Naruto - Leader of Kusagakure

As expected, under the protection of his armor, Black Zetsu easily defeated Naruto. This was no surprise to anyone, as the new generation of armor, specially crafted by Elder Yoshinori under Akihiko's direction, was vastly superior. Compared to Yahiko's version, this armor not only boasted greater power but also longer endurance. Coupled with the specially crafted chakra armor, there was no way Naruto and Sasuke could overcome Black Zetsu's pay-to-win advantage at this stage.

That evening, Naruto and Sasuke returned home with bruised faces, drawing hearty laughter from everyone. "Naruto, you lost again?" they teased, causing Naruto to blush with embarrassment. He jumped and shouted, "Who lost? I didn't lose! How can you call a ninja's endeavor a loss?"

He rambled on about how the other side didn't follow the ninja code and even brought weapons, which only made the crowd laugh harder. The house filled with joyful laughter as Naruto continued to defend his honor.

After the defeat, Naruto approached Akihiko, clearly disheartened. His confident challenge had ended in yet another loss, and he found himself questioning his abilities. Doubts crept into his mind as he wondered what the point of all his training was. Maybe he needed better gear, he thought. Sasuke, usually so composed and self-assured, had fallen into silence, clearly feeling the same frustration. Even he seemed to be longing for better equipment.

Seeing their spirits crushed, Akihiko immediately stepped in, ready to give them the boost they needed. With a calm but firm tone, he delivered a motivational speech, reminding them that a true ninja must never rely solely on equipment. "Your strength doesn't come from your tools, but from your heart and your skill," he said. "Trust in your ninjutsu. Keep training, and you'll grow stronger with every challenge."

When they expressed frustration about their jutsus being too weak to break through defenses, Akihiko responded, "There are no useless jutsus—only unskilled ninjas." He encouraged them to be more flexible in using their abilities, and to adapt and overcome obstacles with creativity. He urged them to rise again, no matter how many times they fell, teaching them resilience in the face of failure. For a while, Akihiko took on the role of the wise ninja mentor, helping Naruto and Sasuke rediscover their determination and confidence.

After a fresh round of training, Naruto and Sasuke were ready to challenge Black Zetsu once more. However, every time it seemed like they were closing the gap, Akihiko would find a way to upgrade Black Zetsu's gear, ensuring that he would defeat them yet again. But when their spirits began to flag, Akihiko would return with more words of encouragement, keeping them focused and motivated. Under Akihiko's watchful eye and 'guidance', both Naruto and Sasuke rapidly grew in strength.

On the other side, Danzo successfully gathered the 15 billion as agreed, though not without effort. Intelligence reports suggested that he had scrounged together the money from various clans, taking a little here and there. This sum was likely the combined wealth of all the clans in Konoha, as not every clan had the ability to easily produce billions.

Yet, with Danzo's persuasive skills, he had secured their trust. The clans had no choice but to rely on him; after all, if they didn't, the village would intervene with inspections. Who could withstand that kind of pressure? Just look at the Uchiha clan—unable to endure such scrutiny, they eventually rebelled. The clans weren't in the Uchiha's position; if the village made a move against them, it could very well mean their annihilation.

Carrying the hopes of the entire village, Danzo handed over the collected funds to Gato, instructing him to procure the necessary supplies. Gato, to his credit, didn't attempt to cheat him. With the help of Root ninjas, he swiftly secured 22 billion worth of materials from Grass Village and delivered them to Konoha. After a thorough inspection, Danzo confirmed that all the materials were top quality.

With everything in place, it seemed as though Danzo was ready to launch the factory. However, much to Akihiko's surprise, Danzo didn't rush into action. Instead, he waited, which, in itself, drew Gato's significant attention.

According to Gato's intelligence, Danzo had bigger plans. It seemed he was aiming to first secure deals with the markets of the Land of Lightning, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth. Only after establishing these connections would he suddenly unveil the factory, catching Grass Village off guard.

…

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, two more years had gone by. During this period, Kabuto graduated at the top of his class. His father, Mubuki, was so overwhelmed with pride that he hosted a grand celebration that lasted for three days.

After his graduation, Kabuto interned at the Medical Division, where he occasionally volunteered at the orphanage as well. He claimed that he wanted to help the parentless children find the same happiness he had experienced.

In addition to his work at the orphanage, Kabuto also studied espionage techniques under the guidance of Nono, the orphanage's director. Even Nono, who had seen many children come and go, couldn't help but acknowledge Kabuto's brilliance. She remarked that he could one day succeed her as the director of the orphanage, given his incredible talents.

However, despite his proficiency in medicine and espionage, Kabuto expressed little passion for the work at the Medical Division. His true interest lay in research. During his free time, he would often return to the research institute, where he made notable contributions to the study of Sage Mode.

Elder Yoshinori, recognizing Kabuto's potential, even went so far as to suggest that the young man might one day take his place as the head of the research institute. Yoshinori described Kabuto as a true genius, one whose abilities could one day surpass even his own.

As for Naruto and Sasuke, their ongoing battles with Black Zetsu continued without respite. With every new upgrade to Black Zetsu's equipment, Naruto and Sasuke's skills also grew at a rapid pace. Yet, no matter how hard they trained, they always seemed to be one step behind, unable to defeat him. This constant frustration pushed Naruto to the brink of unleashing the Nine-Tails' power in a fit of rage. Fortunately, Kushina intervened, reinforcing the seal once again to prevent him from going too far.

Kushina, always protective, expressed her desire for Naruto to experience a happy childhood and made it clear she didn't want him to learn the full truth of being a Jinchuriki until he was older. Akihiko, understanding her concerns, respected her wishes. Both Naruto and Sasuke advanced to the fourth grade, and their future seemed brighter with each passing day.

However, not everyone was peaceful. Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, remained in Grass Village. When her money ran out, she shamelessly exploited her status as the Grass leader's sister-in-law to freeload, much to Kushina's furious frustration. Her hair practically stood on end, her face flushed with anger at Tsunade's antics.

In the end, Kushina nearly gave in to her frustration and was on the verge of physically confronting Tsunade, but her actions were enough to make the Legendary Sannin pull back, at least for a time. Despite this, Tsunade's behavior still left her owing Akihiko a significant debt.

Akihiko, however, didn't mind Tsunade's antics at all. After all, he owned the most luxurious casino in Grass Village, and the whole situation was just a matter of shifting money from one hand to another. In fact, he had opened the casino shortly after Grass Village's reconstruction, expecting Tsunade's arrival, though she had only just arrived now.

Initially, the casino remained dormant, but after the Third Great Ninja War and with Grass Village's newfound stability, the establishment reopened and quickly became a popular spot for visiting merchants and tourists alike.

Despite Akihiko's indifferent attitude toward Tsunade's growing gambling habits, Kushina was far from pleased. She was deeply dissatisfied with how Tsunade had succumbed to gambling, hiding behind her past sorrows instead of seeking healing. Kushina hoped Tsunade would find a more constructive outlet, like a job that would help her move on from her grief.

The question was: what could Tsunade do? Working at the Medical Division? Tsunade quickly rejected that idea, citing her hemophobia as an insurmountable obstacle. This left Kushina in a difficult position, unsure what kind of job would suit Tsunade and help her overcome her emotional struggles.

Akihiko, for his part, didn't intervene much in this matter. He was more focused on developments in Konoha. After two years of meticulous planning, Danzo was finally ready to launch his factory again.