Chapter 2 I want to be the man of Hokage

Yakushi Nono stood there, utterly stunned, momentarily overlooking Natsume's injuries.

In the ninja world, there were thousands of bloodline limits, and she had witnessed many awaken in successors. Yet, Wood Release was unlike any other.

The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, had harnessed Wood Release to propel the ninja world forward and usher in an era of prosperity.

In Konoha Village, the term "wood" referred to Wood Release.

It was a lamentable fact that no ninja, not even those from the Senju Clan, had manifested Wood Release since the time of Senju Hashirama.

  What Caretaker Nono didn't expect was that she would be able to see Wood Release with her own eyes today.

  "Dean?" Natsume shouted.

  "Who else have you told this matter?"

Caretaker Nono took a deep breath and stretched out her hand to heal Natsume's new wound.

She was not a naive ninja.

  Before assuming her role as the orphanage director, she had been a distinguished member of the Konoha Intelligence Department. Her exceptional skills had led her to be pressured by Danzo Shimura to work for the covert organization, the Roots.

Due to her past involvement with intelligence work, she had a deep understanding of the significance of the appearance of Wood Release.

  "The dean is the first one to know."

Natsume looked at her expression and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as he expected.

After three years of getting along, the two are like mother and son.

It was impossible for Yakushi Nono to hand him over to Shimura Danzo.

Because she is not emotionless and blindly loyal.

This is also the reason why Danzo Shimura wants to get rid of her in the later parts.

Knowing too much and being unfaithful.

  "Very good."

Caretaker Nono gently touched Natsume's hair, her brow furrowing with concern. 

She knew that keeping such a significant secret wouldn't last long. Moreover, having the Wood Release talent and not using it would be a tremendous waste.

Danzo Shimura was known for his ruthlessness, and if left unchecked, he could turn Natsume into a mere tool.

As Yakushi Nono contemplated her options, she pondered whether to report this to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Natsume sensed that it was time for him to speak up and asked, "Dean, what kind of ninjutsu is this?"

"It's Wood Release, a ninjutsu used by the First Hokage," Yakushi Nono disclosed without reservation. She continued, "The fact that you can possess it suggests that one of your ancestors had ties to the Senju clan."

"The Senju clan," Yakushi Nono continued to explain, "was once a renowned ninja clan with a substantial population even before the founding of Konoha. However, due to Senju Hashirama's principles, intra-clan marriages ceased, and they assimilated widely into Konoha."

"As it stands today, the Senju clan no longer exists. Tsunade is the sole surviving member of the Senju clan on the surface."

"Wood Release?" Natsume pretended to be surprised and then asked with excitement, "Dean, do you know any Senju clan ninjas? If we can identify my ancestors, perhaps I can learn about my parents. Can you help me find out?"

When Nono heard this, her expression paused slightly.

Natsume was a war orphan, and because of his young age, he was frightened and lost a lot of his memory.

And the method he proposed was indeed a chance to know his parents.

At the same time, Natsume reminded her that there was someone more suitable than Sarutobi Hiruzen.

  Tsunade.

The only remaining Senju clan.

The most important thing is that Yakushi Nono understands her character and Tsunade will not treat Natsume badly.

  "Leave this matter to me."

Caretaker Nono opened the closet and took out another set of clothes. "Go and take a bath and have a good rest." "

  Okay."

Natsume took the clothes and nodded obediently.

The necessary steps have been taken

The outcome now lies in Caretaker Nono's hands.

If she couldn't help, the next option would be to collaborate with the old man, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Considering how Yamato was treated later, it wasn't such a bad idea.

The condition, however, was that Natsume demonstrated the Will of Fire.

Fortunately, he was quite adept at this.

It was merely an unfinished plan.

In fact, he even felt that he could outwit Sarutobi Hiruzen in return.

Another week has passed.

In a secluded corner of the orphanage,

"Natsume, happy birthday," Kabuto offered a small cake.

Natsume accepted it with a smile.

Interestingly, their birthdays were only a week apart, quite the coincidence.

"Natsume, what's your birthday wish? Or what do you aspire to do in the future?" Kabuto Yakushi inquired curiously.

The two have been together for three years, and he has always felt that Natsume is very mysterious.

  Especially last year, Natsume had approached Kabuto with a grave tone, urging him not to reveal his medical talents. He emphasized that exposing it could lead to disaster, for both Kabuto and the orphanage's dean.

It had felt like a forewarning, leaving Yakushi Kabuto in a state of shock. However, fueled by trust and a sense of enigma, he concealed his remarkable medical ninja abilities and continued to act unremarkably.

  "My dream?"

  Natsume pondered for a moment, then waved his hand and declared, "Becoming the man of the Hokage."

He was referring to the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.

In his mind, if you aim high, go for the top.

Some might argue that she was older, but she possessed a timeless beauty.

In Natsume's eyes, beauty knew no age boundaries; it could even transcend species.

Right? just like the reckless hero of a certain book.

"Hokage?" Kabuto wasn't surprised.

Thanks to the impressive reputation of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was held in high regard by children, the role of Hokage had a towering presence.

Becoming a Hokage was a nearly universal aspiration among children, akin to wanting to be an astronaut or scientist as his past live.

  Only when they grow up will they understand what cruelty is.

  "Yes! Hokage!"

  Natsume finished the cake in a few seconds, put his arms around his shoulders, and said, "When the time comes, we two brothers, I will be the Hokage, and you will be the Hokage's advisor. We will become bigger and stronger, and rebuild the glory of Konoha!" 

   he was worried about scaring Yakushi Kabuto, so he added another sentence.

 People often laugh at the wisdom of Sarutobi Hiruzen while mocking the perceived foolishness of Danzo Shimura. In the present day, it seems like the only heroes are you and me.

  Of course he had a reason for doing this.

  Kabuto Yakushi has a bright future, and it will definitely not be a loss to take him under his wing in advance.

  It can give you free labour, so don't miss it.

  "Okay!"

  Kabuto Yakushi was now a kid who had not been trained by Orochimaru. Being fooled by Natsume, he became excited and said with great pride, "It's a deal!" "Natsume!"

  Natsume suddenly felt a surge of excitement.

But then he worried, what if someone overheard his second-grade dialogue? That would be social suicide!

"Natsume!" Caretaker Nono called out, and he swiftly turned around, only to be stunned by the sight before him.

In addition to Caretaker Nono, there was another woman present.

She wore a tea-green gown, had silky blond hair, exuded mature charm, and boasted an eye-catching, pear-shaped figure.

There was a saying from his past life that men prefer curvy women, and this woman was undoubtedly the epitome of that ideal.

Her plump legs, accentuated by black or white silk stockings, were a sight to behold and could captivate anyone.

  Natsume lifted his gaze and locked eyes with a pair of warm, brown eyes that appeared to carry a subtle smile.

"Tsunade-sama, the children are not very sensible. They were just joking, please don't take it seriously," Caretaker Nono quickly explained, worried that Natsume's previous words might have upset Tsunade.

"It's alright," Tsunade replied, looking away briefly before inquiring, "Is this Natsume? He's quite handsome."

  Yakushi Nono breathed a sigh of relief and replied: "Yes. The boy in the front is the Natsume I told you. "

  Tsunade nodded, approaching Natsume slowly, and asked, "Do you want to become Hokage?" Natsume put on a heartfelt smile and replied, "Because I want to protect everyone."

Even though it was a feigned smile, Natsume knew how impactful this moment was for Tsunade.

"Why?" Tsunade paused for a couple of seconds and then spoke with an enigmatic tone, "Those who aspire to be Hokage are often fools, readily willing to sacrifice themselves for others."

She continued, "I've witnessed war, and I hope to never see it again. I want to prevent more wars."

Natsume offered the standard response, "By becoming Hokage, I can stop wars and bring peace to everyone."

  In fact, he is not that great.

  His only wish now is to gain some foothold.

  Tsunade was briefly stunned, recalling her late brother Nawaki, who had also believed that becoming Hokage would bring peace.

But in the end, he had perished in the war.

"Kid, you're not that tall, but you've got a loud voice," Tsunade chuckled, extending her fair hand to ruffle his hair.

Natsume was left momentarily speechless.

You know what men detest the most?

Being called "small."

From this point forward, he would understand the significance of "big."

  Tsunade pushed aside her wandering thoughts and requested, "Show me your Wood Release."

Natsume extended his hand, and several thorns materialized seemingly from thin air. His current knowledge of Wood Release was limited, so he relied on instinct to control it.

Thankfully, he had received guidance from caretaker Nono on chakra refinement, which enabled him to demonstrate the ability.

Tsunade's expression shifted, her face hardened in recognition.

Growing up with her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, she was intimately familiar with Wood Release.

The ninjutsu Natsume had just displayed was undeniably real, neither an illusion nor an imitation of Wood Release.