"You really are greedy." Tsunade smiled slightly. "But that does sound like something you'd say."
"You haven't truly understood this shinobi world, have you?"
"Huh? I guess not." Naruto scratched his head. "I've only looked at maps. I have a rough idea of the names of the leaders of the Five Great Nations and some of the smaller neighboring countries."
"Just looking at a map won't be enough." Tsunade's red lips curled into a seductive arc as she lazily moved her smooth, jade-like arm and tossed a thick book to Naruto.
"Take a look at this first."
"What's this?"
Naruto took the book, casually flipped through a few pages, and immediately noticed Jiraiya's signature. His expression grew serious.
"It's the intelligence your teacher Jiraiya gathered while traveling the world all these years. Some of it was handed over to the higher-ups, while the rest is in my hands."
Tsunade gazed at Naruto with a languid expression.
"If you've studied the map, you should know that the Land of Fire is an inland country. The sea breeze moves from east to west. Compared to the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire has a lower altitude, which results in a climate that's rainy and rich in forests."
"So, the Land of Fire has a temperate maritime climate?" Naruto frowned. "That's why neither the Land of Fire nor the smaller neighboring countries suffer from droughts and experience consistent rainfall year-round?"
"Exactly." Tsunade nodded in approval. "Since you can understand that, things will be easier to explain. The Land of Earth and the Land of Wind are both mountainous and rugged, blocking the sea breeze and causing the formation of cold air currents."
"So, the windward side—like the Land of Taki and the Land of Grass—gets rainfall, while the leeward side—the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind—experiences less rain year after year. And since the Land of Wind has a desert landscape, it easily becomes a high-pressure climate zone. When the air sinks, humidity drops, making sandstorms more likely."
When Naruto first studied the shinobi world's map, the more he looked at it, the more it reminded him of a flipped version of Western Europe. It wasn't an exact match, but the similarities were striking.
The Blood Mist Village of the Land of Water was almost certainly modeled after the historical Bloody Mist City of Sakurashima.
Both its geographical location and historical events were eerily similar.
The Atlantic winds swept across France into the shinobi world, reviving Naruto's long-dormant knowledge of geography.
The overwhelming realization struck him like a hammer.
"The era of the Bloody Mist in the Land of Water has long ended. Under the leadership of the Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, Kirigakure has rapidly risen." Tsunade added.
"The Land of Water has built a massive fleet and now controls the majority of crucial sea routes. They've established a maritime alliance with the Land of Lightning by leveraging their naval dominance, forming a civilian technology coalition focused on chakra development."
"What is this, some kind of British Empire world domination script?" Naruto muttered.
"What... what empire?"
"Ah, nothing." Naruto gave an awkward smile.
"The Land of Wind recently discovered a rare new mineral. According to intelligence, it can conduct chakra. If they manage to mass-produce it, it could completely reshape the power balance of the shinobi world." Tsunade continued.
"As for the Land of Fire, its current strategy is to avoid direct conflict with the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning while simultaneously working to drive a wedge between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. The goal is to cause a gradual split between the two inland superpowers."
"Under these circumstances, while the Four Great Nations are rapidly advancing, the Land of Fire's strength has been slowly declining. That's why Konoha's upper echelon is now fixated on harnessing the power of a perfect Jinchūriki."
"I take it back, Lady Tsunade. I'd prefer a simpler explanation." Naruto raised his hand.
"Simpler?" Tsunade chuckled, narrowing her eyes. "In simple terms, the future of the shinobi world lies in peace and technological progress—not war."
Naruto couldn't deny that. The shinobi wars had lasted for centuries, but given the current state of the world, the trend was shifting toward peace and prosperity.
Traditional ninjutsu would eventually be replaced. The true future lay in new jutsu techniques and technological advancements.
A brief silence followed.
The summer breeze blew gently.
"Honestly, I don't have any big aspirations," Naruto said. "I understand everything you're saying, Lady Tsunade. But I don't want to be treated as a mere weapon."
"So... my choice is to continue standing by your side."
Hearing this, Tsunade no longer concealed her thoughts. She let out a deep breath and asked:
"Then, have you ever considered becoming Hokage?"
"Not at all."
"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked. "You and Kakashi are both practically born to be Kage."
"The Will of Fire burns bright in me?"
"No, I mean, you're just as shameless as I am." Tsunade leaned back into her soft chair, stretching lazily with a quiet groan.
As Naruto recalled everything Tsunade had just said, he finally understood—she had been trying to rope him into taking over.
"Lady Tsunade, have you been using a new shampoo lately?" Naruto swiftly changed the subject.
"Hmm..." Tsunade frowned. "If you want some, I can give it to you."
As she spoke, something else seemed to cross her mind. She gestured for Naruto to come closer.
"What is it?"
Naruto had no idea what she was up to, but he walked over anyway.
"Bend down," Tsunade said lazily.
He complied, leaning in closer. His vision was suddenly filled with soft, creamy skin, rising and falling with each breath. Smooth as fine jade, her exposed skin looked like it would break with a single touch.
In an instant, Naruto's mind spiraled into inner turmoil.
"...Where are you looking?"
"Sorry, Lady Tsunade. It's hard to look away."
Tsunade wasn't mad. Instead, she grabbed Naruto's face with both hands and began kneading it.
"I think I understand why you don't want to be Hokage," she said. "If you refuse, I won't force you. You can live however you want."
"I... already said no." Naruto's voice was muffled as his face was squished.
"I know." Tsunade continued kneading, as if playing with clay. "You've been through a lot to get here. I just want you to be a little happier."
"You act all deep and mature for someone so young. So grim and world-weary."
"Enough!" Naruto, irritated, grabbed Tsunade's face in return. "How am I supposed to be happy? Who wants to be treated like a weapon? If someone else wants to be a Jinchūriki, they can have it!"
"Ugh, as if I had a choice in the matter!" Tsunade scowled and increased the pressure. "Let go!"
"You first!" Naruto snapped. "Are you trying to kill me?!"
"You let go first!" Tsunade stubbornly held her ground. "If you don't, I'll beat the hell out of you later!"
Faced with her overwhelming presence, Naruto relented and reluctantly released his grip.
"You're so dead," Tsunade said, suddenly grabbing him. Expecting a punch, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut—but instead, he felt himself being pulled into a warm embrace.
"With me here," Tsunade whispered, "the road ahead won't be so difficult for you anymore. You won't have to hide. You'll be surrounded by people, walking at the front of the crowd."
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