"Lord Hashirama — how did it go?"
The moment Aoi returned from the meeting, Naruto rushed forward eagerly.
"Did the other Kage agree to lift the manhunt for Sasuke?"
"It will not be that simple."
Disappointment flickered plainly across Naruto's face — though deep down, he had expected as much.
Changing the minds of the five Kage was never going to be easy…
"Things were going quite well at first," Aoi said with a wry smile and a shake of his head.
"But Danzō walked out of the summit, and so the order was never revoked."
"Danzō!" Naruto gritted his teeth and roared. "That hateful man again!"
"But Lord Hashirama — wasn't Danzō once your student?" Kakashi asked from the side, sounding confused.
"Couldn't you simply order him to…"
"He is the Hokage now."
Aoi sighed. Teacher or not — the Kage stands as the highest authority in the village.
"Unless… we can convince Konoha's higher‑ups to reconsider his appointment." Aoi's tone carried a hint of meaning.
"Once Danzō is no longer Hokage, there will be nothing standing in the way of calling off Sasuke's manhunt."
Naruto's eyes lit up with hope.
"With your status, Lord Hashirama, reclaiming the title of Hokage should be as easy as breathing, right?"
"Ah — in theory, yes." Aoi paused thoughtfully, then shook his head with a touch of regret.
"But for now, I cannot leave this place."
Without leaving, he had no way to prove to Konoha that Senju Hashirama had truly returned — and until they were convinced, the elders would never revoke Danzō's authority.
Unless…
"Unless what?"
"Unless someone trusted and respected carries news of my return back to the village. That might just tip the scales."
The moment Aoi spoke, every eye turned naturally toward Kakashi.
After all, Kakashi was the most famous figure in all of Konoha — widely known as the man who wielded the power of "Face Value," the village's very own Red‑Haired Charmer!
Still…
"Naruto…"
For once, Kakashi hesitated.
As his teacher, he was duty‑bound to stay close and keep him safe. If he left now, Naruto could be left vulnerable.
But just then, a gentle voice drifted through the falling snow…
"Have no fear, Kakashi."
Gaara stepped slowly out from the blizzard, his green hair dusted white.
"The Allied Shinobi Forces have already agreed to guard the Eight‑Tails and Nine‑Tails with their lives. And more than that…"
"Naruto is my friend. I will give everything I have to keep him safe!"
Gaara, usually so quiet and foreboding, spoke with a sincerity that was almost as bold as anything Naruto had ever said.
Just as in the original story, Gaara first tried to reason with him as the Kazekage, urging Naruto to let Sasuke go — then spoke from the heart, hoping to draw him closer.
But it was no use…
No matter what Gaara said, Naruto remained cold and unmoved.
He had no intention of abandoning Sasuke, or turning to stand by anyone else.
Poor Gaara…
Naruto had been the one to reach out and pull him out of his shell.
Yet now that Gaara had finally found his courage and wanted to build something real and lasting…
"I'm sorry — I just said what I did without thinking," Naruto bluntly shut him down.
"Sasuke will always be my best friend. No one else."
Whether he burns villages, steals from the innocent, becomes an international terrorist… or even does something foolish in the dead of night — he is still the only one I care about.
But Gaara had been changed by Naruto's words before.
A single setback would never make him turn away.
"I support you, Naruto," he said firmly.
"Whatever you choose, I will stand by you."
Gaara had truly learned what it meant to be loyal — no matter what.
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