piss off any dictator. Especially when he could do nothing about it.

Alas, the old man had only himself to blame.

Hiruzen could not order them to take the promotion. But what he could do was to give Ren enough D-rank missions that a lesser man would have his head spin.

Still, Hiruzen had to be reasonable, and so, it was within the levels manageable by a single person. What Hiruzen forgot was that Ren had Shadow Clones.

That punishment? Ren took it with a smile on his face. Because why not? More pocket money for him.

On top of that, he still had to do his duties as a part of the Barrier Corps. They were ordered to restore the damaged barriers and seals around the village. It was extensive work. It took a long time every day. But at least, they were not sent out of the village. And again, Ren had his Shadow Clones. Joining the Barrier Corps was the one thing Ren had never, ever regretted. As much as other, more combat-oriented, ninjas might look down on his division, it was a very cozy and comfortable job with a lot of free time.

What was there not to like? Even during an emergency like this, his division still had the best and easiest work with minimal risk and a great paycheck.

Fuck all the stupid adrenaline and battle junkies. The Barrier Corps was the best!

Because Hiruzen was alive, the promotions of genin from the Chunin Exams were not postponed. Because of their refusal, Hinata was promoted to chunin and joined the Hospital, while Ino was promoted to chunin and joined the T&I.

Both girls were earning themselves a name in their respective divisions. Ino managed to get out the locations of hundreds of hideouts from the unwilling Sound Four, and she had done it in a few hours after joining.

Even Inoichi, their best mindwalker, would take days to get maybe a dozen of them, while many others would not even be accessible to him.

After all, mindwalking was not as easy as it sounded.

Ino showed she was better. That she was the best they had. Work that was supposed to take months, she had rounded up in three days.

And she reveled in the looks of awe and borderline worship her new colleagues had for her. She practically took it over and preened about it enough to make even Hinata and Ren a bit fed up.

Sure, Inoichi and that scarred guy whose name Ren had forgotten right now were still in charge. But Ino had become respected enough that her opinions were pretty much on their level.

Which brought Hiruzen even more of a headache because, well, now some people were clamoring for her to be promoted to Jonin again. Because she clearly deserved it. They started questioning why she didn’t get it in the first place after saving the village.

Ino found it hilarious and simply stayed quiet. She enjoyed the suffering it brought to the Hokage.

Hinata was in the same position. She had joined the hospital. They wanted her to start from the bottom up, as a nurse. She was not having it. She pulled rank on them. The Hyuga heiress as a nurse? No. That wasn’t going to happen.

They reluctantly let her deal with some cases. And because she had shown her competence during the hospital emergency right after the invasion, her starting position was not low.

Three days later, the most severe cases were resolved, and many who were not given big chances of survival survived anyway, thanks to Hinata’s efforts. Maybe not whole, but at least alive, which was a miracle in itself.

And while Hinata wasn’t as beloved among the medical ninjas as Ino was among the T&I, they were starting to respect her all the same.

Once again, Hiruzen had gotten another headache, for some of the most senior medical ninjas were demanding her promotion.

Ren was really not surprised that Hiruzen needed to release his stress through a bit of shouting. But it was a bit hard to keep a straight face in front of him when he wanted nothing more than to smile in amusement at his situation.

At least, Naruto, Shino, Shikamaru, and Sasuke, the other genin who were promoted to chunin rank for their significant contributions during the invasion, did not give the old man too much trouble.

According to Hanabi, Neji was seething a bit that he hadn’t been promoted, but that boy deserved some ego check anyway, so all was well, in Ren’s opinion.

He looked at Naruto. The Chunin Naruto Uzumaki. And smiled at the big grin on the boy’s face. He had deserved it. Now, if only the boy hadn’t eaten through a tenth of his paycheck for this month when he invited him for a congratulatory ramen.

But Ren only shook his head in exasperation as they arrived in front of the T&I division. It was what it was. That said, he wouldn’t be inviting the boy again for a few months at least.

Putting a hand on Naruto’s shoulder to calm him down a bit, Ren spoke as he noticed that Naruto was a bit leery, “We are here. Let’s get it over with, alright? Don’t worry, you will do great.”

Naruto uneasily nodded, but determination filled his eyes as they started walking toward the door.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep