Naruto: I Copy Skills

A/N: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by next Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Current Goal: 500 Powerstones. Let's increase our Power Ranking!

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Kakashi's visible eye blinked, and then blinked again, as if trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Asuma's jaw tightened, his eyes darting between Goro and the man who had been dead for decades.

The room was silent for a few beats, the air thick with disbelief. Finally, Kakashi managed to find his voice. "That... that's the First Hokage," he said, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

Hashirama let out a hearty laugh, the sound filling the room. "Well, yes, I suppose I am!" he said, still smiling. "And you must be from the Leaf. It's good to see the village still has strong and capable shinobi."

"Oh, sorry. Before we proceed, I should mention—I've reanimated the First Hokage to get help with something," Goro said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Asuma, visibly shocked, facepalmed. "Don't say it so casually, Goro..." He shook his head, sighing. "Like I said, it's always a new surprise with you."

Shikamaru, who had been sulking and quiet, raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Reanimation...?" he muttered, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. His eyes darted toward the man in red armor, seated at the side of the room.

"Yeah," Goro confirmed with a slight nod. Beside him, Hashirama gave a cheerful thumbs up. "Correct."

Kakashi, still processing, scratched his head. "This has really thrown me off," he admitted, his usual composed demeanor slipping for a moment.

Goro gave a small shrug. "Understandable, but we should get back on track."

Asuma and Kakashi, though clearly unsettled by the presence of the First Hokage, nodded and took their seats. Shikamaru, however, remained standing, his expression tense.

"Sorry... but before that, I've got to ask Goro something," Shikamaru said, his voice carrying an edge.

Goro's eyes narrowed slightly. "Go ahead, throw it at me."

Shikamaru looked down, clenching his fists tightly. "Ino... she was devastated." He lifted his gaze, and Goro could see the mix of hurt and confusion in his eyes. "How could you hide that secret from us?"

Goro's face softened, his usual stoic expression giving way to a look of regret. "It wasn't my intention to hide anything," he said slowly, weighing his words. "I wanted to create an alliance between our villages, then spill the details to you guys, but things went left. I'd invite Ino here, but our villages aren't currently on good terms, and it would only tarnish her reputation."

Shikamaru's fists slowly unclenched, and he lowered himself into a chair, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. "I get it... It's still troublesome, but I get it."

Goro offered a small smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes, before glancing at Asuma. The older man returned the smile, though his was tinged with sadness. Goro then turned to Kakashi, who was observing the exchange intently.

"All right," Goro said, his voice more resolute. "Let's commence this meeting."

Goro was the first to speak. "I accepted this meeting out of respect for the village," Goro began, his voice firm, "but I have no intention of giving Sasuke back. He made the decision to stay here of his own accord. The Leaf doesn't truly have Sasuke's best interests in mind; you just want him back for political reasons and refuse to acknowledge his feelings. I'm not like Orochimaru, and you all know this."

Kakashi, who couldn't take his eyes off Hashirama, returned his attention to Goro, his gaze hardening. "We don't know your intentions, Goro. Like Orochimaru, you may only want to use Sasuke. It's already been proven once that Sasuke is willing to follow anyone who promises him more power, even at the risk of his own safety."

Goro's eyes sharpened. "Orochimaru placed a curse mark on Sasuke to influence his decision. I didn't do anything like that. In fact, I'm developing a seal that will prevent Orochimaru's curse mark from having any influence over Sasuke." He shifted his gaze to Asuma and Shikamaru, his tone softening. "My Sensei and teammate can vouch for my character. All my actions have helped the village, and I even went as far as offering an alliance. I have no bad intentions."

Asuma's eyes softened, a hint of sadness crossing his features. "Goro, what is the purpose of all this then? Why do you need Sasuke?"

Goro sighed. "I want to gain power, and on my pathway to power, I need strong individuals like Sasuke beside me. Our goals currently align. He wants to get stronger to take revenge on his brother, and I want to gain power in general. I will help him attain what he wants, and he'll help me."

Hashirama, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "This doesn't sound like a complex issue. Can't the Leaf drop the situation and make an alliance?"

He looked at the Leaf shinobi with a straightforward expression and added, "This sounds like the current Hokage is throwing a fit. If the boy named Sasuke is doing well here, why not let him stay? And as for the alliance, I don't see why one cannot be made again. Who's the Hokage? I'll try and convince them."

Kakashi, after hearing Hashirama's words, answered. "Lord First, the current Hokage is your granddaughter, Lady Tsunade."

Hashirama's eyes widened. He glanced around the room, his gaze shifting from Kakashi to Goro, then to Asuma and Shikamaru, as if searching for any hint that this was a joke. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you being serious?" he asked, his tone almost incredulous.

Seeing no signs of jest from anyone, Hashirama looked as if he had been hit by a thunderbolt, a blend of surprise and nostalgia flickering across his face. "Tsunade... Hokage?" he whispered to himself. The thought of his stubborn, hot-headed, yet undeniably cute granddaughter holding the title he once did made him blush slightly, a proud and amused grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "That little girl is Hokage now?" he thought, still trying to wrap his mind around it.

Goro nodded, confirming with an amused grin on his face, "He's serious. Your granddaughter is the current Hokage."

Hashirama leaned back slightly, processing the information. "Too much time has passed..." he thought, the realization sinking in. "I wonder how she's doing. Maybe I can pay her a visit and apologize for the death of her sensei..."

Attempting to get the conversation back on track, Kakashi continued, "We came here upon the Hokage's orders to negotiate for Sasuke's return. We are already playing it nice. If this had happened to any other village, you wouldn't have gotten such a restrained response."

Goro's brow furrowed. "You're completely ignoring context. As I said before, I'm not a random person. I've done so much for the village that I deserve a restrained response. Lady Tsunade knows her overreaction was incorrect, and now she is trying to make up for it."

Kakashi sighed, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "This conversation isn't getting anywhere. It at least gives me some peace of mind that the First Hokage is here, but I don't know how much you're influencing him. Orochimaru could completely suppress the First's personality before and turn him into a zombie killing tool, so how do we know he isn't being manipulated?"

Hashirama's eyes narrowed slightly, and he quickly interjected. "The child is restraining my power, yes, but my personality is completely unrestrained," he vouched. "I'm still very much myself, and I'm not being manipulated."

Kakashi processed the statement, his gaze meeting Hashirama's, searching for any signs of deception. After a moment, he replied, "I see..." He still seemed wary, but there was a shift in his posture, a slight relaxing of his features, as if Hashirama's assurance had eased some of his concerns.

Hashirama, seizing the opportunity, continued, "There's no need to create or escalate tensions between these two villages. I worked hard to bring the shinobi world together, to build alliances and foster unity, so it hurts to see my hard work starting to unravel." He paused, glancing at Goro and then back to Kakashi. "I'll have a talk with my granddaughter. I'll see if I can help smooth things over and try to work something out."

Goro nodded, appreciating the gesture. "I wouldn't mind that," he said. He understood the significance of having Hashirama intervene. If anyone could sway Tsunade, it would be her beloved grandfather, whose legacy still held a powerful influence over the Leaf. Goro's own plans could progress more smoothly if Tsunade was willing to be reasonable, and this could be his best chance at preserving the possibility of an alliance.

Kakashi considered Hashirama's words for a moment before conceding. "I suppose that would be fine," he said, his tone calmer. "If Lord First believes he can help mediate, then it's worth trying. As Sasuke's teacher, I have my own reasons for wanting him to return to the village, but I'm open to being convinced by the First Hokage."

'The First Hokage's presence really rattled the negotiations...'

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Reminder: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by next Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Current Goal: 500 Powerstones. Let's increase our Power Ranking!