Naruto: SSS-Rank Romance System

Naruto took a detour to the Hokage building and climbed to the highest floor.

The Hokage's guards were nowhere to be seen, so Naruto, unbothered, pushed open the office door.

With a creak, the door opened. Before he even stepped inside, he saw the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, slumped over her desk, sound asleep. Following his gaze, he noticed a small trail of drool glistening at the corner of her mouth.

The window behind her desk was wide open, the white curtains swaying lazily in the humid breeze.

Naruto stood there for a moment but didn't wake her. Instead, he pulled three chairs together, laid them flat, and casually sprawled out for a nap himself.

The room was soon filled with the steady sound of breathing.

The clock on the wall ticked away 40 minutes before two sets of footsteps approached. Three seconds later, the office door was pushed open.

Carrying a mountain of documents, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane—the two "gate guardians" of Konoha—appeared at the door. Seeing Tsunade slumped over the desk and Naruto sprawled out asleep on the chairs, they froze in disbelief.

The two exchanged glances and double-checked the doorplate to confirm they hadn't entered the wrong room.

"What is this relaxed scene?"

"Lady Hokage! You're... sleeping again!" Kotetsu exclaimed, nearly dropping the towering pile of documents he was carrying.

"Huh?" Tsunade groggily woke, a book imprint on one side of her face and a bit of drool still glistening at the corner of her mouth.

Izumo and Kotetsu, Chunin who typically guarded the village gates and occasionally proctored Chunin Exams, were Konoha's go-to utility players before Tsunade's return. They were the "bricks" that could be placed wherever needed.

With Tsunade's rise to Hokage, she decided to groom them as her aides. In the meantime, they were still adapting to their new roles while assisting the previous generation of Hokage guards during a transition phase.

An hour earlier, Tsunade had sent them to fetch some documents. Now, upon returning, they were greeted by this absurdly laid-back scene.

"Ah, it's you two," Tsunade said, unbothered and unapologetic. "You're fast. Sorry, I must've dozed off."

Faced with her shamelessness, the two could only sigh. Kotetsu placed the stack of documents on her desk with a resigned expression, pointing toward the sleeping Naruto.

"Lady Hokage, why is he...?"

Tsunade glanced at Naruto, still asleep on the makeshift chair bed, and casually replied, "I asked him to come. You can go now."

"Yes, ma'am."

With that, the two respectfully exited the office, closing the door behind them. They still had gate duty to return to.

Once alone, Tsunade frowned, stood up, and walked over to Naruto. Without hesitation, she grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the chairs.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked groggily, meeting Tsunade's annoyed face. "Hey, lady! Do you have to wake me like this?"

"Brat, do you even know where you are? You're napping in my office!"

"I came to talk to you, Lady Hokage!" Naruto said, his survival instincts kicking in.

"Talk? About what?" Tsunade squinted at him, eventually tossing him back onto the chair.

She walked over to the window, staring at the vibrant trees and the blazing sunlight beyond. Her tone was calm but commanding as she asked, "What's so important that you had to find me?"

Naruto stood and walked up to her desk, stopping about three meters away. "I heard the higher-ups want to train me into a perfect Jinchuriki. Is it true?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Where did you hear that?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it does. If sensitive information like that leaks, what else could be more important?" Tsunade turned her head slightly, her face solemn under the soft sunlight.

Naruto ignored the question, helping himself to the tea on her desk. He poured a cup and muttered, "I'm always the last to know anything, even if a stray dog dies in this village."

He paused, then said, "Lady Hokage, isn't it possible that I didn't discover this information but was meant to? Maybe someone up top wanted to test my reaction. Or perhaps it's just a way to gauge my attitude."

"Don't you agree, Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade turned fully, giving him an unimpressed look. Finally, she dropped the pretense and laid it bare.

"You're right. That 'higher-up' is me."

"Well, I'm honored," Naruto said sarcastically. "I don't understand your logic, but I'm definitely impressed."

"Cut the whining," Tsunade snapped. "Council discussions aren't something I can just disclose, but I can bend the rules a little if it serves a purpose. Either way, the message got through."

"And now it's your problem," she added with a smirk.

"That's just great," Naruto muttered.

"You think being Hokage is easy, brat? This position isn't all it's cracked up to be," Tsunade said as she plopped back into her chair, her commanding presence undiminished.

"Lady Hokage, I really admire your dedication," Naruto said with a sly grin, perfectly timing his flattery.

"Save it," Tsunade said, rolling her eyes. "You're full of lies."

"You're the most beautiful woman in Konoha," Naruto quipped with a cheeky smile.

"Fine. That's the one truthful thing you've said today," Tsunade replied, visibly pleased. "Now then..."

She leaned forward, her tone turning serious. "You've heard the information now. What's your stance on it?"

"Does it matter?" Naruto asked.

"Of course it does."

Naruto stood, grabbed the teapot, and poured her another cup of tea.

"Thanks," Tsunade said, taking a big sip. "For the record, I oppose it. This outdated and rigid plan won't pass on my watch."

She paused, her gaze locking onto Naruto's. "But I need to know that your attitude aligns with mine."

"I'm always on your side, Lady Hokage," Naruto said without hesitation. "Your stance is my stance, no exceptions."

"You really only have that silver tongue of yours," Tsunade said, leaning back into her chair. "Now, do you want the long explanation or the short one?"

Naruto thought for a moment before replying, "Both."

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