The office door creaked open, breaking the tense silence.
Leaning heavily on his cane, Danzo entered, his single visible eye scanning the unconscious Jinchūriki sprawled on the floor. His expression remained as stoic as ever, but greed flickered just beneath the surface.
"Hand him over," Danzo demanded, his voice sharp and commanding. "This concerns the village. The Six-Tails Jinchūriki should be under my jurisdiction."
Clearly, he'd been eavesdropping—a classic Danzo move. Gojo's recent capture of the Six-Tails Jinchūriki and his dismantling of the Akatsuki's plans had stirred up Danzo's relentless hunger for power. To him, this was a golden opportunity to secure his grasp on the Hokage seat.
Tsunade's face darkened immediately, her golden eyes narrowing. Her distaste for Danzo was no secret. Unlike her, who sought to protect the village through strength and trust, Danzo operated from the shadows, controlling through fear and manipulation.
Before she could respond, Gojo stepped forward, casually placing himself between Danzo and the unconscious boy. His sunglasses concealed his eyes, but his smirk radiated confidence.
"Danzo," Gojo began, his tone light yet dripping with mockery, "you really need to work on minding your own business."
Danzo bristled at the insult, but Gojo didn't give him a chance to reply. Resting a firm hand on the old man's shoulder, he leaned in close, lowering his voice to a dangerous whisper.
"Here's the deal," Gojo said, his smirk never wavering. "You've got three seconds to leave before I relocate you somewhere... unpleasant."
Danzo stiffened, the weight of Gojo's words settling heavily on him. Still, he wasn't one to back down easily. Straightening as much as his aging frame allowed, he huffed, "We'll see how long your antics last, Gojo. This village needs real leadership."
Gojo chuckled. "Oh, please. Next time, try showing up without looking like a horror story reject. One look at you and the village's morale tanks for a week."
Danzo's cane tapped furiously against the floor as he turned and exited, his attempt at dignity undermined by Gojo's parting laugh.
Once the door closed, Tsunade grabbed Gojo's sleeve, her tone a mix of frustration and concern. "You can't keep provoking him like that. Danzo's dangerous."
Gojo waved off her worries with a laugh, ruffling her hair playfully. "Relax, Tsunade. As long as I'm here, neither Danzo nor anyone else will touch this village."
Tsunade swatted his hand away, glaring. "Idiot! I'm worried about you, not me!"
Gojo's grin widened. "Oh, you mean you care? I'm touched."
In the corner, Shizune awkwardly suppressed a smile. She couldn't help but notice the subtle warmth in Tsunade's eyes—a rare softness reserved for moments like this.
Clearing her throat, Shizune stepped in. "Shouldn't we secure the Jinchūriki somewhere safe before anything else?"
Gojo nodded, effortlessly lifting the unconscious boy onto his shoulder as if he weighed nothing. "Good idea. But first, let's dump all the boring paperwork on Shikaku and Shikamaru. Those lazy geniuses need something to do."
Before anyone could protest, Gojo snapped his fingers. In a blur of motion, he and Tsunade vanished, leaving Shizune alone with Tonton. The little pig shook its head in resignation.
At the village's training grounds, Naruto was beaming, holding a small, scruffy cat in his arms.
"I did it!" he shouted, jumping up and down. "Summoning jutsu success!"
Sasuke, sitting cross-legged near a waterfall, barely glanced his way. "Idiot," he muttered, popping a soldier pill into his mouth. The overly sweet taste made him grimace. "Tch. Did Gojo make these? They're sweeter than Ino's perfume."
Naruto turned, puffing out his chest. "You're just jealous because I'm progressing faster than you."
Sasuke's eye twitched. "Jealous? Of you? Don't make me laugh, dobe."
Before Naruto could fire back, Sakura pointed behind Sasuke, her face pale. "S-Sasuke... behind you..."
Frowning, Sasuke turned slowly, only to see Gojo standing directly behind him, grinning.
"Having fun, Sasuke?" Gojo asked innocently.
Sasuke's heart sank. Grabbing another soldier pill, he stuffed it into his mouth, forcing a smile. "Actually, these are... delicious! Really!"
Gojo's grin widened as he flicked his wrist, sending Sasuke tumbling into the waterfall.
Naruto doubled over laughing. "Hahaha! Sasuke, you should see your face!"
Sasuke emerged, drenched and scowling. "You're dead, dobe."
"Kids, kids," Gojo interrupted, waving a hand. "Let's focus. Today's lesson: Tailed Beasts."
He placed a hand on the Jinchūriki's abdomen, a faint glow of chakra emanating from his touch.
"Watch closely," Gojo instructed. "This is what happens when you mess with a Tailed Beast."
Naruto, Sakura, and even Sasuke leaned in, curiosity piqued.
With a single hand seal, Gojo unsealed a portion of the chakra, causing the ground to tremble. Tsunade, observing from a distance, prepared to intervene.
"Relax," Gojo said, effortlessly containing the energy. "I've got this."